Kilkee, Republic of Ireland
Overview
Kilkee lies right on the west coast of Clare with nothing much between it and America. With the full force of the Atlantic rolling in, it can be very weather-dependent. However if you do get out the water is usually extremely clear and the underwater topography makes for many great dives. There is diving for ocean divers, and plenty for sports divers. The diving is close (five or ten minutes by boat), non-tidal, and very good; the perfect ingredients for a relaxed trip! The club has yet to visit many of the sites in this spot.
Contacts
All information supplied by Dublin University Sub Aqua Club Website
Info
You can get more information about the area from the following sources:
Underwater Ireland book
Dive Ireland guide
Galway Sub-Aqua Club guide
Getting there
There are 2 main routes from Dublin, either follow the AA route finder one - down the Galway road to Loughrea, then to Gort, Enis, Kilrush, kilkee (this is the shortest but probably has more traffic problems on a bank holiday). Or else take the N7 into limerick, itself, then head for Ennis. As above. The second route is longer but you might prefer better roads and less bends.
Accommodation
There are two lovely dormer bungalows in the Atlantean Cottages about five minutes walk from the slip and beach. The contact no. is 086 8295309. Each dormer slept 6 (1 double room, 2 twin rooms). The cost was around 280 per house for a bank holiday weekend.
There was plenty of parking at the cottages for cars and trailer, but not for the boats, which are best left clamped in the car park beside the dive centre. This seems to be the norm.
Amenities
Kilkee is a big tourist hotspot, a favourite getaway for people from Limerick, and therefore there are loads of shops on the main street e.g MACE etc, but they are typically small places, so if you want odd foods bring them. There are plenty of restaurants too, if you don't fancy cooking. We went to Scott's for food though it took rather too long for the hungry diver and some of us abandoned it for the chipper across the road.
There is a Bank of Ireland on the main street (left hand side as you drive towards the sea) with an ATM at the side of it. There is a petrol station as you come into town.
Entertainment
There is a great, old-man style, pub mid-way down Kilkee main street, that does good pints of Guinness. Scotts is a popular hotspot, bang in the middle of the main street again, and there are a couple of clubs as well down the far end of town (other side to dive centre).
If you are blown-out, (it has been known to happen), there are lovely walks along the cliffs in both directions. The Pollack Holes are good fun to swim though you need calm water (and low tide).
Boats
There is a slip just outside the dive centre. It's usable at all stages of the tide.
There are no public moorings. There are some private moorings in the bay.
There is a small pier you can tie up to, but it isn't really a spot for leaving the boat for more than ten minutes.
At night, the boats will need to come out. There is a big public car park beside the slip, people leave boats here. No need to strap them down, its only twenty metres to the car park from the slip, and you will be re-launching them the next day anyway.
There is a marina in Kilrush, but it is MILES too far away. You cut across land in the car, in the boats you would need to go all the way around Loop Head.
Sites
The dive sites do not seem to be tidal. The boats from the dive centre run in and out constantly all day.
Refer to the Dive Ireland guide. The DUSAC club have dived Middle Rock, Georges Head and Bishop's Rock. Middle Rock was excellent, Bishop's Rock superb and Georges Head is a bit hit and miss. To dive Bishop's Rock they dropped in about twenty to thirty yards out from the right of the rock into about twenty five metres of water. Following a wall out to sea they came across walls, cliffs gullies and ravines. Middle Rock is supposed to be the best dive in the area and there's certainly a few dives to be had here. Again, walls, nice rock formations and boulders at the bottom.
Safety
You need the usual boat safety equipment: O2, 1st Aid Kit, flares, VHF, GPS. Also make note of the following:
Shannon Coastguard
VHF Channels 28, 16, 67, DSC 70
Marine rescue centre
Kilkee
Emergency services
112 (or 999) on land
Closest hospital
Ennis
Recompression chamber
Galway, 091 524222
Dublin (private)
Weather
Weather Dial 1550 123 855
RTE Radio1 (88-89fm) at 0602, 1253, 1655, 2355
VHF 0103, 0403, 0703, 1003, 1303, 1603, 1903, 2203
Warnings on VHF (channel 16) 0033, 0633, 1233, 1833
Local Facilities
The dive centre has a compressor.
Gold PalmDive Centre Kilkee S-7909
East End
Kilkee
Co. Clare
Phone: (353) 65-9056707
Their website has more info and you can email them. They have several boats and are in and out all day.
More Information:
Dublin University Sub Aqua Club:
Website
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