Dolphin Address 19
December 6th 2007
Nevertheless we in County Clare were a trifle disappointed. The waves had not been higher then 4, 5 metres. In itself plenty high, but by no means the 14 metres we were promised. On the other hand nearly all Monday papers had a photograph, taken at Mullaghmore, of a surfer who was dwarfed by a wave that measured eight to ten times his body length. Now I am not a surfer, but water in almost any shape fascinates me. According to well informed circles Mullaghmore , a bit north of Sligo, was a 2.5 hour drive. As I had the whole day to myself, and because for the middle of the week more high waves were predicted, I drove over here.
The centre of Mullaghmore consists of a take away Chinese and a hotel with broadband. Both came in handy and after some searching I also could find a reasonably level parking place to spend the night. So now I’m in pitch darkness at the side of a road where until now not a single car has driven by. Deep beneath me the ocean growls. Here the waves arrive at the Irish coast totally unhampered all the way from Canada. Naturally to be continued.
Wednesevening
Yesterday and today until past noon I was at ease. And rightly so. The last few days I have been driving so much that I got a callosity on my left shoulder caused by the safety belt. The wind blows incredibly powerful. I can only open the front door with both hands when I want to photograph from my veranda. The car is bucking in the wind, or rather it’s like a rodeo bull.
This afternoon depth came between the waves. I have taken a series of photos but locals assured me this was nothing compared to last Sunday. I hope I can get some sleep tonight, as tomorrow could be my gigantic wave day. Of course to be continued.
Thursevening
Plenty of storm, but really high waves, forget it. So now I could blame the Canadians or the Irish weatherforcast, but where I come from we say: ‘In hindsight you can look a cow in her posterior’. Here they say: ‘The sea giveth and the sea taketh away’, recently understood as ‘She giveth and she taketh away’.
The picture I nicked from an Irish newspaper. The rain is pitter-pattering continually for the whole week on my bus roof.
No high waves, but plenty of water.
Jan Ploeg, Mallaghhead, December 6th 2007
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