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 Dolphin and whale watching under sail

Cape Clear to Cabo Verdes
Off at Last

A beautiful Indian summer, which saw considerably more pleasant conditions in West Cork than had prevailed during the summer proper, was rapidly drawing to a close. As is generally the case, the high pressure prevailing over northern Europe had forced the depressions south, and the Iberian coast had seen a poor spell; but now the depressions were getting back where they belong, clobbering our part of the world in Ireland. It fitted in well with the time appointed - we sailed on October 23rd.

 In Baltimore

Pre departure picture

 Dr Simon Berrow (at right in photo), who will not join the ship until we are getting to work at the Cape Verdes, and Padraig Whooley (at left), secretary of the IWDG, came to see us off; they are pictured here just before we left, with the Skipper (beardy bloke) and Tony Whelan, the film-maker of the outfit who was sailing from the start. The third crewman for this trip is Paul Wright (below), a fisherman who has fished for some years on the Whitebank. Tom McSweeney of RTE also showed up to see us off.
Preparations had included the fitting of a hydrophone, and the rearrangement of the deck so that little Emsworth lugger that I have long used at home could be taken aboard. She is a very much more satisfactory tender than the battered old inflateable, and a good tender makes a tremendous difference when it comes to using somewhat exposed anchorages! Paul Wright
Simon and I had been working at this project for over a year. For such an affair, does anyone ever manage to get everything in order, and the money all lined up, before they go? If so, I'ld like to hear from them. But, we had a respectable amont of seed money in the bag at last - thanks mainly to the Karl Mayer Foundation, which had donated 10,000 Swiss francs (about Euro 7,000.00). Also many thanks to Gisela Kempken-Hetfeld from Germany for 250 Euro. So, we are committed, but we shall have to hope a lot more money comes from somewhere if we are to do the job properly. If only we can make a success of this expedition, maybe we can hope it will be the first of a series! Anyway, it was with great relief and also great commitment that at last we left Cape Clear astern.

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Revised:30 May 2002
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