Crossing:
Irish Sea - North Channel

Route Distance: ~19 nm / 35.2 km
Prevailing direction: W >> E
Record: 2020 - 03:10:58
Solo: 15
Team: 17

Records

David Horkan
K1M03:10:582020
John Willacy
K1M03:25:282011
Tadhg De Barra
K1M04:09:002010
Barry Shaw
K1M05:40:002005
John Chamberlin
Robin Rhodes
Team06:36:071986
Image
Image: North Channel Crossing GPS Track

This route is the shortest crossing of the Irish Sea, on a clear day the destination can be seen for the whole trip. But don't take this route for granted, the complicated tidal flows around the Copeland Islands can make for a few nervous moments, as can the the shipping traffic transiting in or out of the Irish Sea.

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Crossing: Irish Sea - North Channel

Solo

Click column header to sort.
Posn.K1WCatPaddlerElapsedDateStartFinishBoatVerifiedNoteLink1
1K1MDavid Horkan03:10:5803-Sep-20DonaghadeePortpatrickRockpool Taran 18
Yes
2K1MJohn Willacy03:25:2826-Mar-11PortpatrickDonaghadeeRockpool Taran 18
YesPhotos
3K1MBrian Turnbull03:40:2507-Aug-15PortpatrickDonaghadeeRockpool Taran 18
YesGPS
4K1MBrian Turnbull03:49:1508-Aug-15DonaghadeePortpatrickRockpool Taran 18
YesSailGPS
5K1MDavid Horkan03:51:4330-Aug-15DonaghadeePortpatrickZegul Sea Rocket
YesBlog
6K1MTadhg De Barra04:09:0016-Jul-10DonaghadeePortpatrickKirton C-Trek
--
7(1)K1WCatriona Woods04:28:0015-Aug-17DonaghadeePortpatrickRockpool Tarantella
--
8K1MJohn Willacy04:29:5426-Mar-11DonaghadeePortpatrickRockpool Taran 18
YesPhotos
9(2)K1WCatriona Woods04:36:0419-Sep-15DonaghadeePortpatrickValley Nordkapp LV
--
10(3)K1WCatriona Woods04:42:0430-Aug-15DonaghadeePortpatrickValley Nordkapp LV
--
11(4)K1WCatriona Woods04:53:0005-Jun-13DonaghadeePortpatrickValley Nordkapp LV
--
12(5)K1WCatriona Woods04:54:0023-May-19DonaghadeePortpatrickRockpool Tarantella
--
13K1MBarry Shaw05:40:0002-Apr-05PortpatrickLarneSKUK Romany
--Link1
14K1MJohn Willacy07:52:5917-Apr-12LarneDunaverty BayRockpool Taran 18
YesBlog

14 solo paddlers

+ Solo Various

Click column header to sort.
--K1WCatPaddlerElapsedDateStartFinishBoatVerifiedNoteLink1
--K1MMike Conroy05:33:0701-Jun-2023PortpatrickGreat Copeland IslandYes

1 solo paddler

Teams

Click column header to sort.
Posn.CatPaddlerElapsedDateStartFinishBoatVerifiedNoteLink1
1K2Jessie Brown /
Will Brown		03:54:2930-Aug-17DonaghadeePortpatrick

Yes
2K2Patrick Anderson /
Ben Tolhurst		03:57:2908-Aug-22DonaghadeePortpatrickSeabird Nord L2

--
3TeamIan Kavanagh
Jim Kehoe		04:22:3926-Jun-2023DonaghadeePortpatrickPure Composites Garrarus
Pure Composites Garrarus
Yes
4TeamWill Brown
Gary McClure		04:25:0204-Jun-17BallywalterPortpatrickRockpool Taran 18
---
Yes
5K2Patrick Anderson /
Ben Tolhurst		~04:30:0007-Aug-22DonaghadeePortpatrickSeabird Nord L2

--
6TeamCatriona Woods
Patrick Woods
Elaine Alexander
Desi Law		05:04:0004-Jun-17BallywalterPortpatrickRockpool Tarantella
Rockpool Tarantella
---
---
Yes
7TeamPaul Deering
Brian Deering		05:05:5928-Aug-21DonaghadeePortpatrickVenture Easky 17
Venture Easky 17
Yes
8TeamCathal Bagnall
Catriona Woods		05:30:3218-Jun-16DonaghadeePortpatrickMega ?
---
YesGPS
9TeamJulian Haines
Emer O'Boyle		05:36:2914-Aug-2023DonaghadeePortpatrickValley Nordkapp Forti
NDK Lattitude
Yes
10TeamJulian Haines
Emer O'Boyle		06:06:5916-Aug-2023PortpatrickDonaghadeeValley Nordkapp Forti
NDK Lattitude
Yes
11TeamJoanne Campbell
Stephen Campbell
Mark Lindsay
A. McClenaghan
H. LLoyd
Terry McQueen
Robert Montgomery		06:30:0530-Aug-20DonaghadeePortpatrickP+H Scorpio LV
P+H Quest LV
Valley Aquanaut LV
Self-built Double

Valley Avocet

Yes
12TeamJohn Chamberlin
Robin Rhodes		06:36:0719-Aug-86LarnePortpatrickP+H Iceflow
Trylon Sea Hawk
--
13TeamJonny Eldridge
Chris Withers		07:32:0023-May-12PortpatrickLarneRockpool Alaw
Valley Nordkapp
--
14Team_K2Brent van der Linde /
Will Richardson
John Niven
Alex Geary-Jones		07:42:4404-May-24PortpatrickBangorNeris Valkure-2 FK
Neris Valkure-2 FK


Yes
15TeamRichard Harpham
Ollie Jay		07:45:0009-Sep-10Port Ellen
Islay		Bull Bay
Rathlin Island		Prijon ?
Prijon ?
--Blog
16TeamMartin McClenaghan
Francie Ross
Stephen Smith
John Vance		10:00:0027-Sep-13Ballintoy HarbourPorth Ellen
Islay		Valley Avocet RM
Valley Avocet RM
P+H Capella RM
---
--Blog
17TeamPhil Clegg
Barry Shaw
Harry Whelan		2005Mull of Kintyre?SKUK Explorer
SKUK Explorer
---
--

17 Teams -- 46 Paddlers

Notes

Phil Clegg / Barry Shaw / Harry Whelan (2005)
Part of GB Circumnavigation
Mike Conroy (01-Jun-2023)
Ended crossing on Great Copleand Island.
Richard Harpham / Ollie Jay (09-Sep-10)
Richard and Ollie continued on to complete the crossing, to land on the 'mainland' at Ballycastle the following morning. Paddling as part of the 'Big 5 Challenge'.
Brian Turnbull (07-Aug-15)
From Brian:"This was a fantastic day, flat seas if anything a bit hot for the job. Set off with the boiler room working well and on a preplanned course to find my pace was greater than anticipated so a bit of seat of the pants navigation to alter course thinking I was on a better line.....mistake! and lesson learned....trust the calculations! Anyway I ended up covering over 37 km which sort of spoiled what would have been a cracking time, very happy to find a chip shop right next to the steps in Donaghadee though!"
Brian Turnbull (08-Aug-15)
Return Journey 8th August - From Brian:"Overnight bivvy in a grassy hollow to the North of Donaghadee and I woke feeling enthusiastic and eager to go. This was a sail assisted crossing and it was my plan to make the whole crossing with the sail deployed however, the wind had other plans! things all got a bit hectic 2/3 rds over and managing a sail and trying to paddle efficiently with a wind blowing stronger and from a different direction from forecast meant it had to be tucked away! So it was down to paddle power for the last hour and a bit of course recovery into wind and tide, job done though."
John Willacy (26-Mar-11)
Paddled the return journey later the same day.
John Willacy (17-Apr-12)
Day 5 of GB Circumnavigation
Catriona Woods (05-Jun-13)
Catriona's attempt is possibly the first for a solo female crossing.
Brent van der Linde / Will Richardson / John Niven / Alex Geary-Jones (04-May-24)
Possibly the first crossing of the North Channel by folding kayaks?

Summary:

Crossing: Irish Sea - North Channel

Solo paddlers: 15
Team paddlers: 46
Teams: 17

Recorded Start Points:
    • Ballintoy Harbour (1)
    • Ballywalter (2)
    • Donaghadee (18)
    • Larne (2)
    • Port Ellen, Islay (1)
    • Portpatrick (7)

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