2023 LCC Celtic Sea Kayaking Trip Day 08 Saturday – Kenmore River Coornagillagh Quay and Beach to Kenmore and Pine Trees at Castle d ChodenTeddi by Catriona
We woke up to a beautiful morning for the first day of our next mini adventure, or wind avoidance strategy.
Well, we had no headwind for some of the day. We left the quay at a respectable 9:00 and paddled with the tide and the wind northeast towards the head of Kenmare Bay. Kenmare Bay is the site where mythological Irish ancestor Partholon is said to have landed. This second group of people to colonise Ireland arrived from Iberia and multiplied to 4000 in number before all dying of the plague in one week. On our trip to Kenmare we left with the same number of people as we started with.
At the head of the river was a modern concrete bridge which we obviously had to go under, before turning round and heading for second elevenses near the Kenmare Pier, where the kiosk spied from a distance turned out to be a ticket office not the hoped for bacon butty van.
After elevenses we paddled round and through the numerous small Islands on the north side of the bay, by now the head wind was back and we used the islands as respite, before paddling with no break to a possible campsite. The campsite did not look very inviting, lots of rocks and trees, but we decided that we didn’t want to go any further. The high tide line was determined (much more accurately than earlier in the week) and after some minor civil engineering flat pebble camping platforms were made and tents erected. This turned out to be a very comfortable campsite and a lovely night suitable for another intelligent discussion over whisky.
