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Francie McCracken Carlingford Lough had long been on my todo list before my dream became a reality in the summer of 2022 . Having taken advice from local expert paddler Francie McCracken , I set off from the gritty beach at Omeath , on the Irish side of the water and paddled across the mouth of the Neary River to Warrenpoint in the North , where I took my first break .
The Whistledown Hotel sits on the seafront and is the perfect spot to grab a coffee and admire the spectacular vista . Thirty minutes later , it was time to embark on the long journey to Greencastle along the northeastern shore . I timed my exit from Warrenpoint just after high water to ensure my paddling efforts got a boost from the outgoing tide .
One highlight of that section was a colony of curious seals , who took turns popping out of the water in front of me and to either side , staring intently with deep black eyes before sinking below the surface as quickly as they had appeared . Next , I briefly found myself in a very shallow field of seaweed . I had to dismount and walk through the ankle-deep water , dragging my board by the tail until I was able to refloat .
The hazards of crossing Nearing Greencastle , I met two kayakers who warned me about the hazards of crossing from Greencastle to Greenore – there is a fast and dangerous tidal flow at that part of the lough . I listened respectfully even though I knew of the risks and had taken great care to ensure that I would be crossing close to low tide when the flow would be at its slowest ; I was grateful for their advice . In any event , I planned to meet Francie and another local paddler , Kathleen , who would accompany me on the scariest part of my adventure .
I reached Greencastle early and took a break on the sandy beach . I often leave my board on land , resting on its fin even though I know I shouldn ’ t . And this is where my trip nearly came a cropper . I met two men on the beach who were launching a small boat . They also warned me of the tricky crossing ahead . And then one of them , for reasons unknown , decided to stand on my board with all his weight . A horrible screeching sound tortured our ears as my board collapsed onto the sand . For a moment , I thought the fin was broken , or even worse , the fin box . Fortunately , it was only the bolt which had sheared . I had a spare fin and bolt with me , anyway .
Choppy conditions Moving on , I met up with Francie and Kathleen for the most exciting part of the day : the crossing from Greencastle in the north to Greenore in the south . The tide had just turned , but even so , the water was powering through the opening between the lough and the Irish Sea . Conditions were choppy , and remaining on board and on target was challenging , but we made it across without incident .
As I paddled into Greenore , my eyes were peeled , scanning the waters ahead for the local celebrity — a dolphin named Finn . He ’ s a well-known sight in these parts , and I was hoping to tick the ‘ paddling with dolphins ’ box on my adventure checklist .