Day 25

After a four mile trek last night we eventually came across the Lighthouse Tavern which ironically enough is next to the lighthouse on Fanad Head.we had a couple of drinks in there and met a local guy called Graham Bowden who runs a surf school in the area. He spent a lot of time talking us through local tides and surf conditions and also told us about the new surfboard he is trying to develop as well as a line in surf clothing. After a couple of hours with him he very kindly offered to drive us back to the campsite. When we left him he gave each of us a tshirt from his very own NaRossa label. When we got to the beach where the tent was pitched the wind was blowing at about 30 mph so we had to use rocks to keep the tent pegs in place. Just as we got into bed it started to rain - thankfully the tent held up through the nite despite the conditions. Up this morning at 7 a.m. and on the water shortly after 8.30 (the late start due to the fact we needed to hit the right tidal conditions at Malin Head). We left Fanad Head, crossed Lough Swilly to Dunaff Head. From there we paddled on an arch through around to the west side of Malin Head. At this stage the south east wind which was blowing a force 4 was at our backs and helping. We rounded Malin Head in pretty good conditions but once we reached the east side of the peninsula the south east wind was directly in our faces and made progress very difficult. We paddled on down past Glengad Head and have stopped for the night in Culdaff Bay. We have gotton something to eat and are about to make camp - forecast for tomorrow is reasonable with the winds due to moderate down to force 4. The south easterlies will still be in our faces but hopefully we might get some shelter from the land. Tomorrows proposed landing point is Ballycastle. 28 miles and 7 hours 32 minutes on the water.
Some useless bits of info.....Gola Island that we stayed on two nights ago is the same island in the song Baidin Fheidhlimi - a song about a drowning tragedy involving a Gola boat on passage to Tory.
Malin Head is not the most northerly point in Ireland - it is in fact Dunaldragh Head which is two kilometers east north east of Malin Head...(informational and educational!)