Tuesday, 12.07.2016
Day 10
46,6 km
4.40 to 14.30 h
N 51.61966 W 10.13257
Garnish Bay Long Island

I could have started even earlier, the night was dead calm. But who wants to paddle around Mizen Head at night? It was actually no big deal in those conditions on slack low tide, just stunningly beautiful. So many caves to stick at least the nose in, many interesting narrow coves which are basically caves without roof, steep rough cliffs and that wide bridge over to the signaling station made this point really special.

The visibility was good today, I had the choice now to cross over to Dursey Island directly, via Sheep’s Head/ Bear Island or aiming somewhere in the middle. My first choice was Black Ball Head, at 6 am I opted for Dursey Island directly sitting on a good flood current and with low winds. But his changed unfortunately all too early at 7 am. The wind lifting up to 12-15 knots nw I was expecting, but losing the flood current additionally and crawling once more along head down against wind and tide made me opting again for Black Ball Head which was the shortest and a bit off the direct headwind.
Three fishing boats were out early morning, probably wondering what this strange red floating object was doing far out there so early. I got nicely entertained by 3-4 lucky dolphins escorting me along for about ten minutes like pulling me in a royal carrier, and spotted more single ones here and there. So nice to see I should forget the pulsating pain in my left elbow and right middle finger all day. I can barely hold my paddle properly, but who cares…

A jumping fully out of the water small mink whale please my eye being almost across, the same jumping style as I have seen many tons heavier larger whales in Australia and Argentina. Thanks for the performance! I was happy to reach eventually beautiful Black Ball Head and was hoping for some lee at the cliff wall to hide from the now 15+ knots nw, but besides a bit calmer water, there was not much less wind, now rather coming down the steep cliffs. Why the heck was I actually deciding on this direction of the circumnavigation? So far nothing but headwinds…but the forecast for the next week looks promising! Southerlies on the West Coast, as it should be – well, besides today and tomorrow so far.

No stop in the two bays to the right, I liked to reach Durseay Island today and beyond. I crawled along close to the cliffs in gusty strong winds, but now calm water, until I reached the huge triangle Leamascoil rock at Crow Head to sneak through a wide enough, but pretty confused channel. I passed on the row of three or such smaller rock gaps, but happily turned into the absolutely stunning steep and wide enough gap between Bull’s Forehead and Crows Head. What I pity not to be able to catch that steep zig zag rock scenery on reasonable pictures! The exit offered a long line of some pretty unfriendly reflecting clapotis waves along the steep cliffs where the wind is catching himself. Not my favorite conditions, but basically harmless.

The parking lot at the cable car was packed with tourists on this mostly sunny day, and the rusty old tin box was gliding nicely back and forth across the gap to Dursey Island, just over my head. When have I ever paddled under a cable car? You’re getting some fantasies about what to do when the box falls down…or what to do when a sheep or a cow rolls down the steep meadows and splashed in the sea just in front of you…

The gap was calm, but turning around the two rocky corners and paddling again in rough clapotis waves for two km before reaching the island gap entrance to Garnish was truly not for the faint hearted today. Better stay upright the last 2 km…if you like to avoid this section in nw winds and love to cross directly to Lambs or Bolus Head on the next (hopefully calm) day, better stay on Dursey Island!
But I had picked on the satellite map a lovely small island beach which I probably have for myself, and gliding from the very rough stuff eventually into the completely sheltered small bay was the absolute reward of the day, giving you that one and only big smile that you deserved after this effort.

One more smile was to put up tent on a grassy spot out of the sight of the bunch of camper vans and houses across the narrow gap, and thinking hehehe, this is “my” island for tonight, this is not for the regular tourist!

It will actually be “my island” for two nights, as tomorrow will be headwinds again up to 20 knots. With the nice outlook from Thursday on, I will give my pulsating painful elbow and finger a day of rest, who is on the run here?

Also, Jon Hynes texted me he had received my dry suit already and will be so nice to deliver it to me tomorrow at lunch time! Despite I have to launch and paddle over the narrow gap to meet him, this will be such a pleasure to eventually keep my bottom part dry and hopefully warmer! Thanks for the drive out to me, Jon! Although – summer is coming up now from Thursday on (or such…)!

Hey, Jon, I have forgotten something to bring along with the dry suit – will you be a real man and please buy something in a drug store/ pharmacy for me? I’d need a small tube of water based, latex compatible sex jelly – no, sorry, not to have instant fun with you in my tent, but this is absolute best for wearing the latex neck gasket without getting red rubbed skin at the neck! You can explain it to the sales lady if you feel you need to, without blushing 🙂) – she won’t believe you anyway! Thanks, Jon!