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 .