Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

This is a 10 week sailing expedition with some of the best bits at the start in mid June, when there is still plenty of room for anyone who wants to step aboard.

The rough itinerary is:

Leaving mid June for Isles of Scilly then across to Cape Clear Island (Fastnet), through the islands of Roaring Forties Bay, and thence to the Aran islands via the Blaskets. hundreds of islands as we sail north up the West Coast of Ireland to Rathlin Island and so to Islay (the island of the Malts). Remote islands of outer Hebrides and returning by way of Skye, Mull (with Iona), the scottish islands to the I of Man and home by way of Skoner Island and Lundy arriving back in Falmouth around 7th September.

For information, there is a Facebook Group focused on the cruise which you may want to glance at; its link is:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6 ... 601&ref=mf

No hire charge - just a share of running costs (food, drink, diesel, mooring fees) probably amounting to about £50 per person/week you are with us and getting to your point of joining and departure. Several OBs already coming.

Can't make it, sadly, due to the minor obstacle of work, but please say hello to my birthplace of Achill Island as you sail up the Mayo coast

Let me know where and I'll try and take a photo of the exact spot!

If you go anywhere near Benmullet, try not to knock my son off his surfboard.

Can't come. I regret, the Commandant has decided that June (Her Birthday) will be spent in Sardinia.
I doubt if I would get beyond Islay---- although I am rather fond of Jamieson's !

DavebytheSea wrote:Let me know where and I'll try and take a photo of the exact spot!

The Michael Davitt bridge that joins the island to the mainland will be close enough

There are some lovely spots on Achill, I have been back a couple of times recently. Keem Bay, on the west side, is beautiful. Although one of the Aran Islands in Galway Bay was the model for Father Ted's Craggy Island, it could equally well have been Achill. They were all as mad as a bag of badgers, though that was the late 50s - we left in 1960.

Husband comes from from Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, and have been up there on holiday the last 4 summers, wild and beautiful. Isle of Harris even more remote, totally unspoilt, few tourists as yet, even in August.

NEILL THE NOTORIOUS wrote:Can't come. I regret, the Commandant has decided that June (Her Birthday) will be spent in Sardinia.
I doubt if I would get beyond Islay---- although I am rather fond of Jamieson's !

That makes two of us, Neill !

Hi JR,
May I nip "Off Topic" for a second or two ---
Anne (The Commandant) and I, were visiting the Jamieson Refinery, where I had ordered a bottle of 12 YO with my name on it.--- we were taken on the "Tour" and 5 people were selected for "Whiskey Tasting" -- despite my attempt at using my experience of "Loose Mauls" I was not selected --- but she was !
Concealing (With some difficulty) my fury, I took photos, and remarked to a bystander, "These will do for Blackmail"
I then explained that my Wife, as an Ex Missionary, would have the photos exhibited in the Baptist Church !
She now has a Certficate, as an Official Whiskey Taster exhibited at home ----(In the Upstairs Toilet !)
By the way --- all 5 chose the Scotch as best -- and the Bourbon as worst -- we managed to get out alive !
Sorry JR -- but Slangeagh !

'Herself', is a a quarter Irish and introduced me to the delights some time ago.

There is also that slightly 'illegal' clear Irish potato spirit, which you test for pureness by putting a flame to a small sample before drinking.

Pure 'falling-down' water !!

J.R. wrote:'Herself', is a a quarter Irish and introduced me to the delights some time ago.

There is also that slightly 'illegal' clear Irish potato spirit, which you test for pureness by putting a flame to a small sample before drinking.

Pure 'falling-down' water !!

There's poteen and there is poteen. The one is actually legal but I suspect you were commenting on the other. I've tried but I can't taste the difference - give me an Islay or Lagavulin any day

J.R. wrote:
There is also that slightly 'illegal' clear Irish potato spirit, which you test for pureness by putting a flame to a small sample before drinking.

Pure 'falling-down' water !!

Sounds like Costa Rican Guarro, household version or distillery. Since out of the way bars will put whatever in the bottle, it is wise to light the first glass before deciding whether to drink the second.
Chances are you won't get to the third.

QUESTION FOR DBTS......

If this is a cruise of 1,000 Isles...........................







Does one have to DRESS for dinner ???

I'm sure we are Off Topic -- but when visiting one of my Irish cousins ( 1000s of them !) I asked if the Family Farm at Avoca, was still making Poteen.
"Go Upstairs" she said to her daughter "And look in the wardeobe -- under the shoes -- ypu'll find a bottle --- bring it down for yer man !"
"Yer Man" is here to tell you that they still do ! I'm sure the Guardee are well aware if it , but in a Farm in the Wicklow Mountais -- and a bottle at Christmas -- do they care ? it isn't being sold commercially by the Farmers,--- not enough left ! !

C'mon Dave - By (in?) -the Sea
We need a report on the Cruise -- with extracts from the Log-Book.
If you sank -- try to give the Co-ordinates and I'll get my Gear out to do a salvage !
Seriously -- How did it go ?