Home from the sea...

It's weird waking up and not having to check the sea area forecast.

On Saturday, I had company and tunes for a change on the stretch from Schull to Barley Cove. Friend, mentor, and Ireland circumnavigator Jon Hynes joined me to share the last dozen or so sea miles of the trip around Ireland.

Closing the loop with Jon Hynes

The conditions were sparkling and gorgeous—as they have been on all Irish coasts for nearly a month—with light winds pushing us along.

We stopped for tea with friends of Jon’s on Long Island and stopped at O’Sullivan’s in Crookhaven for their famous open seafood sandwiches, around the corner from the finish line at Barley Cove.

Paddling an empty boat for the first time in over a month felt twitchy and unstable when we encountered chop, but I was free to do things I wouldn’t risk on a solo trip like paddling between narrow gaps in the rocks and through breaking boomers.

Jon sending it through a boomer near Goat Island.

Approaching Brow Head, the last headland of the trip, powerful Atlantic swells welcomed me back to home waters. The rocks around Mizen Head in the distance erupted with spray.

“Gimme Shelter” by The Rolling Stones came on the Bluetooth shower speaker on Jon’s deck as we paddled through the chop near the head. Epic stuff.

We gave Brow Head some space and admired the frothing breakers at the base of the cliff. Jon caught a wave. A small powerboat came our way from Barley Cove.

“Are you alright?” the guy at the helm shouted.

I hollered an old line that has become like a dad joke among expedition paddlers, “Is this Ireland?”

“We took a wrong turn at France,” Jon added, in a convincing American accent that sounded like a cross between an obnoxious tourist and John Wayne.

All jokes aside, on the last nautical mile through sheltered waters from the headland to the beach at Barley Cove, our talk returned to the deep matters at the heart of this trip. All the heavy things that well-up in time spent in solitary connection with the sea: family, loss, longing, the people you try to carry with you out there and the ones you’re happy to be away from for a little while.

We landed through miniature surf on the crowded main beach on the nicest weekend of the year so far. Jon spotted a gap in the sand bar, and we made a hard turn into the tidal river we would follow to the parking lot behind the dunes. After a hundred meters or so, we had to get out and pull our boats the rest of the way through ankle-deep water.

Where we pulled the boats out, a pontoon foot bridge over the river, built to float up and down with the tide, connects the beach to the parking lot.

Jon hailed a pair of beach-goers making their way across the pontoon,

“Excuse me,” He said, “Can you please give this man a round of applause—he’s just kayaked all the way around Ireland.”

Two finish lines

Barley Cove was the second finish line in two days, closing the loop and ticking of the only stretch of coastline I hadn’t paddled.

Arriving in Dungarvan on my solo circumnavigation of Ireland by kayak

On Friday, I pulled in at Dungarvan, where I had pulled out of the last trip with an injury. Dominique was there to pick me up with friends. Local paddler, Anthony Foley, took drone footage, and I was interviewed by the local radio station.

On Friday night, I slept at home for the first time in over a month. In the morning I met Jon to get that final stretch done.

Around Ireland, by the numbers

John Willacy, designer of my boat and founder of Performance Sea Kayak, keeps the records of Ireland circumnavigation. I’m am now the 30th paddler to kayak solo around Ireland.

Total time elapsed: 700 days - Completed over two trips in summer 2023 and spring 2025, through injuries, surgeries, weather delays and family emergencies.

Total days on expedition (2023-2025): 60

Paddling days: 44

Weather and rest days: 16

Funds raised for Parkinson’s research through the Michael J. Fox Foundation (so far): $15,288

The fundraising is ongoing. You can donate here.

Trip notes

The weather was too nice on this trip and I was too tired to spend what little down time I had writing. This time, I did most of my updates through Substack Notes which you can read on my profile,

Charlie Daly

, if you didn’t see them during the trip.

I will be writing more about the trip soon and doing some podcast appearances and in-person talks.

Stay tuned!

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Thank you to everyone who donated to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research! The trip may be over, but you can still donate. Anything helps.

P.S. When I’m not having adventures, I’m helping other people write about theirs. If you or someone in your circle has an amazing story to tell, I'd love to hear it. I have some availability for new ghostwriting and editing projects.

— Charlie

*Kokatat is the official gear sponsor of The Lap.*

The lap will be fueled by Resilient Nutrition’s Long Range Fuel and bars.

*CH Marine will be providing a VHF radio and other safety equipment.*

Camp kit and cooking gas provided by Paddle & Pitch. Wool baselayers by Aclima. Trolley by KCS. REAL Field Meals at a discount from Adventure.ie. Discounts from GreatOutdoors.ie. Expedition coffee by 3fe.