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Diving
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Diving In Ireland
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In recent years divers have discovered
that diving in Ireland is comparable with the worlds best at a fraction
of the cost. Many dive operators claim that they offer the best diving
sites in Ireland - usually with the Irish propensity for exaggeration!!
Suffice to say that the Skelligs is Irelands only internationally
renowned site and divers travel from all over the world for this unique
diving experience.
In our research we have unearthed 93 articles in
various publications dealing with diving in Ireland and in 91 of these
the subject matter was the Skelligs!! These two sites are truly the
jewel in the crown and a site rated by Horace Dobbs in his book "The 20
Classic Dive Sites of The World". You can expect sheer drop offs and
walls encrusted with anemones together with copious quantities of life.
The water temperature ranges from about 10°c in March to about 16°c in
September when the water is at its warmest. Vis is about 8mtrs on bad
days, about 15mtrs on normal days and up to 40mtrs on good days which
would be for about 30% of the time!! Although we have experienced Vis
of up to 100mtrs!! - Maybe it was something to do with El Nino! |
It must be pointed out that while there
is an abundance of life the taking of shellfish by divers is illegal in
Ireland. Accordingly we will not permit shellfish to be taken on board.
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Diving The Skelligs
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The
Skellig Islands are situated nine miles offshore and are an individual
experience which words alone cannot describe such is the aura of the
rock formations. At the summit of Skellig Michael which is accessed by
climbing almost 600 steps, are the remains of a monastic settlement
dating from the sixth century. It was designated a World Heritage Site
in 1996 and access is very strictly controlled and restricted.
Little Skellig is home to Europe's largest colony of gannets,
estimated to be in excess of 60,000 birds. There are also thousands of
other birds primarily puffins, manx shearwater, terns, etc. The islands
are just over a mile apart and are home to approximately 200 seals
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Below the water you will experience the clearest waters in
Europe where visibility is seldom less than 15m and is often in excess
of 30m! Hard and soft coral is plentiful but the most startling
underwater experience is the sheer volume of life and the acres of
every type of anenome resulting in spectacularly colourful diving. The
rock formations above water continue below and dives range from a
recently discovered pinnacle rising to within eight metres at its
summit and dropping down almost as a sheer wall to 45m, to dives in the
15m to 25m range, to canyons, gullies and boulders. For photographers
it is a dream come true! However photographers be warned - it is a
condition of bringing cameras etc on board that you send us a copy of
your photos!
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Diving Ballinskelligs
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Ballinskelligs is an amazing laid back area and this is
reflected in your own operation. To give you time to recover from the
attractions of the local pub we generally depart between 10am and
12noon daily and return at 5 - 6pm. We must respectfully suggest that
those who wish to dive at 7 or 8am choose another centre -
Ballinskelligs is not for you!!
Each day two dives are undertaken often without returning to
port so two cylinders are required. We offer very competitive hire
prices for those who do not wish to bring their own cylinders (see
prices page). Most trips are full day trips for which there is no extra
charge.
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In
general, apart from the pinnacles at the Skelligs, we will drop you in
depths of 15 to 18 metres and it will slope off to about 40m so you
stop at whatever depth you feel comfortable. For larger groups you will
have a boat to yourselves. Smaller groups share with other divers or
other visitors to the island.
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Dives You Can Expect
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In
general most of our dives are scenic and among the most colourful in
Europe. However we have recently come across the blade from an airplane
of World War II vintage and some cannon guns from the nineteenth
century.
There
is a lot of virgin territory so who knows what secrets the seas around
us are hiding! The nearest wreck is that of the Skye Maid in a depth of
25m. The Skye Maid is a 50ft trawler which sank in Ballinskelligs Bay
in September 1997. We have obtained the wreck from the insurance
company and started diving on it in 1998.
Wild life was accumulating
as the season progressed it is an excellent dive assuming it is not
broken up by the time you arrive!!. Unlike many other wreck dives it is
in 25m approximately 5 minutes by RIB - ideal for anyone suffering from
mal-de-mer!!
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Further
afield is the Kowloon Bridge (15 - 45m) and a U class submarine (40)
with its conning hatch still open! Day trips to dive these can be
arranged through us.
We regularly
see basking sharks, schools of dolphins and more rarely even whales!!
Seals are
very common especially at the Skelligs. Apart from two dive sites
currents are pretty well non existent so there is no rush to be at a
site at slack water. SMB's are not used although a delayed SMB while
doing stops is required. This is stress free diving!! Imagine no blob,
no shotline, no currents, no rush to get home early, no dawn starts and
the waters of the gulf stream cleaning and warming everything to give
you super vis - paradise?!!
As if this
was not enough we can organise a trip to our local pub every night,
although our experience is that divers can generally do this
unescorted!!
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There is no
dive centre in the area from Caherdaniel south of us to St. Finians Bay
and Valentia Island to the North of us with the Skellig permits
required. There is really no point in travelling to the Skelligs,
sometimes in unkind weather, without being confident that you will be
allowed to land there.
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