New moon and eight tandem kayaks on Castlehaven Bay are ingredients for an absolutely magical experience! We checked into our lodgings in Bantry and did another picnic style supper. As evening drew upon us we set out for our midnight adventure. At Reen Pier we met Declan and Guido of Atlantic Sea Kayaking and suited up. Soon we’d gotten instructions for basic kayaking were launched in our respective boats for our paddle on a perfect starlit night a sheltered bay on Ireland’s southern coast much like this video of night kayaking on nearby Lough Hyne. At times we would raft together and listen to Declan talk of the history of Castletownshend as we stared up at the historic stained glass windows in the church or about the science of the incredible bioluminescence we saw with each dip of our paddles. Before the evening was finished Declan did admit that the lights underwater were in fact the result of the fairy dust that Guido sprinkled on the water just before we headed out!
By deliberate choice we were in Medina for all the winter holiday festivities from Candlelight Walk in the days before Thanksgiving through A Christmas Carol and A Celtic Christmas as well as an Alex Bevan Concert and a historic house tour all the way through Medina’s 31st Ice Festival but perhaps the highlight was the town hosting hundreds of folks whose homes and lives were devasted by Hurricane Helene at the A Promise of Christmas Event the middle of January. It’s an honor to be a part of this amazing community!
The warmth we anticipated when we headed to the Caribbean in mid-January didn’t really materialize but the fun we had with our dancing friends and the great crew of the Margaritaville at Sea Islander more than made up for the not so favorable weather.
Aboard Jewel of the Seas, a favorite ship of ours, we enjoyed a foray into the history and geology of Canada’s Atlantic coast while enjoying the joys of friendships, longtime and new. Now we’re looking forward to returning to the same ship for further adventures!
Declan and Guido ???!!!!??? Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaaaaa……….