The small number of members who managed to make this years summer camp enjoyed ideal conditions from start to finish. We are in the middle of our heat wave while the continent burns up in record temperatures. We arrived on the island on Saturday around 1 o’clock on the ferry from Dun Chaoin. Luckily there was enough of a breeze to keep the midges away from us. Our chosen flat site was perched nicely above the picturesque but treacherous beach Tra Ban giving us an uninterrupted view of the beach and the ever present seals. Once tents were up we brewed ourselves a cuppa had lunch and checked out the beach for a very refreshing swim never straying far from the shore as the currents are notorious here. We set off to walk the full length of the island around 4pm which Maureen said would take 5 hours. It was my first time doing this lovely walk.
Dinners were enjoyed in the warm evening sun overlooking the beach. Soon it was time to check out the sunset over Inis Tuaisceart at 20 to 10. With a bit of cloud to the West it didnt look to me that this day was going to provide anything major.I was already missing the sound of the beach and looking at the seals so I headed back to our camp before the promised spectacular sunset.
Most of us enjoyed a good nights sleep although I was awakened a couple of times by sudden gusts of wind flapping my tent noisily. I was surprised to find it was 8.15 when I felt awake enough to rise for another day in this beautiful peaceful place, After breakfast a leisurely swim and coffee we joined the OPW tour of the islands famous authors homes most them ruins now apart from Thomas O’Criothan’s which was recently restored. Regrettably we had only brought out one days food supply and there is nothing available on the island so we reluctantly packed up and headed to the ferry for 4pm. Many thanks to Maureen for making this memorable experience happen and getting us there and back.