Where do you have that first pint after stepping ashore? How involved should the skipper be in that crucial decision?

Musings from Darryl – our man off the Irish Coast on his yacht Maybird –

That much desired first pint!

T’is an interesting question to reflect on where the boat’s crew should have that first pint when they arrive ashore after a sea passage.Should the skipper give some structural guidance or should they be left  to their own devices?

Now that Maybird is meandering her way down Ireland’s west coast calling in at islands and small harbours along the way often there is no choice in the matter. Teelin,an enchanting natural harbour with a small pier nestled under Donegal’s towering Slieve League  mountain is a case in point.The Rusty Mackeral Bar is a good mile and a half walk from the pier but worth every step along the way.I cannot imagine any cruising sailors walking another 3 miles to Carrick and the next bar.We arrived at ten o’clock in the evening and left at two the following morning after a great welcome and many renditions of Paddy’s Green Shamrock Shore learnt off by heart from the Paul Brady CD on Maybird’s sound system.

It was a very different story after the short sea passage across Donegal Bay to the metropolis of Sligo Town.Arriving early in the evening after some interesting pilotage up the Garavogue River I needed the  utmost fortitude and nerves of steel to shepherd the crew past five bars to deposit them at Hargardons in O’Connell St for that crucial first pint in County Sligo.I was a man on a mission.It was worse than  herding cats.A few pints later the potentially mutinous crew seemed contented with their skipper’s choice  and like the Pied Piper I was able to lead them down O’Connell Street-past a few more bars- and into  Shoot The Crows-my second bar of choice in downtown Sligo. Having introduced them to what I consider to be the two best bars I felt I had carried out my duties as a skipper and could leave them to their own devices.You can take a horse to water…………

Nevertheless, I have to admit to looking forward to the lack of decision making that will be required in many of the harbours and anchorages to come as we wander in a southerly direction down Ireland’s west coast.

On RYA Sailing Courses in the Solent it is not uncommon for the boat to be alongside a pontoon in time for a well earned pint.

Posted by: firstclass