trip around Ireland

The last few days I really try to eat a lot and not just spam and mash potato but something more filling like burger or pizza. I have been going nonstop for 11 days and today is the last one and it will be ugly. The forecast is force 4 gusting 5 and increasing later to f5 gusting 6. And of course right in my face all day but to be honest I could not be bothered less I would just drag the kayak to the finish line if I needed to. Barbora said she made a cake and I told her to book the ferry for 2 in the morning so the game was on. I used my super duper roll bag and got Quantum 300 meters to the water on few pulls and set off for 45 km slog determined to snail it to the finish. The wind was pretty strong and I felt like having  my head in wind tunnel. Err the noise that is one thing I never figured out how to get rid off. Hat helps a bit but not much. Anyway my watch showed me speed of 5.6 km so I was quite pleased with that and calculated that it is gonna be around 10 hours on...

Today I woke up really early eager to go and crack on as many km as possible so my last day would be as shot as it can be. As I lifted my head and looked into the harbour there was no sea to be seen. It is crazy couple of days ago the tidal range was really tiny and as the Irish Sea opens up the range goes huge again. I was several hundred meters from the sea no point dragging the boat I just wasted energy. I will wait for the water to come to me. I went to forage for bakery and cafe but it was too early so I got just bananas and coffee from news agent. I set of into slight tail wind and enjoyed the moment I knew it is not gonna be long lived. As I said it is not over till it is over the day shifted into hard grid just to remind me that I am not gonna get it so easy. I tried to stop for lunch at Kilkeel harbour but it was proper fishing harbour with big trawlers and really stinky and filthy so I carried on for a bit and almost fell asleep while paddling it was time to go...

Today i am in balliwater 58 km futher south could be 65 if i did not have to dodge feries at belfast for more then an  hour. I should have downwind tumorrow should be great fun i was doing 9 km.h against tide today great steep chop exactly what we like with my ndk quantum and oh boy no stres of the west coast cold and rainy as i like it.

I woke up in little harbour which is located in Redford Bay and has great view of Dunmore Head alias Giant Causeway, pretty nice place. It was great night under the sky again and in the morning I did not bother with some serious breakfast, just biscuits dipped in peanut butter and tea. The plan for the morning was to hug the coast against the tide and make my way to Ballycastle, wait there for the tide to turn and set off and go as far as I can southwards into the Irish sea. Meanwhile I will forage for food. The first section of the paddle took 2 hours and hugging the coast paid off I was watching tide races and was quite happy where I was telling myself this place must be mayhem when it all kick off.  Nasty place but very pretty. Highlight of the morning was being faster than 2 fisherman guys fighting the current in a motor boat and me kicking their butt. It is great feeling not to be the snailiest creature on the sea for once. When I met them later in the bay I paddled to the...

As I poked my head out of the tent the sea fog showed me who is the boss and I happily tucked in for some extra kip. At the end it ended to be afternoon paddle because of the fog and also me faffing about as usually and chatting to the fisherman. I set of from the harbour which is based on the west coast of Mullet Island. It was straight into strong wind but I would rather the wind then the heat. I had tide with me which was not much of a help, it just made the sea bit choppy. As I turned Glendorragh Point one of the most scenic landscape raised in front of me. Bay full of caves and cliffs which looked like bombarded by meteorites, stacks and rocks of all shapes I cannot even describe it.  All at one spot of few miles (with no landings of course) and to top it up was the Eris Head drifting out of sea fog back lit with the sun an amazing scenery. Place where solo paddler feels the ave of beauty and the insignificance of being, place so beautiful yet intimidating at the ...