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Paul Thompson

Boats get Wet and so do We!!


All our ducks finally came in a row and on Wednesday 11th May we drove down to catch the ferry from Holyhead to Dublin, on the way I collected the replacement paddle for the one broken last week at St. Abbs. Sarah called in at the Sea Kayak UK Holyhead factory to say thanks to the guys who had built our two Kevlar Explorer kayaks and loaded them up ready for the ferry Thursday morning. We took the opportunity Wednesday night following a tip from Stuart Leslie to give the hatches a good wash out and leave the covers off to allow any residual resin fumes to disappear before we filled them with tents, food and clothes !!



Arriving in Dublin gave us a first hand opportunity to have a good look at the shipping lane and navigation buoyage as we entered a very busy Dublin bay which we would have to cross in the kayaks. We tentatively decided to cross the shipping lane at the narrowest point just east of North Bull and Poolbeg lighthouses which we saw at close quarters from the luxury of the ferry lounge!


We have decided to paddle Ireland in clockwise direction taking advantage of the general south-west winds up the west coast; however, there is no certainty as last year when paddling Scotland the entire paddle was dominated by northerly and easterly airflows. We wasted no time getting started as the weather forecast was what can best be described as ‘a mixed bag’ with sunny periods but the possibility of strong winds and rain over the next few days. Like our home paddling on the North Sea the Irish Sea being shallow is very capable of rapid transition from flat clam to large seas with short wave period in a small space of time.


Given the boats were breaking in new owners we decided to make the first leg a shorter one between the Northern Ireland and Republic border at Carlingford Lough (Cranfield) and Sandy Cove south of Dublin a total of 112km. Each day was forecast to follow a similar patter with wind starting low Force 3 (F3) and rising as the day progressed to a F5 which was perfect for getting used to the boats, or so we thought!.

The nature of a challenges like this when you are camping and have little flexibility to change direction is the chance of getting everything working in your favour in respect of wind , swell and tidal flow direction are low and you hope for more with than against you.

When we woke the second day we knew the weather hadn’t read the forecast and with fog starting to break up we realised the wind was 180 degrees from forecast as was the swell. The net effect of this was a gruelling 34km paddle into a F4 rising to F5 wind against 1.5 knot tidal flow and rising swell, we found this hard, our paddle fitness would take a week or so to really kick in and when we finally pulled off the water we were ready for little else than set the tent up and go to sleep.


At this early stage we were starting to get an insight into the attitude of local people towards what we were doing, most were interested and wanted to know more and some like Vinny at Giles Quay an absolute delight. After the Round Scotland paddle last year we’d decided to say more about the folk we met as its such a joy and does lift spirts .

Having crawled off the sea the evening before after 12 hours paddling we had taken refuge at the harbour and were intending setting the tent up on the harbour wall to get protection from the wind. As it happened when we trolleyed the boats up the slip we spotted some grass on the leeward side of the harbour wall and set up camp there just before the rain arrived. It came down in bucket loads during the night and we were grateful for the Hileberg Tarra tent which gave a little more wriggle room and comfort in the confidence we have in the brand.


The following morning Vinny appeared on the scene just as we had packed up and we enjoyed a ‘spirit lifting’ chat, he was a surf and sea kayaker looking for some surf that morning . He was an ex-fisherman and was knowledgable about the coast and passed on information that he thought we would find useful. We could have spent a few hours exchanging craic but literally tide waits for no man or woman and we had to say our goodbyes. We left with a wave and knowledge it seems the sea kayak community is alive and well in this part of Ireland and we look forward to meeting more folk that can lift our spirits on a grey, wet, foggy morning like he did.


A few images and highlights from this leg.


*(1) Haulbowline Lighthouse standing sentinel at the mouth of Carlingford Lough

*(2) Campsite on the River Boyne

*(3) River Boyne coastal dunes and marshes

*(4) Martello Towers ever present features on the coast this one on 'Ireland Eye' island

Inis Mac Neasain

*(5) Breaking camp Giles Quay

*(7) Sarah having 5 a great lunch spot looking to Baily Lighthouse Howth

*(10-11) Sarah is in there somewhere, sizeable swells off Cooley Point



112km completed in our first week but we only arrived on Thursday so very happy with that.





1 Comment


loucass77
May 17, 2022

Fantastic both of you! Beautiful pictures 💜 Farewell and Bon Voyage 🌊 Lou A

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