Atlantic Sea Kayaking
Great to be in touch again.

When I awoke this morning there was a rainbow on the wall, the sun beamed through a crystal hanging by the window, the magnificent call of hopeful birds filled the room.  Irish people breath a sigh of relief “summer is coming.

”This time of year is always an exciting time for us here at ASK.
Over that past few months we have been researching and preparing some new tours and offers. (See below links)

This has brought us to many parts of the globe, i.e. Baja , Veracruz, Venice, Croatia and of course Ireland.  We are very excited by the thought of introducing new visitors to our established trips such as our starlight / moon light trip – seaweed foraging trip – kayak angling trip  – seal nursery and bird ife trip – Cork City trip – Spike Island, Cork Harbour trip and of course we always have a very special welcome to our return visitors. We have also added some magical new multi experience trips including; kayaking, coastal walking, angling,  SUPs , seaweed foraging, visiting artisan food producers, experiencing the varied wild life, listening to some traditional music in the evening.
Our Cork City and Cork Harbour tours are now going into their third season and we are getting very positive feed back about our urban kayaking.
Links to our trips & Tours on our web site: www.atlanticseakayaking.com
Links to Trip advisor comments:
http://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attraction_Review-g186600-d1603705-Reviews-Atlantic_Sea_Kayaking-Cork_County_Cork.html

Here are some exciting offers over the next few weeks.

Two For One (241) offer (Bring a friend for free. West Cork only)
Monday to Friday. Inc. good Friday until the end of April.

Cork City Trips are available any day for groups of four or more people.

West Cork trips

• Saturday 23^rd March Half day trip 10.00am to 1.00pm  €50p/p
  Rolling / Rescue Clinic in the Pool.  9.00pm to 11.00pm. €40p/p

• Sunday 24^th March. Trip to seal nursery and nesting birds.

Bring Lunch.  11.00am to 3.00pm. €60p/p

Easter Weekend :

• Good Friday 29th:  Half day trip 10.00am to 1.00pm  €50p/p

Day to night trip: 5pm to 9pm  – bring light snack €60p/p

(241offer applies)

• Saturday 30th: Half day trips from Baltimore to Sherkin Island and the     Beacon including seals; 10.00am -1.00pm or 2.00pm – 5.00pm  €50p/p
  Night time trip in Lough Hyne:  6.30 pm to 9.00pm €45p/p

• Sunday:  31st. Half day trips to Rabbit  Island and Hi and Lo Island
  10.00am to 1.00pm  or  2pm to 5pm –  €50p/p
  Night time trip at Squince Beach. 6.30 pm to 9.00pm  €45p/p

• Monday : 1^st April. No fooling.

Trip 11.00am to 3.00pm to Caves and Island.€60p/p (241offer applies)

• Book any two trips Sat or Sun and get a third half price..

Kayakers are not designed to be so high ? Unless their on the water.
I step on a stairs and drift slowly into a tin tube traveling on the Jet streams.
My ears are popping  and I dream I’m in London, The Queen who missed me in Cork has invited  me to tea. Tempting, but sorry mam my tin tube is leaving for the USA and I heard you don’t have Barrys.  San Francisco here I come.  Or did I dream of crossing the Golden Gate? I’m not too sure. I remember  I’ve kayaked under it many times but now my tube is bound  for Dallas. Maybe I should pay my respects to JR, his killer finally caught up. He is now with Genie in the bottle . “Ladies and Gentlemen we are now landing in Baja Mexico” . But I was only climbing the stairs in Cork a few minutes ago, I think ? Travelling at one mile every seven  second in the shadows of the  Gods can play havoc with the mind and body clock . Id better check my I Phone maybe that remembers where we were.

I am just back form the World Adventure Trade Summit.

Lucerne became the focus for the week, like in the tower of babel language wasn’t a problem
Adventure Tourism is fast becoming the major player in the world of Tourism and Ireland is right up there on the main stage.
The week became a networking mecca with some high profile speakers all very emotional and passionate about Travel and how it need s to be nature friendly.  The Secretary General of UNWTO  Taleb Rifai spoke and acknowledged the importance of Adventure Travel and signed a agreement with the ATTA to try and stop child trafficking and abuse in the Tourism world. We were introduced to the Gutsy Traveler Marybeth Bond. Mysteries of the media were revealed to all. The art of Digital Story telling was highlighted and it importance for the future. My head is still buzzing. I was there with a great Team Ireland and indeed I am excited for Ireland when I see the passion and expertise we have in this country .
Here is a little taste of the Summit and my attempt at Digital Story Telling .
http://youtu.be/IBH97ma9YiI

It is said in Ireland that we have a great country if we could put a roof on it.

Well the Swiss seem in their organised way to have solved that problem . Everywhere I look I see umbrellas, In my room , in the train station , in the museum everywhere all there to be used and returned. What  a great idea. No wet heads cuts down on colds, dry clothes no drying bills etc. Clever and sustainable.

Today at the ATTA  Alexandra Cousteau the granddaughter of Jacques Cousteau one of the pioneers of the marine story is speaking . Looking forward to hearing her. then on to a workshop called “The mysteries of the Media revealed.”Then Consumer Behaviour Trends Revealed.
All interesting stuff

I hear a cow bell ringing in the distance this is the signal to gather for the next workshop . Im off .

Ive just witnessed a discussion between Shannon Stowell  the President of the ATTA and another amazing man called Taleb Rifai Secretary General of the UNWTO. It was special and enlightening.  They discussed the importance of active adventure tourism soft and hard. They both just signed a charter declaring support to the protection of children around the world when it comes to tourism. One thing is certain is that Adventure Tourism is gaining momentum.

Off to next presentation so, which is titled appropriately:

What successful brands know . That you do not leverage bloggers for better branding.

After a great opening ceremony the serious work begins.  Over a glass of wine Ive visited so many destinations and journalists in the networking session . Hola, Chow,Tiger Li from China, Equador, peru, Croatia USA , Canada,  Englannd, Scotland, Francce and on and on . Tour Company after Tour company . Journalist after Journalist . Faces melting into faces and on it goes for the next 5 days.

7.30 am meet the Media.
9.00 Workshops. networkiing and brainstorming all day . dinner at 8.00pm
Force yourself to bed at 12.00midnight  just before the networking cindrella turns back into a party goer . 5 days of this . Requires training , discipline and wits about ya .

I finally got myself back on the blog page.

Writing this from the Adventure Travel Trade World Summit in Lucerne Switzerland . Over 600 delegates and 50 countries represented. It is great to see Ireland holding its head up and saying our adventure Activities are as good as anywhere in the world. Thanks to many people such as Yeats, U2, Michael D Higgins to name but three we are very respected int the world of art, music and scribes. Time to sharpen up the Cead Mile Failte and get our name out there on the world stage for adventure travel. It is now a majority stake holder in main stream tourism. Failte Ireland and Tourism are definitely taking advantage of this and have sent a strong team here to the summit
I will be updating  the ATTA  news over the coming days.
If there is anyone out there reading this maybe you will let your presence be known.

In January and February we go to the fabulous Baja Peninsula in Mexico again. A very large part of this trip is the chance to go whale watching where we meet up with the Grey whales who have come all the way down from Canada to mate and give birth. Kayaking, stand up paddling, snorkelling, foraging, basking in the sun, great Mexican food … mmmmm
It certainly makes the Irish winter pass a little quicker.
We still have a few places left on this trip. But I am sure not for too much longer.