Day 36 Ireland Circumnavigation Sunday 16th June 2013

A bacon butty is a good way to start my day and John had a pot of coffee going..happy days!
It is nice to slow down, the first time since my allergic reaction earlier in the week. I still woke at 6am but snoozed until 8am!
John kindly dropped us into town to shop while Andy started on a major repair to the Aleut. John took our food back in his car and some lunch for Andy.
A good lunch of fish and chips, and ice cream and a walk to look for a pub. A Guinness later we walked back to Johns, it felt good to stretch my legs.  A group prepared Shepherds Pie is for dinner before an early night for me.
John having been a postman has offered to go in early to collect my tent pole. This will be a great help as we can then make the most of the day. At the moment the plan is to out to Rathlin Island and ideally go around the outside on our way to Fairhead and our paddle South.

Sonja

www.coastalspirit.com

Day 34 Ireland 14th June 2013

We had a nice relaxed start after our later night and headed along the coast rock hopping and paddling down channels. We stopped at the headland to explore and discuss options and after speaking to Adrian last night we headed for Portrush, keeping well out to avoid the firing range!! We could use the wind to begin with but the last hour was into a F4 headwind. Squally showers pushed through and the colours and the light were fantastic. We worked our way along the coast to the Giants Causeway. The first bay was disappointing but as we rounded the corner, the cliffs with Basalt columns rose out of the ground and were stunning. Another squall hit us, darker and stronger and heads down we paddled on looking for a small Bothy. It was locked! Justine texted and phoned a couple of people...no result! We put our tents up, cooked food and then....someone came walking down the hill with a key! He had seen the location of the SPOT and wondered if we needed anything...like a Bothy!

To Ballycastle tomorrow and a day or so of rest. Jane and Andy will then leave us at some point as they paddle on towards Scotland. (We saw Jura today!)

Susan and Aiden on Gola, with Jane and Andy Morton, Justine and Barry.

Sonja
www.coastalspirit.com

Day 30 Ireland Circumnavigation

Sunday evening I had a seafood chowder and smoked Haddock with Champ (mash with spring onions) and dessert was a couple of pints of Guinness. On the walk back to the tent my throat felt uncomfortable, my nose started running but at the same time was blocked. Once back at the boats I popped a Piriton tablet which eased the symptoms. This morning we walked into the village and the Irish Language College was super at helping me out. One of the staff gave me a lift to the Health Centre 7 miles away. The Doc gave me some non drowsy meds and some Steroids and said I was lucky as it looked like I'd had an acute reaction to Shellfish. I got a cab back, picked up some lunch and had a restful day. The rain arrived and its looking like an unsettled week.

Sonja
www.coastalspirit.com

Day 27 Ireland 7th June 2013

A farmer cam down early evening to warn us about the cows and showed us a smaller area but workable, to the East side of the beach.
After a relaxed start I was blown away by the beauty of the coastline. Huge cliffs, arches and rock structures and the sun shining on the rock really made it stand out. The wind picked up at Downpatrick Head. Camped at Lackan Bay in the dunes, and our first surf landing. 24nm completed. Hope that the surf has settled down by the morning.

Boats on the beach at Lackan Bay

Sonja

www.coastalspirit.com

Day 22 Ireland

We set off with Jane and Andy who we met yesterday towards the cliffs of Moher. Winds were light and we made good time. The cliffs were stunning and sea birds were everywhere. Now to cross the south channel to the Arran Islands. It started to drizzle, the wind picked up and the cloud got lower. We landed on the first of the islands with a super sandy beach and it was clear the place was busy! However all came good when we found a chip shop and I had sausage and chips and two mugs of tea!
We then crossed the channel in fog and on a bearing. It was cold, the coldest Ive been. We heard the throb of an engine and we saw a fishing trailer making its way out of the gloom. Then another....four boats in total. We crossed in good time and found a small inlet with a reasonable grassy area to camp on. That is when Jane found that her front kayak hatch was full of water! It had seeped into all of her dry bags, bedding and her clothes were wringing wet! In search of a solution they then both walked to the road, found a house, asked if they could use the washing machine and asked if they had a duvet! They did and whilst they were waiting also had showers and a can of Guinness!!!


Sonja
www.coastalspirit.com

Ireland Day 16

We left James on Great Blasket and headed off east around Sybil Head with strong westerly winds on our tail! With a 3-4 metre swell and a tide running in the opposite direction we had some excitement with the most gripping conditions yet! Landing in Smerwick Harbour after 6 nautical miles we decided to stay put in view of the increasing forecast.

View to Fastnet Rock

James having arrived on Friday evening, whose doing as much paddling around Ireland as he can in 6 weeks....

Crossing from  Mizen Head on Saturday


Sonja
www.coastalspirit.com

Day 13 Around Ireland

14 nautical miles today and having done two short days seems to have worked well as Barry is feeling better! We woke to light winds and navigated our way through the islands. In to the last couple of hours of paddling, winds increased to a Force 4 offshore. Were now at a beautiful beach, East of Barley Cove but its a little public, so we wont put the tents up till later!
Were now well placed for getting round Mizen Head in the morning...

 Friday morning start...

Thursday nights camp in beautiful sunshine...


Sonja
www.coastalspirit.com

6th day of paddling around Ireland

After breakfast with Mick's whole family and various admin tasks we were on the water by 11.30. Winds were generally ok apart from when a squall came crashing through. As with earlier in the week we had another  heavy hail shower. Paddled on until 8pm, making up our time and camping at a cove just west of Mine Head. A light tea of salami, couscous and red pepper, washed down with a nice mug of tea..............

Sonja

www.coastalspirit.com

Day 3 Ireland

Woke to a sore back and on closer inspection I realised it was bruised! Probably due to the extra rotation I was throwing in! I decided to cut the waist band of my fleece trousers which I thought was the likely culprit! It worked! Fun and games continued though with me further snapping a tent pole as I shook the sand out of it whilst breaking camp! Fortunately had a repair sleeve so could fix it straight away! Lovely bright morning with the day bringing much better weather and lighter winds than forecast. About 25 nautical miles covered today.

Sonja
www.coastalspirit.com

Coastal Spirit Rapid Development Expedition Skye Thursday 18th April

Following the earlier tent epics Gary, Zoe and Roger relocated to a nice cosy hostel to escape the incessant wind and rain!

Thursday had a relaxed start to the day, with a good breakfast, sorting of kit in the drying room, book reading and out by 11. Plan was to find some surf, due to more strong winds (and more rain ..). The first potential venue had more wind than surf so the group headed off to Glen Brittle Bay, a long shot but the swell might just have reflected round the coast. 

They got lucky! Around 2ft and with a small bar, which increased and steepened a wave.

 A super day made out of the bad weather. 
Their aim is to be out early tomorrow and get a paddle out to Soay Island and Loch Corursk. 

Sonja
www.coastalspirit.com

Bespoke .. sea kayaking as you want it

Peter and Helen had booked two days bespoke sea kayaking, with the aim of assisting Helen who had only been in one once before, to cover rescues form towing, deep water assisted and self rescue, tidal planning and to ensure what Peter was doing was right as he had mainly been self taught.  He had a strong white water back ground, while Helen had dived for many years, was an adventure racer and rock climber.

After meeting, chatting over a coffee and some tidal planning we set off for Llyn Padarn, my local lake, in stunning settings, so that we had a gentler introduction as the west coast of Anglesey was forecast blowing at f6-8 ... while the lake was f4/5

Both were soon picking up the skills, and Helen was doing remarkable well.  So I started setting them courses, so Peter could think off positioning and provide Helen with clear instructions ...
 

We did a lot of work on forward paddling and I used the analogy of plate spinning ... we have many elements that make up an effective forward stroke and these can be difficult to manage all at the same time ... focus on one element and work it... then another ...

I love this photo ...yep it was just like that ... using edge, skeg sweeps and stern rudders, while paddling across the wind and using the wind to assist in turning down wind ...

In one of the lagoons, which was much calmer Peter did some fun and balance, so he could get a feel for the kayak and so we could go through assisted rescues.  I also jumped in the windier stuff so both could practise their newly learnt skills in a realistic context.  Both did exceptionally well and we finished off the day with a couple of good down wind rides, with the sea kayaks almost surfing.  Despite the rain it had been a top day!

Tuesday was looking much better and after going through some tidal planning home work we were off on to the Menai Straits, to work on flow.

After setting both different circuits, with varying difficulty with ferry gliding the flow, we moved off towards The Swellies (the area between the two bridges), to work on eddy turns.

We were enjoying the sunshine ....

Britannia Bridge provided a useful circuit of crossing flow and some wind against tide ...

As slack water approached I went through the fun and balance ... nice one Helen ... and the three self rescues, back deck crawl/cowboy, paddle float and re-entry and roll.  Both had a go at the back deck crawl self rescue with great success ....
 

And while Peter was having a go at the re entry and roll Helen had a go at the paddle float self rescue.  Both again had great success.

To warm up we then spent 30 minutes paddling up and out of small eddies, against the new flood and a couple of ferry glides before turning and catching the tide back to our start point.

Boats back in the boat yard and then into Dylan's for hot chocolates, a reflection on the two days and then whats next.

Roger
roger chandler
www.coastalspirit.com

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