Sea Kayaking Donegal

This course will be your first step on an incredible sea kayak journey in Donegal.

Sea Kayaking Donegal are running an introduction course to sea kayaking over two weekend days in April on Saturday 5th and Saturday 12th. This is a great opportunity to try our closed cockpit, sit in sea kayaks and pick up the skills needed for paddling on the sea in a sheltered water environment.

This introduction course could be used as a stepping stone onto our popular long term kayak development program which has the aim of giving participants the opportunity of learning the skills and knowledge to kayak all year round in some of Donegal’s most amazing coastal and Island locations.

Cost for the full course is €100 per person and all equipment and coaching is supplied. Course times and exact venues/locations in Donegal will be chosen closer to the course date to make the best use of the prevailing weather/sea conditions. Max paddler weight limit for the sea kayaks is 95kg. No previous kayak experience is required but Participants would need to have a good level of fitness and water confidence to take part in the course.

A deposit will be required to hold your place. Please email seakayakingdonegal@gmail.com for further info and reserve your place.

Leave a Comment

Posted on March 4, 2025 by unseendonegal

Uncategorized

Kayak Donegal, kayak group donegal, kayak training, kayak training Donegal, Kayaking Donegal, sea kayak training, sea kayak training Donegal, Sea kayaking Donegal

The aim of our long term paddler sea kayak training program is to allow you gain the kayak skills, knowledge and experience in becoming an independent paddler on the sea. The training which is due to start in April/May 2025 and continue throughout the year will use different venues and environments in Donegal. All training equipment needed for the training group can be supplied including kayaks, paddles and paddlewear.

Being part of the group gives people the opportunity to gain kayaking skills in some of the most breathtaking and wild seascapes Ireland has to offer, all under the safe leadership of experienced British Canoeing and Canoe Ireland qualified kayak coaches.

Being a member of our long term paddler development group can also give you access to our sea trips group which are peer lead and our winter program- learning to kayak roll on our swimming pool course.

No previous kayaking experience is needed but as most of the training takes place on the sea, people have to be aware that sea kayaking can be physically challenging along with at times the environment we will be paddling in. As the kayaks we will be using for the training are sit inside sea kayaks with closed cockpits ( not sit on tops ) we will be using spray decks to practice rescue drills in open water. We advise that people who sign up for the training would need to have a good level of fitness and water confidence to take part. The paddler max weight limit for the sea kayaks is 95kg (15 stone).

All of our tours and kayak training sessions are guided by a fully updated qualified and experienced level 3 sea kayak coach.

If you would like the chance to become a proficient Donegal sea kayaker and progress your paddling skills throughout the year or would like some further info please contact James at seakayakingdonegal@gmail.com or through the contacts page here on our website.

Sea Kayaking Donegal is a registered sea kayak delivery partner with British Canoeing and Canoeing Ireland. https://www.canoe.ie/registered-providers/ and British Canoeing https://gopaddling.info/delivery-partners/sea-kayaking-donegal/

Leave a Comment

Posted on February 9, 2024 by unseendonegal

Travel and explore

a, Adventure, canoeing, Donegal, Donegal Islands, Kayak, kayak training, kayaking, Kayaking Donegal, Nature, sea kayak training, Sea kayaking Donegal, Sea Kayaking Ireland, SeaKayaking, Travel

If you have ever fancied being a sea kayaker in Donegal but didn’t know where or how to start. Well here is your chance!

Sea Kayaking Donegal are running an introduction day to sea kayaking on Saturday 29th July. This is a great opportunity to try out our sit inside sea kayaks and learn the basic skills needed for paddling on the sea in a sheltered water environment.

The venue will be the best west Donegal location that will suit the prevailing weather conditions for that day. The meeting up time will be confirmed closer to the date and course duration is 6 hours.

This intro course could further be a stepping stone onto our long term kayak development groups, peer lead sea kayak trips and our winter swimming pool course.

Cost for the one day course is €90 per person and all equipment can be supplied including sea kayaks, paddles, wetsuits, paddling jackets, gloves, helmets and footwear if needed. Course times and exact venues/locations in Donegal will be chosen closer to the course date to make the best use of the prevailing weather/sea conditions. Max weight limit for the sea kayaks is 95kg. Participants would need to confirm they have a good level of fitness and water confidence to take part in the course and are within the weight limit for the sea kayaks.

A deposit will be required to hold your place.

Please contact us here for further info and to reserve your place.

Pictures below of our current long term development training groups out on the water so far this year.

Leave a Comment

Posted on July 1, 2023 by unseendonegal

Travel and explore, Uncategorized

Donegal, Kayak, Sea kayak, sea kayak training, Sea kayaking Donegal, Sea Kayaking Ireland

Sea Kayaking Donegal is a registered sea kayak delivery partner with British Canoeing and Canoeing Ireland. https://www.canoe.ie/registered-providers/ and British Canoeing https://gopaddling.info/delivery-partners/sea-kayaking-donegal/

All of our tours and kayak training sessions are guided by a fully updated qualified and experienced level 3 sea kayak coach.

The aim of our long term paddler sea kayak training program is to allow you gain the kayak skills, knowledge and experience in becoming an independent paddler on the sea. The training which is due to start in April and continue throughout the year using different venues and environments in Donegal and all training equipment needed can be supplied.

Being a member of our long term paddler development group can also give you access to our peer lead sea trips group and our winter program- learning to kayak roll on our swimming pool course.

As most of the training takes place on the sea, people have to be aware that sea kayaking can be physically challenging along with at times the environment we will be paddling in. As the kayaks we will be using for the training are sit inside sea kayaks with closed cockpits ( not sit on tops ) we will be using spraydecks to practice rescue drills in open water. We advise that people who sign up for the training would need to have a good level of fitness and water confidence. The paddler max weight limit for the sea kayaks is 95kg (15 stone).

If you would like the chance to become a proficient sea kayaker and progress your paddling skills and would like some further info please contact James at seakayakingdonegal@gmail.com or through the contacts page here on our website.

Our 2022 sea kayak training group using different environments and venues around the Donegal coastline and Islands as part of their training program.

2 Comments

Posted on February 1, 2023 by unseendonegal

Uncategorized

Adventure, Atlantic Ocean, Donegal, Exploration, Explore, Ireland, kayak training, sea kayak training, Sea kayaking Donegal, Seascape, Wildlife

We want to say thank you to all the people who have come along on our sea kayak tours over the last few years since we changed into Sea Kayaking Donegal. We wanted to concentrate more time to our full day tours and kayak training. We have meet some cute kayakers over this time and as you can see from the video paddled to some of the best sea kayak destinations along the Donegal coastline and Islands. This footage highlights some of our favorite Donegal terrain from towering cliffs, sea caves, sea arches, rocky coves and of course some of the best coastal waterfalls along the way!

If you ever get the notion to become a sea kayaker and get the chance to visit some of these cool locations drop us a line to James at seakayakingdonegal@gmail.com

Music: Cute Kittens Lick Cream by Gyoa Valtysdottir.

Cute Kittens go Kayaking

Leave a Comment

Posted on July 12, 2022 by unseendonegal

Travel and explore

Atlantic Ocean, Donegal, Donegal guide, Donegal Ireland, Donegal Islands, Exploration, Explore, kayak adventure, kayaking, Kayaking Donegal, learn to sea kayak, Sea, Sea arch, sea caves, Sea kayak, sea kayak training, Sea kayaking Donegal, Sea Kayaking Ireland, Sea Stacks, SeaKayaking, Seals, Seascape, Unseen Donegal, Wildlife

If you are ever going nowhere in particular you may just find yourself on Illantra.

Just off the west coast of Donegal this small uninhabited ( by humans ) Island is beloved by creatures and birds who live, from the sea. Forgotten by people with no houses, no roads, no farming it’s complete bliss when encountered by an infrequent visitor.

Keep exploring to find your own Illantra or I might find you there the next time I go!

Music: Departure ( Lullaby ) by Angele Dubeau

Illantra Island

Leave a Comment

Posted on May 26, 2022 by unseendonegal

Travel and explore

Adventure, Donegal, Donegal Ireland, Donegal Islands, Exploration, Explore, Illantra, Ireland, MythicalIsland, Seascape, Travel, Wildlife

If you would like to see all the remote wild places in Donegal, cliffs, dark caves, sea tunnels, sea arches, raging rivers and waves then we have you covered. Just click the Horn Head photo and away you go. Once you are there, please subscribe to Sea Kayaking Donegal to enjoy our tours and sessions as there are plenty more to come!

Leave a Comment

Posted on April 6, 2021 by unseendonegal

Travel and explore

Donegal guide, Donegal Islands, Donegal rivers, Kayak trips Donegal, kayaking, Kayaking Donegal, kayaksurf, learn to sea kayak, sea caves, sea kayak training, Sea kayaking Donegal, Sea Kayaking Ireland, SeaKayaking, Seascape, Unseen Donegal

Our Sea Kayaking Donegal website photo gallery has been updated with pictures featured from our 2021 sea kayak tours. I hope the new gallery shows the diverse nature of our sea kayaking tours and what we have to offer with the different environments and locations along the Donegal coast and Islands that we get to travel and paddle in.

Here’s hoping this year that we will have some great Atlantic sea conditions and good settled weather for our 2022 season. We hope to catch up with you out there soon for some great sea kayak paddling!

James & Angela.

2 Comments

Posted on January 15, 2021 by unseendonegal

Travel and explore

active Donegal, Activities Donegal, Adventure, Adventure Travel, Atlantic Ocean, “featured.”, Donegal, Donegal guide, Donegal Islands, eco tours, Kayaking Donegal, learn to sea kayak, Marine life, Sea arch, sea caves, Sea kayak, sea kayak award, sea kayak training, Sea kayaking Donegal, Sea Kayaking Ireland, Sea Stacks, SeaKayaking, Seascape, Unseen Donegal, Wild Atlantic Way, Wildlife

I managed to sneak over to one of our main Donegal headlands just as lock down was coming to an end. I was pleasantly surprised to see so many summer visitors who have flocked to our shores and have taken up residence along the cliffs for the summer. Thousands of sea birds.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

It’s hard to remember seeing such big numbers of nesting birds along the cliffs so it just might be a bumper year for them. The main type of sea birds nesting at this site are Northan Fulmar, common Guillemonts, Shag’s, Cormorants, hundreds of Razorbills and the odd stray Puffin.

Luckily I did manage to get some snaps with the long lens from the sea kayak but not along the main cliffs as they were to exposed to the wind and it was impossible to keep position or stay upright holding the camera for long. The GoPro footage below gives a better idea of the number of birds flying about the place. I hope to get back out there again a few more times before the summer is out to see and experience this amazing spectral again.

James.

2 Comments

Posted on June 9, 2020 by unseendonegal

Travel and explore

Activity, Adventure, Atlantic Ocean, Cliffs, cormorants, Exploration, Explore, Fulmar, Guillemont, Ireland, kayaking, Natural, Nature, Northern Ireland, Outdoors, Puffins, Razorbills, Sea birds, Shags, Travel, Wildlife

By putting together my knowledge of grey seal pupping sites with Conor’s degree in Zoology from NUI Galway, we were able to get our research notes published in this years edition of The Irish Naturalist Journal https://irishnaturalistsjournal.org/

Entrance to a well sheltered grey seal breeding site

Little is known about the grey seal cryptic breeding sites dotted along the Donegal coastline and accompanying offshore Islands, and Conor and I thought it was about time that we changed that. Cryptic grey seal habitats are obscure sites (sea caves in this case) that are very difficult to access and observe, and as a consequence, are often missed altogether during seal population surveys. It has been reported that up to 45% of all seal pups birth are from cave sites,( Stringell et al.) so our research could provide valuable unsampled data.

Seal pup development at a cryptic site

We have so far identified several cryptic grey seal sites along the Donegal coastline, and we’re looking forward to investigating and researching all these sites in the future. Hopefully, we’ll be able to produce some more useful data soon!

Navigating through a dark sea cave

Leave a Comment

Posted on May 4, 2020 by unseendonegal

Travel and explore

Atlantic Ocean, Caves, Donegal, Donegal Islands, Exploration, Explore, Gaeltacht islands, Grey seal research, Grey seals, Ireland, Marine life, Natural, Nature, Northern Ireland, Outdoors, Remote, sea caves, seal research, Seals, Ulster, Uninhabited, Unseen Donegal, Wildlife

Donegal’s Rocky Whitewater Slides

High in the foothills of the Bluestack mountains you will find one of Donegal’s best loved kayaking secrets, a succession of several rock slides known affectionately as the Slabs. Getting the right water levels to run this section of river is notoriously tricky at the best of times and the Slabs are classed mostly as continues grade 3 white water and up to grade 4 on high water, so a good level of knowledge and ability is required to run this river. Here in this footage we are running the Slabs and the lower part of the river on medium water levels ( grade 3 ) Music is by Speckled Red. Enjoy the ride!

James.

Leave a Comment

Posted on February 20, 2020 by unseendonegal

Uncategorized

active Donegal, Activities Donegal, Adventure, Bluestack mountains, Donegal, Donegal rivers, Exploration, Ireland, Kayak, kayaking, Kayaking Donegal, Northern Ireland, Outdoors, river, Travel, Ulster, Unseen Donegal, White water, White water kayaking

Sunny Winter Surf

Winter can be the best part of the year for kayak surfing on the Atlantic coast of Donegal, below is some footage from a November kayak surf at a completely deserted Dooey beach. Not only is the sun shining but the water temperature is pretty good and some nice waves coming into the beach.

Leave a Comment

Posted on December 10, 2019 by unseendonegal

Travel and explore

Adventure, Atlantic Ocean, Beach, Explore, Ireland, Kayak, kayaking, Northern Ireland, Sea, Sky, Surf, surfing, Travel, waves

Sea Kayaking Donegal

Exploring the Donegal Wild Atlantic Way from the Ocean sea kayak trips in Donegal Ireland

Sea Kayaking Introduction Course

Donegal sea kayak training group 2025

Introduction to Sea Kayaking day Saturday 29th July 2023.

New Sea Kayaking Donegal Training Group 2023

Cute Kittens Go Kayaking

Illantra The Mythical Donegal Island.

New YouTube Channel.

New Photo Gallery.

Summer Visitors

Cryptic Grey Seal Sites West Donegal

Donegal’s Rocky Whitewater Slides

Sunny Winter Surf

Facebook

YouTube Channel