Friends and family on the water !

Lauren and Lee's newly out- fitted wooden Sea kayak . It's a "handmade" 14 foot Sea Dart which was lovingly built by James - my brothers wife's dad , I added a few modifications

for safety and kid proof reasons - ie grab lines and bungees .

The youngsters love it to bits and it tracks brilliantly a great boat for them to learn in.

CLICK ON ANY PHOTO'S TO ENLARGE .

This is a special woman called Elaine or SHOOTER as she prefers who Left Whitehead my village on an amazing journey solo around Ireland via Sea kayak all in the need of charity

her journey can be tracked here - http://www.canoearoundireland.com/content/shooters-blog my best wishes are with her and we all hope to see her back here in a few week's time .

Co Antrim yacht club's newly renovated boat house with the storage facility's for many kayaks which was opened by Elaine shooter and local Councillor's.

The new boat house.

Shooters support unit if required.

Shooter herself and Sammy Wilson MLA I think ?

Her new Valley Etain waiting on the start line on a lumpy sea day.

A poor German film crew braving the cold wind and sea-spray

at Whitehead slipway .

Whitehead on a calmer day,

Lee and I having fun paddling from one side of the bay to the other.

The kids Sea dart under trials !

The two of us posing for photo's .

Roy and Dawn enjoying a cold but great day at Brown's Bay

This was their first voyage in the new boat they just bought,

last reports were they were spotted around Cape Horn, they have never been seen again !

Happy chappies


My friend Philip surfing up at Ballygalley and me in the ocean taking the photo's.

Sun fish in Northern Ireland waters ! 1st Sept 10.

No its not plastic bag I swear ! its a very rare Sun fish or (Mola mola) to be correct.
I spotted it just of the coast between Blackhead and the first headland near the the Gobbins cliffs. Its a strange looking fish which can grow to 10 feet across or more usually found in the tropics and at extreme depths 3-4 hundred feet , they eat jelly fish and this one was on its holidays to Northern Ireland for some strange reason .
It was the strange fin slapping the water which caught my eye and when i paddled over - it was unmistakable as the Sun fish.

The fin slapping on the surface.
click on photo's to enlarge

The wife and JC on a flat calm morning.
Looking for a lunch spot .
Heading back to Whitehead.
JC and Michelle , thank-you for another great wee day out !

Video of "low impact rolls" , I will be trying these !

Courtesy of www.kayakquixotica.com click above text to see video .
thank you Derrick.

Jamesy's first sea paddle June 22nd 2010.

A great mornings paddle and rescue practise at Carrick and the marina thanks to JC .

Love the puffed out cheeks while doing a bow rescue Jamesy !

Island Magee coast Northern Ireland 15th June .

How about this lay by for a lunch break

Alan dwarfed by the cliffs .

Young Razor bills i think ? sunning themselves.

Heat haze closing in on Blackhead but it cleared by the time we got to it .

My sea boat above ,
Many thanks to Peter B , Alan and JC for their company ! great wee paddle and

hope to do the whole trip over again very soon .

Cloughey kayaking capers ! 21st May .

A fine specimen of a Northern Irish kayaker with a Co Down seaweed wig ! (click on photo) it even looks like it's platted for goodness sake - thanks Julie lovely picture of me , I really enjoyed the day and thank-you for the hospitality and BBQ , hope to see you all on the water very soon .

Eileen doing the old (James bond girl ocean scene) Irish sea style !

Robert and I about to hit shore at Cloughey bay , his first time in a Sea kayak.

Eileen and I having a chat about the deadly sharks in our waters .

Michelle husky getting to grips with a P&H Capella sea kayak but i think she prefered my Valley Avocet .

Some of my travels in April and Michelle's first paddle MAY 2010 - 12 miles .

Very expensive flotsam and jet sum ! One - P&H Quest and three P&H Capella's of course my red Valley Avocet , being used as anchor on the steep shingle at the White harbour near Whitehead co, Antrim.

In April whilst on an over night'er on Salt island I met up with my good friends Marlyn and Bob who own the Manx Sea Quest , they came all the way from Peel - Isle of Man to visit friends in Portaferry. We arranged an eyeball at Strangford lough narrows and via VHF radio , and we met up on a perfectly calm and sunny Sunday morning Marlyn is the one in blue waving lol !

My kids and Myst the husky enjoying playing the kayak in the back garden i just had to post this.

Lunch break at the White harbour and Michelle ready for a breather !

Kilroot jetty and Michelle going under it ! the reason for the length of this pier is to allow large oil tankers to dock which feed fuel to the nearby power station .

The wife racing on !

Chilling out on the way back after a little wave surfing due to a little swell from the N.E wind a few day's earlier.

Fishermans Quay to Whitehead March 2010.

Heading out from Carrickfergus - Fishermans Quay

Storm looking happy , and our 800 year old Norman Castle in the background!

The group passing Kilroot power station and looking at the salt jetties.Storm thinking about jumping .

This ship was being loaded with rock salt from the huge mines under Carrickfergus , even as i write someone may be a few 100mtrs below my house working away !


The Husky getting a little bit nervous as a fishing boat comes close !

Paul and Warren working hard lifting pots .




Heading back to base and looking forward to dinner ,

many thanks again to everyone for a great day out .