Longest Hold Up So Far?

Here we go again, it looks like with the westerly stream weather that is dominating at the moment we won't be back on the water for at least a couple of days. The long term chart doesn't show any significant change until Friday!

While we are very comfy in the hostel in Doolin with two great pubs that have nightly music sessions within easy walking distance, we'd rather be paddling. 

Will our patience or cash run out first?

Bleak

Imagine the Tasmanian West Coast in winter. It's blowing South Westerly 35-40knts and visibility is about 2km with drizzle. 

That's what we got here today except there's more than twice the daylight hours and the wind is North Westerly - the Northern hemisphere equivalent if our South Westerly.

The Shannon and Loop Head

The mouth of the Shannon crossed this morning, then around Loop Head and onto Kilkee. It was a bit of a plod for a couple of hours against the tide until it turned. There are big tides at the moment and we can't always arrange to have our way all the time. 

Spectacular stretch of coastline, cliffs, sea stacks and caves, if we weren't on a mission and the day had been calmer it would have been great to explore. 

Onward tomorrow towards the Aran Islands, at speed if the westerly forecast is right. 

R&R in Portmagee

Don't you just love it when things fall in to place?

We've been paddling for almost two weeks now, we've weathered gales and big seas, calms and hot sun. Spent many an hour in a rain lashed tent and even more being thrown around by confused Irish waves. 

The inescapable constant is the stress - what's the forecast - wind strength and direction is all that we live by. 

Will the wind follow the forecast? 

What if the tide makes the seas un-paddleable? 

What is around the next corner?

Whatever's around the next headland we have to deal with it until the bow of the kayak runs up on the shore and sheltered landings are few and far between on such a spectacular rocky coastline. 

With gales forecast later today and tomorrow we knew we were in for an enforced stay ashore especially as our next days padding is a 20km crossing to the Dingle Peninsular. 

Portmagee was just a 9km paddle this morning from last nights camp, within half an hour of the bow hitting the slipway we had a double room in the hostel and about 10 seconds after that Lynne was running her bath and I was in the shower washing off two weeks accumulation of salt. 

It is just so nice not to actually care what the weather is doing for 48hrs!

We're taking lots of photos on the water with our cameras ... Not another lighthouse/sea cave/puffin/seal/amazing rock formation! 

At the moment I can only upload photos taken on land on my phone!

 Love the wildlife! Cork Harbour environs.

   Entrance to sheltered Robert's Cove.

    Ruins of old Signal Tower - on many of       the prominent headlands.

    Ruins of Charles Fort, Kinsale

Nooks-and-crannies camping in the "Irish mist"!

Finding lots of little slipways tucked into these tiny inlets!

Last night's slipway-camp in St Finian's Bay - a couple of hours' paddle this morning to Portmagee.

Mizen The Action

Another day plugging into headwinds, like banging your head against a brick wall but not so much fun. Spectacular coastal scenery though.

Mind you we did have mirror calm paddle in hot sun from near Baltimore to Schull yesterday but after a bit of shopping, the now obligatory feed of chips the westerly picked up so it was a long slog to Galley Cove.

Once settled in we were invited over to Chris and Fionn's campavan for a feed and a we dram or two or three as you do, as the evening progressed and the chat and laughter became louder and more outrageous. Great folks I really hope they make it to Tasmania as promised. I'd have to stock up on Bushmills!

We were really hoping the westerly would drop for today as we were heading around Mizen Head. A tricky bit of water by all accounts, a bit like rounding SW Cape in Tasmania but with two different tidal flows meeting right at the tip. 4kns at springs! As it turned out there was no action at all, we arrived a bit early for slack water but close enough that it made no difference, it wasn't exactly calm but the generally benign sea conditions meant there was no real action. There followed a full on bash more or less into the wind to Three Castle Head, then Sheeps Head then across into the western channel between Bear Island and the mainland for a very welcome late lunch. 6 hours full on paddling with only one little break tucked in out of the wind behind the cliffs of Three Castle Head. Lunch turned into afternoon tea, a second cuppa and Lynne even had a snooze in the hot sun as we were out of the wind. 

Well fed and rested we plugged on another 10kms or so to a great little cove, Black Ball Harbour with a slipway for easy landing, great camping and good enough phone reception for this blog update. 

Gale Force 8 Tomorrow!

Ho Hum!

Stuck by gale force SWerlies at Roberts Cove, until Sunday probably. Can't complain though, lovely sheltered camping just across the road from the high tide mark so we've wheeled the kayak right beside the tent. And there are two pubs. 

"Hello, we're from Mars"

It feels as though you might as well say this, as when we're dressed for kayaking and call on the nearest house for water or permission to camp the reaction at first is just as if we'd landed a spaceship on the beach not a kayak. Once understanding has been reached and they realise you are not from outer space everyone is of course very friendly.

Well we had an amazing first couple of days, sunny, hot for Ireland (20deg) and a great sailing breeze, of course it didn't last and we paid for them with the next couple of days plod plod plodding into strong headwinds. Today though despite the forecast headwinds again we paddled to lunch at Ballycotton in almost complete calm then just motored along to Cork Harbour with a lovely 10kn Easterly. 

More headwinds, heavy rain,drizzle, fog and mist forecast for the next couple of days.