A duo of Irish sea kayakers have completed their epic expedition from Dublin to Istanbul.
Johnny Coyne and Liam Cotter reached the largest city in Türkiye on 25 April, more than seven months after they set out from the Irish capital.
As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the pair undertook the challenge to raise funds for the Daisy Lodge children’s cancer charity.
While Cotter was forced to skip part of the route due to a shoulder injury, Coyne kayaked all 5,000km — completing what Paddling Magazine says is the first recorded sea kayak journey from Ireland to Asia.
The trio arrive in Istanbul after crossing the Black Sea | Credit: johnnycoyne_/Instagram
The pair were joined by another paddler, Ryan Fallow, in Germany and they share some extraordinary anecdotes from their adventure — from a gruelling crossing of the English Channel to freezing winter conditions in Central Europe to falling afoul of the authorities at border crossings.
“And then there were also earthquakes as we were arriving into Istanbul,” Coyne says. “Perfect.”
Paddling Magazine has much more on the story HERE.
