As I wade into the North Atlantic, I’m blown away by how clear the water is. There’s a light, salty breeze in the air and the gentle waves are the kind of azure blue you expect to find in Mauritius, not Mayo on the west coast of Ireland.
I’m paddling off a deserted Castle Cove, a sheltered beach on Clare, the largest island in Clew Bay, with just a couple of grazing sheep precariously close to the cliff edge above, for company.
The previous day, crossing the bay on the Clare Island Ferry from the mainland (€17 return), I watched a pod of bottlenose dolphins surf the bow. At the same time, a couple of razorbills paddled on the water and the majestic, pointed peak of Croagh Patrick glinted back on the mainland in our wake.
Shorts
Clare’s hidden cove is accessed via a steep cliffside path with a rope handhold, right beside Granuaile’s Castle, while the neighbouring Blue Flag beach is a ribbon of pale blonde sand, on full display as the ferry docks in the harbour, between the two beaches.
