DONATIONS AVAILABLE UNTIL
31 Aug 2019
From 65 fantastic supporters
Scarcely a family in Ireland has not been touched in some way by cancer. While we are all too aware of the heavy burden which this disease places on p...
Controlled panic. and anxiety, nausea, lack of focus, fear. probably what people go through every time they get a cancer diagnosis. I can't wait to get started, but there's not enough hours in the day to arrange clothes, maps, charts, marine weather, contacts, car drops, emergency equipment, safety gear, food (nearly forgot a platypus, hope i can find it!), even choice of route on the bigger crossings is variable, NW200 as a minor issue meaning there's nowhere to stay! Final check, adjustments to the kayak,which arrived ludicrously late so its manufacturer will not be getting a plug... but THANK-YOU THank-YOU THANK-YOU everyone who helped, donated, suggested, reassured, came along, most of all my good friend and "wing-man" William Smyth who pushes and pulls me along in times of doubt, and is a brilliant organiser and procurer of goods. its time to go, I can't even consider sitting in front of a computer, i just want to get away! If any Strabanians could help transferring my car to portballintrae or Whitepark bay for Friday Night or ballycastle saturday, it would be a huge help. I have another wing-man in John Melville, but we'd need a driver for my car.. if all else fails i'll drive when i get there, but thats a bad option. weather window is opening, thunderbirds are GO! A big Go raibh maith agaibh to TG4 and especially Tomás O Mainnín who took a lot of time and thought to show me up as competent in front of the beautiful Kinvara bay and Dun guaire. he had a great laugh at the charts showing "unexploded ordinances" and "submarine practice area" in between areas of "fast moving craft" and "firing range". most of all, thank-you Rita, my dear sister, for being here, and for continuing to be here. thanks to all who gave her time; her and so many others who have given life, quality life to patients all over Ireland and the UK. I do love Liverpool FC, but to steal their own phrase...THIS MEANS MORE... I WILL NEVER WALK ALONE, thanks to you all go raibh maith agaibh,chach.
14 May 2019I had a 7hr training session with a single 20-minute break yesterday, but what a boost, when I stopped after 20km on one of ireland's most incredible beaches: worth the slog, and a great boost for the remaining 10km against a stiffening wind from leenane along Killary Fjord. the kayak is visible, its over 40 years old (like me, and a good bit more) and is now very heavy, but that makes it good for training, and very steady in rough water (to a point). I'll need to be covering this distance daily on the trip.
08 Apr 2019