Post date: Jun 10, 2010 5:59:18 PM

This year some of the Shannon group gatecrashed the uujmc donegal Island trip. UUJ decided to break with a long standing tradition and go to Owey Island for their annual start of the summer Gola trip.

Fla called Cruit golf club to arrange a perfect Friday night camp site beside the pier at the end of the headland. An assortment of Climbers, cavers and hangers on arrived in dribs and drabs on the Friday evening. After everyone was settled in Rick sparked up a low key fire to keep the craic going into the wee hours.

Dan the Owey ferry man started shipping the troops across the sound by around half 10 on Saturday morning. The weather was stunning, so much so that Eoghan and Steph avoided the boat fare and swim across to the Island accompanied by Rick and Jenny in the Kayaks. After much ferrying of gear camp was erected a handy 2 minute dander form the harbour in Owey.

I warmed up with an attempt to shallow/deep water solo traverse the right hand side of the harbour wall. After a couple of dips I finally managed to top out on a strenuous corner before retiring back to camp somewhat pumped. That afternoon some headed east whilst most of the Shannon folk headed across to the east side of the Island. I climbed on a couple of easy short routes and Sharron and Neil climbed a couple of lines around to the left of Sting. After a brief belay bunny session most of the cavers had their sample of climbing so I had a go at sting. A fantastic VS finishing up an airy crux, Eoghan, Sharon and Steph had no problems in following my trail of blood up the route. Mean while Rick and Jenny circumnavigated the Island in their Kayaks and the rest of the guys went crag hunting on the west side of the Island.

Back to the camp site for a couple of beers before a scatter of folk gathered to go exploring the cave at the far side of the Island. Myself, Mark, Nail, Andy, TJ and Eoghan swam the length of the cave and finished at the strange orange and black formations at the end of the cave. A special mention has to go to eoghan who swam the length of the darkness (not to mention across from Cruit) in naught but a pair of Speedos! On the way out we used a climbing rope to get an idea of the scale of the place. Total length came in at around 150 meters and height up to 20 or 30 meters in height. A pretty impressive if not some what smelly spot!

Back to camp where we unfortunately had to evacuate the lovely Helen one of the English cavers due to a bought of bad tonsillitis. A massive thank you to Dan and the locals for all their assistance that evening! Not long after the fire was lit and the craic continued until a short blast of rain cleared most folk off to bed, leaving a hardy few (TJ) to keep her lit until 8 that morning.

The next day Mark and Sharron jumped on a hard line to the right of Sting (was it new get it recorded!!) on the east side of the Island while Rick and myself paddled beside 4 crazy cavers who were coasteering and exploring the 4 or 5 massive sea caves up the first narrow coastal zawn between the island proper and to smaller detached stack/island. The rest of the troop jumped, bouldered swam and played in the sun in the harbour. Returning in the Kayaks Rick gave Emma a paddling lesson and myself and Paddy attempted to traverse the harbour wall from the steps opposite the pier.

After a quick, lunch, nap, tidy and packing session most folk departed leaving 5 cavers behind to go and explore the west side of the Island that evening. Myself, Nail and Steph tamed the dragon while Eoghan and Emma jumped on two fine lines on the wall opposite (if they are new the are called emma chimney vdiff and Cavers delight, severe). The sun stayed out to ensure we could climb up until half 10 that evening. Settling down around the last of the fire wood dinner was cooked around midnight.

Emma's Chimney (VD, Eoghan Mullen and Emma Ross, yellow arrow)

The next day Eoghan and I swam across to the Island at the head the channel we had coasteered up the day before. With the assistance of a Tesco value inflatable aeroplane we dragged a 60 l dry bag across with all the toys and some dry clothes. A diff scramble and some hauling later we were up on a long high platform with lots of potential routes on the cards. I commenced battle with a steep corner that is hopefully new. Eoughan followed my trail of blood up the route and shortly after two tried climbers/ cavers/swimmers where left gasping on top of the stack. We eventually figured out our way off the far side of the stack and returned to our gear and rain. The inflatable plane had just about enough life left in into to allow safe passage back to the owey main land. The rain got torrential, camp was dropped before a pleasant return journey with Dan (who has to be the friendliest ferry man in Ireland)

All in all one of the best weekends I've had in Donegal in a long time. Thanks to all the organisers, belayers, pallet breakers, locals and Eoughan for letting me take the lead on the last climb (Now called Shannon collective, VS).

Note the trunks! The Shannon collective (VS, Stephen Read and Eoghan Mullen)