Cruising Ireland

To quote a German skipper we met recently: “Ireland is worth to stay there for a longer time. It is a beautiful country with kind and helpful people, who makes the stay there an enjoyable adventure.” We tend to agree wholeheartedly with his assessment!

If you get a chance to cruise in Ireland - particularly along the west and south coasts, whether on your own boat or on a charter, you’ll be rewarded with some of the most spectacular and unspoiled cruising grounds in the world. Cruising the coast of Ireland may not be everyone’s cup of tea, certainly not for those needing the creature comforts of marinas and their amenities. There simply are none along the west coast.

There are many places worth pulling in to for a few hours or a few days. Rather than list them all, we will touch on some of the major ones that allow cruisers to hop along this dramatic coastline. Many of the harbours have yellow visitor moorings, although it is reported that they are not being routinely serviced in some harbours.

Coming shortly

• Shannon
• and many more great destinations

Southwest Coast of Ireland

• Dingle
• Valencia
  
  

and much more to come

bookmark this page or follow us on Facebook to receive notifications of updates

---

Weather wise April, May and June are often spectacular months. This region is heavily weather dependent as there is a lot of ocean off its coasts. The winds blow predominantly from the west making this west coast a lee shore and the weather can change unexpectedly. The coastal currents can also be strong, often developing a nasty chop. Like elsewhere, weather forecasting has improved over the years and the marine forecast issued by the met office is broadcast on the regional coast guard VHF stations. It is then repeated at intervals in its original form throughout the day unless a change is warranted.

Order your copy today

Your Ad Should be Here Click here for Advertising Info Email us Now to place your ad

Charts for these regions are largely based on admiralty surveys from the 1800s. Updated paper and digital charts often simply have less data than the old originals. In addition, what you see on GPS chart plotter can often be quite different from reality. Navigational aids are limited, and are often not included on the chart. Unmarked rocks and shoals are abundant along this coastline. Careful navigation ‘the old way’ and experienced seamanship are required for safe passage. Updated periodically by its members, the Irish Cruising Club (http://www.irishcruisingclub.com) publishes two comprehensive books of sailing directions for Ireland that are well worth having on board: South and West Coasts, and North and East Coasts.