Sunday, 17.07.2016
Day 15
55,0 km
5.30 to 15.50 h
N 52.66865 W 09.65360
Kilkee

It was 1,5 hrs after high tide when I launched this morning, and I saw already on the reef break between my island and the small one across which I passed yesterday easily that the sea had lifted. Now there were some massive high spraying breakers going over it – no way just thinking getting close! Swell forecast for today was around 2 m, plus some nicely following winds, easy first, afternoon up to 15 knots. Sounds like a good day paddling…? Well, yes, if you were not supposed to round Loop Head…

As usual, I did not give it too much of a thought if it will be rough…can’t be too bad! Crossing over to Kerry Head, showing up soon very clearly, with low winds from the left shoulder was no big deal, although against the tide which ranges here and today between 1,5 and 4,2 m. I wondered a bit about the mouth of the Shannon, as this is a huge river outflow, it may be a bit bumpy? The tide went out, the current also, against low wind made the whole thing sizeable big, but not too bumpy.

What bothered me more was the fact I could not see Loop Head until 8,5 km before it raised briefly out of the dense mist, just to sink down again until reappearing only slowly 3,5 km before. Even then, I could see only the cliff bottom, the top was still in fog. Seasickness came slowly up again, but thank goodness not to the max. Or – actually sometimes is a good throw up quite helpful…
On the crossing, I buried already all hope to go through the nice long narrow cliff gap Jon Hynes has shown so lovingly-excitingly in his video documentation about his own Ireland circumnavigation. Too big seas, too windy by now maybe 12 knots right on the cliffs. Well, one can’t have it all on one trip!

When I turned around Loop Head and had the wind and waves by then directly from behind, it also meant both were hitting with joint forces onto the very steep dark cliffs. Tide was thanks goodness eventually with me and the wind, but the reflecting clapotis waves were massive in these conditions! The worst so far on this trip – and for about all 4 km until the small but wide bay with the first landing option opened up. I tried to catch at least a glimpse of where the split off cliff might be, honestly I could not figure it out in misty conditions, paddling rather a bit away from the cliffs, and permanently looking to my left where the waves mostly come from – until they bounced back to clash into the approaching ones making a hell of a water mixture. No place to be rescued here by no one…so better stay seated! And concentrate just looking ahead and to the left. No chance to enjoy in no way those gigantic cliffs, no chance to take any picture, not to talk about eating, drinking, peeing or getting close or even sliding into any cliff gaps! I need to be back with lower winds and seas, this place is too good to missed out!

I pondered with going in already on the first rocky beach in the first bay about 6 km behind the head and call it a day already after just more than 30 km. But it did not look sheltered enough, nor was it time to finish the day – though being quite over-concentrated paddling so far! I also did feel a tad bit sick this morning, and merged with the upcoming seasickness plus not being able to eat and pee much it was not the greatest relaxing paddling style. I was just about able to take a few sip on my water bag, this must be enough to reach landing option number at Goleen Bay two after 7 km more, a narrow but seep entrance to a small bay beach, or even number three at the wider entrance of Kilkee city beach.
The scenery of steep dark cliff formation passing to my right more or less unseen by me must be stunning, still no chance to get closer or to just enjoy the paddle with taking pictures. What a pity! But this paddle went on rather in survival mode, not really scary as I know what I can do, but body and even more mind were working on the max. Goleen Bay also looked like there was no unbroken entrance at all, I did not even try to get close in, too scary. Though I assume, it must have been possible. But would the beach also be deep and sheltered enough to land? I had my doubts today…

So it must be the wide entry of Kilkeen city. A horror for a freedom-liking nature camper…but safety first today! I was eventually quite worn, and really looking forward to call it a day. But the entrance, though wide, put my patience to another level, as I noticed on my GPS chart a long jutting line of rocks blocking the bay almost completely with high splashing roaring foamy breakers – and not only on the chart. Just don’t look to the right…just look ahead! I had to paddle across the whole wide entrance to the complete other side before the deep unbroken channel opened up and I could paddle in safely.

I was not even in really calmer waters yet, when the Sunday afternoon-activities already hit me. Jet skis, motorboats towing rubber tubes with people, pleasure fishing boats and all the like used the bay as a playground. Who can blame them…? I glanced to the left a small remote rocky beach was lurking before the city started. But on almost high tide now with wind standing right on it, I did not dare to check it closely enough. The long rocky beach to the right behind the main reef break was also quite remote with no people, but was looking so steep and unfriendly to land. Out of choices, I eventually opted for the wide, sandy, highly populated, noisy and quite stinky, but safe landing city beach.

I picked a small corner besides a bathroom building staircase, which looked the least populated here. Still it was long ago I was camping like a hobo on a city beach! I just had my tent up and my gear inside, when a friendly elderly man came up to me and asked if I’d like to rather camp in his back yard across the street? Thanks very much, now I’m up and it’s too much of a bother to carry all gear and boat across. Besides all friendliness, I actually simply need my rest, routine and peace, especially after such a stressful paddle. Not much in the mood today to entertain an elderly but very friendly couple in return for a safe campsite and probably a hot shower and a cup of tea. Just lay in my tent, cook my dinner (also inside my tent, half a pound of Bulghur with mushroom sauce), check the forecast, map and messages, typing this, nursing my sick body, read a bit, sleep nicely on my Thermarest mat and get up early at 4 am again without bothering any hosts. Boring?

By the way, I just read Jasper Winn‘s book “A long paddle around Ireland” on my Kindle and can’t really recall I see myself any night stumbling rather into a pub than into my tent…he must be a tough brave young man with lots of energy, and I am just an elderly lady needing my rest and peace…pleasant to read anyway! But very different to my style of paddling…

At least the evening is dry and even eventually a bit sunny, tomorrow, thank goodness, is less wind and less high seas, good to hopefully enjoy the next sets of cliffs a bit more, and the famous high Cliffs of Moher, before crossing over to the Aran Islands!