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Frequently asked questions

Why?

  Ireland has held a special interest to me. I am third generation Irish American. It is a special place and I can think of no better way to visit it than by sea kayak.

  I have sat through several slide shows on paddling in Ireland and even have met and talked with Chris Duff, author of On Celtic Tides, his book about circumnavigating Ireland. There are places I want to visit. Places such as Skellig Michael, the monastery dating from the 7th century; Aran & Blasket Islands, home of remote settlements now empty (or mostly so). I want to paddle by such landmarks such as Mizen Head, the far southwest corner of Ireland and the Bloody Foreland, where ships of the Spanish Armada were lost. Then there is the people. Such as the fisherman using currachs, leather covered boats used for centuries and the locals in the pubs.

  There is also the challenge of paddling the west coast of Ireland. On the east side of the Atlantic, there are often advanced conditions to be found. Around the headlands, there will be complex tidal conditions. But most importantly, the coastline has many places for a kayak to land safely. Conditions like this occur in few places around the world. North America, I have found, has some places with somewhat similar conditions but none on the scale of Ireland.

Is this the first circumnavigation? Are there any firsts you plan to claim?

  No, people routinely circumnavigate Ireland. It is a significant trip but it has been done before.

  As far as firsts go, no there won’t be any I claim. I suppose I am the first from the Great Lakes region to attempt this trip but that is not my inspiration and to me it doesn’t matter if I am - I am still doing the trip! :)

  Sea kayaking is a maturing sport. Most of the reasonable firsts have been claimed and rightly so by the pioneers of this sport who showed what is possible. There are records such as the fastest circumnavigation, etc. but they don’t mesh well with my trip goals.

How is the trip funded?

  Sponsors are helping me with gear while any cash outlays (food, airline tickets, etc) is from my own pocket.

  There are a lot of places that have helped me out over the years such as companies like Lendal, Marmot, Rapidstyle, Rutabaga, Sports Rack, Big Bay Outfitters, Point Dive and Adventure and Geneva Kayaks.

How do you react to people who think that will be a lot of fun or those that think your nuts?

  Mostly ignore them. As far as fun goes, this trip will have its moments of fun. It is a trip of a lifetime and I am fortunate to be able to do it. It will also have it moments of doubt when I will be wishing I was somewhere else or possibly close to quitting. Overall, I expect it to be a good trip but one that will take a great effort on my part. As far as being nuts, yes I can see their point but understand they don’t see mine. I left living what many would call a normal life 10+ years ago, nuts is not an unfamiliar adjective applied to me. It also means I am doing something they don’t understand. This isn’t the first time I’ve encountered opinions like that. They often come from people who suggest having a power boat accompanying me for safety, they really don’t get what a sea kayak can do in the hands of a skilled paddler.

What your do you say to those who think it is too dangerous to accomplish?

  I suspect those people do not understand the sea worthiness of a sea kayak in the hands of a skilled paddler. I have worked hard to achieve and maintain my skills. It is dangerous and I do need to be careful. I believe planning, preparation and skills are the keys to staying safe on the sea.

What makes you think you are ready?

  This is a trip that I have been considering for several years. Over the last three years I have spent altogether 61 days doing trips in preparation. First was two trips for 24 days altogether to Washington State’s San Juan Islands and Clayquot Sound on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. These trips reacquainted me with tidal conditions. The next trip was from Helsinki to Stockholm in Europe that gave me experience in foreign countries. Finally, the 2005 trip to the Queen Charlottes gave me experience with conditions and a coastline similar to the West Coast of Ireland. These trips are in addition to several weeks of additional trips each year on Lake Superior.

Where are the challenges of a trip like this?

  Several areas: the West Coast, skill, nutrition, pace.

The West Coast is the crux of this trip. Weather and conditions there will determine if I can finish this trip. I expect to encounter waves up to 10’. In deep water and with moderate winds, these waves can be safely paddled. Add winds or tide races where those waves start breaking, it becomes very dangerous. Most of the launching and landing will be done from protected sites thanks to the coastline there. The one area that concerns me the most from the Aran Islands to the Bloody Foreland, the northwest section of coast. Here the ocean bottom is uneven and relatively shallow. Wave behavior becomes erratic with waves breaking irregularly, ie boomers. Paddling this area will be different than anywhere else on the coast.

Skill - I have worked hard on my skills: paddling, navigation, judgment. I can hand roll my kayak on both sides. I have multiple paddle rolls I can do. I can handle surf and the associated breaking waves to the point of enjoying those conditions. I have navigated using charts and compass along many unfamiliar coastlines in challenging conditions such as fog and tidal streams. I have been in many situations where judgment has been critical to staying safe. I also have experienced those situations where fatigue and other stresses cloud the decision making process.

Nutrition - Paddling for an extended time like this, nutrition becomes critical. I learned early on that eating right means staying healthy and staying happy. Easy to say, very hard to do over distance.

Pace - 1200 miles is a long distance and a lot of time paddling. Important to making good decisions is not having a ‘must get there’ timeline. Weather and rest days are critical. I have found for myself that an average of around 20 miles per day is sustainable. I have also found that rest days are very important for recovery and avoiding physical and emotional burnout. Weather and conditions are obviously impossible to plan around except I found that on average, 1 out of 3 days is a good metric. Taking days for rest and weather fits in well with the opportunity to stop and enjoy the many places and people I will encounter.

Are you going solo?

  For the most part. A few friends maybe joining for bits. Nancy is considering, Jukka, our friend from Helsinki, Finland is planning on it and Stew Joseph from Marquette is considering it as well.

  There are several reasons for going solo. Primarily, the lack of compatible and similarly skilled & experienced paddlers who have the interest or the time to do the entire trip keeps it solo. Second, to a certain degree, I enjoy the freedom solo paddling offers.

How did you come up with the logo?

  The shamrock is something I remember my mother pinning on me every St Patrick’s Day and it represents Ireland to me. In the center is an outline of Ireland and the coastline that is the focus of this trip. Finally, the font used is Celtic.

  Interestingly enough I am shade blind and have trouble seeing different shades of green. I just hope the colors I think are green actually are!

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