Two exhausted kayakers had to be rescued late yesterday after they got into difficulty at the base of the Cliffs of Moher.
The men in the their 30’s set out from Doolin, Co Clare at around 11.00am and made their way south along the coast to the scenic cliffs.
Early in the afternoon, the pair made their way ashore to a small beach at the base of the 700 foot high cliffs however, when they attempted to relaunch their sea kayaks, the tide had receded.
Forced to carry their craft across the treacherously rocky shore to the water, the pair were left exhausted and unable to row back to Doolin. The sea swell had also increased making rowing even more difficult.
At around 5.00pm, the exhausted kayakers managed to raise the alarm by calling the 999/112 emergency call answering service (ECAS) who alerted the Irish Coast Guard.
Staff at the Irish Coast Guard marine rescue coordination centre on Valentia Island in Kerry mounted a search and rescue operation for the pair.
The volunteer Doolin unit of the service launched it’s rescue boat and raced to the scene.
Search teams quickly located the men and took them on board the rescue boat. Their kayaks were towed behind boat and the pair were returned to Doolin.
The men were assessed by first responders but didn’t require any further medical attention and were allowed home.