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A Pencil Sketch Of 2 Yawls Racing In Saula Bay
Each year during the last week in July and the first week in August there are yawl races at different locations on the east side of Achill Island. One of these races finishes up by entering Saula Bay and turning at the bridge below Ted Lavelle's.
Yawls are small boats with one sail. They are still being built on Achill. There is great interest in the yawl races and it is amazing to see the boats practically sailing into the wind. Hopefully this tradition will continue and we will witness great sailing skills in the years to come.
Throughout the year, in Achill, there are wonderful colours provided by nature. The browns and pinks are colours of bog vegetation. The long dark browm lines on the land around Saula Bay are areas where turf has been cut from the bog. These are called 'banks' - these are basically a side wall of a ditch which has been cut out of the bog. Turf when dry is used s fuel for cooking in ranges and also for open fires.
The area depicted here, beyond the boats, has not been used for turf-cutting for the past few years or more, nevertheless the turf banks still show up (as the dark ridges).
In the foreground is a field which has many rushes growing in it. Rushes are tall wild hollow grass-like plants and if left unchecked will take over the whole field. They are a great curse in Achill. They can grow so think they cover the whole field. 'Mature' rushes can be 4 foot high.
From my viewpoint, I live where the picture was sketched, there is a line of houses on the far side of the bay but I used 'artistic license' and did away with them!, apart from the one cottage with its pile of turf outside. More romantic!
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