"Every time I thought I had reached the peak, that the passion for the journey must certainly begin to wane, I would stumble on another experience that pulled me onward," writes Chris Duff, recounting his solo circumnavigation of Ireland by sea kayak in the summer of 1996. "Stroke by stroke, four miles an hour, Ireland was filling me with its life blood." Beginning and ending in Dublin, Duff paddled 1,200 miles over the course of three months. Sometimes he piloted his frail craft through waters too tumultuous even for hardy local fisherman; other times he sought refuge in sixth-century monastic ruins on coastal islands or waited out storms for days on end in his tent. In this sense, Duff's journey is a study in contrasting worlds: land and sea; past and present; solitude and society. The story's suspense comes not from a questionable outcome but in the surprise of daily encounters. Who or what relic of the past will the author stumble upon next? Ultimately it is Duff's openness to ancient and elemental forces, expressed in starkly honest prose, that propels his narrative through the churning waters of Irish history and landscape. But this is also the story of a sea kayaker at the top of his game, dealing with nature's harsh blows and quiet caresses. --Kristopher Kaiyala


From Publishers Weekly
In a book whose only success is bringing to life the thrashing seas of coastal Ireland and whose ultimate failure is trying to evoke the ethos of the storied isle, Duff describes a 1200-mile circumnavigation from Dublin to Dublin. A seasoned kayaker who has undertaken several herculean voyages, Duff is uniquely suited to the challenge of the west coast of Ireland, where the gushing Atlantic clashes with the rugged land. But while Duff does give readers a sense of the ocean's power and peril, he falls far short of exemplifying Ireland's reputation for inspiring creativity. Duff, who is of Irish descent, plays on the theme of the journey as a route to self-discovery, but does so in a way that hardly captivates. Often Duff seems to get in the way of his story, when the focus should be on Ireland itself. There is no doubt that the island's beauty and majesty move Duff, but his attempts to convey his feelings are often cloying. "In a hushed voice that came deep from within," he writes on encountering a sea bird, "I said: 'You are so beautiful my friend. What have you seen and where have you been today?' " The few insights into Ireland's culture and history come from the locals Duff meets. But these encounters are tainted by a formula that wears thin quickly: the fisherman or villager expresses disbelief at Duff's undertaking, Duff assures them that he is serious and they proclaim that he must be mad. Though the trip is not always pretty, Duff is able to pull himself through adversity, and the sheer achievement of finishing speaks for itself. Duff's book, however, is not nearly as impressive an accomplishment. (July) Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
Duff, one of the worlds top names in sea kayaking, has traveled over 14,000 miles by kayak since 1983. Not one to do anything by halves, he was the first person to circumnavigate the Island of Great Britain. In 1996, he made the 1200-mile kayak trip around Ireland and became the only person ever to have soloed the British Isles in their entirety. With rich prose, Duff eloquently describes the sights, culture, history, and people of the Irish coast. His writing evokes both the force of nature as he describes his fight with the waves at the mouth of the Shannon River and the civility of tea and scones in a quaint pub in Clare. Suitable for both public and academic libraries catering to a clientele interested in travel narratives.ASandra Knowles, Henderson Cty. P.L., Hendersonville, NC Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Kirkus Reviews
Noted kayaker Duff takes a slow boat 'round Ireland, though more than an equal amount of time was spent on land. He went places, saw things, let the sights and sounds and historical atmospherics wash over him like the sea swept his boat. Duff's 1,200-mile circumnavigation of the Emerald Isle had its share of exciting moments out on the raw edges of the Atlantic, reported with unrushed informalityincluding wicked rips and rogue waves and rocky cliffs closer than they ought to be. There were basking sharks and dolphins and more gannets and puffins than one could shake a stick at. Yet it is when Duff hits land that he also hits his stride as a storyteller. Like a good pilgrim, he pushes and tarries: he sets up camp, wanders off and explores, isn't afraid to strike up a conversation or play the stranger in a local saloon. For his intrepidity, he is allowed to witness the everyday and its gift of transcendence. In Dingle, he steps into a dimly lit street-side room; pipes and a goat skin drum sound a plaint: ``In the space of a few moments my heart had been torn apart by the terrible pain of the lament, then miraculously sewn together by the love the music blossomed with.'' The island stirs Duff, and he opens himself to each experience: in the beehive huts of a 14-century-old monastery on Skellig, the pubs where a Guiness is pulled for him and his adventure deemed sheer madness, the pre-Celtic ruins of Great Blasket, the ring forts and legends, the abandoned and tumbledown stone cottages where he occasionally takes sanctuary for the night. The numinousness of these places comes to him in dribs and dabs, slowly accruing, until he can taste the history through which he walks. Here is a fine, old-fashioned travelogue. Duff sallies forth and returns with a magical story for those left behind. (photos, not seen) -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.


Book Description
A sea kayak battles the freezing Irish waters as the morning sun rises out of the countryside. On the western horizon is the pinnacle of Skellig Michael-700 feet of vertical rock rising out of exploding seas. Somewhere on the isolated island are sixth-century monastic ruins where the light of civilization was kept burning during the Dark Ages by early Christian Irish monks. Puffins surface a few yards from the boat, as hundreds of gannets wheel overhead on six foot wing spans. The ocean rises violently and tosses paddler and boat as if they were discarded flotsam. This is just one day of Chris Duff's incredible three month journey.



From the Publisher
"Chris Duff's On Celtic Tides is a descriptively beautiful blend of adventure, brotherhood, mystery, philosophy, history and self-fulfillment. It is an anthem to life and life's rewarding pursuits among the waves, the heather, the country folk of Ireland...yet not just Ireland, but the world at large." --Larry Kaniut, Bestselling author of ALASKA BEAR TALES "The power of this voyage is often tempered with remarkable intimacy. I recommend you take a ride at wave level with Chris Duff as he fights his way through ferocious seas, then brings you closer to a truly enchanted isle." --David Hays, Co-author of the New York Times bestseller MY OLD MAN AND THE SEA "A tender and terrifying story. No one has written better of huge, cold seas in a very small boat, of self discovery in the face of fear, and of gentle moments with Irish people." --Audrey Sutherland, 10,000 mile solo world paddler and Author of PADDLING MY OWN CANOE and PADDLING HAWAII "Chris Duff vividly evokes the experience of ocean kayaking, in all its extremes and subtleties. He captures the rhythms of a long journey by kayak, and his accounts of paddling the unpredictable seas around the coast of Ireland are absolutely gripping." --Maria Coffey, Author of A BOAT IN OUR BAGGAGE: Around the World With a Kayak


About the Author
Chris Duff has traveled over 14,000 miles by sea kayak since 1983 when he paddled 8,000 miles around the eastern third of the United States and Canada. In 1986 he became the first person to solo the entire British Isles and is currently planning a solo circumnavigation of New Zealand's south island. Chris is a contributing author to the book Seekers of the Horizon and has written for Sea Kayaker magazine and the International Sea Kayaking Association. He lectures across the country and lives in Port Angeles, Washington.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

A sea kayak battles the freezing Irish waters as the morning sun rises out of the countryside. On the western horizon is the pinnacle of Skellig Michael - seven hundred feet of vertical rock rising out of exploding seas. Somewhere on the isolated island are sixth-century monastic ruins where the light of civilization was kept burning during the Dark Ages by early Christian Irish monks. The ocean rises violently and tosses paddler and boat as if they were discarded flotsam. This is just one day of Chris Duff's incredible three-month journey. On Celtic Tides is an intricately woven tapestry of two journeys: one of the sea with its moments of tranquillity and contrasting terror, the other, an inner exploration - a spiritual awakening born of the haunting beauty and rich history that Duff discovers among the stone ruins of island monasteries and coastal cottages.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

In a book whose only success is bringing to life the thrashing seas of coastal Ireland and whose ultimate failure is trying to evoke the ethos of the storied isle, Duff describes a 1200-mile circumnavigation from Dublin to Dublin. A seasoned kayaker who has undertaken several herculean voyages, Duff is uniquely suited to the challenge of the west coast of Ireland, where the gushing Atlantic clashes with the rugged land. But while Duff does give readers a sense of the ocean's power and peril, he falls far short of exemplifying Ireland's reputation for inspiring creativity. Duff, who is of Irish descent, plays on the theme of the journey as a route to self-discovery, but does so in a way that hardly captivates. Often Duff seems to get in the way of his story, when the focus should be on Ireland itself. There is no doubt that the island's beauty and majesty move Duff, but his attempts to convey his feelings are often cloying. "In a hushed voice that came deep from within," he writes on encountering a sea bird, "I said: `You are so beautiful my friend. What have you seen and where have you been today?' " The few insights into Ireland's culture and history come from the locals Duff meets. But these encounters are tainted by a formula that wears thin quickly: the fisherman or villager expresses disbelief at Duff's undertaking, Duff assures them that he is serious and they proclaim that he must be mad. Though the trip is not always pretty, Duff is able to pull himself through adversity, and the sheer achievement of finishing speaks for itself. Duff's book, however, is not nearly as impressive an accomplishment. (July) Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal

Duff, one of the worlds top names in sea kayaking, has traveled over 14,000 miles by kayak since 1983. Not one to do anything by halves, he was the first person to circumnavigate the Island of Great Britain. In 1996, he made the 1200-mile kayak trip around Ireland and became the only person ever to have soloed the British Isles in their entirety. With rich prose, Duff eloquently describes the sights, culture, history, and people of the Irish coast. His writing evokes both the force of nature as he describes his fight with the waves at the mouth of the Shannon River and the civility of tea and scones in a quaint pub in Clare. Suitable for both public and academic libraries catering to a clientele interested in travel narratives.--Sandra Knowles, Henderson Cty. P.L., Hendersonville, NC Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Noted kayaker Duff takes a slow boat 'round Ireland, though more than an equal amount of time was spent on land. He went places, saw things, let the sights and sounds and historical atmospherics wash over him like the sea swept his boat. Duff's 1,200-mile circumnavigation of the Emerald Isle had its share of exciting moments out on the raw edges of the Atlantic, reported with unrushed informality—including wicked rips and rogue waves and rocky cliffs closer than they ought to be. There were basking sharks and dolphins and more gannets and puffins than one could shake a stick at. Yet it is when Duff hits land that he also hits his stride as a storyteller. Like a good pilgrim, he pushes and tarries: he sets up camp, wanders off and explores, isn't afraid to strike up a conversation or play the stranger in a local saloon. For his intrepidity, he is allowed to witness the everyday and its gift of transcendence. In Dingle, he steps into a dimly lit street-side room; pipes and a goat skin drum sound a plaint: "In the space of a few moments my heart had been torn apart by the terrible pain of the lament, then miraculously sewn together by the love the music blossomed with." The island stirs Duff, and he opens himself to each experience: in the beehive huts of a 14-century-old monastery on Skellig, the pubs where a Guiness is pulled for him and his adventure deemed sheer madness, the pre-Celtic ruins of Great Blasket, the ring forts and legends, the abandoned and tumbledown stone cottages where he occasionally takes sanctuary for the night. The numinousness of these places comes to him in dribs and dabs, slowly accruing, until he can taste the history through which he walks.Here is a fine, old-fashioned travelogue. Duff sallies forth and returns with a magical story for those left behind. (photos, not seen)