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Sunday 12th May – we hope to start paddling south around Ireland from Dun Laoghaire.

We have a map on Spot that you can see here – click here for the map.

It might only show the last 7 days activity.

I’ll be trying to update my blog regularly – although I’ve discovered today that uploading a photo to facebook uses a lot less of my limited phone battery power than writing a blog so I’ll probably be putting photos on facebook more often.

Roger will be updating his blog – see http://www.coastalspirit.com

I’ve created a SPOT adventure page – but I’m not sure I’ve done it right – but I hope to have time to improve on it. The link is here

Thanks to Des and Sonja from Deep Blue Sea Kayaking for putting us up at the start of the trip and to Eddie and Conor for picking us up from the ferry.

It’s exciting to be on the cusp of a new adventure. I’ll improve on the communications as I go along!

I am writing this from the lounge on the Stena line ferry where we are comfortably sat, looking out of the window at the sea we will soon be paddling on every day. Thanks to Stena Line for sponsoring our ferry travel to and from Ireland, including carrying our kayaks on.

I haven’t paused in the last 24 hours with last minute packing, buying, house tidying and decision making.now I am in that slight panic of wondering what I have forgotten.i am looking forward to being underway with everything I need in my kayak. This afternoon barry, roger and I will be in dun laoghaire poised ready to set off clockwise around ireland.we may start tomorrow although the forecast doesn’t look that promising. My kit bag is really heavy and I am not looking forward to having all that weight I the kayak. A lot of it is food, I got a bit carried away! It was very easy to check the kayaks in today although it was a bit strange to see them disappearing on the luggage carousel. Thanks to natural balance foods for providing us with lots of delicious and nutritious nakd and trek bars. Thanks to lyon equipment for some great julbo, ortlieb, aquapack kit sewell as an optimus nova plus stove and pan set which looks great. The multi fuel burner uses a magnet to clean the jet a which is pretty cool.

Thanks to kokatat for my paddling kit and valley sea kayaks for the etain 17.5 which I have for the trip. The new cockpit shape is really positive.

Ok the ferry is moving. Bring it on!
I will be putting updates on my blog as well as on facebook and twitter. We have a spot and will send an ok message at least once a day that will appear on a map on our spot page. Roger will also be sending updates to his blog. Www.coastalspirit.com

Tomorrow night – Wednesday 24th April – I’ll be showing highlights from “This is the Sea 5” at Surflines shop in Llanberis. See footage from all 8 films from around the world & hear some behind-the-scenes stories. It’s free & there will be discounted DVDs available from Surf lines afterwards. It’s from 6pm- 7.15 and we’ll all go for a pizza and a pint afterwards at the Gallt y Glyn.

This Saturday evening 27th April – I will be showing the inspirational film of ‘Sarah Outen’ at the Ladies Paddle Symposium at Glan-llyn in North Wales.

Cheri & Turner from Kayak Ways also arrive in North Wales on 27th April. We will be filming for a 2nd rolling DVD – which may also cover Greenland-style strokes. Afterwards they are touring the country (and Ireland, Germany & Italy) giving a series of rolling and paddling classes. You can see their itinerary here. They have 1 space left on Saturday 4th May in North Wales – and due to a cancellation they have 4 spaces left on Sunday 5th May. Please get in touch with them if you are interested in some of their expert & insightful coaching.

Around 10th/ 11th May, I’ll be heading to Ireland with Barry Shaw & Roger Chandler to attempt to kayak around Ireland. I’ll be giving a presentation of ‘This is the Sea 5’ in the Dublin area that weekend – probably on 11th May. Des & Sonja from Deep Blue Seakayaking will be organising it so get in touch with them for more info.

With a bit of luck, in a month’s time, I’ll be in Ireland, taking the first paddle strokes of a 1,000 mile circumnavigation of the beautiful Emerald Isle, pushing off from Dun Leary with Barry Shaw and Roger Chandler.

Roger lives 5 minutes down the road and runs ‘Coastal Spirit‘ a sea kayak guiding and coaching business. He’s a friend who Barry and I have paddled with many times – for a few hours! I’m looking forward to seeing if he’s as easy-going, polite, thorough & hard-working after 40 or 50 days paddling in challenging conditions while being tired, hungry, wet and cold! I’m sure Roger too is wondering what it will be like to paddle with a couple who have probably developed more ‘routines’ than we realise.

That’s all said with a smile & isn’t meant to be negative in any way. Trip dynamics are just one aspect of every journey that will unfold with time – and it’s all part of the adventure.

Over all, I’m excited for the journey; the wild places, the cold salty spray,  the sore muscles, the chatter of birds, stove-cooked pasta that tastes better than a 5star meal, the on-water decisions, the rattle and flap of the tent in stormy weather, the uncertainly of where to land, frothy pints of Guinness, paddling hard to make a safe landing before nightfall;  the flush of living life to the full on my face at the end of every day.

Atlantic Swells, strong winds, fast currents & many cliff sections make this a challenging paddle & we’re starting to gather information to help us do the trip safely and enjoyably. I’ll put some more updates on this blog as we go along & we’ll be posting updates from the trip itself when we get going – hopefully a month today (or as soon afterwards as the weather allows).