A PASSION FOR THE SEA
FIRST INTRODUCED TO KAYAKING BY A FRIEND IN OCTOBER AND NOW COMPETING IN RACES, IT’S A SPORT THAT HAS IT ALL SAYS JACKIE CUNNINGHAM
WITHIN two seconds of sitting in her 17 foot kayak for the first time last year, Jackie Cunningham found herself face down in the water. Some may have decided to give up but not Jackie. Instead she was determined to keep going and roll on a few months, she’s at ease out on the Atlantic coast and even signed up for her first race down in Cork.
The Scarden native speaks passionately about the sport and it’s clear those early shaky moments are all but a distant memory now. She told the Sligo Champion: “My friend Chris McDaid, who set up the North Mayo Sea Kayakers, was with me that day and I remember when I first sat in I went straight over. It happens but in a way it made me more determined to stay upright. I was recommended to go to John Barrett of Wild Wet Adventures and he’s been my coach since. I would really recommend him. When I first went to John, I was saying that I cannot stay upright and I was generally on the wrong side of the water!,” Jackie laughed. She started out on smaller 8 foot river boats and then was more comfortable with the 17 foot kayak. “I bought all the gear you need, wetsuit, buoyancy aid, two paddles because you always need a spare and a dry suit, which is expensive enough. They say that you can last 4/ 5 hours in water with a dry suit before hypothermia sets in although I wouldn’t like to try that out.
“I really took to kayaking, I could see myself really liking it so I persevered.
“Yes, of course you fall over countless times that’s all a part of it.
“When I was first starting out with John it was on lakes around Temple House.
“Typical for me, it was coming into the winter months and I had the notion it was a great time to start kayaking!
“I remember one day we were out on the lake and I saw something was wrong in the distance.
“There was a swan stuck in the ice trying to take off and then awhile later I was paddling through ice.
“John jokingly said to do a roll,” she added. Adter a few sessions on the lake, Jackie was determined to go kayaking on the sea. “It was something I was pushing to get at. I like the sea, living close to it and walking the shores.
“So our first outing was from Aughris Pier. I think I aged ten years in five minutes,” Jackie laughed. “It was a totally different feeling, the movement under the boat.
“John was saying the boat is designed to float and it is going to float so don’t worry.
“We then went from the Beach Bar paddling across to Aughris Pier. Going out, I was doing what they call the grip of death, holding the paddle so hard I couldn’t feel my hands. All I could see was this wall of water,” she added. Although it might sound daunting with practise came confidence and now Jackie regularly kayaks with Chris and the North Mayo Sea Kayakers around the Irish coast. “I go out with them a lot because I love sea kayaking. Most people in this area are into river or whitewater kayking but when it comes to the sea I find it is absolutely amazing. It’s absolutely fabulous, seeing the coast from a different perspective.
“Going from Aughris Pier turning left towards Easkey, there’s a fabulous cave up there. You get a totally different perspective view from out on the sea.
“Kayaking on the sea is a challenge. I’ve gone around Benwee Head at Broadhaven with a very good crew of very experienced kayakers, that was challenging as I was never in water like that before. It did scare the bejaysus out of me but going a step further did give me more confidence.”
Jackie added: “A lot say don’t push yourself too much and that’s all well and good but you have to also think from a safety point of view. If you fall into the water then you are putting others at risk too. There has to be a fine line between pushing yourself and being totally stupid.”
She’s come a long way since falling in seconds after getting in the kayak, so much so that she’s competing in Cork. “I’ve entered a competition from Monkstown to Cork Harbour, it’s 13KM. Don’t ask me how long it’s meant to take,” she quipped.
Her coach, John, has been a brilliant guide as she took to the water. “John has seen me petrified and calms me down.
“There’s no shouting or anything from him, he’ll come up and ask what I’m worried about. I would highly recommend him as an instructor,” she added.
Jackie tries to train at least twice a week and normally sets out from Rosses Point. She organised a worthy fundraiser recently for the Sligo RNLI in light of the tragedy of Rescue 116.
“After the terrible tragedy of the rescue helicopter, I decided to have a fundraiser as the Coast Guard is State- funded but the RNLI is voluntary.
“I spoke to John and he helped organise five instructors to give up their time for a coaching session. “We contacted the local kayak clubs such as Sligo, North Mayo etc and a lot of people turned up for the coaching session on self rescue and also rescuing other people.
“We raised € 630 for the RNLI and we’re thinking of making it an annual event,” she added.
Knowing what to do when you or someone else goes in the water is paramount to kayaking.
“You have to be able to get back on your kayak when you are say two miles out at sea or the next port of call is the RNLI.
“It’s all about training and going out with experienced paddlers.
“Within the different clubs and groups, the more experienced paddlers will always look after the beginners.”
Jackie has come a long way since that slightly tense first taster of kayaking back in October.
“I love it. Kayaking is a great sense of freedom and it’s very relaxing too.
“When you are out there on the sea, everything else goes out of your head.
“There is no comparison in the view from being on the coastline to looking at it from the sea.
“It is challenging but there is a great sense of fun and I’ve met a great bunch of people,” Jackie said.
“I met up with the ISKA ( Irish Sea Kayakers Association) who do meets during the summer. They had one recently in Streamstown and we had good fun with a BBQ on the beach.
Most days Jackie’s beloved dog Archie is there to greet her on her approach to land and if he’s lucky, gets a little spin too.
I THINK I AGED TEN YEARS IN FIVE MINUTES THE FIRST TIME I WENT OUT ON THE SEA! IT WAS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT MOVEMENT UNDER THE BOAT.