Great Island Kayak Race 07

This is the second year that the lads in Cork have organised the kayak race around Great Island. The course is roughly 25km and myself, Pat and Mick have entered our names (not as serious contenders!). We've been looking forward to this since before Christmas and despite the recent wet and windy weather it was a bright day with winds F2/F3 forecast. High tide was just before 10AM so the organisers scheduled the start to coincide. The elite racers got off to a flying start and the rest of us paddled along at various rates. Top finishing time was 2hr 15mins and we came in some time later (I won't say how late!). Suffice to say we weren't first and we weren't last. We had a BBQ back in Marlogue Inn followed by presentation of prizes. We really enjoyed the day and a big thank you to the lads in Cork for organising the event. Looking forward to doing it again next year.

Christmas Paddle 07

Well, its the time of year again for festive paddles. We met up with some other groups (Comeragh paddlers and Celtic paddlers) in Dunmore East and headed off to Ballymacaw, where we stopped for lunch and mince pies. Niall Durnan brought along some mulled wine and that went down very well! Since the day was so nice it was decided to continue paddling towards Brownstown Head but some of the group needed to return home early and they headed straight back to Dunmore.
On the return trip we passed on the shore side near a rock outcrop close to Falskirt rock where some large waves were breaking. Normally this rock tends to provide shelter on the inside but since it was only almost submerged it was acting more like a reef and churning up lots of surf. We thought we had avoided the worst but it seems we were caught there during a set. I saw a wave coming towards me from the side. When I looked up it started to peel and break. Given that in a kayak you're about 3ft high, I reckon the wave height was about 6ft. This was the first time I was side on in a breaking wave where all I could see was a wall of water and not the far side! I clearly remember saying "Oh shit" and then all went snowy as I got tossed under in the wave. I tried bracing but no effect. With the shock and awe effect I didn't feel any cold when I submerged and was a bit disoriented so I didn't manage to try a roll. John managed the incident from a distance and Ciaran did the rescue. The same wave also had hit John but he managed to high brace on the wave and didn't go under. John joked this was about the only good thing the Nordkapp ever did for him!
This is my second trip in my new Aquanaut and I'm very pleased with how it handles. The back band is another story. I had no support and ended up using my tow rope swivelled round my waist to lean back on. I'll definitely need to get some foam for outfitting.
Next paddle is the Great Island Race in Cork and this should be a bit of craic.