We have now been in Ireland for one week. It is a beautiful country filled with warm and welcoming people, and we have thoroughly enjoyed our time here. Since our arrival, we have been moored in Bantry Bay.

The picture above is of St. Brendan the Navigator (c. 484–577), one of Ireland's early monastic saints and the patron saint of mariners, sailors, and travelers. His statue stands with outstretched arms facing the bay, symbolically guiding ships into Bantry Harbour and celebrating the town's maritime heritage. Quite a fitting sight after arriving from our transatlantic passage!

We made it! We dropped anchor in Ireland around 10 pm last night. The first sight of land was not as dramatic as our arrival in the Azores, but it was no less epic. Everything was shrouded in fog, so we could barely make out the land masses surrounding us. But the closer we got, the fog began to lift, and the sun peeked through, illuminating the cliffs and lush green hillsides. I cannot wait to explore it!