On Celtic Tides
One Man's Journey Around Ireland by Sea Kayak
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- €10.99
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- €10.99
Publisher Description
A sea kayak battles the freezing Irish waters as the morning sun rises out of the countryside. On the western horizon is the pinnacle of Skellig Michael-700 feet of vertical rock rising out of exploding seas. Somewhere on the isolated island are sixth-century monastic ruins where the light of civilization was kept burning during the Dark Ages by early Christian Irish monks. Puffins surface a few yards from the boat, as hundreds of gannets wheel overhead on six foot wing spans. The ocean rises violently and tosses paddler and boat as if they were discarded flotsam. This is just one day of Chris Duff's incredible three month journey.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In a book whose only success is bringing to life the thrashing seas of coastal Ireland and whose ultimate failure is trying to evoke the ethos of the storied isle, Duff describes a 1200-mile circumnavigation from Dublin to Dublin. A seasoned kayaker who has undertaken several herculean voyages, Duff is uniquely suited to the challenge of the west coast of Ireland, where the gushing Atlantic clashes with the rugged land. But while Duff does give readers a sense of the ocean's power and peril, he falls far short of exemplifying Ireland's reputation for inspiring creativity. Duff, who is of Irish descent, plays on the theme of the journey as a route to self-discovery, but does so in a way that hardly captivates. Often Duff seems to get in the way of his story, when the focus should be on Ireland itself. There is no doubt that the island's beauty and majesty move Duff, but his attempts to convey his feelings are often cloying. "In a hushed voice that came deep from within," he writes on encountering a sea bird, "I said: `You are so beautiful my friend. What have you seen and where have you been today?' " The few insights into Ireland's culture and history come from the locals Duff meets. But these encounters are tainted by a formula that wears thin quickly: the fisherman or villager expresses disbelief at Duff's undertaking, Duff assures them that he is serious and they proclaim that he must be mad. Though the trip is not always pretty, Duff is able to pull himself through adversity, and the sheer achievement of finishing speaks for itself. Duff's book, however, is not nearly as impressive an accomplishment.
