My name is Caoimhe, I plan to paddle around Ireland in a Sea Kayak in May 2017. The journey will take around 2 months and I will be camping on beaches, and sites by the sea as I go. 

Ireland (Éire) is an island in the North Atlantic. Ireland is the second-largest island of the British Isles, the third-largest in Europe, and the twentieth-largest on Earth.

Sea kayaking around Ireland is regarded a challenging, yet a must do adventure for any experienced sea paddler. It is however a tricky expedition that takes careful planning and sometimes a lot of waiting around due to prevailing winds. The exposed Atlantic coastline is known for its exposure to wind chop, swell, currents, big surf and tricky landings. As many know the great Irish Summer does not always pan out to be as sunny as our good humour. With this in mind I must really focus and getting my skills up to scratch to remain safe on the trip.

According to the Ordnance Survey, the entire coastline of Ireland measures 3,171 kilometres. That includes every little bay & inlet. To Kayak around Ireland, one must commit to many open crossings, the longest being Donegal Bay at 50 plus kilometres. It's thought that most paddlers who complete the journey cover a distance of about 1200 to 1500 kilometres.

I have chosen to raise money for Inspire (formally known as NIAMH) as they work throughout the island of Ireland.  They offer a range of services that provide support in the areas of mental health and learning disability across a range of areas. 

For more information please follow the link to their website : https://www.inspirewellbeing.org/mentalhealth

For information about me and why I am doing the trip, please visit my blog, which will be updated while I am paddling with photos and progress: onegirlandherkayak.com