A quick overnight sail from Milford Haven, and just like that Oso is back in Ireland. With the promise (or at least the hope) of better weather than the last visit, spirits are high as we sail along Ireland’s green and rolling south coast.
First stop, just as it has been for many sailors for many years, is the town of Kinsale. Nestled on the shores of the River Bandon, Kinsale’s harbor is protected by from the open ocean by a nearly 180 degree bend in the river. This protection means a peaceful anchorage, where the only movement of the boat comes from passing traffic instead of passing ocean swell.
Oso is definitely not the first boat to enjoy the natural harbor – Kinsale was a prosperous fishing and trading port for over 1000 years, with shipping traveling to both France and England. But the town is most famous as the site of an ill-fated Spanish invasion and brief occupation at the beginning of the 17th century. The defeat of the Spaniards led to the construction of a pair of fortifications – first James’s Fort on one side of the river, followed by Charles Fort on the other.
Today, Kinsale is best known for tourism, with a world famous golf course combining with a quaint old town and bucolic countryside to make an attractive destination for day trips from nearby Cork.
We’re happy to be back in Ireland, and happy for the prospect of a month or two of leisurely sailing and exploring of the southwest corner of Ireland.
