The Great Dunkerry (from the outside)

amcinroy · 03-03-2008 10:57pm #1

A few weeks ago I was out for a recce to try an get a glimpse of the Great Cave of Dunkerry.

I did manage to find it and photograph it from the cliff top. It is indeed massive!! This recce photo (not for critique) doesn't do this cave justice. The mouth is perhaps as much as 80 feet high and I really don't know how deep it goes, nor does the kayaker that is going to take me in there.

There's an update on my webpage. We're going to try to get in early summer. I'll keep you all posted.

http://www.andymcinroy.com/5port4.htm

"Don't be afraid, sir: never has an accident happened in any one of these boats, and the most delicate ladies has rode in them on rougher days than this. Now, boys, pull to the big cave. That, sir, is 660 yards in length, though some says it goes for miles inland, where the people sleeping in their houses hear the waters roaring under them."
The Irish Sketch Book
William Makepeace Thackeray, 1845

03-03-2008 11:37pm

I love what you're doing here Andy,you're like a modern day explorer!I can't wait to see some photos of the interior,you'll need to do some serious light painting to brighten it up

I'm guessing a photo of just inside the opening is really possible.

amcinroy · 04-03-2008 9:18am

Thanks Inibaz,

The last 3 caves photographed were all HDR and I don't expect this one to be any different. The contrast in these caves is just immense.

The difficult bit is that I need a stable platform to make my 5-7 lengthy exposures. This means getting out of the kayak onto a ledge or constructing some kind of hanging belay on the cave wall. As you can appreciate, this will be no place to fall in while attached to climbing hardware.

I am hoping that the cave will have a dry ledge or shingle beach near the back, but I really have no idea what to expect. It's not easy for a kayak to move around in here and this exposed headland is nearly always under a heavy swell.

Also, for your interest, this project will be feautured in Amateur Photographer magazine in April.

Andy

Cabaal · 04-03-2008 9:21am

heh the pictures you've taken from the cliffs almost looks like a photo of a small model...very strange, congrats on getting the project featured in Amateur Photographer magazine

Calina · 04-03-2008 7:16pm

Andy,

I just wanted to say that your photographs introduce me to a side of your area that I never really knew existed and they make me want to go there. Probably not in a kayak into that gave (I'd need at least a Zodiac tbh :-)

fingers crossed that you get what you want from the trip.

The Great Dunkerry (from the outside)

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