ON Saturday last, the Paddle 4 Life team hosted a night-time circumnavigation of Cork city by kayak.
The free event was in aid of the eight Cork RNLI lifeboat stations – Baltimore, Ballycotton, Courtmacsherry, Castletownbere, Crosshaven, Kinsale, Union Hall and Youghal.
The kayakers were joined on the water at the Port of Cork by Crosshaven RNLI lifeboat. There were 33 paddlers on the water, from sit-in kayaks, to doubles, to SUP boards.
The group kayaking is guided by organiser and champion kayaker, Skibbereen woman Anais O’Donovan, centre, with Tim McCarthy, left, who provided safety cover, and organiser Simon Champ.
For many it was their first time attempting the circumnavigation which is almost 10km in length, for others it was their first time navigating the weirs and for others it was their first time kayaking at night.
Irish international freestyle kayaker and Skibbereen native Anaïs O’Donovan was one of the organisers.
‘We successfully raised over €3,500 (including funds from our tractor run, online and offline donations) and our goal is to raise €10,000,’ she told The Southern Star.
‘Last year the team and I paddled for 24 hours and raised €10,235,’ she added. ‘The organising team is made up of myself, Simon Champ, Ciaran Usher and Andy Jeffers. All of us are qualified instructors and very passionate about water safety. We love to get as many people as possible out enjoying the water safely, while giving them unforgettable experiences,’ she said.
To donate see idonate.ie/fundraiser/Paddle4Life
*****
Subscribe to The Southern Star today for less than €2 per week and support local, trusted journalism by clicking here.
Click here to sign up for our mailing list and get the best of West Cork delivered straight to your inbox.
