After a couple nice months of cruising from Stavanger, Norway, to Northern Ireland, the weather is decidedly changing. The gap between low pressure systems rolling in from the Atlantic has been shrinking, and now there is sometimes only a day or less gap between the exit of the previous storm and the arrival of the next one.
So it’s a good time to hole up somewhere to start on the long list of projects to make Oso more of our boat, and that somewhere is Dun Laoghaire, Ireland. Pronounced (more or less) like “Dunleary”, Dun Laoghaire is a southern suburb of Dublin. In the early 1800s, a project was started to build a harbor of refuge for ships to take shelter along the otherwise shallow and unprotected west coast.
By 1859, the outer breakwaters were completed – each nearly a mile long, they form two arms that protect what is now the largest harbor in Ireland. Subsequently, an additional breakwater was built to form an inner harbor, and the result is nearly perfect shelter from wind-driven seas from any quadrant.
Besides the amenities for Oso, Dun Laoghaire is also welcoming for the crew. Restaurants dot the high street, and the cozy confines of a local Irish pub beckon from a block or two away from the marina. A commuter train runs to the center of Dublin after a half hour ride, meaning that it’s easy to hop into Dublin for touristing.
