People of the Wild Atlantic Way Photography Project – 

Denis Quinlan – Schull, West Cork.

‘My favourite memory …… A sailing trip in a small 18ft, pocket cruiser, amongst Carbery’s Hundred Isles, in late Sept, 2012. I had slipped my moorings and sailed west along Long Island channel, through Goat Island sound and south-east towards the three Calf Islands. As I approached the S,W corner of the Western Calf, the enormous arcing form of a Finwhale broke the surface across my bow. Sailing further along the south of the Island a further three Finwhales broke the surface, whooshing spume into the air, lunge-feeding amongst the myriad wild diversity of a seascape awash and teeming with wildlife. Gannets, gulls, shearwaters, guillemots, terns, all added to the action, along with a small pod of dolphins gracefully riding the swell. Roaringwater Bay is a natural paradise, and one of the most beautiful sailing grounds in the world.’