August 21, Day 69. I’m back on the water! And I feel so much better! Paddled 20 miles today and didn’t get fatigued nearly at all. Ian collected me at Jacquis house at good ol 4:30 in the morning and we drove to Malahide where I would start going North but this time with Ireland on the left instead of my right. The morning was very calm and it was nice to have a little bit of wind behind and now back on the east coast, the massive swell of the west doesn’t exist! So easy in that sense. I’ve become a stronger paddler since starting this trip, naturally and my tolerance for more difficult conditions, day after day like the swell of the west, has gone up. So sure it’s windy over here but the big swell isn’t in the equation (but you have to time the current right otherwise it can be like paddling up stream if you’re against the tide).
Lunch on the skerries and then continued on towards Clogher Head. Wind picked up off shore so we muscled in closer to the beach for the rest of the way and it was pretty easy after that. A near flat day in terms of wind waves. Got to Laytown where Richard collected me to stay at his house, and Ian took the train to get his car to go home with his boat. Richard and his wife Valerie and so wonderful and fun to spend the rest of the day with! Easy going and I’m comfortable in their house. A true gratefulness to keep resting inside so I don’t dip back into feeling fatigued again.
