Treasna na dTonnta 65 Winter 2021

Irish Sea Kayaking Association Issue 65 Winter 2021

Treasna na dTonnta

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Treasna na dTonnta #65

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Contents

Editorial

............ 3

ISKA News: ISKA Chairperson Chris McDaid

............ 6

Sea Kayak Awards Review update, Jon Hynes

............ 8

British Canoeing Awards, Oisín Hallissey

........... 12

Review: ‘Blue Mind’ by Wallace J. Nichols, Samantha Vidal .......... 20 Dumb or Tough?, Liz Cunnane

.......... 22

Environment: Basking with Sharks, Brian J MacMahon

.......... 28

Location: The North Coast iii, Effie Ellis-O’Neill

.......... 36

Kit & Kaboodle: Paddle Floats, Sue Honan

...........44

Troubled Waters: Incident off Inishark

.......... 48

Reflections: Chris ‘Ted’ Carroll, Brian MacMahon

.......... 58

Contributors and Guidelines

.......... 64

Cover: Effie with her first fish. Photo, Oisín Hallissey Inside cover: Seán Cahill hanging with basking sharks off the west coast of Clare. Photo, Conor Smith

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Editorial: Welcome to Treasna na dTonnta 65

After the trauma that Covid-19 has wreaked on society it is wonderful to be writing this. I hope everyone enjoys this symposium. Thank you to everyone who kindly offered articles and photos for this issue.

TnadT would not happen without paddlers taking the time and effort to share their experiences and knowledge with us...

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Please keep them coming...

Helpful guidelines for contributors are at the back of the magazine and on www.iska.ie. Thanks in particular to those paddlers who when asked for their input gave generously and on time at the last minute. Special thanks to Adam May at Language who designed and printed this magazine. We are excited to present a variety of articles for you in this edition: The Sea Kayak Awards Review Group of Canoeing Ireland has been working hard. In this issue Jon Hynes Chair of the group outlines what has happened so far.

Oisín Hallissey provides an overview of the British Canoeing Awards Scheme which has also undergone a transformation. I have really enjoyed listening to Wallace J. Nichols’ Blue Mind on Audible.

East Coast Sea Kayak club paddler Samantha Vidal kindly reviewed it for us. Well worth a read.

Liz Cunnane describes her experiences of her first ISKA meet while Effie Ellis-O’Neill tells us about a special trip she undertook on Ireland’s north coast. Brian J MacMahon was lucky enough to swim with the gentle giants of Irish coastal waters – the basking sharks; in this issue he describes a truly awe inspiring encounter.

Safety at sea is a constant part of a sea kayakers life so in this issue we discuss paddle floats and learn from others’ incidents one of which is highlighted in Troubled Waters. Brian J MacMahon pays tribute to the late in Chris ‘Ted’ Carroll.

Paddle safe and enjoy the sea – Sue Honan, Editor

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ISKA News Welcome to the Irish Sea Kayaking Association 2021 Symposium after our enforced hiatus last year. First of all I wish to thank the management of the Gold Coast Hotel for being so understanding of the rapidly changing circumstances which resulted in last year’s cancellation and carrying over our booking to this year. As always, a huge thank you to all of the providers who year on year support this event, some of whom have to travel long distances. We couldn’t do it without them.

This has been a fantastic year for ISKA, all meets have gone ahead as planned with very good turnouts, it is fantastic to see. Stephen Darby ran a successful West Cork meet, split between offshore and onshore camping. Vernetta Hillen hosted the Causeway Coast meet.

Colin Francis and I finally pulled off a meet in our home area after five years of trying, we hope you enjoyed visiting the fantastic North Mayo coastline. Fiona Trahe organised another successful weekend in the Loop Head area of County Clare which was also well attended. At the time of writing, John Dempsey ran a successful meet in Donegal in early September.

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One disappointment was that for second year running we couldn’t manage to get the Streamstown meet to take place. Roll on May 2022!

Your (yes YOUR) organisation is in very good health at the moment, with membership pushing the 200 mark, the highest ever I believe. It is great to see so many new members joining us on the water, and all things going well we shall be able to reintroduce subsidised training courses in 2022 to help these new members solidify their skills. I know it has been a pretty steep learning curve for some!

Sadly we lost an irrepressible fellow sea kayaker and friend last year and I’m sure many of you will have shared some paddling time with the one and only Chris “Ted” Carroll. You’ll be missed big fella, especially by the close knit County Clare sea kayaking community. A big thank you to Brian McMahon for his tribute in this issue.

On a personal level, I’m entering my 6th year as chairperson of this wonderful organisation and it is a great honour. I wish to thank all of the Committee members I’ve worked with for their continued support over the years. On that subject, I feel that the Committee needs refreshing in the coming year, so if any of you are interested in taking a more hands on roll within ISKA, please make yourself known to myself or any other Committee member. It is good to freshen things up from time to time so please step forward if you can. It is planned to have a Committee handover at the Symposium next year, assuming we get sufficient volunteers. ISKA needs you!

Finally my gratitude to Sue Honan & Adam May for their sterling work in producing the high quality publication you are currently reading.

Have a fantastic Symposium everyone! – Chris McDaid, Chairperson

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Canoeing Ireland Sea Kayak Awards Review Update Jon Hynes - Chairperson Canoeing Ireland Training and Development Unit Firstly, let me congratulate the Irish Sea Kayaking Association for their excellent work in creating a very vibrant calendar of meets this year and enabling the annual Symposium to return to the fabulous Copper Coast. The work that the Committee do is pivotal to the growth of the Irish Sea Kayaking scene. As we all know, our sport is experiencing significant growth with more and more Irish people buying kayaks and then upgrading to Sea Kayaks.

With this in mind, I’d like to update you with some important information on where we can expect the Canoeing Ireland Training scheme to go in the coming months and years. It’s fair to say that whilst our Award Scheme has been responsible for the growth and development of so many sea kayakers in this country over the years, it also has some significant challenges that have led to bottlenecks and disengagement.

In recent years the Canoeing Ireland Training and Development Unit has been engaged in a process of refocussing their own position and how they operate. Of particular interest to the sea kayaking community is the establishment of the “Sea Kayak Award Review Group”, SKARG for short. The composition of this group consists of a wide cross section of people from the sea kayaking community to ensure everyone’s needs have a voice.

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We have had an excellent start to the project with great appetite for the improvement of the awards. We understand that whilst we all have so many suggestions and changes we would like to bring, we must also be mindful any changes we make must mesh well with other awards within the scheme.

Some of the notable headlines already coming out of the work are as follows: 1. We are seeking to place more emphasis at Level 1 & 2 skills awards to make them sea kayak specific therefore making a more even pathway to Level 3.

2. There is a lot of merit around the use of modularised training at Level 3 and 4 Sea skills. We are eager to reduce ‘assessment-itis’ and the bottlenecks that occur particularly at Level 4 so that paddlers can have a more training-like assessment experience.

3. The group has also been working on exploring how best to improve the development of sea kayakers’ “Seacraft / Seamanship” in terms of better decision making, trip planning, knowledge of wind, weather, tides and navigation.

So, we’d ask you all to bear with us a while longer. The group had a break during the summer months as members were busy in their clubs, sea kayaking businesses and generally emerging from lockdowns.

However, the group will keep working on this project over the autumn / winter and hopefully Canoeing Ireland will implement these changes in time for the 2022 Sea Kayaking season. If anyone has any observations or contributions they would like to make on this, feel free to email them on to me at jonhynes@me.com Best wishes and see you on the water – Jon

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Live the Adventure

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T: 028 4372 2158 E: livetheadventure@tollymore.com www.tollymore.com

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The British Canoeing Awards Oisín Hallissey, Head of Paddle Sport at Tollymore, outlines the new British Canoeing Awards Scheme.

Are you thinking of becoming a leader, a coach or to improve your own performance?

On a weekly basis I get enquiries about new Coaching, Leadership and Personal Performance awards, and their pathways. In this short article I aim to give an overview of the new Personal Performance, Coaching, and Leadership awards and how they relate to the sea kayaking community. I hope it will act as a guide and will support you in your development journey.

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Personal Performance Awards The new awards have been developed by paddlers for paddlers. The Personal Performance Awards aim to provide the paddler with the necessary skills and knowledge to make safe decisions on the water, relative to their experience and the environment they wish to paddle in.

The process of completing the awards is based on the ethos of ‘supporting the paddler’, encouraging individuals in their development.

But why complete a Personal Performance Award or attend a certificated course? Generally, those attending courses do so as a bench marking exercise, how competent am I really! Additionally, a training programme helps the paddler to identify their strengths, weaknesses and possibly blind spots, you don’t know what you don’t know! In coaching terms this is referred to as unconsciously incompetent.

All of the awards are direct entry, so you can choose the right award for you!

Sea Kayak Award The Sea Kayak Award endorses your skill, judgment and the decision making required for a successful day on the sea. You will be confident in planning and undertaking journeys on the sea, in winds up to and including force 3 and/or tides up to 1 Knot, using sea kayaks or sit on tops, in tidal or non-tidal environments, with proficient skills to be in control throughout. Your award should be seen as a sound basis for building the experience and knowledge associated with Coastal Sea Kayak Award holders.

Coastal Sea Kayak Award Your Coastal Sea Kayak Award endorses your judgment, decision making and expertise and requires a good understanding of paddling on the sea. You should be confident

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planning and undertaking journeys on the sea in winds up to and including force 4 and/or tides up to 2 Knots, in a sea kayak or specific sit on tops in tidal or non-tidal environments. Your confidence should be based upon both proficiency in skills and a broad appreciation of surroundings and environmental context. Your award should be seen as a sound basis for independently building the experience and expertise we associate with Advanced Sea Kayak Award holders.

Advanced Sea Kayak Award As an Advanced Sea Kayaker, you will have extensive experience of paddling on the sea. Your experience will include paddling a wide variety of sea conditions with winds over force 4 and/or tides over 2 Knots, using sea kayaks in tidal or non-tidal environments, where you may make open crossings in excess of 2Nm, as well as travelling along the coastline.

New Leadership Awards Introduced in January 2021, the New Leadership Awards support leaders to run safe, quality, enjoyable trips, based on their group’s needs and aspirations. The leadership awards are designed around the environment you wish to lead in and are ideal for clubs, centres and activity providers.

There is now direct entry to Leadership Assessments, training is no longer mandatory. You can check the required skills using the SelfAnalysis Tool (https://www.britishcanoeingawarding.org.uk/leaderraft-guide-self-analysis/). There is formal British Canoeing Leadership training or you can opt for bespoke training opportunities. For example, private tuition, in-house training through your work place, working alongside/shadowing other Leaders, or conference/symposium

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workshops. Those presenting for assessment are asked to be confident that they meet the assessment criteria, if they feel they are ready after a discussion with the Course Provider, they can go direct to assessment.

The only formal prerequisite is the safety award i.e. coastal or open water navigation, as well as membership, first aid and safeguarding training. Also, a paddler can enter the scheme at the level most relevant to them. No longer do paddlers seeking a leadership award have to start in a sheltered environment and work their way up. For example a paddler who is active operating in a moderate water environment can apply to go direct to assessment at that level.

Paddlesport Leader Award The Paddlesport Leader has the skills necessary to lead a group of up to eight paddlers or up to 12 in tandem craft in a sheltered environment.

Sheltered water is defined as “ungraded sections of slow moving rivers where the group could paddle upstream against the flow (not involving the shooting of, or playing on, weirs or running rapids). Areas of open water (e.g. lakes and lochs) where the paddlers are no more than 200 metres offshore and the wind strength does not exceed Beaufort force 3, avoiding the group being swept/blown out of the safe working area”. Slow moving estuaries (less than 0.5 Knots).

Sea Kayak Leader Award The Sea Kayak Leader has the skills necessary to lead a group of up to six paddlers in a moderate sea environment.

The moderate water sea environment is defined as “a stretch of coastline with some areas where it is not easy to land but there will always be straightforward land points a maximum of two

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nautical miles apart, crossings not exceeding two nautical miles, up to 2 Knots of tide (but not involving tide race or overfalls). Wind strengths do not exceed Beaufort force 4. Launching and landing through surf (up to 1 metre, trough to crest height)”.

Advanced Sea Kayak Leader Award.

The Advanced Sea Kayak Leader has the necessary skills to lead a group of up to four paddlers in an advanced environment.

The advanced sea environment is defined as “tidal races, overfalls, or open crossings may be encountered and cannot be avoided; sections of coastline where landings may not be possible or are difficult; winds above Beaufort force 4; launching and landing through surf (up to 1.5 metres trough to crest height)”.

Instructing and Coaching Paddlesport Instructor The Paddlesport Instructor is aimed at those running paddlesport starter/taster sessions within the safety management systems of clubs, centres or other organisations, on very sheltered water environments. The qualification will support the Instructor with practical skills such as kitting up a group and getting afloat, initial familiarisation activities, games and activities and how to use mini journeys to support learning, inspire adventure and exploration.

A very sheltered environment is defined as: Quiet canals with easy bankside access and egress; small lakes, which are not large enough and do not have difficult landing, where problems could occur if there is a sudden change in conditions; gentle, slow moving rivers. The definition implies weather conditions that

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are not in themselves likely to cause problems. At any point, the paddler should not be more than 50 metres from the bank.

Coaching Qualifications The Coach Awards are designed for people who wish to coach paddlers who want to gain/improve paddlesport skills within a chosen discipline. This may include, for example, technical/tactical skill development, physical/psychological development, or helping people develop the skills so they can paddle safely without the need for a coach. The coach is able to plan, deliver and review progressive sessions safely, effectively and independently.

Sea Kayak Coach Award or Advanced Sea Kayak Coach Award A Sea Kayak coach, is able to coach the discipline specific foundation skills and help people to develop their sea skills in a moderate environment or advanced environment, taking into account the technical, tactical, physiological and psychological elements of performance. It is reasonable to expect their repertoire to include the coaching skills to develop discipline and environment specific techniques and tactics relevant to: •

Foundations (Active Posture, Connectivity, Power Transfer, Feel)

•

Launching and landing

•

Forward paddling, steering, turning and manoeuvring

•

Recovery from being off balance, recovery from capsize, safety and rescue skills

The Coach Award pathways consists of: •

Core Coach training: Open to all paddlers regardless your discipline or previous coaching experience. During this course, you will explore different approaches to understanding and enabling learning.

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You will also be supported in evolving your personal coaching development plan to enable you to take your learning into practice after the course. This can be taken online or as a practical 2 day course.

•

Sea Kayak Discipline Specific Training: This two day practical course explores HOW to coach the sea kayak skills and WHAT you will be coaching. The training explores how to coach technical and tactical skills. The course will help coaches plan and deliver safe, enjoyable, progressive coaching sessions and explore specifics to help coaches coach sea kayakers.

•

Assessment: This is concluded by a 1 day assessment

The journey to completing a coach assessment •

Complete Coach Core Training > Attend environment specific coach training e.g. Sea Coach Training > One day assessment in the relevant environment.

•

You must have the relevant leadership award.

How do I find a course?

Find more information about courses, e-learning, the BC Digital Library, self-analysis tool and how to book, look on the CANI website www.cani.org.uk/ or the British Canoeing Awarding Body website www.britishcanoeingawarding.org.uk/ Good luck on your journey! If I can be of any further help, I can be contacted at oisinhallissey@tollymore.com

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Review Samantha Vidal reviews Blue Mind by Wallace J Nichols.

If you are reading this, chances are that you, at some point in your life, felt that pull from water: The awe when looking at breaking waves, the rapids of a river, the mercury like surface of a lake. We have all experienced that in a way with some of us having to try to explain to partners and friends why we are going to the water again. “But you were sea kayaking last weekend, what’s the deal?”. Then off we go, guilty face, grabbing our 5m buddies along to meet the Blue. But, what exactly causes this pull, this irresistible desire to be on, near, at, in, under water? That’s what Dr. Nichols talks about in his book, The Blue Mind. He will show you what happens in our brains and why water can be so addictive. More than that, science is backing up what humans have known instinctively for millennia: interaction with water heals. From mental illnesses to brain diseases, to high blood pressure, let yourself be carried away by the stories of people whose lives were literally saved by interacting with water.

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Nichols has an even more ambitious goal: He wants to use science and data to show sceptics that our water and all these ecosystems are vital to our survival and wellbeing. I know it’s obvious, but when we see what’s happening with our planet… well, I think the obvious needs to be reinforced. There is a segment in the book dedicated to canoeists and kayakers and it’s pure joy to see our passion explained and acknowledged. Nichols continues driving the parallels between other water sports and benefits and those of you who venture in open water swimming, paddle boarding, diving, surfing are in for many treats and inspiring stories. It’s reassuring to understand the once inexplicable bliss one feels when coming out of a dive, or a tough paddle; sore bodies and large smiles. And also, humbling to get to know the healing long processes of people with brain and motor injuries and disabilities, amputees, autists, people with addictions and so many other conditions softened by the interactions with water.

Personally, the most moving part of this book was to finally understand why I feel how I feel when scuba diving.

Being in the sport for 15 years, I now know that the pressure under water is the equivalent of a big cozy hug. And it gets me longing for the next dive the moment I get out of the water. Who knew? I hope this book can not only bring us water lovers joy, but raise awareness for those who still need data to prove what we all already know: we need to protect our waters, now, more than ever.

Blue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do Abacus ISBN 9780349139579

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DUMB OR TOUGH? North Mayo Sea kayaker Liz Cunnane shares her experiences of her first ISKA meet at Streamstown.

Ever worry about going out to sea in a Kayak? Well, your worries are well founded as the sea is powerful and requires respect, but let me assure you that if you join a group like ISKA those worries will eventually fade into memories and you will enjoy many fun and relaxed paddles out to sea.

I’m a novice paddler, having taken up paddling in 2018 at the tender age of 59 in chronological years (but only 19 in mental years). I completed my L2 assessment on a lake late in the same year. After the assessment I purchased a second-hand touring kayak and had visions of exploring the beautiful lakes and the west coast of Ireland.

Whitewater would never be my thing!

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Having only having been out to sea once before, a few of my kayaking friends from our local club and I, were persuaded by a long-time member of ISKA to come along to a meet in Streamstown, Co. Galway on the May bank holiday weekend of 2019. Four of us attended the weekend all with the same experience at sea – none!

The weather was absolutely stunning and the weather gods were smiling on us.

On Saturday morning we joined a 11+km paddle to Inishturk and Turbot Islands. The Islands are stunning. As we paddled out it was quite obvious who the novices were as they were flanked by experienced paddlers. During the day we were encouraged and advised as we went. We were made to feel very safe. We returned to the campsite around 5.30pm uplifted and exhausted.

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On Sunday we were booked in for a full day’s tuition with Martin Duffy of West Coast Kayaking. It was a full day of learning (subsidised by ISKA) for only €25 euro per person, per day which started at 10am and finished just before 6pm (Yep, a full 8 hours!). Martin’s mantra was “If you’re going to be dumb you better be tough!” - you get the idea of how this was going to go. We spent the morning paddling out to a quiet bay and landed on a white sandy beach to learn the theory behind paddler biomechanics, hand positions, paddle length, energy efficiency, edging, etc. then out onto the water to practise what we had learned.

We were partnered up and sent out to edge around in a pattern and to throw in some practise on the low brace. In the event that we fell in our partner would attempt a T rescue.

On the first corner edging I tipped and failed on the brace!

Unfortunately, my partner couldn’t get to me quick enough (or I couldn’t wait) so I bailed. I got to try the heel hook rescue with Martin.

All good and back in my boat in no time. Some more practise bracing, edging, etc. then back to base for a short lunch break around 12.30 We had a slightly longer than the expected half hour lunch break due to Crocodile Dundee (sorry Martin) having to make an impromptu rescue of a fugitive kayak! The escapee was quickly apprehended, assessed to be in good condition and successfully tethered. No mouth to mouth necessary!

After lunch we paddled out to another bay to learn some water-based skills, mainly rescues. To warm up we played a game of stealing clothes pegs off each other’s boats. We all started with 5 clothes pegs, 4 pegged to our boats (2 front, 2 back) and one on our BA. The winner was the one with the most pegs at the end. One of my club mates, Ken Tyrell was the winner. The prize? A bitesize Twirl!

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Martin warned us we would spend a good lot of time in the water learning new rescue techniques. He wasn’t wrong. I went in about ten times - I’m sure I’ve got “pick me” tattooed on my forehead or was I just dumb?

To be fair we all spent about the same time in the water except Ken who only went in about four times. Could this be something to do with his weight or age or both? He was picked to demonstrate the Scoop rescue so I’ll say no more!

After learning the Superman, Heal Hook and the Scoop Rescue it was time to head back to base.

Before leaving the bay Martin asked us to fill our boats with water. We then had to paddle across an incoming fast tide and head to another bay on the opposite side of the fast moving water! Good time to put the new skills (not edging obviously with full boats of water) into practise.

I, along with two other girls got spun around, sent backwards etc.

One of the girl’s footrest slipped. It seemed almost impossible. Lots of sweep strokes for very little progress. Then a man shouted from the bank “try to get into the edge girls it’s much easier” - thank you, whoever you were). Finally, we made it to the other side and managed to paddle up the edge on the opposite side to the waiting group.

Phew! Martin was watching us the whole time from the other bay.

Ken offered to come back to help us but Martin just said “Leave them

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alone, they’ll work it out”. We did, eventually but it was tough. I was obviously VERY dumb because that was VERY tough!! I think two eight hour days on the water might have broken me.

Let’s move on to 2021. I am still sea kayaking when I can and thanks to the help from some wonderful sea kayakers and in particular NMSK (North Mayo Sea Kayakers), some of whom, have also become very good friends, I have enjoyed some fabulous sea trips.

From every single trip I come away uplifted by the experience and always manage to glean some valuable knowledge from these very skilled people.

It felt like time for a bit more formal training so my friends and I decided to meet up with Martin again at Rosses Point for some L3 sea training this summer.

We had a great day and whilst the training was a little tough at times (I hate towing) it was also a very enjoyable day!

So maybe I am still a little dumb as it was a little tough, BUT it was more enjoyable so just maybe, I am a little bit wiser.

Here’s to more adventures on the water!

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Canoeing Ireland Courses from Level 1 to Level 5

Safety & Rescue Training - Sea Kayak Surfing

Coastal & Advanced Tours

info@westcoastkayaking.ie

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Environment

Basking with Sharks Brian MacMahon

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I’m writing this less that twenty four hours after experiencing something truly unique.

The endorphins are still flowing through my blood stream, a natural high and why is that you are asking? Sharks.

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Not just any run of the mill Sharks but Basking sharks.

Up until about three or four years ago sightings of basking sharks off the Clare coast were as rare as hens teeth. They are the second largest living shark after the whale shark and one of three plankton eating shark species. Adults can reach the length of 8m. Their numbers were declining rapidly up until the recent past, however it would seem that they are making a recovery and their migration habits are now more noticeable, hence increased sightings off the west coast.

I got a text from Conor Smith who saw a news report on RTE about sightings of pods of basking shark off the Clare coast. He suggested we try and get out to see them for ourselves. A few years ago he got a similar call from the late Chris “Ted” (RIP). Ted told Conor to get his arse in gear and get to Kilkee that there were basking sharks off Goleen Bay. Conor jumped at the chance and he wasn’t disappointed.

They had a remarkable experience with them. Something which he has held over our heads since then. So when my time came and Conor phoned me I couldn’t refuse. So that evening I loaded up the gear and headed for Kilkee pier. There I met Ruth Bracken and Sean Cahill. I recognised some of the crew from IWDG getting ready to go out in their RIB. I asked for their advice on where to find them and how to interact with them without disturbing their behaviour. They were very helpful and enthusiastic about us going out as Kayaks wouldn’t have an effect on their behaviour. They told us to keep an eye out for their RIB and follow them out.

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Follow them out indeed! They were far out to sea, about 7 or 8 kilometres. The IWDG lads pinpointed the pod and then went back into shore. We were at a loss as to where the pod was, they are NOT easy to find. We were far, far out to sea, farther than we would normally go unless we were aiming at an island or taking a halfway trip across the Irish Sea to the UK. We sighted two breaches on the horizon which gave us hope but little else. I was starting to think we were wasting our time and Sean suggested we take a beeline towards Donegal Point in the hope of seeing the fin whale which was reported to be feeding in the area. We started paddling strongly towards the point when suddenly my VHF crackled to life – FINS, FINS, FINS. It was Conor, he and Ruth had spotted them. We turned our boats west again. Mother of God! We could barely see Conor and Ruth they were that far out. It occurred to me that Conor may be taking the mick and was forcing Sean and myself to backtrack. However there was something in his voice that suggested otherwise so we dug in and paddled as quickly as we could to their position to be rewarded by an incredible spectacle.

The first I saw of them was a monster gliding under my boat - he must have been almost 9m long using my boat as a guide. He took what seemed forever to pass underneath my boat. I was stunned to silence, no hollering, no whooping just silence. It felt straight out of prehistory, it was beyond amazing. It didn’t take us long to find our voices though. The expletives and the whooping as we saw one after the other, so many we didn’t know where to look next. Conor rafted up to me and started stripping off his gear. Under normal circumstances this would be very disconcerting particularly if we were in the vicinity of a pole but out here it just seemed plain strange. “What’re ya doing Conor?” “I’m going in.” “WHAT seriously?” “Yeah I’ve got to see them properly. I’ve a mask and snorkel.” “Well Okay off with you!”

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So in he got wisely staying on the surface so as to not disturb them, but he got amazing pictures as you can see.

Time passed too quickly. We were losing the light and we were a long, long way out. We grouped up and pushed for home. Conditions were benign with light off shores and the tide was flooding. We made great time as we were all on an adrenalin high from our close encounters with the sharks. An hour and half non-stop paddling and we were home. High fives all round (to hell and Connaught with Covid). Huge grins on our faces we headed home.

A week passed and after speaking with IWDG again we heard the pods hadn’t moved position. It was a no brainer, we were heading out again.

We gathered at Kilkee pier at 1100hrs. Man! The pier was busy, I’d say every dive team on the West coast was there. We geared up and pointed out to sea again. We paddled straight out, an hour later we were on a line where we could both see Loop Head and Haggs Head.

That is a long way out! However the weather was wonderful, the sun was shining and the light offshore breeze was knocking down the swell. All was well with the world, the only difficulty was that the sunlight reflecting on the water made spotting the sharks problematic.

The RIBs that we could see seemed to be having the same problem but there was one RIB on the horizon that was holding position. We dropped our heads and paddled for them, they were at least another 5 kilometres out but we knew they had something.

When we got there. BINGO! They were everywhere, it was a huge pod. We had got over our initial shock from seeing them the first time around so we had no problem whooping and hollering in our excitement. The ones who hadn’t seen them before were shocked into silence as we had been on our first encounter.

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This time we all got out of our boats, tethering to ourselves to them as there was still an offshore breeze pushing us further out. We donned swimming masks and snorkels and looked down. Oh my God what a sight! So many, all of them swimming majestically in a big circle. They were so serene, so peaceful. They didn’t seem to be one bit bothered by us floating on the surface looking down upon them.

We noticed they seemed a lot more relaxed and coming closer to the surface when there was no RIB in the vicinity. In fact we were treated to one shark breaching not too far away from us.

We spent a wonderful hour watching these giants of the sea swimming beneath us before turning for home. Back at the pier we met a couple who came down to talk to us, they said they were on the cliffs with binoculars looking out in the hope of spotting the sharks or the fin whale when they saw these dots on the horizon. Those dots were us, he said we appeared as if by magic over the horizon, a bit like the basking sharks. Long may they feel comfortable coming to Clare. It was an amazing privilege to be in their company if only briefly.

Many thanks to the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group for their advice, their encouragement and their unending enthusiasm for these amazing creatures.

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Some basking shark facts: ––

Basking sharks are found in the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans.

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They reach lengths of up to 12 metres and weigh up to 7 tons.

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Basking sharks are passive feeders. They don’t actively hunt their prey, they simply swim through the water with their mouths open wide. Water enters through the open mouth and is expelled via the enlarged gill slits across a large number of structures called gill rakers, which filter the water catching the shark’s planktonic food.

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A shark will typically swim with its mouth open for 30 to 60 seconds, then close its mouth to swallow the filtered plankton before starting the process over again. Estimates suggest a fairly large basking shark will filter around 1,500,000 litres of water per hour.

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Basking sharks are thought to reach sexual maturity at between 12 and 20 years of age.

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Basking sharks bear live young called pups. The gestation period of basking sharks is unknown, but is estimated at anywhere between 12 months and 3 years. Pups are 1.5 to 2 metres long at birth.

Editor’s Note: These paddlers interacted sensitively with the pod after seeking advice from the IWDG. There is increasing scientific evidence that sea kayakers are far more disruptive to seabirds and marine mammals than they think. Many kayakers assume that because sea kayaks are slow and quiet, they have low disturbance rates.

Research is showing that this is a false assumption, sea kayaks are perceived as predators by wildlife which reacts accordingly by abandoning nests, chicks or haul outs. To reduce your impact stay well away from bird and seal colonies when you paddle.

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Location: The North Coast III TnadT welcomes freelance outdoor instructor Effie Ellis-O’Neill who describes a memorable 4 day trip on Ireland’s north coast.

In August, myself and a few paddling friends Mark, Oisín and Will were looking to do a trip but a trip that wasn’t too far from home. We decided to kayak to the three most northernly islands off Ireland: Rathlin, Inishtrahull and Tory Island.

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1. Rathlin (18.5nm, 6hrs 30mins) The plan was to leave early, as the tides were on neaps and so we knew we wouldn’t get very much tidal assistance. Despite this we made quick progress across Rathlin Sound. At Bull point, the most westerly point on Rathlin, our attention was quickly captured by the impressive chalkstone cliffs and the Bull ‘upside down’ lighthouse. The Bull lighthouse was built into the cliff with the light on the bottom to penetrate through the low, dense fog that would often smother the island. At the back of the island which is home to some of the most important seabird colonies in the UK. We saw razorbills, guillemots, fulmars, oyster catchers and even a few puffins. It feels extremely remote there, with steep cliffs on your right and

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ocean as far as you can see on your left, you are totally alone with the birds and the seals. It is bird territory and we are merely visitors. The seals proved to be a little bit more welcoming than the birds, as one followed and played in our slip streams for about three kilometres, swimming from one boat to another.

We had flat calm conditions on the back of Rathlin, which as you can imagine, is very rare and we got to paddle close to the shore which you wouldn’t be able to do on most days, but once we came around the NE corner, we could instantly feel the SE wind. We stopped for a quick bite to refuel. At this stage I was beginning to tire and was having my doubts. Thoughts were running around my head like ‘how on earth am I going to do the next two islands’, ‘why is everyone else ok and I am not’, ‘I don’t want to let the rest of the team down or cause an incident in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean’. On the 1.5hr crossing back to Ballycastle I did a lot of self-talk and distraction. I put my hood up and zipped it tight. This was me getting in the zone to dig deep. By the time we got back to the mainland, and I carried my boat up, I realised that I had plenty of energy left and that everyone else

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was just as tired as I was. Being able to dig in and use different tactics to keep yourself going is an important skill to develop as a sea paddler if you want to do longer trips. Your psychology is just as important as your technical ability.

2. Inishtrahull (13.5nm, 4hrs 20mins) Inishtrahull (4.6nm open crossing) is potentially the most exposed island, of the 3, as it sits 5.4nm off Malin head (the most northerly point of mainland Ireland) and you must cross the infamous Inishtrahull Sound. We stayed the night in Malin harbour after Rathlin and the weather wasn’t looking great, so we decided to have a lazy day. We drank coffee and chewed the cud. We went for a walk around Malin head in the afternoon and just enjoyed being on the magical north coast, ‘viva la vida’. The next day we had much nicer conditions, so we headed off. Unfortunately, Mark was unable to stay on for the rest of the trip but he got some brilliant photos of us leaving the harbour. As we turned around the harbour wall, we saw a pod of dolphins. I had never paddled with dolphins before, and I couldn’t believe how close they got. There must have been a pod of about 15

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all fishing on the tide. An experience that you cannot plan and that I am very grateful to have had. They have an incredible presence in the water.

When we got closer to the island the tide began to accelerate and we really had to sit up and ‘put the power on’ to make sure we got into the eddy and that we didn’t get pushed to Malin Head. One big ferry glide later and we were in. Everything is calm again with ducks swimming by, sun shining with the lighthouse towering over us. The tough paddle was worth it! We decided we had enough energy in the tank to circumnavigate the island. The back of the island was exciting!

There were many rocks and reefs causing lots of white water. We were unsure if we were going to be able to get through the inner channel or if we would have to go around the outside. We had to be pretty switched on in this environment as it could change quickly if bigger sets came in. We stayed close together and made sure we could always see each other. This was potentially my favourite bit of paddling from the trip. The atmosphere that the crashing waves created and having to use tactical knowledge to get past the waves is just exhilarating.

On our way back we expected the tide to be going easterly and at a strong rate, but we soon realised that the tidal information from the pilot was unreliable as we were really being taken west. The streams are so complex out there that your seamanship skills are critical.

Another great trip done and one more to do to complete the trilogy.

Off to Magheroarty!

3. Tory Island (Toraigh, 18nm, 5hrs 30mins) It was the longest open crossing yet at 8nm. There was big swell, which was amazing, and you could easily disappear for about 5 seconds at a time. Big green rollers bringing you up to the crest of the

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wave where you could see all around and back down to the trough where you were hidden from sight. I thought after a while it would become frustrating not being able to see my fellow paddlers but in fact it kept me entertained for the full 2.5hr crossing. Now on the island, we went into the local hotel for a bun and a coffee. We bumped into a couple that we had been chatting to at Magheroarty, they had gotten the ferry and said it was a pretty rough journey across with a number of people being seasick. They were surprised to hear that we didn’t find it rough at all. A lot less rocking motion in the sea kayaks. There was a very relaxed atmosphere on the island, and we couldn’t help but feel relaxed ourselves. We headed back across via the three islands between Tory and the mainland; Inishbeg, Inish Dooey and Inishbofin.

We experienced amazing sea arches and caves on the east side of Inishdooey. It was like paradise. We also landed on Inishbofin where a wedding was just about to move back to the mainland. It was a wee small island with not very much on it, but it was a perfect spot for a last cup of tea before the end of our trip.

Back at Magheroarty there we stood. After 4 days we had paddled 50nm in 16hrs, we had some amazing experiences with wildlife, the sea, and the geology. It was a challenge for me physically, technically, tactically, and most of all psychologically. It was an incredible experience, and I cannot wait for my next big trip!

Thank you to Oisín, Will and Mark! — Effie Ellis-O’Neill eeocoaching@gmail.com

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Based on the cracking Copper Coast in Co. Waterford.

• Guided trips.

• Expert local knowledge.

• Training courses and bespoke coaching in a range of conditions.

Facebook: @CopperCoastKayakAdventures Email: CopperCoastKayakAdventures@gmail.com Website: CopperCoastKayakAdventures.ie

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s.

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Kit & Kaboodle Sue Honan discusses an important piece of safety kit every sea kayaker should carry.

Paddle Floats I love my paddle float. It gives me a nice sense of security to know I have it handy both when I am out in a group and, especially, on my own. Apart from my pfd and plb, for me it is one of the most important bits of personal safety kit that I check to carry.

So why is this bit of equipment so important? Apart from helping a paddler self-rescue, it is multi-functional so you get good value out of this one bit of kit. Many paddlers use them as part of their roll development. Outside of manufacturer’s recommendations I have also used mine as a foot rest when foot pegs have failed, as an air bag when a hatch has failed and as a seat cushion, back rest and pillow. If you have more than one, it could be possible to rig up outriggers to give more stability to a kayak, perhaps in case of sea sickness or injury but I have not tried this myself. I am sure there are plenty of other ‘out of remit’ uses to be found.

A paddle float will soon be an essential bit of kit in the Canoeing Ireland revised sea kayak awards, in which a deep water self-rescue will be an integral part of the sea kayaker’s skills at Level 2.

This self-rescue could be a cowboy scramble, paddle float or roll. For those for whom a cowboy scramble is hard/impossible and who cannot yet roll, the paddle

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float self-rescue will be their ‘go to’. Fortunately learning to selfrescue using a paddle float is something that beginners and novices can easily do and is fun to practise. Spending 20 minutes on this skill any time you go for a paddle is well worth the effort.

Experiment and see what works best for you.

Where to keep your paddle float?

I usually keep mine on my deck either fore or aft depending on what I am doing. Sometimes I put it behind my seat. It is no good to you in a hatch.

Have you tried opening a hatch and closing it from the water in conditions?

Don’t go there.

There are loads of YouTube videos on how to do a paddle float self-rescue and a quick search will be useful if you haven’t tried one. Look for North Sea Kayak Dimitri Vandepoele’s video which is nice and clear and shows three uses.

Below is one description of what you need to do. This is the heel hook version. Athletic folk can scramble on the back deck and use the paddle float to support a cowboy self-rescue They can also probably hold the paddle and cockpit/ deck line with one hand without needing to thread the paddle under a deck line.

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Experiment with what works for you: 1.

Wet exit the boat and then hang on to it. Right the kayak.

2.

Get your paddle float off the deck or out from behind your seat.

3.

Hook a leg over the cockpit to free your hands and anchor the kayak to you. Put the float onto the end of your paddle, inflate the bag and secure the paddle float to the paddle.

4.

If you can, go to the bow and try to lift the nose of the boat to empty it. Don’t let it go! Skip this if you can’t lift the kayak as you will just wear yourself out.

5.

Go back to the cockpit and place the paddle under a deck line or hold the paddle and deck line with the hand nearest the back.

6.

Reach across the rear deck with your other hand and grab the perimeter deck line or the cockpit.

7.

Hook the leg furthest from the paddle shaft into the cockpit and keeping your body and head low, and using your leg as a lever pull yourself over the back deck.

8.

Keep your weight towards the paddle float to avoid falling over the other side.

9.

Swing your other leg into the cockpit.

10. Stay low and slide into the cockpit until your butt is level with the seat. Spin around in the direction of the paddle shaft until you’re sitting facing forward in the cockpit.

11. Take the paddle float off and if conditions allow deflate and roll up. Some, on calm water, deflate the bag by opening the valves and pushing the float into the water with the paddle. The pressure from the water will squeeze all the air out. If conditions are difficult just undo the nozzle compress as much as you can quickly and stuff it under a bungee till you get somewhere sheltered.

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12. If it is calm enough pump out and get your spray skirt on. If it is rougher put spray skirt on and make a gap in the skirt big enough to put your pump into and pump out any water in the cockpit.

Taking care of your paddle float The plastic/netting will degrade over time especially if you paddle a lot, so check the straps and the plastic chambers for leaks and the netting for tears every time you go out (right). Remember to close the nozzles after use as water will get into the chambers. You don’t want to be inhaling sea water trying to suck it out. Water takes up airspace so water filled chambers have less floatation.

The attachment point where the inflation tube connects to the chambers can leak. Use seam seal to keep them sound (left). Rinse after every use.

Paddle floats are available from all good kayak outfitters and cost about €40. Some are quite small so be sure to get one that will support you when you are fully kitted up.

Happy practising!

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Troubled Waters

In May of this year, four experienced paddlers from East Coast Sea Kayak Club were capsized by a boomer off the west coast of Inishark necessitating a Mayday call out.

They have kindly shared their experience.

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Incident Report Inishshark, Co. Galway 15th May 2021 ---------------------------------------------------The group consisted of four experienced East Coast Sea Kayaking Club (ECSKC) paddlers. The collective paddling experience of the group amounts to 100+ years and covers most Irish sea paddling locations and many abroad. All paddlers are qualified to minimum L4 CI/BCU standard, all are ECSKC trip leaders and three are CI-qualified coaches.

Location The start point for a planned 3-day paddle was Streamstown, N of Clifden, Co. Galway. The first day, Friday the 14th of May, covered Turbot Is., Cruagh Is., Friar Is. and on to Inishshark where the group made camp. For Saturday 15th, a circumnavigation of Inishshark and Inishboffin was planned.

On Sunday 16th May the group returned from Inishshark to the launch point, via Friar Is. and Cruagh.

This document focuses on details of the incident and lessons learned.

Trip Planning for 15th May Safety and Signals

• Figure-of-eight route planned (clockwise around Inishshark and anticlockwise around Inishboffin, to avail of shelter from S wind in the latter part of the paddle) • Launch delayed to early afternoon to benefit from forecast drop in wind • Review of exposed W side of Inishshark by walking the island along the proposed paddling route on the morning of 15th May • Standard hand signals • VHF Ch 77 for communication between boats

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Human

• Highly-experienced group • No injuries or medical conditions likely to affect the trip

Environment

• Wind, S, Moderate • Tide, Galway HW 08:19 (Inishboffin +00:10), ebb in Ship Sound starts GHW +02:50, so ebb runs SE from approx.

11:00 to 17:00, speed at peak flow a little below the max. Springs rate of 2.5kt • Swell, W, 2.0-2.2m • Daylight until at least 21:00

Equipment

• Boats, 4 composite sea kayaks, various manufacturers and models • Protective Clothing, 3 paddlers in Dry Suit, 1 in Wet Suit • Personal Flotation Device, all • Boots, all • Helmets, carried but not worn • Short and long tows, all • Spare paddle and pump, all • First-Aid kit, multiple • Repair kit, multiple • VHF radio, all • Mobile Phone, all • Personal Locator Beacon, all • Flares, mixture of pyrotechnic and OLED • Printed Chart/Map, all • GPS Unit, one, with full electronic chart of area

Incident The group launched at 13:55, paddled W from Inishshark quay to Shark Head, staying offshore and avoiding any obviously turbulent areas. Wind, and tide were as forecast, swell probably a little bigger than forecast. The sea state required alertness and

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occasional bracing. The group moved N from Shark Head, past the Buachaill sea stack.

A little N of the stack, and approximately halfway along the W coast of the island, the group was travelling with a few boat lengths separation between individual paddlers. The W swell was large, there were boomers in various locations and there were sizeable reflected waves from the shore. The group was an estimated 300m offshore to avoid the turbulent water inshore and mitigate the risk of the swell pushing them onshore.

At approximately 14:40, without warning, the group was struck by a large boomer, in a location where no significant wave action had been noticed on approach.

From subsequent reconstructions, the wave height was estimated at 10m. Kayaker A was pitch-poled into the trough and all four paddlers ended up in the water.

Kayaker A lost hand contact with his boat when hit by a second wave and seconds later lost all contact when his paddle leash separated.

Group reaction Kayaker A, who had lost contact with his boat, attempted to use his paddle, first to swim after his boat, then to reach one of the other paddlers, but struggled to make any headway in the conditions.

Kayaker B managed an immediate re-entry and roll and, with his boat still full of water, paddled to Kayaker C and gave an assisted rescue. Kayaker B then gave assistance to Kayaker A. In big seas, he started to tow that paddler in a direction away from the swell that tended to push him towards the coast.

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Kayaker C helped Kayaker D in an assisted entry and both emptied their boats. They joined the other two.

The lost boat was spotted, but was in an area of very turbulent water and it was judged to be too dangerous to go after it.

The immediate danger to the group was the W swell that threatened to push them onto the coast. Kayaker D rafted up with Kayaker B, whose boat was still full of water. This allowed Kayaker A get out of the water by sitting on the back deck of Kayaker B’s boat, thus minimising the effect of cold. Kayaker C set up a tow to minimise the drift onshore, no easy task when towing a raft of two boats, one still full of seawater, and three people.

Kayaker C experienced problems each time his boat was atop a wave and started surfing down the swell while the raft was on the other side of the wave. The towing boat came to a hard stop when the tow rope went taut.

After a few minutes of this a particularly steep swell caused the towing boat to surf hard down the wave and Kayaker C was jerked over and capsized. This occurred at a distance that allowed Kayaker C get back to the raft and perform an assisted rescue. Subsequently, he was wary of being surfed hard down a wave and tried to keep the tow rope taut as far as possible and just hold station. There was no possibility of towing the raft any significant distance in the prevailing conditions, but it was moved 100-150m away from the immediate danger.

Shortly after this the lost boat was spotted again, it was upright and had drifted into an area of safer water an estimated 100m away. The group was still unhappy with the risk implicit in an attempt to 52

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retrieve it; if the raft was broken it was likely that the group would drift back into the danger zone.

Given the location, the environmental conditions and the fact that one paddler was without a boat, the group agreed that it was more likely its situation would deteriorate rather than improve, so a collective decision was made to try to hold the group off the danger area and to make a Mayday call.

Mayday Call Kayakers A and B made several unsuccessful attempts on VHF radio, on two separate sets. Kayaker D had access to a mobile phone in a waterproof pouch and, at 15:05, successfully contacted the emergency services on 112, requesting Coastguard assistance. Kayaker B also activated his Personal Locator Beacon (PLB).

Shortly thereafter a Coastguard transmission was heard on VHF requesting any vessels in the area to assist.

The group’s position was incorrectly reported as W of Inishturk and the group responded to correct the location to W of Inishshark. The Coastguard told the group that the RNLI in Clifden and Coastguard Rescue Helicopter 118 had been tasked. RNLI Clifden launched at 15:30.

Rescue The first boat to arrive on scene, at approximately 16:00, was a local fast ferry from Cleggan. They took on board Kayakers A and B. The crew retrieved, emptied and brought on board Kayaker B’s swamped boat, then Kayaker A’s lost boat.

At this point, the inshore and all-weather RNLI boats from Clifden arrived and Rescue 118 was overhead.

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The all-weather RNLI boat accompanied Kayakers C and D back to the quay in Inishshark. The Cleggan Ferry, accompanied by the inshore RNLI boat brought Kayakers A and B to Inishbofin. There, having ensured that both were in good shape, the Coastguard and RNLI stood down. Following a warming cup of tea kindly provided by local people, Kayakers A and B paddled back from Inishbofin to Inishshark.

Injuries There were some minor cuts and bruises from boat handling in rough conditions.

Kayakers C and D were cold from immersion, but warmed up on the paddle back to Inishshark quay.

Kayakers A and B who were brought to Inishbofin were quite cold, having been in the water for nearly 90 minutes, Kayaker B sitting in a swamped boat, Kayaker A fully or partially immersed throughout. Both warmed up easily once out of the water and had no difficulty paddling back to Inishshark Lessons • The group could have considered that a W swell forecast at 2.2m (later estimated by the RNLI at 3.0m) was likely to cause problems on any stretch of the Atlantic coast and could have chosen not to paddle.

• The group may have underestimated the conditions on the W side of the island. However, note that this stretch of the trip was reviewed from land earlier in the day and conditions appeared calm, perhaps deceptively so. The group also waited until afternoon in anticipation of lighter conditions.

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• The group could have studied the local chart in greater detail to help pick a route that avoided shallower areas where swell was more likely to result in big waves.

• All four paddlers ended up in the water. Despite appropriate clothing, all became cold over the 90-minute duration of the incident, some more than others.

• VHF Radio is a valuable aid, but has limited effectiveness. The location, under cliffs some 8nm offshore, meant that VHF reception was likely to be compromised.

• Not hearing a response to a Mayday call is something to be planned for, so having multiple means of signalling an emergency; VHF Radio, Phone, PLB, Flares, is important, and they must be readily accessible.

• The groups radios and PLBs were carried on paddlers’ buoyancy aids • Kayaker D had a phone in a waterproof pouch in his buoyancy aid.

• OLED flares would have been of little use in the circumstances.

• Kayaker A carried two large parachute flares which would have cleared the cliff face and so might have been seen by people on Inishbofin or on local vessels.

However, they were in the day hatch of the lost boat, carried there to be accessible on the water. Later, it transpired that they were lost entirely because the day-hatch cover ripped off and its tether tore away in the pitchpole incident, scattering much of the safety equipment carried in the day hatch into the sea.

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• In this incident, where radio contact initially failed, the Phone and PLB worked. The rescue services commented that PLB activation was of primary importance to locate the group quickly and that other signalling devices work, but only from a short range.

• The phone call was made at 15:05, help arrived nearly an hour later. Note, you can’t tell whether or not a PLB has worked. It was only after the rescue that the RNLI confirmed that it had.

• Given the conditions experienced near Shark Head, helmets should have been worn.

• The wave that capsized the group broke over a shelf of rock which the group had not seen. Serious injury was a real possibility.

• Clipping on to one’s boat in big conditions may be useful, but it comes with its own risk, primarily that of becoming trapped. It does not guarantee that contact with the boat will be maintained.

• Towing in big conditions is difficult and has a high risk of further incident.

• Pumps were of minimal value in the conditions experienced.

• The group may have fared better had it emptied Kayaker B’s boat. At a minimum, Kayaker B would have been warmer and his boat more stable in the water.

With three dry boats, the possibility of retrieving the lost boat might also have improved. Note, this would still have required the group to move a rafted tow far enough out of the danger area to allow a paddler leave the raft and retrieve the lost boat. On balance, we chose not to risk this.

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• The best decision of the day was to call for help.

We could have continued to battle our way out of the situation and might, with some luck, have succeeded.

We might equally have found ourselves beyond help.

Experience, training and good decision making won out and we had the means to call the rescue services and the ability to protect ourselves while waiting for help.

----------------------------------------------------

Editor’s note: Speaking following the call out, John Brittain, Clifden RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager praised the kayakers for going to sea with the right gear and equipment:

“The kayakers got caught by a large swell in an inaccessible area, but they had done all the right things which made a huge difference. They were all wearing drysuits and lifejackets. A personal locator beacon also served its purpose in raising the alarm and the kayakers need to be commended for also carrying that.”

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Reflections on Chris “Ted” Carroll

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A year? Can it really be a year?

This whole pandemic thing has really thrown my internal clock off.

Can it really be a year since one of our own slipped his mortal coil, kicked the bucket, bought the farm, died.

Time is indeed relative. Does time heal ?

It certainly dulls the pain of loss, but heal? Maybe not.

Every now and then I feel the pangs of our loss. When I rock up to a put in at Quilty or Kilbaha and don’t see Ted’s van, I feel that loss.

Ted like myself used to like to be early at meets. I’d greet him and we would catch up on life in general in the van out of the elements while having a cuppa tea and a biscuit. Eventually the others would arrive one by one, and just as slowly Ted’s van would fill up with us all talking, sharing, drinking tea. That was the way, Ted and his van would always be the focal point for everyone to gather.

Ted spent a lot of time in that van, travelling around the country and further afield to Scotland and Norway and mainland Europe.

The first time I met Ted was at Quilty pier. He has taught me many things over the subsequent years the first was hysterical blindness. Ted used to have a pair of skin tight Reed shorts, it left very little to the imagination and Ted used to let it all hang out. This was the sight that first greeted me on meeting Ted followed by at least ten minutes of hysterical blindness. Over the years I’ve had relapses, once while on a paddle over to the Great Blasket. We camped above Trá Bán where we were serenaded by hundreds of seals all through the night, it was very romantic. I woke early and emerged into the bright sunshine. I rubbed my eyes in disbelief, a bull seal was moving up from the beach at an astonishing rate. Mother of sweet divine Jesus, it’s a miracle. I rubbed

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the glare from my eyes only to find a very naked Ted striding up the beach. Sun blindness was quickly replaced by my old nemesis - the hysterical kind.

Thankfully I hadn’t yet eaten breakfast or I would’ve puked up all over Maher’s tent.

Chris Ted was what the American’s refer to as a “stand up guy”. He was someone you could utterly rely on both on and off the water.

I’ve heard many accounts of Chris Ted’s escapades over the years. He has been personally responsible for saving lives both on his beach at Doughmore and on one occasion at Quilty where he saved a drowning man’s life along with other members of the West of Ireland paddling crew. He did not suffer fools gladly however and had a very strict code that I used to refer to as the Ted code. I have many stories regarding Ted’s enforcement of this code but I will wait until the statute of limitations is up before relating them.

Chris Ted had a great love of nature in all its forms. He took great delight in getting close to nature through the medium of sea kayaking.

Before he discovered sea kayaking he took delight on shooting any nature that came into range of his rifle or shotgun or both at the same time. He was a great hunter much to the detriment of the local wildlife. I have fond memories of walking the hills at night in Donegal during our last symposium there, listening to the stags rutting and clashing with each other. Ted with a big grin on his face bemoaning the fact he didn’t have a spotlight and a rifle.

Chris Ted’s paddling skills are legendary. It’s ironic that this year’s symposium is being held in Dungarvan. The last time we had a symposium there Ted was awarded his Level 10 Sea Kayak Skills Certificate. The only paddler the world over to hold such an accolade.

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He received a standing ovation that night on getting his award. It was all done in good jest but there was more than a hint of truth to it. It was a unique award for a unique person. It was well deserved. Chris went on to get his Level 4 Certificate, he took that certificate and went to Gozo Malta to work for the summer as a sea kayak guide. There he could let his gift of the gab go into full flow and the tourists lapped it up. Every trip adviser comment always mentioned Ted, they loved Ted. He went on from there to go to Norway for a season. With the same success, the Norwegian’s loved him - maybe a bit too much. Now and then I wake with a jolt and a feeling of dread at the thought of little half Viking - half Ted’s running around Scandinavia. Mother of God! What hope for humanity?

A few paddlers from Clare went over to visit Ted in Norway where they spent a very enjoyable week getting lashed from one fjord to another by the wind and the rain. I still laugh at a little video clip of Matty striding through the camp at the end of yet another fjord bent over in the wind and the rain vainly gathering fire wood that would never burn. The forlornness, the misery warmed my heart more than that fire that never was, ever did. You’ve probably ascertained dear reader that I wasn’t on that particular expedition. After a week with Ted in the wilds of Norway scurvy started to settle in due to the lack of fresh vegetables. Any attempt by the Clare crew to buy fresh produce was met by scorn from Ted “they cost too much”. No tomatoes, we can live off the land fishing and killing moose, that damned moose song is back in my head now- curse you Emma, Conor.

Anyone who has gone on multiday expeditions knows… You choose your team mates carefully.

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You’ll never truly know someone until you see them up close after a few hard days on the water, cold wet miserable. Jesus Ted was a terrible bastard on expeditions! Before anyone says anything, yes, yes I know I’m worse.

Summer 2020 I spent that summer working with Ted as a guide in Ballyvaughan County Clare. Technically Ted had seniority over me and he made that abundantly clear on my first day on the job. I was five minutes late so he made me sort all the neoprene shoes into pairs - the worst job EVER! He was a hard task master. We had great fun that season though, Ted was in his element gabbing with the clients. Although due to Covid our clients were made up of mostly Irish which of course have a bullshit radar unlike say Americans. The great thing about leading Irish clients though is that you can roar abuse at them and they don’t take offence. Americans and to some extent other tourists take abuse literally.

At the end of the season restrictions on groups gathering outdoors were lifted. I decided to organise a gathering of the Westie crew. Ted was working that weekend bringing out tours so we all arranged to meet at Ballyvaughan pier where Ted was based. It seemed very important to me to include Ted in that gathering even though Ballyvaughan would be regarded as a boring paddle.

It turned out to be fortuitous, as I look back on the pictures taken that day of happy paddlers delighted to be back together gathered around Ted’s van, with Ted sitting in state on his throne brewing tea and frying rashers, everyone with big smiles on their faces. Little did we realise that it would be the last time we would ever see our friend again.

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Every time I go to Quilty now I stop at the “Our Lady Star of the Sea” church outside of the village to light a candle for Ted and to say a little prayer for the repose of his soul. There’s a lovely story as to how the church got built. Back in the year of our Lord 1907 the French freighter “Leon XIII” named after Pope Leon foundered on the reefs off Quilty in a terrible storm. The crew and passengers made multiple attempts to get off on the lifeboats only to see them dashed against the wreck and the rocks. They had given up all hope, huddled against the wind and the rain in the dark they resigned themselves to their fate.

Suddenly one of the crew stood up and shouted that he saw a light, then two, then three. Slowly they could make out little canvas boats crewed by two men beating into the waves and the wind. The currachs danced over the waves and the skilled crews kept the prow towards the oncoming breakers. The people on the French ship were astounded by the skill of these boatmen. One by one they timed coming alongside the ship taking off two people at a time. They did this all night and into the next day. Every single crewman and passenger was saved from the storm with no casualties.

In appreciation of the Quilty fishermen’s bravery the survivors raised money at home in France to build the people of Quilty a new church.

It was named “Our Lady Star of the Sea”. The ship’s bell from the wreck of the Leon XIII takes pride of place in that church.

The moral of this story is that just when you think all is lost, your faith, your hope, there is always light on the beach and rescue should you need it is but an arm’s length away.

Chris “Ted” Carroll we miss you terribly.

Mind yourselves. Be kind! - Brian J MacMahon

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Contributors and Guidelines Treasna na dTonnta is the e-zine of the Irish Sea Kayaking Association. It is edited by Sue Honan with graphic design by Adam May. We are grateful to the following paddlers who kindly contributed to this issue and or provided advice and photos: •

Liz Cunnane

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Oisín Hallissey

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Sue Honan

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Jon Hynes

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Chris McDaid

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Brian J MacMahon

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Samantha Vidal

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Effie Ellis-O’Neill

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ECSKC

Notes for contributors •

Treasna na dTonnta welcomes articles and photos

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Send as word document. There is no need to format the document.

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Please send photos in high resolution

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Credit the photographer and name those visible in the photo with their permission

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Have fun writing!

Thank you — Sue

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