Midlifekayak

Right, some catching up to do. Am stepping back a couple of days.

After a long carry, we launched and glided out of the beautiful Robert’s Cove. The aim was to try and get to the Old Head of Kinsale, stop to stock up on provisions, and then push on round Seven Heads.

The first part of the day went like a dream. Good stream in our favour and light winds. Porpoises and dolphins feeding around us. Fulmars and Shearwaters regularly swooping in low to check us out.

Jon Hynes, the star, had arranged with his sister in law, Erin, to meet us at the Quay at the Old Head of Kinsale and drive one of us to Ballinspittle to grab some shopping. It is pretty difficult along this stretch of coastline to stock up without taking a long detour up an estuary to a town so this was a real godsend.

We texted our eta when we set off and again when we got to Sovereigns rocks near Kinsale Harbour.

Shortly after we landed, Erin arrived. What a cracking laugh she is. Felt like the three of us had known each other for ages. We chatted for a while before Erin and I headed off to the shops. Geoff stayed to dry out some of our kit. We were back within the hour, said our thank yous and goodbyes and launched again.

It had felt sweltering on the Quay and we were expecting the same on the water. We pushed up the Old Head of Kinsale and spotted that the tunnel/cave that runs beneath the headland had enough water in it to allow us to pass through and there was very little swell.

It’s a magical experience paddling through a cave like that, the sounds of the gentle lapping waves, the darkness, the cacophony of the nesting sea birds on the ledges (and the smell!).

After 100 meters or so, the tunnel opened up to the incredible sight of rock stacks the size of cathedrals covered in bird colonies. We sat for a few minutes just taking it all in. Thousands upon thousands of birds all around us.

We were also conscious of something else. The wind. At the Quay there was hardly a breath. Now we were facing a stiff F4 headwind. This next stretch towards Seven Heads was going to be a 3 or 4 hour slog. We dug in.

Our speed had been late 4s (mph) in the morning. We were now only getting around 2 or 2.5 as we headed into both wind and tide.

Two hours later, the wind strengthened again and the chop was getting annoying too. Every third wave seemed to stop the boats dead. We were now facing F5 gusting F6. We can still make progress in those conditions but given we wanted to get round Seven Heads and make a few more miles after that to the safe spot we wanted to land at, we needed to re evaluate our plan.

We also didn’t know if there was a ‘get out’ on Sevens Head if the conditions worsened.

Shouting over the wind to each other we decided to abort the plan and head to a safe haven. We were around 4 miles offshore but we could see a small valley and what looked like a beach. Over the years we have gotten quite good at anticipating where we might find safe spots to pull over. We went for it.

Still fighting the winds to make our way to the coast, it took more than 90mins to get to shore. As we approached, a beautiful little bay opened up. Perhaps a mile deep. At the end, by the shore, we could see a couple of kids body boarding and someone swimming. In the shelter of the bay, they were oblivious to the increasing mayhem offshore.

We found ourselves in Howe’s Strand. As we paddled in I dipped my hand in the water. It was like a bath. The sand at low water heated by the sun was now warming the water as it flooded back in.

We chatted to the swimmer about the bay and she told us many people camp over night in the dunes and we should be fine to do the same. That was settled then.

We pitched camp and made a brew and a massive omelette with onions, spinach and chicken. Pudding was a flapjack.

Not the day we had planned but still we covered 22 miles.

Massive thank you to Erin!