our friends electric
Back to work today after a fantastic week off in west Cork and Stradbally.
The 5 days in Cork were so relaxing, just myself E and S went down in the end. The others that were supposed to come down couldn't due to unforseen and unfortunate circumstances.
But we made the best of it, just the three of us in a huge house with views of rolling hills sweeping down to the sea. The local pub was just down the road, 2 mins walk so we went down there a few evenings.
During the days we did some diving from Aquaventures, a diving centre in Baltimore. I would recommmend them to anyone, very nice people and an efficient relaxed operation. The dives we did were 2 wrecks and 2 scenic dives. The wrecks were pretty broken up, and i had done them before. The Alondra and the Illyrian were the wrecks in question. Nice dives though. At the Alondra, if your navigation is ok you end up at a gully on Cape Clear island where teh ship went aground. The gully is worthy of a dive itself with two vertical opposing walls about 1-2 metres apart, covered in sponges and dahlia anemones (or anenomes? can never get that one right)
Unfortunately the weather was against us doing one of the classic wreck dives of the area, the Kowloon Bridge, and the experience level of the other divers on the boat prevented us from going to the U260. I will have to get back with a more experienced gang to do those. Aparently the Kowloon Bridge is to be salvaged though and will be cut up... so get it whilst it's hot is the name of the game.
I left the others down in Cork on the Thursday to make it back for the Electric Picnic...
Despite some messy weather (and messier campsites) I had a total blast. 3 days of good music and fun. Was there with my bro, cousins Joe and Sarah, and a good few friends.
Musical highlights of the weekend for me were:
Damien Rice
Tilly and the Wall (just a hilarious fun gig!)
Rufus Wainwright (not as good as at Vicar street last year, but pretty good)
Pet Shop Boys
Youngblood brass band
Superfurry Animals Acoustic Bingo
the Frames
Groove Armada
Disappointing were Belle and Seb, The Rapture (surprisingly didn't do it for me, i think i was in a fadeout moment though), Mogwai
Inevitably i missed some reportedly great shows due to clashes/general mayhem. I should have gone to see Antony & the Johnsons, Sparks, The Boy least likely to etc etc etc etc etc
I also didn't go to the comedy tent at all this year and spent very little time in the Bodytonic tent. Went to hear Laurent Garnier though.
bad buzz of the weekend: some thieving miscreant swiped my Oakley's.
pics to follow...
The 5 days in Cork were so relaxing, just myself E and S went down in the end. The others that were supposed to come down couldn't due to unforseen and unfortunate circumstances.
But we made the best of it, just the three of us in a huge house with views of rolling hills sweeping down to the sea. The local pub was just down the road, 2 mins walk so we went down there a few evenings.
During the days we did some diving from Aquaventures, a diving centre in Baltimore. I would recommmend them to anyone, very nice people and an efficient relaxed operation. The dives we did were 2 wrecks and 2 scenic dives. The wrecks were pretty broken up, and i had done them before. The Alondra and the Illyrian were the wrecks in question. Nice dives though. At the Alondra, if your navigation is ok you end up at a gully on Cape Clear island where teh ship went aground. The gully is worthy of a dive itself with two vertical opposing walls about 1-2 metres apart, covered in sponges and dahlia anemones (or anenomes? can never get that one right)
Unfortunately the weather was against us doing one of the classic wreck dives of the area, the Kowloon Bridge, and the experience level of the other divers on the boat prevented us from going to the U260. I will have to get back with a more experienced gang to do those. Aparently the Kowloon Bridge is to be salvaged though and will be cut up... so get it whilst it's hot is the name of the game.
I left the others down in Cork on the Thursday to make it back for the Electric Picnic...
Despite some messy weather (and messier campsites) I had a total blast. 3 days of good music and fun. Was there with my bro, cousins Joe and Sarah, and a good few friends.
Musical highlights of the weekend for me were:
Damien Rice
Tilly and the Wall (just a hilarious fun gig!)
Rufus Wainwright (not as good as at Vicar street last year, but pretty good)
Pet Shop Boys
Youngblood brass band
Superfurry Animals Acoustic Bingo
the Frames
Groove Armada
Disappointing were Belle and Seb, The Rapture (surprisingly didn't do it for me, i think i was in a fadeout moment though), Mogwai
Inevitably i missed some reportedly great shows due to clashes/general mayhem. I should have gone to see Antony & the Johnsons, Sparks, The Boy least likely to etc etc etc etc etc
I also didn't go to the comedy tent at all this year and spent very little time in the Bodytonic tent. Went to hear Laurent Garnier though.
bad buzz of the weekend: some thieving miscreant swiped my Oakley's.
pics to follow...