#mullaghmore head

Off I went to Sligo and hit the curse of Sundays and Bank Holidays of the west of Ireland where nothing opens or doesn't open until 12pm. I arrived in Sligo at 10.30ish am. 🙄. So I walked for a bit in the pouring rain before I went back to the car and sat in it for an hour until the shops opened and they were far and few between. I'm spoilt where I live as the shops open every day, including Sundays and Bank Holidays but it's not unusual for the West of Ireland to follow the old tradition of closing on Sundays.

Here is a photo of Sligo...

I then moved onto a place called Standhill which is where you can go to learn to surf. Really fab beach and thankfully the rain stopped!

There is another flat table top mountain here in Sligo called Benbulben. It can pretty much be seen from all the places I drove around today. Not the best photo but I can't drive and take photos as I drive cos that's a no no and dangerous! 🙈

Next I headed for a place called Coney Island which you can only reach when the tide is out. The tide was out but I wasn't taking the change to drive across the sand. Two cars did but i saw them stop halfway across so yeah no thanks...

Next I went to a place called Drumcliff where W. B. Yeats is buried. He was an Irish poet and a really important figure in Irish literature. He was also involved in opening the Abbey Theatre in Dublin.

I then headed to a beach called Streedagh which is a beautiful beach and the sun really came out as I arrived so I sat for an hour on the sand, just enjoying the weather.

I then headed along the wild atlantic way towards Mullaghmore Head and my goodness when the sun shines, Ireland is stunning! Just beautiful...

I have a ten photo limit and could post so many more but I think it gives an idea.

So that's my statcation done. I'm headed back home tomorrow which is sad (cos holidays are nearly over the thoughts of work is killing me) but it is always nice to go home.

And I have my second vaccine on wednesday. It was booked for Saturday but I cancelled it as I was on holidays and was given a new date for wednesday which suits better.

Its been a lovely 6 days and though sitting on a sun lounger in Spain is always fun, Ireland is stunning, even more so when we get the weather and it was a fun adventure to drive around. I must get a map of Ireland and draw out the route because I literally went from east to sout east, then south west, then west to north west. Really county hopped!

Kurt Rist in ‪Ireland‬

XXL Big Wave Awards Submissions

Storms raged throughout northern Europe, battering coastlines and clawing trees from the ground like a gardener rips out weeds. Foam jets leaped into the air as water met rock and all the while we cowered. Hatches battened down, we waited, looking on with concern and amazement. 

But whilst the St. Jude's day tempest roared with a fury that terrified some, still others saw a silver lining to the black clouds. Seizing the storm by the horns, the most talented and fearless big wave surfers on the planet dived headlong into the maelstrom and held on for dear life.

Some crashed spectacularly under the weight of tumbling houses (Maya Gabeira among them); some flew along the surface of the water, boards rattling beneath their feet, all but expecting to take flight. But for the injured and the inspired alike, this was a day and a storm not to be forgotten.

Nazare, Portugal.