New Arrival - Windy Conditions

Welcome Aboard Fionnuala, who joined the course this week and has got stuck into some amazing dinghy sailing in gale force winds. We have taken shelter in the lecture room each day too and started the exciting job of passage planning for the Caribbean trip. I will post the current porposed route on the next update. Yesterday was a brilliant day for some exciting dinghy sailing and everyone did really well - Noel and Hugh are getting quite competitive when racing now - so we have to keep an eye out for any rule breaking!!

Last week was on board Jessy in some fantastic force 5-6 winds, nothing too hairy but enough to get a great thrill. With a couple of days in thick fog, the crew had a chance to do some blind nav rather earlier on than expected in their training schedule - well done gang.

New Sailors Head for the Water

"Welcome Aboard" Fiona, Felicity, Hugh and Noel. All are getting stuck into this years Commercial Yachtmaster training course. We are now coming to the end of week two and they are skippering the keelboats in some pretty gusty winds. Today was the first navigational exercise and everyone found their way to Bere Island and back in lovely winds. Sorry we don't have any piccies, so picture this - blue skies with the occational fluff of cloud cruising by, good steady force 4 winds travelling across Bantry Bay from Sheeps Head to Beara and the keelboat gunnels slice through the swell as they honk along healing over in the gusts. The beaming faces of excitement and delight were crowned by an amazing rainbow on the horizon - amazing. Next week they will be stepping on board Jessy for some live aboard cruising and the first step in the cruising training scheme - Competent Crew - looking at their sailing performance today, they look to have a brilliant week of sailing ahead of them. This course combines the gritty skill building sailing of this beautiful West Cork coastline with the amazing waters of the Caribbean. Just as the winter sailing starts to get under their skin they will be heading out to Antigua in January for some serious mile building and brilliant sailing on board a lovely 46 footer - lucky bunch!

Keelboat Sailing in Bantry Bay Thursday 19 Feb - A lovely Days Sail