I love travelling and exploring Northern Ireland when I’m not working on wedding photography. Well summer is finally here! Besides the rain and clouds that is. A few weeks ago when the weather was dry my friend and I headed to Coney Island with the canoe. Once we arrived at Maghery in County Antrim we surveyed the water crossing to the Island. The tides further out looked a bit choppy and we decided to take a trip along the Blackwater River for a while. The water was calm and we paddled along taking in the sights and sounds of early summer on the river. I had brought some of my camera gear, most of which was secured and tied down in waterproof sacks. I’m extremely cautious about my gear at the best of times and although the thought of the canoe flipping over made me uneasy I got the camera out for a few quick shots. I used my little Sony handycam to record some video along the way. When we rounded the bend towards the Island the water looked much better and we took the short trip across without any bumps. Once we unloaded the boat we prepared a barbecue consisting of sausages and steaks. Delicious!

Coney Island is densely wooded although a path has been cleared which leads around it. Besides the caretaker’s house the small island is completely natural and unspoilt. It is also a habitat for a variety of birdlife. There is evidence of human habitation dating back to Mesolithic times. An Anglo-Norman motte nearby is thought to be the most westerly Norman stronghold in Ulster.  On this trip we had the pleasure of meeting Peter the island’s caretaker. Peter has lived on and maintained the island for 18 years and he always has a story to tell. ‘The Hanging Tree’ was fascinating to listen to and I managed to record the story. We would highly recommend a visit to this beautiful location, perfect if you want to get away from it all for a day or so.  It makes for some nice photos so make sure to pack a camera and binoculars for bird watching.

Here is my video with some photographs from our trip to Coney Island.