St. Finians Bay, Co.Kerry - Puffin Island
Current and waves dictate this dive. We dive from the SW to SE of the island depending on current. Given the proper conditions of sunlight and water clarity, it is the closest to ‘tropical’ diving you can come across in European waters.
The variety and quality of fish, anenomy and sponge life is phenomenal. Seals maintain a permanent presence in the Sound and add their measure of excitement to the diving
Skellig Michael & Little Skellig
It is hard to choose a favourite in this diving Mecca. Nature has run riot. The Skelligs are surely the jewel in Irelands diving crown. Its here the warm Gulf Stream first meets our Irish shores bringing its frequent international visitors; trigger fish, basking sharks, minke whale, sunfish and the occasional leatherback turtle.
Its jewelled walls, the grey seals who arrive wide eyed and curious with every visitor and the aerial majesty that include puffins, razorbills, guillemots and gannets of which there are over 25,000 pairs on Little Skellig. At the Skelligs, the landscape overhead is a good indication of what lies beneath. Steep cliffs continue as sheer walls reaching down to 40m on the south-side to 55m on the exposed north
Rathlin Island , Co. Antrim
An area considered unique by marine biologists. One explanation is the little fluctuation in temperature as a result of the Gulf Stream plus strong tidal mixing around the island.
The North side (North Wall) are limestone and basalt layered to 180m with breath-taking scenery, caves, arches enhanced by famous Rathlin clarity. Only for the more experienced diver. The HMS Lochgarry , a troop carrier in WWII sank in dense fog and measures 80m at a depth of 30m. Can only be dived at slack water.
St. Johns Point, Dunkineely, Co. Donegal
Portnagh Rock (The Lighthouse) is also a shore dive sheltered from the prevailing winds and diveable all year round. The site offers a sheer face down to 30m with an abundance fish-life and colourful anenamies. Very suitable for small dive groups without boat facilities.
The Black Rock is a very accessible boat dive launching from the sheltered SE facing strand. Best diving on the SW end of the rock. It has a bottom of 20m with many crevices and nooks to explore.
Malinbeg & Rathlin O’Birne
The Harbour is a beautiful training dive from 5/12 m around a large stack teeming with life. Crystal clear waters and a safe and magical night dive. Not far out of the Harbour are Shark and Gloster Rocks which will surprise with its stunning terrain including vertical 20m swimthrough, drop-offs, gullies.
Depths range from 14m on the sheltered North side to 40 on the more exposed South. Magnificent. 5km from Malinbeg is Rathlin O’Birne which offers stunning clear water dives all around the island depending on weather conditions. The cliffs at Slieve League are the tallest seacliffs in Europe with the height of 600m. Underneath there are dives range from shallow reefs to small coves and a very interesting cave large enough for your RIB to enter.
The Blockhouse, Greenore, Co. Louth
Found at the mouth of Carlingford Lough adjacent to The Haubowline Lighthouse, this is our weekly club dive when we are not on the road. Dredging a new entrance to the Lough around 40 years ago a new channel was cut from the seabed, over the years there is an abundance of new inhabitants including lobsters, brown crabs, conger eels, wrasse, blennies, ling, pipefish and even the odd octopus. Max depth is around 22m and should only be dived on slack tide. Who says East coast diving is poor – not so.
