Rather than write general progress blogs all the time I wanted to focus on one paddle for this post and decided the moment the compass pointed West would be a suitable choice. Writing this we have been held up now 4 days at Mizen Head waiting for the wind and sea to drop and as I type I can hear the wind howling through the trees, no respite just yet !!.
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There is no denying when we pulled off the water after the Rosslare leg we were shattered by our experience on the east coast Irish Sea and for the first time we had a conversation about whether we could complete this challenge. Out of the last 14 days paddling we had difficult weather for sea kayaking with unfavourable strong winds and at times uncomfortably large seas with short 3 second wave periods which made for choppy waters . These conditions don’t present a problem for the odd day or two but relentlessly being subjected to them day after day at the start of a challenge like Round Ireland does sap strength, motivation and confidence as you become more tired and mentally less resilient. So, when the forecast hit constant winds of Force 6 and 7 we were glad to stop for a break which lasted 2 days. During that time we slept, repaired kit , fine tuned our loads and got ready for what was forecast to be a change in the weather that coincided with our “turning the corner” and starting to paddle west along the south coast, leaving the Irish Sea behind and entering the Celtic Sea and Atlantic Ocean proper.
So, as we pulled the boats down onto the beach at Rosslare on 27th May with a clear blue sky, bright sunshine and a flat calm sea we were ‘full of the joys of sea kayaking’.
The day ahead was straight forward, head south passed Greenore Point and 10km to Carnsore Point where our compass would turns west for the first time as we make our way to our days destination Fethard-on -Sea, a total of 48km. We expected a very friendly 3 knot tide helping us southwards from 09.17 down to the Points and then a more gentle 1-2knots westward flow towards Kilmore Quay and Forlorn Point whose name should have raised a question or two but didn’t !.
The landscape maintained a low lying land topography dominated by the long sandy steep shelved beaches interrupted only by small rocky headlands. And at one of these Greenore Point there was a small tide race running as we passed through the headland reef and as expected we made good time down to Carnsore Point reaching 8kph with easy paddling. We were joined by a few grey seals and as we approached the Point there was a notable change in the sea as a Force 3 fresh wind started to build from the west.
As we rounded Carnsore Point the compass changed to 275 degrees west for the first time and we entered the Celtic Sea and our first taste of the Atlantic Ocean pounding the Irish coast uninterrupted for thousands of miles to the south. Instantly it was different, a feeling we hadn’t sensed since a year ago turning west at Duncansby Head in Scotland and entering the Pentland Firth, a feeling of exposure and an enhanced awareness of the seas brutal power tinged with a cold sense of fear.
Sarah Rounds Carnsore Point as the Compass swings West
Here though there was no strong tidal flow but ahead we saw a long sweeping bay with 15km of raised shingle beach testament to the power of the Atlantic and of course the exposure of the land to the ocean. Behind the shingle beach was Tacumshin lake which is designated as a Special Protected Area and looks a superb environment for birds and other
wetland species. A mental note was made as we paddled westwards to come back here sometime with binoculars and more time to explore this stunning habitat.
As the wind continued to rise on our nose from the west we began to increase our effort to make sure the tide gate ( crudely described as the moment a tide flow changes direction and runs against or with you) at Saint Patricks Bridge a natural stone causeway extending a mile from shore due east of Kilmore Quay which flows at 3knots (about the speed we can paddle) doesn’t change direction and prevent us making progress . This never seemed a risk at the start of the day but now our speed had dropped below 5kph due to the increasing wind and sea swell both working against us. Just an hour after turning west what was forecast as a friendly Force 3 was now a top end Force 4 breaking into Force 5 wind and once again we were battling into the wind. The aches and mental battles from the previous two weeks started to appear and the “head committee” had convened with only one topic , “will it always be like this and can we actually make it the whole way round”. In the end we scraped over Saint Patricks Bridge with no more than 30cm under the kayaks the flow already changing direction. We breathed a sigh of relief as we approached Kilmore Quay but not for long as we had to get passed the harbour entrance and round Forlorn Point before the tidal flow picked up strength against us . Our arrival at the Quay coincided with a clam dredger leaving harbour and another much larger vessel deciding to head out and then at the last minute go back in and tie up alongside the harbour wall on this very narrow entrance. The wait meant we lost speed and momentum against the wind and tide, we couldn’t head further out to sea because of the conditions and failure to pass the Quay and Forlorn Point now would mean a 6 hour wait, so we made a bid to round the Point in waves now approaching 1 metre and the wind a good Force 5.
As we came around the Point we had a clear view of yet another the long 18km sweeping Ballyteige Bay with its sandy beach and dune system that swept westwards towards our destination Fethard Bay and its small quay. However, in addition to this view was the sight of a bay filled with white caps and increasing swell. We came alongside each other, there was no need for words, we were both tired and knew our goal was not achievable and we had to find somewhere to land and pitch camp, so at 31km paddled we gave up. The sea surprised us a little as it had built to 1.5m and surf was crashing into yet another dumpy steep beach which would mean an awkward landing in our fully loaded boats .
We made for a cleft in the 40 metre high sand dunes that looked as good a spot to camp as we would find. Just as expected there was a flurry of activity on hitting the beach to get the boats up and away from the crashing surf before they filed with sea, I failed miserably and as I jumped out was hit by a wave that turned then flipped the kayak over, the sea then pulling the kayak back out to sea only to be followed 3 seconds later by the next wave slamming it back to the shore. As the kayak came back I was ready, there was no time to empty the water before the next wave, the only solution was to tie a tape harness onto the stern toggle and haul the boat up the beach best I could. By the time we had both boats outside the surf impact zone we were exhausted, the wind was relentless and for the first time on the challenge we pulled the storm shelter out (flysheet of a Hileberg Soulo tent) and climbed inside after tying it to the kayaks to stop the wind taking it away and had a coffee and some respite.
We looked at each other both covered in dried salt and breathless, once again there were no words as we both wrestled with the head committee that was having a field day with the “what’s the point in this” debate !!. I slept briefly and as with the Round Scotland paddle was astonished at the restorative power of a nap.
After an hour or so and several visits for curious locals taking a walk we left the warmth and calm of the shelter and set about our routine of emptying the kayaks, erecting the tent and sorting the meal for the evening. All was done in double quick timed and by 9pm we were ready for bed as the red glow from the setting sun filled the dunes with a beautiful light and colour.
* Sarah come back into the tent with the weather report, still windy!!
The wind maintained its strength rattling the tent in what was more a wind tunnel than a shelter amongst the dunes. I lay in bed for a while listening to the crashing surf on the beach and counting the 4 seconds between wave crashes before falling asleep. I woke briefly during the night still counting and thinking about what technique we would use in the morning to get out in the surf that sounded very big and the imagination was ofcourse increasing not only the surf size but worries about whether we would get out at all or be stuck on the beach. Respected kayak friends like Martin Rickard who had done this trip, all warned about the Atlantic Ocean and its ability to trap you on beaches, I inevitably fell back asleep as the tiredness of the day caught up with me.
We woke to a still tent , opened the door to clear blue sky and little more than a ripple of waves on the beach and a lovely paddle into Fethard-on-the-sea lay ahead, had I dreamed the day before !!!
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