Tricked out kayaks Hitting the water - Wavelength Paddling Magazine

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International destinations IF THERE IS one place in the world worthy of naming a destination for a kayaking pilgrimage, my vote would be Skellig Michael. It’s not because it’s an ideal place to visit. Quite the contrary. It lies in the ocean nine nautical miles off the southwest coast of Ireland, one of the two huge and forbiddingly spectacular rock islands set in a stormy area prone to wind, current and swell. But travel to the island by paddling isn’t insurmountable. In fact, it has a long history of self-propelled visits dating back to the 7th century, when the island was first inhabited by monks. Their occupation lasted the next 600 years and survived the incredibly harsh conditions as well as several Viking raids. The story and images by John Kimantas monk residents are responsible for the incredible vertiginous steps that crisscross the island, the six intact clocháns (stone beehive huts), oratories, grave slabs and a striking monolithic cross – all of which are remarkably well preserved even today. (Quite the legacy for a group of pioneering paddlers.) The spiritual impact of the island is profound. Part is the awe at the thought of the difficult life suffered by the monks in such a remote location. And the natural features are equally awe-inspiring: dramatic stone pillars reaching 218 meters, created during a great upheaval 200 million years ago. It takes 600 steps up cliffsides and alongside jagged stone pillars to reach the Hermitage and the monastery ruins, well preserved enough to earn it designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Equally spectacular but not as accessible, the smaller of the Skellig Islands, Little Skellig, is a dramatic assembly of peaks home to thousands of nesting seabirds, most notably Ireland’s largest gannet colony. It provides a surreal backdrop. Kayakers aren’t likely to attempt the crossing. Even the tour boats often have trouble getting here. Landing on the island’s one small concrete dock can be an adventure in swell, with high tide water rushing right over the dock, and the boat crew biding time between waves to retrieve or disgorge passengers. u 10 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE WINTER 2010
Ireland Paddling with a shamrock Images from Ireland Michael Skellig is rated by Wavelength as one of the world’s great coastal locations. The steep steps were carved by monks as early as the seventh century A.D. Far left: the final climb before reaching the monastery; left: Little Skellig; right: the ancient beehive huts of the monastery; above right: protruding rocks on the steep descent. WINTER 2010 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 11
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