I really liked to sleep a bit longer this morning, but at 4.30 h two stray dogs were doing a show outside my tent. They probably didn’t like me here on their private beach? Shut up, this night it was *my* private beach! In Fool Sound, between the first and second Aran Island, a large school of dolphins gave a friendlier morning performance for a while. Always welcome! There was no fog in the morning for the change, but a burning-red sunrise was pleasing my eye next. It ca continue like this!

At lunchtime, I guessed the area has changed now, in this archipelago the water will stay dead calm with no steep cliffs, a low swell forecast and low to no winds. I felt the first day a bit overdressed in my dry suit, fell almost asleep slightly overheated and bored on dead calm conditions, but landing options to change were far away out in the open water. I opened the zipper for a while which gave no real relief, and then I tried the first time – and managed easily – to strip the dry suit top whilst afloat! Works perfect! The bottom temperature felt just fine, so I rolled the top nicely around my waist out of the way, and paddled happily and feeling freedom again all afternoon in my fleece thermal only. The only way to go on today’s conditions!

This new freedom feeling motivated me so much to change my planned beach to land for the night to a favorite one I already found earlier on the satellite map – otherwise I’d probably have stopped around Slyne Head already at the also perfect snow white Golf course beach, as *my* beach was not to be seen until turned around the corner. It was pristine, no footprints, almost no rubbish, and – an island beach! No unwanted visitors, besides maybe some fishermen which I’d hear approaching with their engines long before.

Though I landed late again, I took a dip in the crystal clear water, and had a stroll over the rocks and green hills of the absolute perfect Irish island in quite good Irish summer weather. That is why I feel privileged to be a sea kayaker! No other sports take you quite likely to places where nature is still nature and no other people are around. Not that the whole archipelago already was one of the loveliest places to paddle I have seen so far!
Island besides island, plenty of rocks to navigate, always something to look at. One should not paddle so quick along! Maybe I will take a rest day tomorrow for my body, still having a cold, we’ll see how the wind will feel. The whole week’s outlook is still mostly ok!