When most twenty-somethings set out to travel Europe, they do it with a backpack in hand, hopping from train to train while visiting museums and bars. John Coyne and Liam Cotter set out with a different kind of European odyssey in mind.
Departing from Dublin, Ireland on September 5, 2024 and finishing in Istanbul, Turkey on the Black Sea on April 25, 2025, the pair kayaked from Ireland to Asia, joined by Ryan Fallow in Germany. The trip was the first recorded sea kayak journey from Ireland to Asia, completed continuously by Coyne. Much of the route was also completed by Cotter, who took time off in the middle due to a shoulder injury but rejoined at the Black Sea, cycling out to meet them before rejoining the journey by kayak.
While Coyne was the only paddler to complete the route in its entirety, he’s quick to share that it was a team effort and shared success.
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Epic kayak odyssey spells trouble with the law
The team faced winter conditions throughout the majority of their paddle, along with gear failures, logistical challenges, and were even arrested twice.
“It was incredibly hard. We faced minus 10 [celsius] in winter conditions sleeping outside the River Danube, the Irish Sea, the English Channel, the Black Sea. Injuries, exhaustion, burnout, hypothermia… and we got arrested a couple of times,” explained Coyne.
The expedition covered 5000 kilometers (over 3000 miles) and raised money for Daisy Lodge to support children with cancer and their families.
“We got arrested in Croatia, first of all,” said Coyne, explaining that while paddling the River Danube they had legally entered Serbia, then later had stopped for a break back in Croatia, on the other side of the river.
“We went to a restaurant and we looked up and three police officers were there ready to take us away. It turned out that we weren’t allowed to go back into Europe unless we notified Croatia. And so we got fined 130 euro each,” explained Coyne.
This wouldn’t be the group’s final encounter with the law.
“Then we got arrested in Romania,” shared Coyne. On the border of Serbia and Romania, the group found themselves in high winds in a remote area. Wet, cold and out of food, the group landed in Romania to seek safety and a hotel. “We pretty much got caught within the hour of being in Romania by the police. They actually all did understand our reasoning.”
The group found themselves spending the night in the police station, before the police helped them then enter the country legally.
Coyne shared that they had the police called on them several other times, usually for trespassing, but found that when people heard about their route and mission they were usually helpful and kind.
From Ireland to the Black Sea
From being kicked off the canals in France and forced to portage to sleeping underneath the Cliffs of Dover, the nearly seven-month adventure saw a different side of Europe than the average adventurer.
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Crossing the English Channel, the 25-mile (45 kilometer) body of water between England and France, at neap tides wasn’t in the cards for Coyne and Cotter. After months of careful planning and long, full days of paddling, the pair arrived at the channel at the spring tide instead to face a large tidal range and strong currents. Then, their support boats fell through. The pair decided to tackle the crossing in less than ideal conditions.
The crossing took 12 hours, and the pair camped underneath the Cliffs of Dover the night before.
“We knew what we were doing. We knew we could do it. We knew it would be harder than any other time, but the weather … it got a bit worse than we expected,” said Coyne. “As Liam said when we got to France, we may not be the most efficient, but we get the job done.”
By the time Coyne and Cotter, now joined by Fallow, reached the Black Sea much of their gear had broken, including Coyne’s primary paddle. While the trio faced freezing temperatures, they were also greeted by dolphins.
“We didn’t even know there were dolphins in the Black Sea,” shared Coyne. “For about three to four hours, hundreds and thousands of dolphins were swimming with us, jumping with our boats, swimming with our boats.”
“I had no proper gear, and my paddle I was using was terrible, and it was just so remote, so cold, and really windy conditions for the last two weeks,” explained Coyne. “And then there were also earthquakes as we were arriving into Istanbul. Perfect.”
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How to plan your dream expedition according to Johnny Coyne
Coyne is no stranger to big adventures. After starting his own kayaking and sailing business at 21, Coyne, now 24, spends summers working and making money to finance expeditions in the winter. According to Coyne, the biggest factor in planning an expedition is simply deciding to do it.
“It’s all about just going for it, I think, and just not being afraid,” said Coyne. “Even if you do run out of money and you do have to come home, at least you tried it. You are still going to have a story and you’re still going to have an experience for life.”
Coyne also recommends that people looking to have an adventure of their own start with putting some money aside.
“If you can put $2,000-$3,000 aside, that’d be enough for at least a month-long expedition, depending on where you are. And I would say if you’re a paddler, that’s the first step, isn’t it?” shared Coyne. “I think it’s all about just going for it. Literally, that’s all I can really say is just go for it.”
The team arrives in Istanbul. Feature Image courtesy Johnny Coyne.
