Howth Yacht Club’s Successful Dawn Patrol For “Sailing Into Light” in Support of Pieta House

There was much movement ashore and afloat pre-dawn on Saturday, with many groups and crowds all over Ireland gathering in preparation to mark the Pieta House-supporting “Darkness into Light” initiative. At Howth
YC, the nautical version was “Sailing Into Light”, and it was still a clear night as a diverse fleet put to sea to witness the dawn in the waters off the harbour and around Ireland’s Eye.

In fact, “diverse” scarcely does justice to the gathering, as daylight revealed that it ranged through everything from paddle-boarders by way of GP 14s and other dinghies, through some hot cruiser-racers and on
into the distant-horizons realms of Pat Murphy’s famous world-girdling cutter Aldebaran. But with the daylight came increasing wraiths of weaving mist, making it time to return to the harbour for a thoughtful
collective reflection on the deeper meaning of what had been so rewardingly involved in a shared achievement.

Pre-dawn off Howth – the moment of anticipation for sunrise. Photo: Annraoi Blaney

A GP14 bathed in that magic moment which has inspired the human race for hundreds of thousands of years. Photo: Annraoi Blaney

It wasn’t long before the predicted morning mist began to assert itself…….. Photo: Annraoi Blaney

….and in Howth Sound it was soon the dominant feature. Photo: Annraoi Blaney

The fellowship of a significant goodwill gesture well done – harmony afloat as paddle0borders head back to the harbour. Photo: Annraoi Blaney

The fellowship of a significant goodwill gesture well done – harmony afloat as paddleborders head back to the harbour. Photo: Annraoi Blaney