Adventure

You know summer is right around the corner when Lidl brings out an inflatable stand up paddle board for only €300. While being great exposure for the sport, it also means that anyone can buy a cheap board without having to speak to anyone who actually knows what they are doing. It sounds like a…

It all began in a different universe only five counties away. Pulled in to a layby on the side of a small country road sat the van, towing a rather precarious trailer full of luminous green SUP boards. It was the very same van you’d be accustomed to seeing at the Wild SUP Tours shed…

The hardest part of this journey so far has been the time I have spent not paddling. I arrived on the Dingle Peninsula on May 23rd. I’m looking to continue my journey tomorrow on June 24th, but I may not get more than a day out of it. During that month on land, I have…

I saw my first whale! I’ve seen dolphins and seals. I’ve even seen porpoise, but I’ve never seen a whale before last week. In all seriousness though, this section of the journey had moments of pure elation and moments of complete frustration. The wind has such a huge impact on whether paddling is pleasure or pain. I know this, trying to plan sections of coastline in accordance with the wind, yet sometimes you just have to get on with it, grit your teeth and tackle the headwind. It’s frustrating, exhausting, and sometimes downright undo-able. It’s these moments when stand up paddling can become dangerous. It’s these moments when you are extremely glad to find an unexpected pier or landing site. The Mizen is the most southerly point in Ireland, striking out into the ocean, the first point of land for…

As I was preparing for the launch of my unsupported paddle up Ireland’s West coast, I heard from various people, “that sounds like a lonely existence”. And the thought of it seemed just that. Paddling all day on my own, camping at night under the stars, on my own. It sounded peaceful yet lonely. As I was…

One of the benefits of owning a seasonal business is it gives you the chance to explore other places during the off season, and not just visit other places but actually live there, like a local for a time. This past winter we chose to go to California. We chose California, not only because it…

Some of my fondest memories from my childhood are of my father reading bedtime stories to me and my brother. These weren’t just any old stories though. These were adventure stories! Our favorites were His Dark materials by Philip Pulman, The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, though the full list was much more…

On the odd occasion here in Ireland, you’ll get three magical things happening all at once. One, the wind dies off to nothing but the lightest breeze. Two, The swell drops to the smallest of rises. Three, The sun comes out. When this happens there is only one place to be, on a stand up…