11^th April 2014

The following morning I woke to the chorus of bombs being detonated a few miles from my camp after having a very weird dream about trying to photograph a chip monk! 

Not really sure what that means? Anyway I was on an island with only one way on, the bridge I had crossed the day before. That meant there was only one way off, Hoolley was gonna have to get wet. Now I had two choices I either took a chance and navigated the rivers back to the sea and ultimately on to the mainland or I island hopped until I was back on the mainland. I had a few hours to contemplate my route as I hiked across the island to the other side. Meanwhile I had recieved a text from amanda letting me know my boots still hadn't arrived. I had ordered them a couple of days earlier and gave her address as the place to deliver them, subsequently I had also discovered the address that had been text me had the wrong postcode. To compound problems amanda was also about to head off to ireland for a week so if they didn't arrive before Friday I would have to wait until she got back and would have to arrange for them to be delivered elsewhere. Can't help that and nothing I could do anyway so I focused on the task at hand, getting off the island. As I approached the far side I spotted a possible launch and started to unpack Hoolley. As I did I heard an almighty splash fron behind me. I turned only to be greeted by 6 inquisitive seals. Then anothet appears, fascinated by the activities of setting Hoolley up they hung around. The sun was out and water conditions absolutely perfect so I checked Google earth one last time and decided to take the chance and head straight for the mainland. It was a pleasant paddle especially as I was escorted by two of the seals. As I approached the main river I noticed the seals had disappeared so I continued on and landed Hoolley on a small beach right opposite me. Now the adventure would become a little more interesting. There would be literally nothing down by the coast wall for a few days. Except one farm house a couple of miles from me. I headed off along the wall until I reached a tarmac road that led to the farmhouse, dropped my backpack and grabbed my hydration bladder and empty water bottle. I went up to the house and managed to get topped up. I then headed back to collect my bag and set off. I passed loads of old pill boxes reminiscent of the great wars and found some wild growing spring onions which I later added to my freeze dried beef hotpot. Finally it would taste of something  I carried on walking until it started getting dark. Along the wall I noticed a carcass, I had to stop to see what it was, at first I thought maybe a dead seal but to my surprise it was actually a dead dolphin. This was quite sad as I had hoped to see living ones on the trek and really hadn't conceived the possibility of seeing a dead, half eaten rotting corpse of a dolphin  anyway I continued on and just before the sun set I set up camp and closed my eyes. It was so quiet, it was lovely although I knew I would have to find water as a priority the following day.