Two massive piers, built in the early 1800s, create a huge 250-acre (101-hectare) sheltered harbour at Dun Laoghaire (pronounced Dun Leary) near Dublin. Dun Laoghaire Marina is a large, 820-boat marina behind a second set of breakwaters within that protected harbour. Although the marina is outside Dublin proper, it has convenient train access to the city with a large number of shops and restaurants close by in Dun Laoghaire. We spent an excellent month there, exploring Dun Laoghaire, Dublin, and some of the surrounding area, and making a short return trip to the US.

Below are trip highlights from Nobember 11th through December 14th in Dun Laoghaire, Ireland. Click any image for a larger view, or click the position to view the location on a map. And a live map of our current route and most recent log entries always is available at http://mvdirona.com/maps

11/11/2017

Dublin Arrival Position: -6 8.25, 53 17.57 We returned to the Republic of Ireland at Dublin after four months in the UK. Whenever we told someone we were heading to Dublin, they always replied that we would be able to get a proper pint of Guiness. We’re not sure if the Guiness was better, but it sure tasted good on arrival. Read more …

11/12/2017

Exploring Dublin Position: -6 15.70, 53 20.74 We spent our first couple of days in Dun Laoghaire exploring the area, including a visit to the nearby National Maritime Museum of Ireland and a late-afternoon walk around downtown Dublin. Read more …

11/15/2017

Fueling Position: -6 7.79, 53 17.71 We’d been monitoring our fuel levels with the hopes of waiting until we return to Ireland in November to refuel since the prices are better there. We succeeded, and arrived at Dun Laoghaire with only 310 total gallons (1,178L) of fuel on board and needing 1,438 gallons (5,443L). Read more …

11/16/2017

Historic Dublin Position: -6 15.42, 53 20.64 Trinity College, in the middle of downtown Dublin, was founded in 1592 by Elizabeth I. In 1661 it became home to The Book of Kells, a lavishly illustrated Gospel manuscript and one of the oldest books in the world. In 1759, a century after The Book of Kells arrived at Trinity College, Arthur Guinness founded the brewery that eventually grew to 5,000 workers in the 1930s and encompasses 50 acres in downtown Dublin. Read more …

11/18/2017

Christmas Festival Position: -6 7.99, 53 17.72 The Dun Laoghaire Christmas Festival kicks off on December 18th at the Harbour Plaza. A few hundred people showed up to see Santa, who will be turning on the Christmas lights and setting off a fireworks display.

Fireworks Position: -6 7.99, 53 17.72 We had a great time watching our third fireworks display in as many months, this one to kickoff the Dun Laoghaire Christmas Festival. The previous two were Bonfire Night in Liverpool and Hallowe’en in Belfast.

11/20/2017

Hobblers Memorial Position: -6 8.01, 53 17.83 Hobblers were ad-hoc pilots who guided large ships arriving into unfamiliar harbours to moorings. The Hobblers Memorial at the foot of the east breakwater is in the form of a lighthouse-shaped tower of lifejackets and is dedicated to the seven Hobblers who drowned on the job in Dublin Bay between 1917 and 1934.

East Breakwater Position: -6 8.09, 53 17.90 Looking west down the east breakwater, with Dun Laoghaire Marina on the left. Both were constructed in 2001.

Dun Laoghaire Marina Position: -6 8.16, 53 17.93 The view south across Dun Laoghaire Marina from the east breakwater. The two boats in the foreground belong to the Irish Offshore Training that provides courses ranging from beginner to professional yacht skipper.

Berth Position: -6 8.28, 53 17.98 We frequently see people walking the east breakwater that ends right near our berth, and finally made the walk ourselves. Adjacent to us is RNLB The Will. We love our private spot with views out the end of the breakwater.

Irish Lights Position: -6 8.18, 53 17.76 The spectacular lighthouse-shaped headquarters for the Commissioners of Irish Lights on Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

11/23/2017

Howth Position: -6 3.19, 53 22.22 The cliff walk along Howth Head Peninsula gives sweeping views south into Dublin Bay and the town of Howth. We could see Baily Lighthouse, on Howth Head Peninsula, from Dun Laoghaire and were eager to take in the view the other way. Read more …

11/24/2017

Cruising Guides Position: -6 8.34, 53 17.97 The cruising guides we ordered from Amazon UK just arrived. We’re really looking forward to cruising Norway next summer and the Baltic the following year. And we’re considering returning to North America the following summer via Iceland and Greenland.

That’s Amore Position: -6 9.24, 53 17.61 An exceptional evening at That’s Amore Italian restaurant in nearby Monkstown. The food was delicious and the ambiance was wonderful. The owners knew most the patrons and the restaurant is so small, with only a half-dozen tables, that they had to move ours out for Jennifer to sit down

Brrrr Position: -6 8.34, 53 17.97 It’s been cold recently—the temperature is down to 38.8 and still falling. But unlike where we were this time last year, in Baltimore, they won’t be shutting off the water to avoid the pipes freezing.

11/25/2017

Return to US Position: -114 31.34, 36 28.96 While in Dublin, we made a short return trip the US to attend the Amazon Web Services re:Invent conference, held annually in Las Vegas. Read more …

12/3/2017

Race Position: -6 8.34, 53 17.97 Four yacht clubs are based at Dun Laoghaire, with an active racing community. With today’s high tide we can clearly see the Sunday racers passing East Pier Lighthouse.

Customs Position: -6 8.34, 53 17.97 An Irish Customs boat arrived at the marina this morning. Since our US flag had attracted the attention of the UK Customs while we were in Inverness, we expected we’d get a visit. But we apparently didn’t look interesting enough.

12/2/2017

Main Autostart Position: -6 8.34, 53 17.97 We picked up a few parts to carry back with us to Dublin, the most interesting being a Dynagen TG410 to enable autostart on the main engine that we started the install of today. Read more …

12/8/2017

RNLI Position: -6 8.34, 53 17.97 The Dun Laoghaire RNLI lifeboat Anna Livia departing Dun Laoghaire with the Girvan, Scotland lifeboat Elizabeth and Gertrude Allan. The latter is a brand new lifeboat built in Poole, UK and scheduled to arrive into the Girvan station two days from now. Perhaps the Anna Livia will be escorting it there. We’ve seen several different RNLI lifeboats in the area. RNLI College is in Poole, but perhaps they do some training here as well.

12/9/2017

Groceries Position: -6 8.34, 53 17.97 Jennifer returning from a grocery run at the local Tesco store.

12/11/2017

Fender Failure Position: -6 8.34, 53 17.97 Our ProStock inflatable fenders have been through an amazing amount ranging from fueling in a 3-foot swell in the open ocean against a metal barge, to high winds against cement. But last night, two of them failed. The wind was in the low 30s, so not extreme and the temperature was in the mid 30s. Neither that unusual but it looks like the fabric flexing near the valve in the cold weather likely failed. Read more …

12/12/2017

Sunrise Position: -6 8.34, 53 17.97 A fabulous Dun Laoghaire sunrise.

Smoke Position: -6 8.34, 53 17.97 The RNLI relief vessel Duke of Kent really doesn’t like starting on a cold morning.

Dun Laoghaire Marina Position: -6 8.46, 53 18.09 We’ve been noticing people walking all the Dun Laoghaire Harbour piers and so far have only walked on of the inner breakwaters. So today we finally got out to the west pier. This is looking back to Dun Laoghaire Marina from partway along.

Entrance Position: -6 8.07, 53 18.24 The East Pier and West Pier lighthouses viewed from near the head of the west pier.

Royal Irish Yacht Club Position: -6 8.17, 53 17.77 On our way back from the West Pier walk, we stopped in at the Royal Irish Yacht Club for a pint. Founded in 1831, it is one of four yacht clubs in the harbour and a really nice facility.

12/13/2017

40 knots Position: -6 8.34, 53 17.97 We’ve been waiting for the weather to settle to make a run to Falmouth. But winds will be pretty high for the next couple of days.

12/14/2017

Pigtail Position: -6 8.34, 53 17.97 We lost shorepower early this morning. Nothing is obviously wrong, but James had found a small current leak in the 16-amp pigtail in Kinsale. Since the 32-amp is a section from the same wire, we replaced it on spec and power was stable for remainder of our stay.

48 knots Position: -6 8.34, 53 17.97 The wind is blowing in the high 30s with gusts to 48 knots, but should improve by tomorrow evening for an overnight run to Falmouth.

Click the travel log icon on the left to see these locations on a map, with the complete log of our cruise. On the map page, clicking on a camera or text icon will display a picture and/or log entry for that location, and clicking on the smaller icons along the route will display latitude, longitude and other navigation data for that location. And a live map of our current route and most recent log entries always is available at http://mvdirona.com/maps.