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Re: ISKA Special Mini Skills Weekend

Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2014 10:26 pm
by Lucyb
Brian Blake is paddling on Saturday and I'm taking the ferry over to Clare Island on Saturday.

Re: ISKA Special Mini Skills Weekend

Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2014 12:31 pm
by afinn
I will be along also, hope to paddle oer on Friday evening, looking forwred to it.

Re: ISKA Special Mini Skills Weekend

Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2014 10:20 pm
by patriciacarraher
Hi all,

Re rockpools., Patricia also recommends a small hand lens or magnifying glass.

Trish

Re: ISKA Special Mini Skills Weekend

Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2014 12:10 am
by conorsmith
Had to come in early from this one, going out Friday evening and back Saturday. Thanks to Trish, Mary, Particia and Dave for the work put in for this weekend. Only on the island for 24hrs and wanting to head off to the lighthouse and with coming in early this evening, unfortunately I missed much of the workshops although with sheets, books etc, a lot of work and thought went into this.

My fist time on Clare Island and one for everyone to include on their "must do" list. A beautiful island if you choose to stay on solid ground, with spectacular scenery. Even more stunning from the sea and especially along the back under the cliffs.

A few pictures as follows:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/29110305@ ... 382561857/

Re: ISKA Special Mini Skills Weekend

Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 9:31 am
by Lucyb
Many thanks for organising the weekend . What more can I say but thoroughly enjoyed the scenery and Brian enjoyed the circumnavigation of Clare Island.

We will be back.
Lucy

Re: ISKA Special Mini Skills Weekend

Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 1:56 pm
by ND
Great week end, Island, scenaries, paddles and all that, thanks Trish for organising and DaveW, Mary and Pratricia for sharing their knowledge and preparing all the documents. (and Martina for the good weather!)
cheers
Nic

Re: ISKA Special Mini Skills Weekend

Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 4:09 pm
by Ranger
A big thank you to all the organizers: That was a great weekend. For anyone who was looking at the "oil slick" and "brown goo" in the bog on Saturday afternoon and would like to know more, the link below explains where they came from.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_bacteria

Ben

Re: ISKA Special Mini Skills Weekend

Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2014 11:29 am
by robinkavanagh
Thank you to all the organisers of the Clare Weekend! Good company and lots of food for thought! I am thinking of throwing together a seaweed and onion quiche for the dinner. . . :lol:

Re: ISKA Special Mini Skills Weekend

Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2014 4:09 pm
by afinn
Many thanks to all who organised the weekend and to all who participated.
What a weekend, I am not sure where to start. Five of us paddled over on Friday evening in glorious evening sun, calm seas and wonderful light.
The view from the hostel was absolutely stunning, looking back at the mountains and Croagh Patrick, I have a pic of the mountains with a cloud sitting on them like someone had "iced" them like a cake.
Saturday some went paddling but I saved myself for the Dancing, (just as well) and in the afternoon we set off on the first of our trips, Bird Watching and then Fauna.
Thanks to Dave Walsh for the enlightening talk and info on the birds, absolutely a mind opening experience, amazing what you see when you stop to look at your surroundings, Meadow Pippets danced around us as we walked the mountain track, (I used to think that they were sparrows or some such). So much explained and made clear, even the different types of gull, their facial features explained....I have started my tick list with about 10 species, well it's a start :D
Then over to the girls and the Fauna and Flowers, mind blowing stuff, thanks Patricia, Trish, Mary B Martina, and anyone ive forgotten.
I learned how to use the Macro on my camera, beautiful photos resulted. So much to see, detail that are so intricate yet missed unless you look closely, so much going on at ground level.
Along with the "serious" stuff much merriment ensued, I have not laughed so much in ages.
We discovered the original "Ba Ba Black sheep" who, it turns out has been living on the island all these years....seriously.
Myself and Martina are major share holders in a new venture, (with some minor partners and brown envelopes for Mary)...keep an eye out for us on Dragons Den in the future it will be a "Crisp" performance, enough said.
Then onto the seaweed, more knowledge shared by Trish, thanks a lot. Pepper Dulse my favourite, who knew it was there, not me anyway. Carrageen, Sea Lettuce. Wonderful stories about the Limpets, trapped Starfish, holes made in solid rock by these little organisms living in shells who go for a walk at high tide and return to exactly the same spot.
But a wonderous, peacefull, calm, stress free, informative, funny afternoon...what a life.
The evenings festivities after a lovely dinner kicked off, with a heavy emphasis on "kicked" :lol:
What a night, dancing, dancing and then some more dancing, great dancing partners, you know who you are, We danced Riverdance (although the singer asked if It was riverdance or had we danced in a river...cheek)
the walls of Limerick, The Siege of Ennis and a few more all choreographed as we went along, worked well. lots of energy from all and a great band.
Sunday, 4 of us hired bikes in the morning, up hill and down dale, myself and Rob went "off road" on occasion, across streams and fields and some dirt tracks, not for the faint hearted, Fiona and Dave also cycled.
The Abbey, beautiful and the burial place of the great Pirate Queen, the remains of centuries old drawings on the roof, "candle windows" with a view of Croagh Patrick.
All in all a really great weekend. Clare Island is a very nice place, there seems to be a peacefulness about it, it is really something special, as I suppose all the islands are in their own way. The company though was excellent, thanks again to all for a wonderfull, "mini" weekend. The only drawback was that Dave reported poor TV reception....... :lol:
Link to pics on FB
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... 743&type=1

Re: ISKA Special Mini Skills Weekend

Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2014 5:01 pm
by brianmacmahon
Thanks a million to Trish and her minions !

Wonderful weekend !

Mac