Mike McFadden made the rest of the trip from Amsterdam to London. He had been aboard from Puget Sound through the Panama Canal and across the Atlantic. From Falmouth we sailed round Land’s End, at the southwest tip of England, up across the Irish Sea to Dun Laoghaire (“Leary”), the ferry port for Dublin. Mooring for three nights in the very nice marina, we found the rail station just steps away, with Dublin only a half-hour ride. What a vibrant, lively city, sparkling in the hot July sunshine! Zack, Anna and I walked and walked, had a pint of Guinness in the famous Temple Bar Pub, wandered round Trinity College, and walked some more. www.nordhavn.com
Crossing the River Liffey we found a life size statue of James Joyce in a rakishly tilted bowler hat. We cruised on up the Irish Sea, calling at Carlingford Loch, Bangor (Northern Ireland), the Isle of Islay, Ardfern and Oban, all in Scotland. At Oban we toured the Oban scotch whiskey distillery, just a couple of blocks from the waterfront. Every summer the Clyde Cruising Club and others put on the Single Malts cruise, round western Scotland with organized visits to a number of distilleries—good fun if you have the time. The Caledonian Canal was a delight, and is worth a serious detour. The scenery is gorgeous, with views of Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Britain, from the pilothouse. The lockkeepers were most helpful and efficient. All the facilities were in tip-top condition. Mooring was easy, with alongside floating pontoons or stone quays, often
(Top left) Resolution waits at the bustling waterfront in Willemstad, Holland, while her crew takes some down time. (Right) Among Resolution’s many adventures in Holland was a side trip to Sneek, home of the famous Waterpoort, or water gate.
2008-2009 | circumnavigator
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