Around Ireland 2013 Day 1 on the water at last!

After a late night, showers and a good breakfast of porridge, toast and honey and eggs (Thanks Sonja, Ireland!) kit was loaded into the deep blue sea kayaking van and we drove to pick up our kayaks and pack them a short distance away. Packing went smoothly and just at the right time a team of paddlers arrived to help us carry them to the waters edge! It was a super send off and the guys paddled with us for 10km. We crossed to Dalkey Island and crossed the bay into a F4 headwind. A welcome headland provided shelter from the wind and a super lunch stop in a small rocky cove. Thanks to Sonja, Wales! for the surprise yummy smoked cheese! Back on the water and Justine's GPS showed 5knots which was much better than the previous 2.7 knots! We realised at this point that we could make it round the point and our first significant lighthouse, here we reached 6knots!! Now all keen for a camp we landed just before Ardmore Point. With boats to move and arrival at low water Barry was on the case and soon had the kayak trolley set up! 45km or so in the bag today and our position will help us tomorrow morning, which is looking like the wind will be stronger and the weather wet!!!


Sonja WALES
www.coastalspirit.com

Discover sea kayaking

Well for our sea Kayaking Taster day, you couldn't have asked for better weather.  Bags of sunshine and gentle breeze and good company ... we headed off to the East coast of the Island and worked on core skills ... Pam and Mike were on the one day Taster as a birthday gift for Pam, from one of their daughters, Tom and Hannah and Steve. 

Birthday girl Pam and Mike, in his don't lose me hat!!

Tom and Hannah ...worth mentioning Hannah is getting over a nasty compound fracture to her ankle and stored her walking crutches in the rear of the kayak...  fantastic!!

Steve pleased with the moment ...

Pam finding enough time to also smile!!

Being happy in your kayak and realising that its a fairly stable craft, is essential to effective learning and progression, so we finished the day with some fun and balance ... oh and then ice creams!!

Day 2 wasn't quite the same and with an increasing windy day forecast we took shelter in the Menai Straits, to consider eddy turns and crossing flow.

We finished off with stern rudders allowing the wind to push us back to the start ....

Roger

roger chandler
www.coastalspirit.com

discover sea kayaking
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sea kayak taster day