Michael Skellig is rated by Wavelength as one of the world’s great coastal locations. The steep steps were

carved by monks as early as the seventh century A.D.

Paddling with a shamrock

Images from Ireland

From the Winter 2010 issue of Coast&Kayak Magazine. Read the entire magazine online.

By John Kimantas

If there is one place in the world worthy of naming a destination for a kayaking pilgrimage, my vote would be Skellig Michael.

It’s not because it’s an ideal place to visit. Quite the contrary. It lies in the ocean nine nautical miles off the southwest coast of Ireland, one of the two huge and forbiddingly spectacular rock islands set in a stormy area prone to wind, current and swell.

But travel to the island by paddling isn’t insurmountable. In fact, it has a long history of self-propelled visits dating back to the 7th century, when the island was first inhabited by monks. Their occupation lasted the next 600 years and survived the incredibly harsh conditions as well as several Viking raids. The monk residents are responsible for the incredible vertiginous steps that crisscross the island, the six intact clocháns (stone beehive huts), oratories, grave slabs and a striking monolithic cross – all of which are remarkably well preserved even today.

(Quite the legacy for a group of pioneering paddlers.)

The spiritual impact of the island is profound. Part is the awe at the thought of the difficult life suffered by the monks in such a remote location. And the natural features are equally awe-inspiring: dramatic stone pillars reaching 218 meters, created during a great upheaval 200 million years ago. It takes 600 steps up cliffsides and alongside jagged stone pillars to reach the Hermitage and the monastery ruins, well preserved enough to earn it designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Equally spectacular but not as accessible, the smaller of the Skellig Islands, Little Skellig, is a dramatic assembly of peaks home to thousands of nesting seabirds, most notably Ireland’s largest gannet colony. It provides a surreal backdrop.

Kayakers aren’t likely to attempt the crossing. Even the tour boats often have trouble getting here. Landing on the island’s one small concrete dock can be an adventure in swell, with high tide water rushing right over the dock, and the boat crew biding time between waves to retrieve or disgorge passengers.

Not all Ireland is as harsh as the Skelligs, of course. But quick changes in the weather, strong winds and strong ocean currents are typical, which can make Ireland a challenging and sometimes impossible coast to paddle. Secluded bays, inlets and collections of nearby islands along much of the coast offer the protected and relatively serene waters that make the Irish coast an ideal place for a day paddle – especially if you can sneak out to some of the spectacular cliffs that typify the outer coast.

For Jim Kennedy, operator of Atlantic Sea Kayaking and one of Ireland’s most veteran paddlers, the southwest coast of Ireland makes a great base for exploring. A trip from Castletownshend, for instance, a picturesque former naval base village near Cork, leads on a short journey to seven uninhabited islands, past upwards of 33 sea caves (Jim is always finding new ones) and wildlife that commonly involves dolphins, whales and a grey seal rookery.

This is a perfect day-trip adventure, possibly ending at the little harbour town of Baltimore 16 kilometers away. Or from Baltimore, Roaringwater Bay offers a multitude of islands to explore, one of which is home to an old castle that sits enticingly across the harbour.

The problem with kayaking in Ireland is the multitude of land features, meaning you don’t want to just kayak if you travel here. Ireland is dotted with thousands of years of history reflected in the many medieval castles, monasteries, ancient stone forts and portal tombs that date back 6,000 years or more.

But adventurers always push the limits, with a circumnavigation of the island growing as a popular goal of experienced kayakers. The fastest time so far to complete the 1,200-mile journey is 33 days; reportedly the longest, by journalist Jasper Wynn, took three and a half months – probably a better way to enjoy Ireland: by taking your time, visiting communities and meeting people.

If you go:

Most tour operators don’t rent kayaks due to liability issues; instead, expect escorted tours offering a selection of mostly day trips. With a European-wide accreditation system for paddlers coming into effect, the restrictions may ease on rentals for qualified paddlers. Here are some options:

Atlantic Sea Kayaking: Trips include the sheltered Killarney Lakes in a treed national park setting to picturesque Dingle Peninsula. Owner Jim Kennedy, a Level 5 instructor, also offers a unique paddle coaching program by video.

www.atlanticseakayaking.com.

Sea Kayaking West Cork: Options include overnight trips to Bere Island.

www.seakayakingwestcork.com.

Seapaddling.com: Day trips from Waterford.

On land: Driving in Ireland is difficult as the roads are narrow with little clearance, making it a high-stress way to enjoy the island. We recommend cycling as the best way to view the rolling countryside, preferably by the small, rarely-traveled back roads. We traveled with West Ireland Cycling (www.westirelandcycling.com).

We discover: castles, pubs, cycling, not many kayaks

Our kayaking adventures in Ireland were doomed before we arrived. We couldn’t find a multi-day kayaking itinerary in our pre-trip online research longer than overnight, and were advised by the experts like Jim Kennedy at Atlantic Sea Kayaking that day trips were probably preferable, or overnights at B&Bs lest you be weathered out. As it happened, strong wind was a dominant feature of our time in Ireland, which essentially sidelined hopes of kayaking for most of the last two weeks. But infrastructure didn’t help. Kayak rental operations were rare, at least in terms of visibility at the multitude of coastal locations we visited. (It was very disappointing to pass by the Cliffs of Moher and find no kayaks in Doolin to explore this magnificent coast right next door). And even if you find an operator, Jim says renting isn’t really an option, given liability issues and the dangers associated with Ireland’s coast. Escorted tours are the norm, though that may relax a bit when the European Paddle Pass, a level system of accreditation, becomes standard.

Our goal in Ireland was to mix various adventures: hiking, kayaking and cycling. Cycling took eight days of our trip, with an itinerary covering the Burrens in western Ireland and much of the spectacular coast in County Clare including the Cliffs of Moher and the Aran Islands. On the Aran Islands we found an old-style Irish life coexisting with some terrific history, including Dun Aengus, a prehistoric fort that dominates the tallest cliffside and hilltop of Inishmore, the largest of the Aran Islands. Dotting the rest of Inishmore were traditional thatched cottages, various medieval ruins and the defining maze of drystone walls.

The highlights of our trip? Too many to list them all, but Skellig Michael has to be at the top, with Inishmore not far behind. Dingle Peninsula would have been particularly scenic, but our only full day of rain doused the impact. We spent our last night in Kilkenny, my personal favorite of the trip – a town rich with medieval history evident along just about every streetscape.

Then of course there are the pubs – the colorful assortment in the Temple Bar district of Dublin to the myriad that dot the countryside at every small Irish village. All are full of great character and charm, with a personal favorite of mine one in the little coastal village of Crookhaven. I had seen a picture prior to the trip, and enjoying a pint there was a very low-level dream come true.

While not the most successful kayaking adventure ever, the best trips are often most enjoyable not because of the quality of the paddling, but of what you discover along the way, which hopefully includes a colorful mix of culture, history and countryside. Fortunately, Ireland abounds in all three.