West coast of Ireland - any musts or must-nots?

Danny Jo

Danny Jo

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Freestyle plans to begin leg 2 of her Summer cruise on Monday, sailing from Oban via Port Ellen and anticlockwise around Ireland.

I'd like to spend a couple of days at Sligo (tracing family roots). Does anyone know what mooring or anchoring opportunities are likely? The Irish CC Sailing Directions mention a 60m pontoon, but there isn't a yacht to be seen in their aerial photo of the port.

Any suggestions of anchorages or places to visit would be very gratefully received.
 
I've sailed from Dingle round to Kinsale, and the only bit I think I'd skip would be Bantry

Must see places:

Dingle (eat at the charthouse, very good food) fuel and water stop

Derrynane, such a pretty little bay, and a great entrance /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif only one real place to buy a pint of the blackstuff, but it's a cosy little place /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif You'll smile when you see it.

Sneem, a bit of a walk, but it's nice (Taxi no. 0214773000) some great pubs Dan murphy's, should have one of my pics up of his dog Truby

Bere haven is a bit of a fishing port, holding in the harbour is poor..lots of stuff to foul the anchor, a christmas tree and fast food wrappers were some of the things that stopped us!!

Laurence Cove, is about the only Marine is that neck of the woods, good for charging batteries and getting water.

Schull, Bunratty inn, very good pub food

Sherkin Island in Baltimore harbour, a great great pub that has been my undoing on a couple of occasions

Glandore...the new pub by the harbour does good food, but the Glandore inn up the hill over looking the harbour does the best pint of the black stuff I've found yet

Castletownshend, Mary Annes at the bottom of the hill, great great food, never been dissapointed

Kinsale, more restaurants that I could mention,but here are a few Man Fridays, Crackpots, Jim Edwards, Max's, The Blue haven Hotel. For drinks go for the Tap Tavern or the Spaniards

Other things for cruising Ireland, put a carrier bag in your pocket before you leave the boat, you'll get some shopping and the shops don't supply shopping bags, you will end up with a locker full of carrier bags you've had to buy or you'll be carrying the shopping around in your pockets or boxes.

Getting rid of rubbish is a problem, rubbish in Ireland is taxed, so there are few facilities for yachtsmen...You need three people for our trick. find a public bin in the street surround it someone keep lookout, another turns around, picks up the bin, the third person puts their rubbish in it, the second man drops the bin back down and then everyone walks off whistling!!!

Stock up with water at every opportunity you have and take enough fuel, it's not that easy to come by.

Most of all enjoy some of the most unspoilt cruising ground. It really is beautiful there, and when the sun shines the place just glows.
 
Just returned back from a trip to Sligo. We ran aground twice (draft 1.9m) just off the deep water wharf on the outskirts of Sligo town. (Probably large ships blowing mud/sand out with their props.) So turned back and went back to Rosses Point, where Sligo Yacht Club and the 'Metal Man' is. It is quite a strong tide there, so better to try and get a vacant mooring than anchor - swinging room on anchor is more than mooring to mooring gaps. Contact the yacht club.
Worth getting a copy of the Irish Cruising Club's West and South Coast pilot. Your choice of places to visit down the west coast will be limited mainly by weather and time constraints. More sheltered on the south west and south coasts.
 
Yes, I enjoyed your Ireland circumnavigation cruising log enormously. But as I read there was something niggling at the back of my mind: Nick Bowles, Fairwinds, on a page hosted by Webcraft UK, aren't they familiar? (I'm a bit slow, I'm sure you'll understand.)
 
[ QUOTE ]
Nick Bowles, Fairwinds, on a page hosted by Webcraft UK, aren't they familiar?

[/ QUOTE ] Not sure I am with you. As I run a web design and hosting business it would be a little strange if I got someone else to host it would it not?

Glad you enjoyed it.

- W
 
Lough Swilly is a fine wide lough with several lovely anchorages and a marina. Downings (Downies on chart) in Sheephaven Bay is another welcoming spot. Arranmore Island off west Donegal is good with regular ferrys to Burtonport (useful for parts with good suppliers locally). We left our boat on a borrowed mooring there for a week. Killybegs or Teelin are good boltholes if you don't fancy an immediate crossing of Donegal Bay. The North coast of Mayo is spectacular with good shelter at Ballyglass in Broadhaven Bay and Kilcummin in Killalla was also al ovely spot. I note earlier poster running aground at Sligo town. We sailed right in to the town and tied up at the ponton at near high water without incident. However I would only do so for a short stop with a preference for Rosses Point mooring as suggested. The admiralty chart pack 5 is perfect for passage planning the trip on your pc. Plan your supplies carefully as taking on water, diesel, foodstuffs is not as convenient as marina rich UK. Great sailing! Some good threads on this on Bluemoment.
 
Apologies, Webcraft if I have inadvertently suggested anything other than admiration. I had guessed that there must be some connection between the Webcraft on Scuttlebutt and Webcraft UK, but it took me some time to connect the Fairwinds blog to you.
 
Aran Islands, Dingle, Lawrence Cove on Bere Island (oasis of beauty), Baltimore, Kinsale. All wow places to visit by boat.

Lawrence Cove
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Straite behind Bere Island
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Dingle
DSCF2547.JPG


Kinsale
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Blaskets at the western most edge of the Atlantic
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Fastnet
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Fully endorse advice re Sligo. We are 12m drawing 2.3m which is approaching the limit for the sailing club moorings, but they made us most welcome for a few days unattended whilst we motored to our daughter further south.
Also endorse all other suggestions and could add to them - but how much time do you have? We enjoyed visiting Londonderry (or Derry if you prefer) but it is 15 miles inland. Clare Island (of pirate queen Grace O'Malley fame) is enroute and Killary Harbour, Clifden and Roundstone not far off. Galway City and Kilrush may add too many miles, although both offer good shelter and are enjoyable spots to await favourable weather.
We found the 6 hourly coastguard weather updates most helpful.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Aran Islands, Dingle, Lawrence Cove on Bere Island (oasis of beauty), Baltimore, Kinsale. All wow places to visit by boat.

Lawrence Cove
DSCF3259.JPG


Straite behind Bere Island
DSCF3285.JPG


Dingle
DSCF2547.JPG


Kinsale
DSCF2675.JPG


Blaskets at the western most edge of the Atlantic
DSCF1372.JPG


Fastnet
DSCF2609.JPG


[/ QUOTE ]

Just in case anyone is confused - all of Oceanfroggie's photos have been photoshopped. It rains over here all the time. I don't think you would like it!

(Froggie - we are supposed to be keeping it secret)

.
 
Just to be clear about the coastguard broadcasts of weather forecasts. Yes, they are every 3 hours BUT they are updated every 6 hours.
One can only do justice to the number of interesting places in a whole season. If time is limited on this occassion I would concentrate on the NW and W coasts whilst cruising anti-clockwise and save a detailed cruise of the more accessible SW for another time.
 
For the sake of family life I have to limit it to 3 weeks. [ QUOTE ]
and save a detailed cruise of the more accessible SW for another time.


[/ QUOTE ] You've sown the seed of an idea for next year's cruise. Thanks to all.
 
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