Day #2 1845: If you’d a gloomy outlook on life in general and sailing in particular, you’d readily agree that the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race is just one damned thing after another. No sooner is one challenge sorted than something else looms up to be dealt with. And even when the sailing is relatively straightforward – as it was through the early part of today – the demons of nature lay on a dose of thick sea fog for your diversion and everyone else’s entertainment.
Having got through that, while taking on board the realisation that the passage west from Cork Harbour to the Fastnet Rock (and maybe further) is going to be a sluggeroo of a beat, the top boats have been put through the exquisite torture of witnessing the extremely likeable Murphy family and their friends on the Grand Soleil 40 Nielarguo – overall leaders on corrected time in this race since anyone can remember – providing the extreme kindness of giving everyone else an Oscar-winning master-class in getting round the Old Head of Kinsale with style in the perverse conditions of a veering and flukey wind and lumpy sea.
Scroll back on the tracker until you see Nieulargo thumping along on port tack in towards the entrance to Kinsale Harbour at 15.50hrs, pacing along with Searcher and Rockabill VI close enough on her port quarter - though both admittedly give her time – while out to sea the large Aurelia, WOW and Samataom have - with good sense you’d think - got themselves into clearer air.
(Top) On the rail on Pete Smyth's Searcher on Thursday afternoon, south west of Cork Harbour and (above) abeam of a rival
It’s almost agonising to watch Nieulargo surely going too far inshore. But then they tack, and soon it’s apparent that WITH A MIGHTY LEAP, OUR HEROES AND HEROINES HAVE FREED THEMSELVES.
You’ll sail for many a day before seeing such a beautifully-judged tack called again. Not only does it keep them well in control on their nearest challenger, but closing in on the pin of the Old Head itself, they’re also right back in business on a boat-for-boat business with the three biggies. And though Aurelia had narrowly regained the on-the-water lead at the Seven Heads around 1800hrs, the Young Heads on Nieulargo were having the time of their lives, and were further ahead on CT than ever.
On to the west, due south of Galley Head, on-water leader Freya (Conor Doyle) has found a private twist to the breeze which is enabling her – though only just – to lay the Fastnet Rock, which is suddenly seeming much more attainable than it was a couple of hours ago, and we hope to report on her rounding it in our final report of today later this evening.
"The Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race 2021 is indeed living up to all expectations"
Meanwhile, back in the body of the fleet and still east of the Old Head, Cian McCarthy and Sam Hunt of Kinsale in the Sun Fast 3300 Cinnamon Girl are having the sail of their lives, leading the two-handed division by an enormous margin, and lying 9th overall in the Open Division despite the burden of a stratospheric rating, and opposition from a fleet of fully-crewed boats.
In all, it’s super stuff and truly inspirational - the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race 2021 is indeed living up to all expectations as the appropriate pillar event to re-launch Irish sailing into post-pandemic times.
Paul Tingle's X34 Alpaca was the fourth retiral from the 2021 Dun Laoghaire Dingle Race. The yacht retired into her home port of Cork Harbour
