Ireland Circumnavigation Complete!!

After a good nights sleep, early to bed and refueled, 5am felt OK. Our camp had been well sheltered. We were prompt at  packing and clearing up. The first part of our journey was S with a cross/tail wind. When we could see the Sound between Howth and Ireland's Eye (small island) we turned for a downwind run. 

It was F5 gusting up to F7, so it was a sporting ride. I was keen to make the most of it and at the same time not over do it as I would need plenty of energy!

The back of the headland was well protected and birds drifted about in rafts. We snacked and I for one didn't want to think about the next headland. Rounding it would put us into a headwind!  Heading west from Drumleck was physicall the toughest part of the whole trip for me. No shelter and the full force of a hungry wind. We landed briefly in a spit of land to snack. We had seen a couple of ferries leave, and I kept a good eye on both directions as I crossed Dublin bay. 

One last run kind of downwind and we were back at the start, 6 hours from waking. Dez and Sonja from deep blue sea kayaking, we're waiting on the harbour wall, flashing their headlights and honking their horn. 

Coffee and a Whiskey welcome, then back to their house for a fry up and showers. Our ferry  back to North Wales leaves on Monday, so a couple of pints of the dark stuff tonight ...

It's been a magic journey, which could be called the hospitality tour of Ireland. I'm sure I will be back ...

Sonja
www.coastalspirit.com

Day 41 Ireland Circumnavigation 21st June 2013

Susana and Willy fed us very well, right up to the point of leaving, a big thanks. We paddled away at 7.30 on a calm sea. 
By midday a slight breeze had picked up, but nothing significant. By the 2nd crossing it had swung round into our faces, although still light. We pulled into Cloggerhead Harbour and Justine checked her phone, as we due to meet up with Sue for showers and food. Sue had attended a sea kayaking course I had run back in March.  

Bettystown was our destination and pick up. We were now into a F4 headwind, with no shelter. It was creating a small mushy chop, along the long sand beach. 

A car drove down the beach, it was Sue. Pointing out where to go and greeting us. A friend of hers, Billy also turned up with his car to transport the kayaks. The plan was to transport the kayaks to Bill and his wife's house, 5 minutes away and we could put our tents up. Sue would then take us to her and her husbands house for showers and food. 
We had a super meal and it was great to catch up. Rob was also there who had attended a course over a year ago and it was good to see him. Eilean who had paddled around Ireland solo previously, also joined the meal. 

Rob kindly drove us back to Bettystown, where Bill and his wife greeted us and insisted we sleep inside! We went inside to a roaring fire and a glass of wine.

    Our new camp tonight, thanks Bill for the pitch and to Sue for sorting.

    At Clogherhead harbour working out arrangements for tonight 

     Rest before our last crossing 

Sonja
www.coastalspirit.com

Improve - improve + winter sea kayaking courses

This weekend saw Douglas, Pat, Neil & Sue on the water and bringing with them blue skies and warm weather .. it was hard to believe it was November!

After coffee and discussions and day around incident management, towing and rescues was what people wanted so Bull Bay on the North coast of Anglesey was the venue with some current and many channels and rocky inlets and channels, to work with.

Day 1

Neil above, enjoying paddling the new North Shore Atlantic, in the small race that flows out of Bull Bay the first couple of hours on a spring tide.

Sue following on, to return and work with contact tows, and considering up current or down, with placement of casualty or on the bow or stern.

After some lunch at the classic brick works we paddled on towards Hells Mouth, with the bigger cliffs and more opportunity to move in and out around the rocks.

We worked mainly on horizontal turns and introduced vertical turns for tighter gaps ..

Sue and Neil had an incident here to resolve with Neil, capsizing (on purpose) and Sue then towing him out and then a deep water rescue, to put him back in. While this was going on Douglas and Pat were up to a similar scenario!

We then headed back to our start point and said good bye to Sue and Neil, who were just out for the day.

Day 2

Pat was keen to work on 3 star skills, so we headed off to Rhoscolyn, to work some bigger flow and swell ... what another super day it was, making up for the poor summer we had!!

We did allot of rock hoping, looking at positioning, using gears to accelerate through gaps and to get out of rougher areas and soaked up the winter sunshine!

We headed down to Silver bay to get some surf ...hopefully, although on arrival it was fairly dumpy and mainly small with an occasional larger wave. We had some lunch and took in the view ...

looking across to the Llyn ..

Pat working through some rougher water, looking for any further waves ... and a few rescues more, with me jumping in and Pat towing out and putting me back in.

Douglas balancing well in the rougher water .. and upping his game over the day ..

Rocky landing on Rhoscolyn beacon, for a short break.

Back in the bay and a more complicated scenario for Pat to manage, a roll and a successful outcome.

I love my job!!

www.coastalspirit.com

roger chandler

winter sea kayaking courses, north wales