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Wet, wet, wet

Wednesday, 13 August 2008

TO fully appreciate Dublin’s spectacular coastline – an often overlooked natural amenity right on our doorstep – a Sea Safari excursion should be your first port of call.
It’s hard to think of another modern, capital city in Europe that boasts such an abundance of wildlife and stunning scenery just a short boat journey away.
But this is no ordinary boat trip. Depending on weather conditions – and the makeup of your group – Sea Safari can be a white-knuckle adrenaline ride as the high-speed inflatable RIBs power effortlessly over the waves. But more of that later.
There are two departure points for Sea Safari – Malahide Marina and the IFSC Custom House Quay in the city centre. With a total of four boats in operation, maximum capacity at any one time is 46 people with generally 12 passengers per RIB.
As our group assembled at Malahide Marina, we were greeted with the type of miserable weather that has characterised our so-called summer this year. Not only was it bucketing down but visibility was also extremely poor.
Could these conditions put our eagerly anticipated trip in jeopardy?
Thankfully not. While safety is paramount to Sea Safari, their experienced team operate all-weather RIBs that meet the highest international technical and safety specifications. Hi-tech, on-board navigation equipment make excursions possible in the most extreme conditions.
Following a safety briefing with our two designated drivers, we made the collective decision to take to the seas. If anything, the poor weather added an air of excitement and mild trepidation to proceedings.
After being kitted out in our fetching two-piece ‘splash proof’ suits and life jackets, we set off slowly from Malahide Marina, admiring the expensive yachts and cruisers that lined the jetties. Once out of the marina area, our drivers opened up the throttle and the adventure began in earnest.
As luck would have it, the earlier fog had started to lift by the time we took to the water. The heavy swell hadn’t abated and it made for a breathtaking ride as we bounced our way towards Howth. At times it felt like the boat had left the water as sea spray washed over our group relentlessly.
Screams
While weather conditions may not have been for the fainthearted or casual day-tripper, we lapped up every moment of it, our screams almost drowning out the sound of the RIB’s powerful engine at times.
It’s not always this bouncy, though. While speed is a feature of Sea Safari trips, a smoother journey is generally more common during the summer. But for our group of daredevils, the heavy swell simply contributed to the enjoyment of the evening.
As challenging as it was, you always felt that you were in safe hands thanks to the competence of the drivers, who exuded confidence and experience.
And not only can these guys drive well, they’re a fountain of knowledge when it comes to local wildlife.
We slowed down as we entered Howth Harbour, attracting some bemused looks from people fishing off the east pier. We soon caught the attention of some of the Howth’s most popular residents, the harbour seals. One of them emerged from the water and popped his head up alongside our boat – he was the size of a small horse!

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” advised our driver as one of our party contemplated patting the seemingly friendly seal. “He’ll give you a nasty nip if you’re not careful.”
From the harbour we sped onwards to Ireland’s Eye, which is a wildlife lover’s paradise. On a previous Sea Safari excursion, we had enjoyed the company of a school of dolphins for this part of the trip but we weren’t so lucky this time round.
At the back of the island we saw the birdlife of Dublin’s east coast in all its glory. Gannets and Guillemots dived for fish and circled our boats as we entered the sea cave at the back of Ireland’s Eye, a feature of the trip that is dependent on tide levels.
The sun finally made an appearance as our two RIBs roared back to Malahide, providing the perfect ending to a memorable and satisfying evening.
There are a number of different route options available with Sea Safari. Lambay Island is another recommended trip, while south Dublin locations include Dalkey Island and Killiney Bay. Each trip generally lasts an hour and a half.
Events
Sea Safari is open to children over the age of eight. Groups, families, schools and corporate events are all catered for and the trips are suitable for people with special needs.
The normal price is e30 per person but this price drops to e25 if you have a group of more than 12 people. You also have the option of booking out the RIBs exclusively for your group (even if you are not filling them completely) at a price of e300 per boat.
The cost for students (with ID) is e25 and children between 8-13 are charged e20.
For bookings or further information, contact Sea Safari on 8061626 or check out the website at www.seasafari.ie

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