Got straight into the Irish Sea Kayaking action today as we were given the loan of a couple of sea kayaks. It was quite a breezy day, so not the best conditions, but it was also, not an opportunity to turn down, so sometime around midday, we found ourselves setting out from the little port of Roundstones.
There are loads of little islands to explore around and some big ones too. In the end, we played it safe in the sheltered waters as neither of us fancied the choppy waters of the crossing to a very enticing looking white sandy beach of a nearby island.
A few showers passed us by, but nothing too much. Luckily, we were just passing under a bridge between two islands as the worst blew through and we were able to take cover. Soon enough the sun was back out.
From Roundstone, we travelled north for a few kilometres, passing under the road bridge and then around to the top of the island. A circumnavigation of Inis Ni Inshnee would be a lovely journey on a less windy day, but we decided to return via the sheltered inland passage of Roundstone Bay.
On the return leg, we passed by an island with a seal colony. There were some big dudes on the rocks that slowly flopped into the water and came over to check us out. Later a huge fulmar hovered above us, literally, just metres above us which was our best wildlife encounter. Amazing.
Using the traditional sea kayaking 'Greenland Stick' rather than a western paddle, we returned to the sheltered waters of the slip way at Roundstone. Some excellent forward planning meant that we had a change of clothes with us, stashed in a dry bag in the kayak hatch, so leaving the boats on the harbour, we walked into town for a celebratory half Guiness while we waited to get picked up.
We also clocked some good looking e-bikes before heading back to the pad!
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