In a world without wind, kayaking around Ireland would take 30 days, at 50km/day. Without Ireland’s weather, a lap around the island would be a pure test of endurance. The fittest paddlers in the fastest boats would close the loop in the least time.
But Ireland does have wind, plenty of it. And the wind gets a vote, and ultimately has veto power, when you make your plans.
Weather, specifically wind, is the main factor that determines the duration and completion of this trip. An athletic specimen in top shape will take longer to get around Ireland in a bad summer than an intermediate paddler who gets lucky with the weather.
On marginal days, each kayaker’s personal comfort zone will determine if it’s possible to get on the water. Through experience and “training dirty,” as one round-Ireland kayaker puts it, paddlers can expand that comfort zone, but only to a point.
Weather School with Wild West Sailing
Understanding the weather and interpreting forecasts is a critical piece of trip planning and safety.
Last week, I attended an online meteorology class with Sligo-based Wild West Sailing. David, our instructor, helped put science jargon into plain English and gave us simple checklists for planning around the weather.
Thinking “3 moves ahead”
Using online forecasting tools like the Atlantic Jetstream Forecast and surface pressure charts along with the Sea Area Forecast--available online and over VHF radio--I can get an idea of what the weather’s doing and what that means for my day on the water (or off the water if the weather’s too nasty).
Forecasts in this part of the Atlantic are only reliable for about 3 days, which means I can only plan so far ahead.
One round-Ireland paddler encouraged me to think of planning around the forecast like a game of chess. While I can’t map out the entire game, I can “think 3 moves ahead.”
If a weather window is closing, I might put in some extra miles to get around the next major headland ahead of schedule. This “move” could save me a week of weather delays.
If an incoming low-pressure system is unavoidable, I might aim for a more populated area to spend my storm-bound days somewhere I can get a nice meal and a hot shower.
By weather, I mean wind.
Ireland gets a lot of rain, that’s how the hills got so green. But rain doesn’t really matter in trip planning, except as an indicator of approaching fronts and a visibility issue on crossings. I’m getting wet anyway, and I wear GoreTex, even when the sun is shining, to stay warm and dry in the boat. Rain can be uncomfortable, but it doesn’t dictate my plans.
Wind, on the other hand, is everything.
Wind can help me along when it’s at my back or exhaust me when I have to paddle into it. When I talk about being “weather-bound” or “storm-bound,” what I mean is the wind is too strong to paddle safely.
The large, rolling swells on Ireland’s Atlantic coast come from wind blowing thousands of miles away in other parts of the ocean. Wind blowing against the tide can make a dangerous mess at headlands on the north and east coasts.
The Beaufort Scale
The 19th-century Irish Hydrographer Francis Beaufort came up with the Beaufort Scale for measuring and estimating wind speed and its effect on sea conditions.
When I write about the wind in these posts as “Force 3” or “F4,” I’m using the Beaufort scale.
The relationship between wind speed and sea state is not linear. So, even slight increases in wind can cause conditions to deteriorate. Sebastian Junger explains in The Perfect Storm,
“Unfortunately for mariners, the total amount of wave energy in a storm does not rise linearly with wind speed, but to its fourth power. The seas generated by a 40 knot wind aren’t twice as violent as those from a 20 knot wind, they are seventeen times as violent.”
This power law remains true at the more benign wind speeds at the margins of safe sea kayaking.
A 10-knot (F3) wind is well within the comfort zone of intermediate kayakers but might be intimidating for novices, while 20 knots (F5) is advanced stuff. F6 is very dangerous outside of sheltered waters. Kayarchy.co.uk and Sea Kayaking by John Dowd both have excellent practical guides to the Beaufort Scale for sea kayakers.
I don’t carry an anemometer, so I have no way of knowing the exact wind speed. But the Beaufort Scale includes a guide to estimating wind speed based on visual cues. In Force 3 winds, I could expect to see little whitecaps on the water. Force 6 on land is described like this, “Large branches in motion, whistling heard in electricity wires; umbrellas used with difficulty”
Jasper Winn’s table scale
In his book Paddle: A Long Way Around Ireland, Jasper Winn comes up with whimsical everyday references for wind speed and wave heights. He describes summertime Force 3 as too cool for a T-shirt but too warm for a sweater.
He puts wave heights in terms of furniture,
“Coffee- and dining table- height were okay, breakfast counter not so much, and wardrobe-height was a horrifying specter.”
Thank you, Team Fox donors! 🦊
Thank you to everyone who donated to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research this week.
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.
CH Marine will be providing a VHF radio and other safety equipment.
Tent and cooking gas provided by Paddle & Pitch. Trolley by KCS.
REAL Field Meals at a discount from Adventure.ie.