Thanksgiving cottage

The Lap no. 22 - D-Day - 7 Months

Nov 24, 2022

Poseidon says no paddling this week…

A series of gales have been battering Ireland. So, I’m training on shore and reading by the fire with Dominique and Serge the cat until the wind calms down.

Weather days are never fun, but they’re the rule, not the exception, in the North Atlantic winter.

Next year, on my way around Ireland, I’m guaranteed to get windbound at some point and have to wait in my tent for conditions to improve. Patience is part of my training.

It helps to stay positive and focus on the upside of spending a time off the water.

This Thanksgiving, here are three things I’m thankful for on shore.

Dominique’s indoor bike

The convenient thing about building aerobic endurance is that it doesn’t matter how you train as long as your heart rate is in the desired zone.

When it’s blowing a gale out on the Bay, I do my long-distance endurance sessions on Dominique’s Concept 2 Bike Erg while listening to an audiobook or watching a movie.

As much as I love training on the water, it’s nice not to have to wash saltwater off my gear and hang everything to dry after a session.

Our home and home improvements

In 2021, Dominique and I moved into a pebbledash cottage that my family used to rent out to summer visitors when I was growing up.

We’re heading into our second winter with the place finally winterized. Our first winter, last year, was an adventure.

The original windows were massive and single-glazed. Great for taking in the view… and letting out precious heat. The glass rattled in the wind, and rain would blow in horizontally through gaps in the window frames.

Instead of insulation, the wall cavities were full of rats. It was like a horror movie for a while. We’d hear them scurrying around in the attic over our heads and in the walls all around us.

One by one, these problems became projects.

We called an exterminator and poured concrete into the holes where the rats were getting in. We put down a deposit on new windows and eventually had them installed in time for this winter. We pumped the walls with insulation.

Now it’s cozy and rat-free.

Dominique keeping a lookout while editing a manuscript.

Our move to the rural coast of Ireland wasn’t just a change of location, it was a bold shift in priorities for both of us. For Dominique, it’s a place where life can follow the pace of her writing schedule. The move means I can live for my hobby and make time for work rather than the other way around.

When I started training to make this dream trip a reality, it became clear how important our location is. If I was working in an office in Dublin or Boston, keeping my kayak at a sailing club, I could still train, but it would take 3-5 years to put in the same number of hours I’ll log this year. That would mean a much longer training timeline or a less ambitious pace for the trip. As Training for the New Alpinism advises amateur climbers, “Either devote more time (to training)… or lower your expectations.” I’m grateful to be able to do the former, so I don’t have to do the latter.

Serge the cat 🐈‍⬛

Serge is one of those “I think I’m a hooman” cats. He’s friendly with us, but he’s a cold-blooded psychopath in the garden, gleefully keeping the local rodent population in check and bringing us his hunting trophies.

Serge recovering from hip surgery after a misadventure.

Given some of my “wildlife” encounters sleeping on piers and beaches in the past, I wish Mr. Serge could come with me next year.

And thank you, CH Marine!

CH Marine, my local chandlery, has offered to help me out with some safety and comms equipment for the trip. This is already where I get a lot of my gear, and they’ve always been a great help to the Lifeboat. I’m stoked to have their support!

Thanks for reading,

-Charlie

Thank you to Mike Jones for coaching and guidance.

Kokatat is the official gear sponsor of The Lap.