Salt and Emerald: A Hesitant Solo Voyage around Ireland by Alastair Scott - first published in 2008
In 2003 the author bought a 36 year old yacht called Ceana of Clyde and decided to circumnavigate Ireland in it. He sailed across from his home in Scotland and started his clockwise journey on Rathlin Island. The book's short but numerous chapters describing his journey are interspersed with chapters about Irish history, natural history, aspects of sailing, customs and famous Irish people. He takes time out when in port to explore parts of inland Ireland and pays a visit to the Irish travel writer Dervla Murphy. He also visited many of the islands around the Irish coast.
I'm not sure if the non-journey chapters were just put in to pad out what is quite a short book but I found them as interesting as his journey. The book is very readable but the format isn't the best. There is a map but I have no idea how long his journey lasted, as no dates are given. There are also no photos.
Islands covered - Rathlin, Skelling Michael, Valentia, the Blaskets, Inishbofin, Tory, Fastnet Rock, Clare Island, Inishmurray, Inishmaan and Inishmore.
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