Two day Slogathon

 Little and Large at Mizen Head

We left early from the Old Head of Kinsale and made good time across to Seven Heads, rounding Galley head; the swell size picked up and as we left to cross Clonakilty Bay, so to did the wind, in fact after three miles we started to alter course, ducking into Low Island for a rest and replen from a consistent force four head wind and a sloppy sea. By six oclock we had managed to round Toe Head and met up with Vaughan at Lough Hine, we slept rough on the beach, bivvying out besides our kayaks.

Waking Harry at 5.40 we boiled some porridge, woolfed it down, downed some black coffee and set off early expecting to round Mizen Head later that day, catching a favourable tide. All went well, we hooked up once more with Vaughan to exchange data cards in Baltimore before island hoping our way down to Streek Head. After Brow Head we were feeling the full effects of a solid Atlantic Ocean swell, exploding boomers and large rolling swells opposed us as we then negotiated Three Castle Head and beyond. We were faced with a long open crossing across the mouths of Dunmanus Bay and Bantry Bay; very large ocean swell and an energy draining head wind opposed us for the next 12 nautical miles before landing through intimidating boomers either side of the entrance into a small fishing harbour near to Firkeel Bay.

Luck did meet us at this stage when we were to meet up with a fishermen from Mevagissey in Cornwall who moved over to the Baer Peninsula 15 years ago. Spotting the flag of St Pirans on his fishing boat we began to chitter chatter and before we knew it, both Harry and I were being whisked into Castletown Bearhaven for a Guinness or two. Fantastic.