Prior to our European trip my daughter had read someone's blog and how they did night time kayaking in Cork, Ireland and that she really wanted to do this. So after a little bit of searching I found Atlantic Sea Kayaking on Tripadvisor, so I posted a question which they answered. After that, we emailed a few times as I had several questions. Come to find out they run 2 Starlight/Moonlight Experience kayak trips (they also offer kayaking experiences in the day time as well). One was located in Lough Hyne, Skibbereen, West Cork and the other in Castlehaven Bay at Reen Pier, Union Hall,West Cork. We opted for the Union Hall one as they said the bioluminescence is often better there during the summer. Our adventure was on the night of Jun 27, 2017.
This is good for beginners as well as experienced kayakers. It is very calm. They provide a double kayak (this is for the Starlight/Moonlight Experience) and water proof gear. It is suggested that you wear warm outdoor clothing and if you want you can wear a hat (beanies work great). You can bring bottle water if you like but honestly there is no place to put it. I brought one and put it in the straps that were between my daughter & I and I couldn't reach it without a struggle plus you're kayaking from spot to spot and trying not to float away so it's best to not bring it, maybe keep it in your car for aftewards. They explain how to get in and out the kayak, how to use the rutter, how to paddle, etc. They provide great instructions. Then it's time to get into your kayak and paddle away but not too far. Your guides will tell you where you're going and you paddle to your destination(s). At all the locations that you stop at, your guide will provide you with information on the area, the homes & some castles, and the rich history that is Ireland and that specific region. They'll even suggest if you have time to visit several places and in our case they mentioned Baltimore, Ireland which then our guides talked about the area the O'Driscoll clan and their place in Ireland's history. This was very interesting to me as my friends family are O'Driscoll's but now they are just Driscoll (for those in the United States that recognize the name Driscoll as in strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and raspberries - yes they are one in the same just the "O" has been dropped).
Oh and I forgot to mention about the bioluminescence. All I can say is wow! Totally incredible and so beautiful! That's when I wished I had a camera but for all intense purposes it's best not to have cameras, phone, keys, etc., when kayaking as you don't risk getting these items wet or, Heaven forbid, lose them. I mean, if I would've had my camera or cell phone I would've taken pictures of all the beautiful surroudings, even when it was completely dark because the moonlight lit everything up & the area was beautiful.
Cost was, as of this writing for our specific trip, 50 Euros per person. They require reservations, they accept Visa & Mastercard only, no American Express, and you can also opt to pay cash at the pier when you make you reservations. If you ask, they will provide you with contact information for suggestions on places to stay. In fact, for Union Hall I chose one of their recommendations which was Seascape B&B - fabulous place (but that's another Yelp review)! They meet up at Reen Pier at 9:30pm and it ends between 11:30pm and 12 midnight (this is from start to finish).
This was a great experience and if I am fortunate enough to come to Cork another time I hope to be able to do a different kayaking adventure. Check out their website for their offerings. read more
