August 24. Richard took me back to Dunany and I got the boat from the fancy grounds again. Sad to leave their house, they were a lot of fun. Packed up and was on my way with some westerly wind crossing over to Carlingford Lough. Now I’m in Northern Ireland! And the majority of the winds are southerly which has been just amazing. The thing about the Taran 18 is that it can be a little squirmy in a choppy following sea, just because it’s so long that it can fishtail quite a bit. Other than that it's a total dream to paddle, I feel so comfortable and stable in it. Truly the expedition boat for this.

August 25, Day 73. Today was great, just such a lovely jaunt around the gems of the area here in the Stranford Lough area of Northern Ireland. Woke up to some mad winds and rain as it whipped up again thus keeping me off the water. As noted before, the Taran does a bit of fish tailing in high tail winds and it was a bit on shore and behind me today which means 25 mph wind, and 1.5 metre swell but in short period and I wouldn’t trade todays sight seeing for that.

August 22, Day 70. Another early start as Richard and I got on the water from Laytown and paddled up the coast. We got there right at low tide as to catch the flood pushing us north, and because the beach was so shallow, it was nearly a 7-10 minute walk down the beach to the very water just to get on. Fun though, I don’t mind the long walks usually, my trolley means I’m not doing any silly dragging of my boat, it’s such a handy thing. Wouldn’t do this trip without it. Right as we got on, the tide started coming in which meant decent sized breakers started rolling in and we got to paddle and break through them as we went out. The last couple were on the bigger side and once we got past them all, we cheered out to eachother - such a fun start to the day.

August 21, Day 69. I’m back on the water! And I feel so much better! Paddled 20 miles today and didn’t get fatigued nearly at all. Ian collected me at Jacquis house at good ol 4:30 in the morning and we drove to Malahide where I would start going North but this time with Ireland on the left instead of my right. The morning was very calm and it was nice to have a little bit of wind behind and now back on the east coast, the massive swell of the west doesn’t exist! So easy in that sense. I’ve become a stronger paddler since starting this trip, naturally and my tolerance for more difficult conditions, day after day like the swell of the west, has gone up. So sure it’s windy over here but the big swell isn’t in the equation (but you have to time the current right otherwise it can be like paddling up stream if you’re against the tide).

August 18-20, Day 66-68. There’s no medicine like your own bed. I’m so grateful that when I’m back, I live with my friend Jacqui. We are in the same dance community and she lives in her house with an extra room, and its usually open so when I'm back it feels like my home again. I don't know if I'd be able to manage my funny commute between Minnesota, Ireland, Hawaii and sometimes Washington, without having a place to call home when I'm back. Jacqui is one of the most caring and kind people I know.

August 17, Day 65. Slept horribly. All I dreamt about was the paranoid feeling of ticks crawling on me and being hyper aware of every little sensation on my skin. Woke up to check my body several times out of half asleep fear. The wind was whipping my tent too loud to get much sleep anyway. Paul was to collect me at a pier on Lettermullen so I pulled myself together to pack up my stuff and paddle over. Had a hard time doing so, and every little thing was just “going wrong”. You know yourself that feeling. I landed at the pier and was pulling my boat up on the trolley when the wheel got stuck and flipped the whole thing over in the seaweed, spilling some of my things in the mud. I was in tears unpacking my boat by the time Paul had gotten to me just from frustration and defeat of my trip right now.

August 13-14, Day 61-62. Time at a house of Galway paddlers. Donal has been following along with my journey since the beginning so it was nice to meet him in person. The weather is again bad so I’m hanging out here and resting. Been struggling with this fatigue and motivation.

August 15, Day 63. I’ve got to sit this weather out even more. Tried to continue on this morning, and was paddling into a force 5-6  just barely moving for 4 hours and went 6 miles. Just so demoralizing and tiring. Even through the sheltered areas of islands I was in, the wind was ruthless and that wasn’t even with swell. I wish I was a better paddler to be able to endure this and be okay with it. So now with the incoming 3 meter/9 foot swell and the 20 mph wind, I need to yet again find a place to stash the boat and somewhere to hang out for nearly a week. This sucks, I really want to keep going and be in it, and enjoy the beautiful outside life but with the storms coming, my tent wouldn’t survive being up and not moving for long.

August 16, Day 64. Felt a lot of feelings today while stuck in my tent. Woke up with the intention to go to Mason and I just couldn’t do it. I very slowly packed up my things in my tent and tried to eat some breakfast over three hours. You ever have those dreams where you’re trying to walk or run or fly but your body just won’t do it and it’s like you’re moving through tar, that’s what today felt like. It’s so easy to get into your head when the wind and rain outside are making your tent feel small. Still very congested with pain in my face and forehead where my sinuses are and a headache that barely goes away. My sinuses only clear when I take a cold medication that helps with all of those things but it comes right back when it wares off. Wondering if I have a sinus infection, it’s been like this for a week and a half, and I only get more exhausted as it goes on.

August 12, Day 60. Woke up feeling better again, thank goodness. Quite windy, blowing a 5-6 but would be right on my tail once I got going. Tomorrow is going to be winds of 35 knots head wind so no another day off which is fine, I could still use the sleep. Lots of paddlers in Ireland have been following along with this trip so there is no shortage of people to reach out to. Two meter swell was coming from my back left and 1.5 meter wind waves from my back right meant they would meet at the middle and fishtail me around as they passed. Bit of a funny feeling when you are only judging what is coming by the sound of the waves crashing behind you coming closer and from what side to expect to turn and brace if needed.

August 11, Day 59. Woke up still feeling unwell. I definitely have some sort of sinus problem, and fatigue. I tried to force down some breakfast of a hummus and chicken wrap from things I had but I just had no appetite. Dragging myself to get ready and pack the boat. Matt and Conner saw me off and gave me words of encouragement. It wasn’t until I was just about to pass Inis Meáin (middle island) that my stomach started to turn and the suspicion that my chicken had gone bad was right. My inner ear balance was off in the choppy sea, my face felt stuffy and congested and it was like I was seeing things through a distorted third person view. After some projectile rejection of my breakfast all over my spray deck, I washed it off and kept paddling. Just image me still paddling to keep upright, and absolutely fire hosing all over the front of my boat. It was in my deck lines, my spray deck loop, in between my pfd and drysuit - just everywhere. I'm so glad no boats saw me, or heard the sounds I was making for all matter.

August 10, Day 58. Didn’t sleep great, I woke up a lot with the same stuffy and itchy nose I’ve been having. I can’t tell if I’m sick or it’s more allergies. Packed up my things and got on the ferry back to Doolin. It took me quite a long time to get myself and my stuff sorted back in the boat because I just wasn’t feeling good. Finally after maybe 3 hours of packing and trying to eat, I got the energy to get back in the boat and paddle to Inis Oírr (Inis meaning island and oírr meaning small in Irish) I was going to go farther, back to Inis Mor (mor meaning big) but I got a text from Matt that he was on Inis Oírr and Conner was too with his daughters.

August 6-9, Day 54-57. Weather had switched and it didn’t look like I’d really be able to get to Inishmore for several days comfortably, so instead I stashed my boat at the coast guard station and took the ferry across. I lived on Inishmore for about 5 months on the tail end of Covid when nothing was open, and I was recognized as someone new when I went to the single little small grocery store that there is. So it’s been a really lovely time here and I’ve been able to cycle from end to end and see all my favorite spots again. It’s really something to be able to lay down looking over or dangle my legs over cliffs 80 feet tall, a straight ruler line down into the crashing foamy sea. Sometimes there’s a cave at the bottom that when water crashes in, makes a booming and shaking sound and the water shoots out horizontally from the pressure.

August 5th, Day 53. The Cliffs of Moher! Such a cool day, paddling along side Matt and Emma, two unreal paddlers who have been all over the world paddling and adventuring. Emma and I got our bits ready to go and drove to meet Matt at Doolin to drop his van to then put his boat on top Emma’s and drive to Doonbeg to get my boat. Said farewell to Ruth who meets nearly all the paddlers going around the coast because her house is basically on the beach and I was off. Paddled across the bay to Quilty to meet Matt and Emma and then we carried on to the cliffs. A very fun bouncy sea of 2 meter swell and wind behind us, and oh was the sea pretty dynamic. Good stuff altogether, nothing crazy. Emma also took some amazing photos of me which I was very happy about! Finally have some photos of me paddling taken from another kayak on this trip.

August 2nd-4th, Day 50-52. On land enjoying life. Went on a hike with the Clare paddlers, such fun people. I met them the very first time I went paddling in Ireland in 2020, so it’s always nice to say hello. Hiked a bit of the Burren, took it easy, cycled to Matt’s friends home with chickens, goats, baby ducks, and a horse named Horse. She asked if I wanted to ride and I said absolutely, so we saddled her up and I went off riding, which I hadn’t done in quite a while, I really enjoyed it. Saw the new Deadpool and Wolverine movie in the cinema which was a good laugh. Stayed with Emma for two nights and we watched pretty non stop Olympics which made me very happy, I love the Olympics and I’ve missed lots of good stuff. A very nice time in Clare off the water.

August 1st, Day 49. Another marvelous day. We went back to the beach and Matt helped me carry the boat down and chilled out while I packed. The wind and swell was forecasted to be behind me, and this is a very committed stretch of coastline so the weather and conditions need to be just right. The Doonbeg cliffs are very sheer and the reefs and geographic location of the whole lot, can make for some intense seas most of the year. It was just an unreal day, I was able to get into caves, through arches, and choose my lines over reef to sneak through breaking waves. Really fun stuff. Sometimes I felt like I was paddling downstream as well, I was just flying. 20 miles in a couple hours.

July 31, Day 48. Unbelievable crossing. 25 miles! Woke up at 5:45 to be on the water at 7:30, beautiful sunrise and started the crossing looking far across the bay to Loop Head. Looking across it was hazy and felt like it was certainly about 20 miles to the head it’s self and then more around the corner. Early on I saw a mystery fin quite close to me which I think might have been a sunfish, some googling to do. About half way through I needed to pee desperately and I thought “well if I’ve learned anything on this trip it’s that the mentality of ‘can’t’, just doesn’t have a place here” so I thought I need to figure this out now. In the past I have flipped out of my boat on accident so I rigged my paddle with my paddle float and stuck in the bungees like an outrigger support so I could lay flat over the cockpit to unzip my drop seat on my dry suit and pee on my sponge. Not ideal but very doable, and can’t believe it took me a month and a half to actually try it. Well now I know.

July 30, Day 47. Said goodbye to Lisa and her little dog, and set off towards the cliffs before Brandon point. So much more calm and very little swell compared to yesterday. All was just fine, wind behind me and I went in to Swerwick harbor for a wee and then continued on. I made the decision with route to do a shorter day to set myself up for the straight shot across the Shannon Estuary to Loop Head tomorrow. I crossed the bay to the Fahermore peninsula, in the light blue still beauty of the bay, with the gorgeous green mountains of Dingle in the crescent shape around me.

July 29, Day 46. A chill day, it was too windy to get on the water first thing so I figured I’d wait it out and get on around 5 pm when the wind died down a bit. At some point in the day I decided not to get on at all and just camp here at Brandon’s creek. It’s a very historic place because it’s where Saint Brandon and his monks departed to sail to unknown lands. It took them 7 years to sail across the sea and on the way they visited the Hebrides, the Faroes, Iceland, Greenland, Newfoundland and finally America. To prepare they prayed and fasted for months before hand and then they were off. So it feels pretty cool to be here. When I got back to the boat this morning I met a lovely British woman in her 50s with a little Jack Russel who had made a van her project to kit out.

July 28, Day 45. I rose with the sun and was greeted with warmth. The sunrise was just gorgeous and I could see the bright orange of the sun through my tent before I unzipped the door and it was just so serene and gorgeous. Packed up my things and got on the water at 8, and as I was leaving a man from the very north took some drone footage as I was leaving which was nice. Just as I pushed off from the beach, I saw and waved goodbye to my new island resident friends. Simon (different than Dutch Simon) gave a slow and big armed wave from the hill coming down, and sweet Paul was just getting to the beach after I had pushed off and was paddling away. The way he arrived at the end of the shore was as if he has something to tell me, with a soft wave and a slowed down pace from before as he got to the edge. I was hit with a tinge of guilt, and almost turned around to say goodbye again but I feared I wouldn’t leave today if I had. I do wish I had stayed but I had a good window.

July 27, Day 44. Here lives peace on Great Blasket Island and a feeling of fullness. I wish I could stay longer but I have a good weather window tomorrow for the exposed cliffs on the north side of Dingle peninsula. I had a wonderful rest this morning with the crashing waves and beautiful heat of the sun to wake me. I zipped open my tent and saw the most beautiful white sand and morning light glimmering within the blue crest of crashing waves. In this lighting of the sea you can also see the silhouettes of seals swimming close to shore. I had a wonderful slow sunny morning, and did some cleaning and organizing. The men who I met yesterday when there was no one else there, (one who grew up on this island and one from France living in Sweden, both in their 30s) came down to say good morning and give me a kiwi, tomato puree and a book of Letters from Great Blasket Island as a gift. We sat in the warm sand and I told them how I use the tides and current and weather to help me get to where I’m going. The man from here remarked about the name of my boat and said it seemed very fitting for me.

July 26, Day 43. Just such a wonderful day again. Was offered a shower by the nice families up the road (two families staying in the house for a holiday) so had a nice freshen up and when I was finished they had a fry on. The best breakfast for paddling is a good fry. The kids were all very excited to watch me leave the beach so they came while I finished packing and I showed them everything and answered lots of questions and then pushed off with happy goodbyes. Wind up, about a 5 in my face but not bad swell, a shy meter and I didn’t have far to go. Got to Blasket Sound and did tidal planning correct as to be pushed gently in towards the beach. Nothing crazy at all with the sound, was even calmer than the first half of the paddle. As I approached the beach I couldn’t believe to see what I thought were rocks until I heard them and remembered that seals inhabit this beach by the hundred probably - there were so many!

Today was amazing sometimes I really just feel like I am LIVING and what a cool adventure I’m on. Started my crossing across Dingle Bay and was a little disoriented at first because I could see the other side and was reminded just how far away it was. Once I put myself on a bearing and put a memorable playlist on, I started shooting across and what a cool day for weather. A fair amount of swell and wind that was just in my comfort zone so that I wasn’t concentrating the whole time but that gave me some good fun. I felt totally empowered and felt quite a difference in confidence from the first crossing around mizen, now to this one. I just shot across myself and felt great. This is where the intentional choice of starting in Dublin kicks in because I’ve been able to build up stamina and comfortability on the way down, especially after working this winter and having taken a break from training, it’s given me the chance to work up to these bits.

July 24, Day 41. Rained hard last night so it made it pretty hard to get out of the tent. Very foggy and dramatic day. Saw loads of puffins in the water bobbing around like little rubber ducks in a washing machine in the swell and chop from puffin island to the entrance of Portmagee Channel where Valencia is. Very grateful for the channel because the swell is clapping against the cliffs and throwing me around like nothing. Sea was very alive today. Shot down the channel with the wind and tide with me and am in a moody Pacific Northwest beach where I’m camping. Gorgeous black sand beach and there is a high grass area that I could set up my tent. Walked into town for my new daily walk and got a yogurt and a hot chocolate that hit the total spot. Been raining all day so it was appreciated. Walked back to my tent and enjoyed tortellini for dinner.

July 23, Day 40. Some days I really feel like I’ve been doing this for a long time, but in a good way. It was really nice to have a break but I was nearly in more pain with my leg today than I was before. Got my stuff in the boat and set off from Derrynane with my newly configured seat with more foam and a little leveling of it. It was so uncomfortable unfortunately and I had a bit of a breakdown when I finally got to the next out after a small crossing. Everything just built up and I had a good cry on the beach. Why is this still so uncomfortable, how can I paddle for another month and a half like this?

Day 36 - 39. Got to help at the team at the Sneem summer festival! It was such a blast, they had made big stands and boards for axe throwing and I womaned the sign up table for it. So fun to spend the day with them and great to see the festival. There was a Ferris wheel, carnival games, bumper cars and more and the town of Sneem is just delightful, very colorful and fun. Then I started helping out with the kayak trips too which was really fun and gave me something to do as well while I waited to bad weather to pass and took care of my leg. Fun to get out and hear Rowan and Eamon’s stories on the water and the history of the area, they are both such wonderful guides. I went on and helped with a night tour and saw the bioluminescence, and then did a day tour the next day as well. Such a joy to hang around the team and be comfortable in their home, let alone we welcomed in and to see the quality of Emerald Outdoors. They’ve got a very sweet thing going.

July 18, Day 34. Such a lovely day hanging out with the lads of Emerald Outdoors in Kenmare, and Simon. We went to a village nearby called Sneem to enjoy bits of the summer festival there. Not much was happening with it until the eve so we had a lovely meal at a pub, got ice cream at Sneem Cream, walked around the community garden and sat by the river basking in the glorious Irish heat. There was also a little stand in the park and a big orange cone with a handle that you could hold and talk through like a megaphone that said “have a rant” so I had the lads lay down in the grass and I gave a rant about being a woman in the outdoor industry and how I get treated with incompetence sometimes. Started with a little meditation too, they enjoyed it, they tried to hold back chuckles while I was comically ranting, it was a fun little time.

July 17, Day 33. Packed up my stuff and took the bus to town where I had my physio appointment, all is well just compressed unhappy nerves and have a lot of exercises to do now. Met up with Simon and we went for a walk and had lunch together, it’s nice to be with a now friend. Went to collect his bike and my stuff at the house nearby where we left it and the German woman whose house it was, was so sweet and had such a precious laughter. We had tea and whatnot and made art with the daughter. Then Simon cycled and I got a lift from our German mother friend to the Kenmare Outdoor Center where we are sleeping staying for the night with staff in the company. Very nice dudes, two our age too and the other, a father with awesome humor. We had dinner and then went to the pub for a couple pints. I found a frisbee on the way and we threw it around while walking down the road. Came back, went to sleep. A good day.

July 16, Day 32 Well I woke up this morning and I couldn’t really feel my upper leg. My hamstring and glute were almost totally numb and tingling and when I was walking around, it was painful like I had pulled something. I made some calls to my support network and everyone was so willing to help, I know I can always count on them. We came to the conclusion that I needed to see a physio or osteopath sooner rather than later and that I need to evaluate why this is happening in the first place in terms of my alignment while sitting and paddling. I mean in the end of the day, I am sitting and using my upper body and back for 6-8 hours of the day almost every day. I haven’t had a rest day since the copper coast as well, I’ve been going for 10 days, which is another factor.

July 15th, Day 31 Today was an amazing learning day. They say that sea kayaking comes down to being a blend of mental ability and physical ability. You would think it would be about half and half but and some say the percentage is something like 80% mind and 20% body. I found this true today going from Cahermore to Dursey Sound. It was very confused seas, clapping water even as I stayed far from the cliffs and because the 2 meter swell was coming from all angels, my visual stability went so I got sea sick. My brain couldn’t predict where the water would lift me from so I would be paddling along and suddenly be lifted straight up from the clapotis waves and the sense of vertigo came on.

July 11, Day 27. Bit of a weird day. Beautiful morning camped next to the old fishing boats and had several dogs come by to say hello with not a trace of anyone around. Got on the water and about an hour in needed a pee stop and it took quite a while to find one. No where to land. Eventually made it to Baltimore with more offshore winds. Not sure which I like better, being blown into the cliffs usually with swell, or being blown towards the sea and short chop. Baltimore was beautiful and I got a really lovely pan fried hake with garlic butter and chips. Today was the first time that I really felt the lack on company while walking around and sitting at a cafe alone. Doesn’t bother me still, just nice to have the company. Then throughout my meal I started to feel the weight and the nerves of the Mizen crossing.

July 8th, Day 24. Early morning to catch the low wind, sorted my things while Jon made us breakfast and then drove me and my stuff to the beach. Such a nice stay, his family is wonderful. Got on the water and started to cross the bay and got a funny feeling that it’s just been high tide which means the tunnel will have good depth.. so I changed my mind and thought I better just go look and see if I can go through. Got there with hundreds of birds swooping around and making lots of noise and there it was, a perfect 25 meter more or less, straight shot to the other side. I went in and it gets dark fast and you’re just hoping you don’t hit your paddle on a rock underneath as you pass over it. Such an eerie feeling, I love being in the caves on the coast here.

July 9th, Day 25. A pretty good day, left Blind Strand and went around Seven Heads. Big rollers came and lifted me up up up and a crest at the top then down down down. A bit daunting when you see the big 3 meter wave behind you like that. Made it around and then took the straight shot to Galley Head to Red Strand. Beach is nice and it was much windier before, it’s died down now. Watched the waves really build from my tent while frying up some meatballs and making pesto pasta. Good to have something different. Got lost in watching the swell and the way it comes in sets and three or four big waves that crash and then settle. Beautiful.

July 10, Day 26. A dodgy start but a very peaceful end. Took off around Galley head and saw the lighthouse and paddled into some annoying short chop that lent to lots of the boat going up and slapping down which was just killing my momentum. The wind started from the back and a bit to the side which then as I was crossing miles off shore changed to a broadside wind and then from the front and side, blowing a consistent force 5 and I just had another funny feeling that I didn’t want to be pushed to Spain. I was already angled pretty hard to the right towards land most the crossing when the wind started to shift to being broadside instead of from the back so I bailed and made a hard right, straight towards shore to get some shelter and some rest. It took forever with the chop washing over my boat whenever I was in the trough and I just felt pretty unhappy with how that played out.

July 12, Day 28. A nice slow paced day. Got out of that spot efficiently and made my way towards weaving through the islands of west cork. What a beautiful place. At one point I saw a fair amount of smoke plumming from somewhere in the distance and it smelled like when you get off the St. James luasstop and can smell the Guinness factory. Not really sure what that meant. Around middle calf I really started to have a fun day with the seals. I was floating and just watching the seals pop up to look at me, they are so curious and really want to watch me and what I’m doing. I didn’t move quickly so they don’t get scared. Then as I was leaving I paddled backwards for a couple minutes and it’s just amazing to watch them swim after you and pop up and spin around every now and then. When I started to leave they just took off after me and kept swimming in the wake of my boat. They’re so precious.

July 13, Day 29. Almost a month in, and a third more or less done. It’s most of the time just so incredible to be out here doing this. I’ve just never felt this sense of adventure and accomplishment before. It’s so cool. Got all my things sorted and back in the boat to paddle down the coast to Barley cove where I will start the Mizen crossing tomorrow morning. Feeling a little nervous, but mostly excited, it’s no small day, the weather and tide all have to be right, as well as it’s just a long time to sit in a boat and not be able to stretch my legs or pee. That’s what again is brutal, that I won’t be able to pee for maybe like 5 hours. But I’ve got someone to paddle with me so the company will be nice. My hands look like I’m wearing gloves, they are so tan compared to my arms. Whoops.

July 14th, Day 30. Made it around Mizen head! What a fantastic day! When I say “made it” there was very little environmental challenge, but the physicality of a 16 mile crossing was there alright. Charlie Daly joined me for today, like we planned weeks before so it was nice to finally meet him. He came to Barley cove and we got his boat and head down with mine before taking off. I took a lovely little shallow spill trying to get in my boat as were launching and realized this is only the second time I’ve launched with someone in 30 days, so I’m not used to chatting while timing breaking waves (not your fault Charlie). I had a good laugh.

July 7th, Day 23. An unreal day! Met up with Jon Hynes in the morning and paddled from Oysterhaven around the Old Head of Kinsale and now entering the wild Atlantic way! The first bit of it and boy was it lively around the head. We set off and made our way along the coast a bit to be a bit more sheltered from the wind. Had a nice stop for a sandwich and tea at a little cove just before the head, then made our way towards going up and around. The tide was too low to shoot through the tunnel of old head but what we did was better.

July 6th, Day 22. More headwind today, paddled for 6 hours into a force 4, but most of the time gusting a 5. Just annoying and it makes it easy to think about the things that piss me off about this trip. Testing to the mind, and spirit. First enjoying a really lovely slow and sunny morning as everyone was on a Saturday morning. Really enjoyed my coffee and making my sandwich and all that in my tent with both flaps open to get some cool air. Got lots of sleep too. Got to Oysterhaven and stored my boat there for the night and am staying with Padraig and his wife.

July 5th, Day 21. 3 weeks in. It’s been a total adventure so far. Made it down to Cork/Kinsale area now, when I first moved to Ireland I lived in a town near Cork so I’m really enjoying being down this way again. Paddled from Ballycotten to Fountainstown, wind was good at first then picked up and I had wind and tide against me at the end. Wind in my face again, it has to change at some point. Went for a lovely walk down the street to the public bathroom and to refill water and all the houses had the family names written in beautiful tile on the outside wall going down the street, and it was so quiet. Lots of dogs running and just tearing up and down the beach, playing with eachother. Oh to be a dog free to run full speed across the wet sand and leap into the water.  Rain started but I’m cozy in my tent.

July 2nd - Fourth of July, Day 18 - 20. Woke up early in my little cave spot to be on the water and it was a surprisingly still morning/afternoon. Some lovely caves and rocks to be seen. The copper coast has been gorgeous, it’s the majority of the Waterford coastline that is made up of volcanic activity from 460 million years ago. It’s made up of these stunning twists and turns and huge flat slabs of rock and you can just visualize the lava flowing into straight tubes and it eventually mixing and bending with shale creating these amazing structural cliffs. It’s called the Copper Coast because of all of the copper mining in the 19th century and because the sedimentary rocks of 370 million years ago are made of sandstones and siltstones that have a deep red and brown color.

July 1st, Day 17. A harder day, I woke up with a headache and just feeling like I’d been run over. Not really sure why, I hadn’t done anything differently except now I think it’s because I need to be drinking much more water than I am, and that my food is not giving me much energy. It’s easy for me to get dehydrated because I don’t want to stop during the day to pee and then if I don’t drink a bunch before it’s too late in the night (making me have to pee in the night) then I am drinking maybe a litre in a day, where I need two. Oh the luxury for a guy to be able to pee sitting in the boat, I wish. I can’t even use a she wee because I’ve got the butt zipper, which I love it means I don’t have to take my spray deck and pfd and dry suit off/over my head when I pee on land but it just means I have to stop more than I’d like. Minor complaints but that’s why I’m not drinking water.

June 30th, Day 16. Mostly a good 20 mile day until the end, all these headwinds is a bummer on the spirit - would be nice to have a tailwind once in a while, seems like I’ve only a handful of tailwind days. Left the beach this morning to wander in and out of caves and tunnels, the sea was glass and I could really go into things. This once in particular was insane, a long long tunnel with multiple entrances and exits, just so beautiful. Saw two paddlers from afar and at one point they pointed their boats towards me so I pointed towards them and we got closer and I saw Tarans. It was Thomas and David who are about to start doing their circumnav, so I’ll hopefully see them again along the way.

June 26th - 29th, Day 12 - 15. Had a lovely couple of days off staying with a paddler named Peter in Tramore area. On the 26th I paddled into some caves and passed the metal man of Tramore, turns out there’s only two around the country and now I’ve seen both from the sea. The other is in Sligo. So now it’s getting good, the east coast was quite flat and long sandy beaches was just fine and pleasant but now I am paddling past and around big beautiful cliffs and arches and caves and it only gets better from here.

June 25th Day 11. It is truly such a privilege to be able to do this trip. My setup that I work seasonally and could put money towards this to afford it, and better yet, be supported with a boat, pfd and paddle is really extraordinary. The boat alone is €5,000 more or less. And the people and organizations I’ve worked for who have supported me in the last year. It just cannot be done alone. Good long day today, nice quiet crossing to Hook peninsula, the water was like glass it was so lovely. Stopped in Slade harbor to fill water and use the public bathroom. Was feeling tired but as I came around the headland, a group of 10 or so people cheered me on and said hi and have fun and that lifted me so much. Got to get up close in the cove under the lighthouse which was really cool and paddled around it before doing the crossing across Waterford harbor.

June 24th Day 10. Puffins at Great Saltee! Good crossing, woke up to fog which was not the same as the beautiful clear day yesterday but it cleared up when I got there. Crossing took about an hour and a half there and 45 back because I had wind and tide with me well. Couldn’t see the islands for a while and then made out little Saltee and then great Saltee with the guidance of watching where the little ferry boats were going. Nice walk up the cliffs and just amazing to watch the mannerisms and social aspects of the puffins. Hundreds everywhere and hundreds more of Razorbills, Gannets, Cormorants, and Guillemots. Just fantastic and got lots of good photos and videos.

June 23rd, Day 9. No complaints, straight shot down to Kilmore Quay. Such a funny send off from the big group of ladies that had set up their chairs and picnic stuff for a swim and treated me like a dang celebrity. A couple had met me when I landed on Thursday and they’ve told all their friends so they wanted to take pictures with me and some are on the board of the Wexford county radio station and want to interview me to be on the radio. Very funny. I had them all help me carry the boat down and just picture 7 older women in their swim stuff carrying the boat, cheering and laughing like a parade and the others cheering us on. It was very sweet.

June 20th, Day 6. First half of the day was awesome, and the crossing along Wexford harbor was beautiful. Got on the water at 7:00 with sunshine and the water was like glass, no wind until Rosslare harbor which was amazing. Crossing the harbor I went along the sand flats and most the time was in a couple feet to a couple inches of water looking down at the bright rippled sand. Seals followed me and looked at me the whole time, there were maybe 40 total and they are so curious. Made the crossing and then shot down to Rosslare because there was a Supervalue there and I was pretty much out of food. Asked the two fisherman finishing up their day off their little boat and turns out they were building a much bigger international ferry port and with all the harbor construction I couldn’t get there. So they offered to take me and the thing about people in Ireland is 99% of them are good hearted kind people so it’s easy to tell when people are genuine. One of them lived two minutes walk from the shop and his wife even made me lunch and tea and then they brought me back down. So lovely.