{"id":103595,"date":"2025-03-28T08:12:20","date_gmt":"2025-03-28T08:12:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/explorersweb.com\/?p=103595"},"modified":"2025-03-28T10:24:14","modified_gmt":"2025-03-28T10:24:14","slug":"kayaking-from-ireland-to-istanbul-abandoned-injured-arrested-all-well","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/explorersweb.com\/kayaking-from-ireland-to-istanbul-abandoned-injured-arrested-all-well\/","title":{"rendered":"Kayaking from Ireland to Istanbul – Abandoned, Injured, Arrested, All Well"},"content":{"rendered":"

In September 2024, Johnny Coyne and Liam Cotter of Ireland, both 24, began an ambitious 5,000km kayaking journey from Dublin to Istanbul<\/a>. Their route has taken them across the Irish Sea and the English Channel without support vessels, followed by tricky navigation through European rivers and canals. With 4,000km behind them, their finish line is now almost in sight.<\/p>\n

Among the many challenges over the past seven months, their support vessel pulled out just hours before crossing the heavily trafficked English Channel, so they had to go it alone. They tried paddling the French canals but didn’t have a permit, so they were banned from the water. By the time their paperwork was in order and they could restart, the waterways were frozen.<\/p>\n

Undeterred, they put their kayaks on wheels and dragged them for 350km cross-country. Then, more bureaucratic issues on Germany’s canals forced them to trek, kayaks and all, through the Black Forest to the source of the Danube.<\/p>\n

Throughout it all, the Irish duo has shown relentless optimism, dismissing the many obstacles as just part of the experience. Coyne said the hardest parts have been the long sea crossings, particularly the 12-hour crossing of the Channel.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe always say the hardest part is over, and then it just gets harder,\u201d he told one interviewer.<\/p>\n

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The Irish trio. Photo: Johnny Coyne<\/p><\/div>\n

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Two become three, briefly<\/h2>\n

In Germany, the duo morphed into a trio. Fellow Irishman Ryan Fallow, 24, has joined the ranks and is sticking with them all the way to Istanbul.<\/p>\n

By February, they had covered over 1,900km, reached the Danube River, and followed it into Austria. The first few days on the Danube were great fun, and with the current and occasional rapids, they covered around 50km a day. Then in some whitewater, a rock hit Cotter\u2019s boat and put a hole in it.<\/p>\n

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