Midlifekayak

We had climbed into our bivy bags besides the kayaks in Crookhaven fairly early last night, looking forward to getting some rest before the big day round Mizen Head and on to Carinish Bay. It would be a committed open water crossing and no opportunity to get out of the kayaks for some 24 miles.  It would be our first full day on the west coast and I guess both of us were feeling a little apprehensive.

It was a mild night and we were both asleep before too long.  I woke around 1am with Geoff telling it was raining. We decided to close up the bivy bags and hope they didn’t leak and that the rain would stop soon. 

At 3am, I swam out of my bivy bag and sought shelter outside a bar. 

Over porridge we surveyed our sodden kit and moaned about how unpleasant it would be to climb in to bed the following night. We were feeling right sorry for ourselves. 

Fortunately we had another can of HTFU juice and both drank a good mouthful, got kitted up and on the water.

From camp it was a 7 mile paddle to get fully round Mizen Head and it’s impressive cliffs. The forecast north easterly helped push us in our way for the first hour.

The rain had stopped by the time we started the open crossing. We could make out Sheeps Head but the other side of Bantry Bay was shrouded in mist and we assumed, rain.

We headed off north west on a bearing of 300 degrees. We figured that ought to take us slightly east of Dursley Sound, allowing for the effects of the  north east wind, through which we would paddle the last few miles to get to Carinish Bay.

As we left  Mizen behind us the wind settled down and a Minke whale broached maybe 40 metres in front of us. It was clearly a sign that it was going to be a good day.

And a good day it was. From a wildlife perspective it was easily the best day either of us have had in our kayaks. 

Gannets, Puffins, Guillemots, Shearwaters, Dolphins and Minke whales were feeding in the area. Gannets were putting on their incredible diving displays.  Every few minutes a Dolphin pod would appear and we had several close encounters with Minke. On three ocassions a Minke circled us several times, broaching within 10 metres of the kayaks. 

We felt incredibly privileged and blessed. 

With the wildlife display going on the miles ticked by and by 4pm we landed in a beautiful bay and pitched camp. 

The photo is of a lovely family we met when we arrived.  Also keen kayakers.