We Get to be a CANAL BOAT With Our MAST STILL UP! l Sailing Scottish Highlands (MJ Sailing – Ep 115)

We have just left our anchorage in the Scottish Highlands to make the remaining 26 miles to the beginning of the Caledonian Canal. Winds are about perfect and we’re able to sail the entire way there, through beautiful lochs and even through a narrow channel in the middle!

Once we arrive to the canals, we’re quickly hustled inside the first lock and even though a little chaos ensues at first, we make it through and are tied up for the night with beautiful mountain surroundings.

Much love from Scotland!
Jessica, Matt & Georgie

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Hello SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS!! ⛰️⛵ (MJ Sailing – Ep 114)

It’s time for a new video, and this week we sail the remainder of the Irish Sea up to Scotland.

Our weather on the Irish Sea goes back and forth from blissfully calm to getting tossed around by building waves…but at the end of two days we drop anchor with some absolutely breathtaking scenery in the Scottish Highlands.

We can’t get too comfortable though. The next morning it’s time for us to begin the remaining miles to Ft. William and the beginning of the Caledonian Canal. Once we can get that kelp pull off our anchor…

Much love from Scotland!
Jessica, Matt & Georgie

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Heading Into the IRISH SEA! 🐟🌊💨 (MJ Sailing – Ep 113)

Last time we left off with our departure from Waterford in southern Ireland, with the goal to head 60 miles to the town of Arklow…and entering the Irish Sea in the process.

The predicted winds which were supposed to carry us had disappeared, but just to get the miles under our belt, we motored on anyway. In Arklow we were pleasantly surprised by not only what a cute town it was…but a few beautiful sunny days after our arrival.

We did wait out some rain and swells rolling in while north winds kept us from continuing on, and on our last night we were taken to a local brewery by one of our followers that stopped by to say hi.

Next stop….Scotland and the Caledonian Canal!!

Much love from Ireland!
Jessica, Matt & Georgie

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Chasing the Changing Tides (MJ Sailing – Ep 112)

We’re still in the town of Waterford Ireland and get off the boat to do a little exploring….learn a little about the Viking history, and even take a walk-through of The Waterford House of Glass.

Then it’s time to get moving again…about 1/3rd up the coast of the Irish Sea to get there. Leaving from Waterford though takes a few steps. We leave with high tide to have it as our backs as we travel down river, and once we get to the harbor entrance we need to wait until it cycles through again. Once we’re ready to go though…the wind disappears!

Much love from Ireland!
Jessica, Matt & Georgie

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45 Degree Nights on the Boat – Sailing Ireland’s South Coast (MJ Sailing – Ep 111)

We loved our time in Crosshaven, but it’s time to get a move on again. Our next stop is Waterford, Ireland…a town only 60 miles away.

We start the day out with sunshine, but also with headaches thanks to an amazing family that brought us in the night before, made us pizza for dinner and gave us too much wine.

When our pounding heads did leave, the sun and wind started to as well. Our goal of making it to an anchorage at the river entrance before nightfall was quickly disappearing. Just as the sky was losing light, it was time to put the engine on to get ourselves the last six miles to the river entrance…..and then another six miles UP the river when we found we couldn’t anchor where we originally thought.

But soon enough we were tied up to the docks in the heart of Waterford, ready to get some electric heat pumping through our boat and explore this city rich in Viking history.

Much love from Ireland!
Jessica, Matt & Georgie

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Taking Apart Our Marine Stove – Why Isn’t It Working??!! (MJ Sailing – Ep 110)

Now that we’re back on land after a 1,200 mile passage, it’s time to tackle all the things that weren’t working while we were at sea.

Remember on our passage when we’d try to cook meals in the oven, only to have the burner continuously go out on us? We’ll now that the boat isn’t constantly rocking back and forth, it’s time to take it apart to see what’s causing the problem. Maybe Matt will have it fixed in no time….or maybe we’ll be eating sandwiches for the next week.

We also rent a car for 2 days to explore what we can of County Cork. After getting some errands out of the way (checking in with immigration at City Hall; visiting marine stores; and many stops to Aldi), we get our hands on one more big chore…the 80 pounds of laundry we’ve had building up since Thailand.

But then it’s time for fun. We spend an evening walking through the streets of Cork, and the next afternoon going through the even cuter town of Kinsale. The highlight of our exploring is when we stop at an area called The Old Head. Staggering cliffs of a peninsula.

This spot showcases thousands of birds on the cliffs and in the water; forts dating back to the 3rd century; and is even the site of the sinking of the Luisitania in 1915. Steeped in history and beauty, it’s a spot we’re happy to spend a few hours just wandering around in.

Much love from Ireland!
Jessica, Matt & Georgie

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LAND HO!!! Azores to Ireland in 10 Days (MJ Sailing – Ep 109)

We pick up on the last few days of our 1,200 mile passage from the Azores, to Cork Ireland.

On our approach, about 36 hours from making landfall, we realize at our current speed we’ll make a midnight arrival. Slowing ourselves down by only sailing with a reefed headsail, we decided to do a bit of fishing to catch ourselves a nice dinner. Besides, we were just about done with the trip and I still had a few fishing accessories I was looking to test out. Once we were done we were quite close, so we tried to keep a speed of 4 knots to make sure we won’t arrive before sunrise.

We also begin to encounter all kinds of ship traffic, but mostly fishing vessels which continue to cut back and forth across our path in the middle of the night. We experience a little more heavy weather on our last full day at sea….with some more big waves that are having fun tossing us around.

But…we finally make landfall just at sunrise and have beautiful views as we motor into the harbor of Crosshaven. Our arrival deserved a fine Irish welcome, so we celebrated that night with Irish sirloin steaks and cold Guinness to drink.

Much love from the Ireland!
Jessica, Matt & Georgie

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BIG SEAS & The Furthest North We’ve Ever Sailed (MJ Sailing – Ep 108)

Those 4 meter seas we had been expecting? Yup, they finally made their appearance.

On Day 4 of our passage from the Azores to Ireland, the remnants of a nasty depression just east of us finally made their way over to where we were sailing. Winds gusting up to 30, not too bad, but the waves did start to build as well, becoming very frothy and topping out at a little over 4 meters. By that same afternoon though the storm passed and we were back to our usual 2 meter seas.

We still haven’t quite got out of our passage ‘blahs’ yet, and we’re not sure if it’s just taking us this long to adjust to a life back at sea, or if the constant gray skies are keeping us in a subdued state of being.

We do hit one more milestone though, where we sail the furthest north we’ve ever been…47 degrees! Plus it marks our halfway trip to Ireland.

Much love from the North Atlantic!
Jessica, Matt & Georgie

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We’re Entering the ROARING 40s!! – Or at Least, I Thought We Were (MJ Sailing – Ep 107)

We’ve now entered into the 40 degree latitudes.

But wait? Am I thinking of the wrong ocean with all the terrible weather I’m expecting?

Our passage from Terceira to Ireland is well underway now, but conditions have picked up just enough that we’re not feeling so hot.

Our departure from the Azores was kind to us, but by day two the seas are growing and we’re feeling a little queasy in our stomach. Not much else to do but sit around and wait for it to pass.

We expect heavier conditions to come, although on Day 3, things aren’t as bad as they’re supposed to be. The winds and waves have calmed down a little…but now we have a new problem of the oven not wanting to cook our dinner!

Oh well, at least it’s only a 10 day passage instead of 25!

Much love from the North Atlantic!

Jessica, Matt & Georgie

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Thank you!, Matt & Jessica

Last Days in the AZORES – We’re Now IRELAND BOUND!! (MJ Sailing – Ep 106)

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As we know our last few days in the Azores are coming upon us, we take a little time away from the boat for one last opportunity to see what makes these islands so special.

Next to our marina in Praia da Vitoria, we take the first sunny evening we’ve had in months to hike to the top of a monument overlooking the harbor.

A few days later we rent a car to get further inland, for provisioning, errand running, and a little sightseeing. The first stop of the day is the Serra do Cume. An overlook just outside of Praia which sits over vast green farmland, and even has a platform to make you feel like you’re floating hundred of feet above the earth.

Our other big sightseeing stop for the day is the Algar do Carvão. A set of emptied out lava tubes in the center of the island. This set is unique because the lava escaped through a secondary vent, preserving the magma chambers and allowing them to be toured without thermal dangers.

The next morning, we toss off the lines and begin our 1,200 mile journey from the Azores to Ireland. We set off in perfect conditions, and even though quite a big rain shower passes over the island and chases us down, it can’t dampen our mood as we begin to make our miles north.

Much love from The Azores!

Jessica, Matt & Georgie

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Thank you!, Matt & Jessica