I can’t believe we’ve been on the Emerald Isle a month already. Time really does fly when you are having fun. I’m still really impressed with the scenery, the people & the wilderness feel to Ireland. If you like circumnavigations then it’s really a great island to paddle around. If you prefer a multi-day trip then there are so many wonderful coastlines and islands to explore. I wish we had longer than 50 days and could visit more of the inviting golden sandy crescent beaches that we pass, or nose around more of the ruins that are littered on islands and headlands. There must be thousands of islands here – each one with it’s own character.

One thing that has struck me is how many islands that once housed thriving communities have been abandoned. In some places the old homes now lie as ruins, with no rooves and crumbling walls. In others, it looks like a ghost town with pristine houses but no voices echoing off the walls. It seems a shame that communities can no longer exist in such beautiful surroundings but that’s the wayof the world

Over the last few days, we’ve paddled past some amazing cliffs -contorted folds of rock stretching impossibly up to the sky, with improbable arches leading us through to another set of amazing rockfaces. To my mind, they were more impressive than the famous Cliffs of Moher, but maybe there is an added wonder to discovering an unexpected natural spectacle. We’ve also visited some great islands. We spent a calm, hot evening and night on Inishmurray – a beautiful low lying haven for birds which has some impressive 5th century ruins including a monastery and an intact beehive hut. These ancient buildings are enclosed by a giant circular wall which maybe as old as 1st century. For company, we had many cormorants, black backed gulls, storm petrels and eider ducks with their new babies – as well as a few less welcome midges. It’s a special island with a magic feel to it.

About 10 days ago now, we landed for lunch at Mutton Island and spotted a double kayak on the beach, followed by two people waving excitedly. It was Andy and Jane Morton – a couple who are kayaking around Britain and Ireland. They launched from near their home in Plymouth at the start of April, bravely leaving their jobs behind for 6 months or so. We cut our day short to spend the afternoon and evening with them, and paddled onwards together the next day along the Cliffs of Moher, to the Arran islands & on to Conemara. That evening, Jane discovered her front hatch hadn’t been on properly and was flooded, soaking her clothes and their down sleeping duvet. We left them the next morning in the capable hands of some kind locals, who were offering the use of their washing machine and tumble dryer. 2 days later, Roger, Barry and I had a relaxed day waiting for the tide to take us through Achill Sound and we were pleased to see a double kayak heading up the sound towards the bridge. After a shop and pub meal, we all headed off together and have been kayaking together for the last week or so. It’s been good to have more company and see how other people travel by kayak. Andy loves his kelly kettle which when stocked with twigs brews up enough water for 5 teas in a couple of minutes. The middle hatch of their Valley Aleut has room for that, along with camping chairs & a few other luxuries that we’ve been jealously looking at! They update their trip website daily- and usually add one or two photos a day to their gallery which is here.

The weather has been really good for the last week with light winds almost every day. Whatever the forecast says, we seem to get a headwind in the afternoon -which has ranged from irritating to exhausting. On our longest paddling day, it picked up to a force 5  just as we started an 8mile section with no landing options. We were all very happy when we pulled up on dry land after about 11 and a half hours paddling. Having said that, we know we are lucky with the weather. We’ve been able to paddle everyday for about 10 days on an often stormy and committing West coast. It hasn’t rained much and the sun has shone most days. Sometimes you get lucky!

Today we are having a day off because Roger has had an allergic reaction to something. He’s fine but he’s gone to the doctors to be on the safe side. The rest of us are shopping, eating, relaxing and enjoying the last of the sun (rain is forecast tomorrow). Thanks to Oideas Gael, the College in Glen -who run courses in Irish language and culture – for giving us information about the doctors and for letting us use their computers to write this blog. The winds are meant to be strong tomorrow but in a fairly helpful direction so we’ll see if we get on the water then. In the meantime, I hear a rumour of an ice creamshop in the village ….

Statistics – Barry, Roger and I have paddled 573 nautical miles (as estimated by Barry) in 28 days.  We think we have approx. 300 miles more to do.