Sail Caribbean Goes Green

Thanks to Sail Caribbean's teen adventure camps, Cli, Emma, and Maria have been friends since their first summer as staff together in 2006 and 2007 (Cli joined us then!). After a few years of badgering Maria to come visit, she finally took them up on it and Sail Caribbean took Ireland by storm. Cli and Emma were kind enough to welcome Maria and show her the authentic Irish sights, people, and culture. The first few days were spent with Emma and her family in the small town of Dunlavin, about 45 minutes outside of Dublin. In those 3 days they visited Emma's nephews, Jack and Peter, drove around Blessington lake where Emma and Cli used to teach sailing and kayaking, took pictures at the famous Molly Malloy statue in Dublin and said cheers at 17:59 for Arthur's Day to celebrate the creation of Guinness.

Then they embarked on a 6-day road trip from the east coast of Ireland to the west and southern coasts. The Sail Caribbean connection has resulted in a 5-6 year friendship with tons of summer adventures, so lots of stories and jokes were passed around the car throughout the trip. They decided to pay tribute to SC and Director, Mike, by taking pictures along the journey with the SC flag and staff polos! The first stop was in Westport, on the west coast, in a small sea town known for Grace O'Malley, a seafaring pirate in the late 1500s, trad sessions at the local pubs and Croagh Patrick mountain. For the next few days they visited the city of Galway for the oyster festival (even got the 2011 champion oyster shucker's autograph!), drove through the Burren which is carved out from limestone and endless stone walls span the countryside for miles, visited the famous Gleninsheen tomb from 7,000 years ago, and photographed tons of castles and forts along the way.

For the last 3 days they drove south along the coast and visited the Cliffs of Mohr on the first truly sunny day of the trip!! The trip ended up in Lahinch for 2 nights, a place near and dear to Cli as she spent her summers as a kid here swimming, doing gymnastics and getting into trouble.The ladies  went their separate ways in the small sailing town of Kinsale after a great week together filled with exploration, good conversation and time together. Although they didn't see any leprechauns or gold at the end of the rainbow, they had a perfect trip together filled with memories and laughs of summers together at Sail Caribbean's teen adventure camps!!