Sailing inyourfootsteps.com

9°C

Swell today

Direction SSE, height 0.8 metres, period 9.9 seconds, significant wave height of 1.1 metres.

Haven position?

51° 41.030' N, 009° 43.122' W

Where is that position?

Approximately 300 metres northeast of Orthon’s Island in 3.4 metres.

What is the initial fix?

This waypoint is 300 metres south east of the entrance.

What is the story here?

Adrigole is a beautiful Beara Peninsula anchorage located on the north side of Bantry Bay approximately three miles east of Bearhaven. It offers excellent all round protection but may be uncomfortable in heavy southerly conditions better protected by other nearby locations.

The anchorage is not large and the entry, at Pointamore Point, is only 400 metres wide. Once past the entry the harbour opens out but is obstructed by a low islet called Orthon Island that lies in the middle of the harbour and its surrounding rocky outcrops reaching out a distance of 200 metres. However, when rounded, it is this island that offers protection from southerly conditions.

Sea entry from Bantry bay is easy and unobstructed and you may enter at any stage of the tide. Due to the rocky outcrops extending to north, west and south sides of the island plus more rocks extending north-northeast of the eastern shore, careful daytime navigation is required in Adrigole and a vessel should not enter at night.

Please note there are mussel rafts on the west side of the entrance but as the west side is obstructed and the anchorage is on the east side of the bay they may be left to port and present no problem to navigation. One should also note that in heavy westerly or northerly conditions you can experience very heavy squalls coming down from the Caher Mountains to the north of the harbour.

Why visit here?

Adrigole, (Irish: Eádargoil, meaning between two inlets) is a scattered village with a sparsely distributed population of about 450 people strung along the head of a lovely inlet. It is loomed over by Hungry Hill (687m, 2,253 ft) with two rock-girt lakes which feed a fine cascade after rain. Hungry Hill is the highest of the Caha range which forms the spine of the peninsula.

The area is located in the county of Cork, with a border to the north with county Kerry. Its chief industries are farming and fishing, however much of the population is employed in other services and in state employment. As it is located on the main Cork to Castletownbere road, its infrastructure is relatively good.

This is one of the most beautiful anchorages on the West coast of Ireland and an excellent night stop. It is well protected in bad weather - however if you are expecting very heavy southerly conditions Lawrence’s Cove, just to the west, on Bear Island would be better.

How to get in?

Access to the entrance from Bantry Bay is unimpeded. The harbour resides approximately 400 metres northeast of Bulliga Point on the west side and Pointamore on the east.

Favour the east side of the bay on entry as the channel leads to the east of Orthon’s Islet. Keep mid channel between the islet and the east shore as unmarked foul ground extends 200 metres south of Orthon Island and likewise north-northeast and the east shore.

The preferred anchorage areas are to the east of Orthon Island or further to the north in the centre of the bay. Please keep 200 metres north of the island to avoid offlying northern outcrops and entirely avoid the area between the west side of the island and the bay’ western shore as it is completely obstructed. The northern shore of the harbour dries out.

Anchor to take best shelter from the current wind direction, the bottom in all cases is soft sand and mud offering excellent holding.

Eight seasonal visitor moorings are available in position 51 41.000N 09 43.000 W. The 15 tons rated moorings are large, coloured bright yellow and labelled VISITOR. A daily charge of €7.50 may be levied.

There is a stone and concrete pier on the eastern shore directly across from Orthon’s Islet. The north side of the pier has the greater depth.

What are the tides here?

Today's Dover tides — High waters: 10:33, 22:54, Low waters: 05:34, 17:58 ^{From Tide Times}

HW Cobh –0048sp, -0012np
MHWS 3.2m MHWN 2.6m MLWN 1.2m MLWS 0.4m

The latest monthly Dover Tides and Cobh Tides courtesy of the National Environmental Research Council. Printable monthly tides for Dublin, Dunmore, Cobh, Galway, Belfast are available from the ISA.

The national weather forecast, Met Éireann and BBC shipping forecasts, plus a very simplified Munster tourist outlook. From an Atlantic perspective a 24 hour North Atlantic synoptic chart that you may ‘right click’ and save to your hard disk. Met Éireann’s Eastern Atlantic chart and the BBC’s surface area forecast plus visible satellite images for Ireland and Northeast Atlantic from Met Éireann. Wind observations, XC UK & Ireland, Windguru wind & wave reports, and Windfinder where you can determine a forecast time. Coastal radio stations (VHF Channel) Weather forecast at 0103 and thence every 3 hours updated every sixth. Cork 26, Bantry 23, Valentia 24. Radio broadcasts on RTE 1 (89.1FM) 0603, 1253, 1655 and 2355.

A free tidal range prediction application for windows, a simple tide monitor plus the rule of twelfths are available in inyourfootsteps.com shared ‘experience’.

What facilities are available?

There are no facilities in this remote bay. The village has a shop known locally as "Peg's Shop" which also offers certain postal services, such as the purchase of stamps and mailing of letters. There are also four pubs that may be availed of.

These are all available on the north side of the bay on the road but that’s a dingy ride at high water and a short walk across the fields otherwise as I recall.

Supplies can be obtained from the village of Drumlave three quarters of a kilometre to the east of the pier.

Adrigole is centred around the junction of the R572 regional road with the R574 on the main Cork to Castletownbere (approximately 15 kilometres) road. The proximity to the town of Castletownbere makes other services such as banking easily available. The nearest airport is Cork Airport.

What emergency contacts are there?

Valentia Maritime Rescue Sub-Centre (MRSC) VHF Ch 24 & MF 1752 kHz covers this costal area. Cork (26), Mizen (04), Bantry Bay (23), Shannon (28) and Galway (04) provide relay stations. Coastguard Radio is always called on a working channel. Emergencies are worked on 16, 67 and working channel.

Alternatively, or if ashore, phone 999 or 121 (free) and ask for ‘Marine Rescue’. Gardai (police), Fire and Rescue are also available on this number. Valentia (MRSC) may be called on +353 669 476 109

Any security concerns?

Never an issue known to have occurred in Adrigole.

What navigational resources are available for this area?

The large scale Admiralty Charts 2424 ‘Kenmare River to Cork Harbour’ Scale of 1:150,000 covers this area. Detail is provided by 1840 ‘Bantry Bay - Black Ball Head to Shot’ Scale of 1:30,000 (including Castletown Bearhaven Scale of 1:15,000 provide detail). Imray C56 ‘Cork Harbour to Dingle Bay’ scale of 1:170,000. The Pilot ’Sailing Directions - Irish Cruising Club - South and West Coasts of Ireland’’ covers this in great detail.

With thanks to:

Burke Corbett, Gusserane, New Ross, Co. Wexford.

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