Monday, March 11, 2019

A Star Wars Experience: Visiting Skellig Michael, Part 2: The Crossing and Logistics of the Hike

So you've decided to visit Skellig Michael, the real-life location of the mysterious island of "Ahch-To" from the recent Star Wars films.  You've made your hotel bookings and reserved a spot (or spots!) with one of the boat operators licensed to land at the island.  You've bought your plane tickets to the Emerald Isle.  Great!  But what do you need to know about the crossing to and your time on the island itself?  Read on...

The Little Skellig in the distance, viewed from about halfway up the stone stairs on Skellig Michael
In my prior blog post on visiting Skellig Michael, I described some of the basic logistics of planning a trip to see the iconic island made famous by the recent Star Wars films, including when to go (late May or early September), where to stay (the village of Portmagee), and arranging a booking for a landing tour to get you to the island.

This time, I'll cover the basics of the crossing to the island--roughly 8 miles by sea, or anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour-plus depending on conditions--as well as the logistics you'll need to enjoy your too-brief stay on Skellig Michael.

Quick Index - Visiting Skellig Michael Parts I - IV


What to Wear and Bring

I'm sure if you read my prior post, by now you are tired of hearing me say that the weather is fickle. But it bears repeating: You should plan for a range of weather during your trip, not just to Skellig Michael, but to Ireland.  It rains a lot, so quick-drying synthetics are a must for starters.  I'm a big fan of Outdoor Research's pants ($99-ish, Amazon) for these conditions; they're lightweight, water-resistant, breathable, and decent at blocking the wind.


Plan to layer; it can be chilly to downright cold, particularly in the shoulder season of May and September, and it's always windy out on the water and the island--but it can also be quite sunny and warm.  I suggest a fleece as well as a a lightweight, water-resistant windbreaker.

You'll want a hat; I prefer a lightweight, wide-brimmed one with a chin strap to keep it from sailing out to sea in a gust of wind.  On a blustery day, a stocking cap or toboggan would be better.

Shoes? You want solid hiking shoes--not sandals, not sneakers--as once on the island, there's a hike up a lengthy series of stone stairs to reach the interesting parts, like Christ's Saddle (where Rey finds Luke at the end of The Force Awakens) and the monastery.  My current favorites are Merrell Moab 2 waterproof trail shoes ($85-120, Amazon), though if you prefer more ankle support, feel free to go to full-fledged hiking boots.

You'll want your hands free during the hike up, so any gear you bring (like a camera or a Jedi Master's robes) should be in a comfortable backpack.  I'm partial to anything from Osprey, but try to keep it lightweight like the Osprey Stratos ($100-$130, Amazon) line; no need to throw off your balance or bonk fellow hikers with a big, bulky pack.  You could also of course carry a well-worn shoulder bag containing a lightsaber.

Yes, I know Beth is holding Obi-wan's lightsaber, not Luke's. Sue me.
Some folks bring trekking poles.  I didn't see the need for them, but if that's your thing, feel free.  A few people during our visit brought them along.

There's also no food or water available on the island, so bring water and any small snacks you may need with you.  (There's also no bathroom on the island, so be judicious with your coffee consumption prior to the crossing!)

Pack a small towel and perhaps some baby wipes; you may need to dry yourself or your gear off a bit after the crossing, and you may need to clean off the remains of breakfast...

The Morning of Your Visit

Let's start from the village of Portmagee, which is the launching point for 13 out of the 15 boat operators licensed to land on the island.  It's also where I strongly recommend staying so that you can avoid a pre-dawn drive and potential traffic on the Ring of Kerry if coming from points further afield.

Boats moored at Portmagee's harbor
The night before and again the morning of, you should double-check with your tour operator to see whether or not conditions are favorable for the trip and what the departure schedule will be for the morning.  We were scheduled to leave by around 8:30am, but our operator indicated they wanted to go earlier to take advantage of the first clear weather in a week and requested we be at the pier no later than 7:00am (if I'm recalling correctly--it was definitely moved up from the original departure by an hour or more).  Don't be left behind, because there are probably several other folks disappointed from prior days' cancellations who will happily take your place!

If your landing tour is cancelled due to weather, hopefully you have reserved a backup trip on a subsequent day, because tour operators aren't likely to have space to accomodate you otherwise.  I cannot stress this enough: The weather is fickle, and you have probably a 25-35% chance of the weather crushing your once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Skelligs, so plan ahead accordingly!  As advised in my prior post, you can book multiple trips a couple of days apart to give the weather time to improve, and if you make the first trip, great: chances are that you will be able to get the second refunded, and at worst, visit the island a second time.  You can check in with the tour operators each morning to see if they have any cancellations, but don't count on it; people book months in advance, and with a weather cancellation rate of 25% or more, there are going to be a lot of people hoping to make the trip the next day as theirs was missed.

The morning of your trip, you definitely want breakfast, because it's going to be a long day... but be careful what you eat.  The crossing can be (and often is) very rough, and even if you aren't prone to motion sickness, you may have problems.  Don't eat a heavy, greasy breakfast!  Don't even look at that traditional Irish meal of ham, black & white pudding, sausage, eggs, beans, and bread.  Instead, opt for something bland and light, like perhaps some nice Irish oats or toast with jam.

Irish breakfast. You do NOT want to eat this before boarding the boat for Skellig Michael!
And, keep in mind that neither the boats (with the exception of one) nor the island have bathroom facilities... and it's a world heritage site, so please don't expect to go behind one of those beehive huts to relieve yourself.  Thus, you'll want to keep coffee and tea consumption to a minimum; save it for your lunch after you return from Skellig Michael.

Seasickness: A Fact of Life

Maybe you don't get motion sick; I rarely do, myself.  Rest assured that the crossing to Skellig Michael can put even the most iron of stomachs to the test.  The waters between Portmagee and the island are pretty rough, in part due to the ocean currents and waves that are in play every single day, even when the skies are completely clear and sunny.

You want to get to the island (duh!), and tour operators want to get you there (so that they can get paid!), so believe me that they will do everything to do so and will operate so long as conditions are safe... but that also means that a marginal day on the water is one they will attempt.  That marginal day is perfectly safe, but can mean a longer, rougher crossing, with the waves pitching your boat up and down and side to side for more than an hour as you motor over to Skellig Michael.

Beth made the mistake of having that Irish breakfast, albeit a meatless one, but the eggs and potatoes and toast and beans were heavy fare for the morning.  She was so sick she lost that breakfast, and more, several times during the crossing.  I managed to avoid that embarrassment, but nonetheless had my gorge rise several times and barely bit back being sick.

Beth is standing too close to the back of the boat: You'll feel the waves and motion much more greatly at the back, so I advise positioning yourself closer to where the lady in the yellow jacket is standing...
Most tour operators advise against Dramamine and other motion-sickness drugs, and for good reason: Most anti-seasickness medications can leave you a bit woozy, and once on the island, you need to be sure on your feet.  If you have taken Dramamine or other motion-sickness drugs (like the transdermal patch one) and tolerate them without too much effect to your balance, then by all means, take something to help.

My suggestions otherwise include:
  • Stand as near the front of the passenger area as you can (typically right behind the pilot's cabin, near the front/back midpoint of the boat). Almost all the licensed boats are open air, and though you may be tempted to go have a seat at the back, that's the worst place to sit as every bit of motion will be magnified. 
  • Stand along the side of the boat and face the wind.  This really helps me and combats that clammy/hot onset of nausea.
  • Chew gum (dispose of it properly, though). I learned this trick when doing a marathon session at an old-timey amusement park with rickety, vomit-inducing rides.  Somehow, the movement of your jaw and the constant equalization of pressure in your ears seems to help.
  • Focus on a point on the horizon that doesn't move so much and don't watch the waves or anything close by.
And, if you do have to vomit, try to aim over the side and facing away from the wind: Beth went into the wind and ended up with a mess on her jacket to clean up.  (Remember, I did recommend bringing some baby wipes and paper towels.)

The Crossing... and Landing

The route from the harbor at Portmagee to the landing at Skellig Michael is approximately eight miles, and depending on the conditions can take anywhere from 45 to 90 minutes.  Once everyone is on the boat, given a safety briefing, and provided a life jacket or preserver (the different operators handle these different, for what it's worth), you'll be off on your way to the island!

Depending on the conditions, you may get several good looks at the island in the distance as you draw closer.  Our skies were totally white when we departed, and I admit I didn't bother taking many photos (I was also trying to keep my breakfast down).

Once you arrive at the landing point, you may have to wait offshore for a few minutes as other boats disembark their passengers; it's one-at-a-time.  And when your boat does pull up to the landing, you'll see another big reason why the conditions have to be just right to make the trip.

The landing point at Skellig Michael. Note the people standing on the area to the left and above the boat: this is where you'll climb as the waves pitch the boat up and down against the rocks!
The waves will pitch your boat up and down while the crew keep it pushed up against the landing point.  There's going to be a small ladder lowered toward the side of your boat, and that's what you are aiming for.  Our operator told us to time things so that we grabbed the ladder as near the peak of the wave as possible, with the boat riding high.

There were a lot of people helping passengers off the boat, and our operator kept the boat as stable as possible, but people have fallen between the boats and the landing point before and have thus received serious, even fatal injuries.  Be careful and don't become a statistic.

Once you're safely up on the landing site, the crew will give you a time to be back at the boat--usually somewhere about three or four hours in the future, giving you time to hike up the island's stairs, spend some time at the monastery ruins, and get plenty of pictures.  We landed around 10:00am and were given until 2:30pm to return, if I recall correctly.  Make sure to be back by the specified time, allowing yourself plenty of time to walk down safely (you don't want to rush!), as you don't want keep your boat (and all the other boats) waiting.

The Climb

After a brief safety lecture from one of the island's park rangers, you can begin the climb to the good stuff.  There are a lot of stone steps to reach Skellig Michael's points-of-interest: 618 all told to climb up the almost 600 feet from the near-sea-level landing point to Christ's Saddle and to the monastery ruins beyond.

The boring part of the walk from the landing ... before the ascent!
Suffice to say that there are a lot of folks online who seem terrified of the climb, but as far as heights and difficult climbs go, this is not particularly bad.  The route used from the landing and then the ascent to Christ's Saddle are not particularly steep or narrow in most parts.  That said, there isn't any way to accommodate someone who is unable to make the ascent; you'd have to wait at the landing point until the boat is ready to depart if you are physically unable to walk to the top.  Honestly, though, it's "just" a bit over 600 stairs: You can do it!

Seriously; Beth is afraid of heights, and she had zero problems on this hike.  By comparison, she couldn't even make it much past Landscape Arch at Arches National Park, where the hike to see Double-O Arch involved clambering up a sandstone fin about 3 feet wide and 20 feet high.  She was likewise petrified on the ledges approaching Delicate Arch.  The climb up the stairs at Skellig Michael are honestly no big deal, and if you need, simply stop for a moment and catch your breath, and keep focusing on the steps above you, not the drop-offs to the sea or the steps beneath.

Tourists ascending the stone stairs from sea level toward the fun parts

Summary


  • Stay in Portmagee (avoid traffic & getting up early); if your tour is cancelled due to weather, you can check with the boat operators for any last-minute openings the next day if you're still in town!
  • Dress in layers and with water- and wind-resistant clothes
  • Plan for seasickness; eat a light breakfast, consider medication, and stand or sit near the midpoint of your boat to minimize motion
  • The climb up the stairs isn't that bad, certainly nothing as scary as you may have read!


Next time, I'll spend more time talking about the experience on the island itself, including more on the climb up stone stairs (and back down), the monastery, Christ's Saddle, and will tie it all together with the film.

Until then, may the Force be with you.

Quick Index - Visiting Skellig Michael Parts I - IV


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