Not the Everest - Further Reading
Not the Everest - Further Reading
The Lap no. 19 - D-Day - 7 Months
Ireland is not the Everest of sea kayaking.
While it’s definitely one of the best-known challenges in the sport (and that’s not saying much, given sea kayaking’s low profile) if you were to compare it to a mountain, Ireland would be more like the Eiger Nordwand*——not the highest but the ultimate combination of technical challenge, raw elemental intensity, and history.
There are longer but more sheltered paddles out there, and there are more technically difficult challenges that don’t have Ireland’s appeal or history——not unlike some of the unclimbed peaks known only to climbers. Ireland is right in the sweet spot.
Unlike Everest or some guided river descents, the great challenges in sea kayaking have no guiding infrastructure. There’s no way to pay to do this trip and hire someone to roll out your sleeping bag every night “with a chocolate mint on top,” to quote Yvon Chouinard.
Anyone who wants to paddle around Ireland has to plan every aspect of the trip for themselves. This includes provisions, navigation, landing spots, and camping. Visiting paddlers (from outside Schengen and the EU) have to arrange visas and time their trip accordingly.
For kayakers planning their own Lap around Ireland, and for adventure readers looking for a good story, the best place to start is by checking out the handful of books, documentaries, and articles about the trip.
Here is a list of the ones I’ve encountered so far. Please drop a comment if there are any I missed.
My copies are highlighted and ragged with Post-It notes flagging vital knowledge of the route.
I’ve also been in touch with a number of round Ireland paddlers for valuable advice and coaching.
*As I mentioned in an earlier post, I’m in no way comparing the danger of sea kayaking to that of alpinism.
Round Ireland by the Numbers
There is no governing body for expedition sea kayaking. This is not a race. No permits are required.
The definitive records of sea kayaking’s firsts and fastest known times are kept by one man: John Willacy, performance sea kayaking pioneer and the designer of my boat.
Statistics for circumnavigation of Ireland
Only 86 kayakers have completed the trip. 28 have done it solo, 58 in teams. In the “about” section of The Lap, I said “less than 100” have done it, “around 30” solo, to allow that some kayakers may not have had their trip recorded. I know of one guy who just set out one day to see how far he’d get. He kept going, keeping Ireland on his right, until he was back where he started a few weeks later.
Tom Daly (no relation) is acknowledged to have been the first, in 1979.
Eileen Murphy was the first woman to do a solo circumnavigation, in 2005.
Mick O’Meara, of Tramore, holds the record at 23 days.
Ireland is defined as “the island of Ireland.” This includes the Republic of Ireland and the 6 counties that make up Northern Ireland but not the islands around the Irish coast. Most, if not all, paddlers take a shortcut inside Achill Island.
Books
Oileáin: the Irish Islands Guide by David Walsh - THE guide to exploring Ireland by sea kayak, organized geographically for the benefit of circumnavigators. This book has information on safely getting around every headland as well as history, local knowledge, and camping info for over 500 islands around Ireland. It’s also available as a PDF without the pictures.
On Celtic Tides by Chris Duff - Probably the best-known account of kayaking around Ireland, if not the best-known kayaking book. Period. Duff is a retired U.S Navy diver with a number of expeditions and records to his name.
Paddle: a Long Way Around Ireland by Jasper Winn - By far the funniest book on the subject. Winn gives us the everyman version, taking his time and avoiding rough conditions. This is the adventure of a lifetime meets the ultimate pub crawl.
Dances with Waves by Brian Wilson - So much more than a trip report. This is a thoroughly researched cultural history of the Irish coast. Blazing Paddles, about his trip around Scotland, is also outstanding.
At the Water’s Edge Two Boats Around Ireland by Timmy Flavin - A day-to-day account of Flavin’s 1991 trip, an invaluable guide to anyone attempting the Lap. Sadly, he didn’t live to see his story in print. Proceeds from the book benefit the Palliative Care Unit in the University Hospital Tralee and Valentia Lifeboat.
Man Up And Paddle!: A Wild And Dangerous Circumnavigation Around Ireland by Cathal Mccosker - A terrifying look at what this trip is like without modern forecasting. By their own admission, these guys are lucky to have survived.
Escaping The Madness: A Circumnavigation Of Ireland By Sea Kayak by Paul Alexander - A look at how this trip can be done in good time in an ordinary, plastic kayak. Alexander made headlines for eating 200 Snickers bars on his trip.
Documentaries
Sea Kayak Around Ireland - a 1500KM Epic Journey - Feat. Jon Hynes and Sean Cahill. Jon has been a huge help to paddlers attempting The Lap——myself included. Thank you, Jon!
Against the Wind - Jeff Allen and Harry Whelan braved appalling conditions to set a record.
3 Men in Boats - A slideshow by David Simpson. I took David up on his offer to help paddlers who reach out. He gave me some potentially trip-saving advice. Thank you, David!
Paddling on a Promise - Simon Osborne’s expedition raised over £22,000 for leukemia research. The trip was the fulfillment of a promise to his brother who died of the disease.
Articles & Podcasts
A trip report and 10 tips from Mike Jones. Mike has been coaching me as I prepare for my own trip. This article is where I first read about him. Thank you, Mike!
Photos and a trip report from an Israeli expedition.
Joe Leach’s blog, “Joe Around Ireland.” Joe is the round-Britain record holder. He’s been super helpful with my preparation, answering a load of questions by DM. Thank you, Joe!
Mick O’Meara on Paddling the Blue and in Treasna Na dTonnta (Irish Sea Kayaking Asosciation Newsletter).
Kevin O’Sullivan, the Aer Lingus pilot who did the trip on his days off over three summers.
“Teddies on Tour” Three women from Norway and their teddy bears made an attempt in 2017.
Freya Hoffmeister, best known for her solo epics around Australia and South America, paddled around Ireland in 2016.
“Emerald Colour Water” Tom Thorpe’s trip report.
“Solo Round Ireland,” Andy Fleck in Canoeist Magazine, 1984.
Thanks for reading,
-Charlie
Thank you to Mike Jones for coaching and guidance.
Kokatat is the official gear sponsor of The Lap.
The lap will be fueled by Resilient Nutrition’s Long Range Fuel and bars.
Expedition coffee by 3fe.
