Sailing inyourfootsteps.com

16°C

Swell today

Direction SW, height 0.0 metres, period 9.9 seconds, significant wave height of 0.4 metres.

Haven position?

52° 19.628' N, 010° 1.085' W

Where is that position?

Off the beach on Illauntannig approximately half way between the house and the Monastic settlement site.

What are the initial fixes?

The following waypoints will set up a final approach:

(i) Central Magharee Sound - Illauntannig initial fix
52° 19.350' N, 010° 1.070' W
In the middle Magharee Sound between Rough Point and Island.

(ii) West Magharee Sound initial fix
52° 19.000' N, 010° 5.000' W
North of Brandon Bay.

(iii) East Magharee Sound initial fix
52° 18.513' N, 009° 55.866' W
Transit convergence point of 106° from Church Hill and 354° off Kerry Head.

Please note: Initial fixes only set up their listed targets. Do not plan to sail directly between initial fixes as a routing sequence.

What is the story here?

Illauntannig is the largest of a number of small islands called the Maharee Islands, often called the ‘Seven Hoggs’, situated off the north shore of the Dingle Peninsula. The island is situated one nautical mile off the northern end of the of the sandy Castlegregory peninsula that separates Brandon Bay to the west from Tralee Bay on the east.

In fine settled conditions the island offers an exposed anchorage on the east side of the island abreast of the house with good holding in sand. Careful navigation is required as there is a rock in the middle of the bay off the beach called Thurran Rock (often called Wheel Rock) that is steep and dries to 2.5 metres at low water. However the clear visibility of the water makes it very workable.

Why visit here?

The Magharee islands (in Irish, Oilehin an Mhachaire from the Irish na Machairí meaning a cultivated coastal raised dune system immediately inside an exposed sandy beach, behind which there is often a flat grassy area) are also known in English as the Seven Hogs (Na Seacht gCeanna).

The islands are uninhabited, except for holiday visitors. The two largest islands, Illauntannig and Illaunimmil, were inhabited in the past and are still grazed by sheep and cattle during the summer months. The islands are privately owned and ‘Illauntannig’ has a summer home with outhouses on the northeastern side of the island.

Illauntannig (Irish Oileán tSeanaigh) acquired it’s named after Saint Senach who reputedly founded the early Christian monastery on the island in the 7th century along with Kilshannig on the mainland. The visible remains are substantial and reside just south of the anchorage within thick, curving cashal walls. They consist of a well preserved souterrain about forty metres in length, leading into the central site that includes two oratories, three beehive (or Clochan) huts and three examples of a leacht (or altar), all within an enclosing wall. Beside one of the platforms is a stone cross 1.8m high with bevelled edges albeit undecorated. A bronze-coated iron hand-bell displayed in the National Museum of Ireland came from a recess in one of the walls.

The area teems with bird and other wildlife. The island is generally quite flat and grassy making it ideal for Oyster Catcher and Tern (mostly Arctic) to nest. The surrounding waters have great underwater visibility and offer excellent diving. Basking Shark and Blue Shark are reputed to be common in these waters in the summer months. Two small adjoining islands, Illaunboe and Reennafardarrig, can be reached by foot from Illauntannig at low tide, but make sure you know exactly what the tide is doing.

From a sailing perspective, if you are daunted by the prospect of getting on to the Skelligs then the Illauntannig monastic site is the lazy mans answer to getting an idea of what is like. As in the photo there is a plaque in the location providing more details of the history than are listed here. Illauntannig is also an ideal spot to sit out a tide if you are bound for the Shannon estuary and do not want to go all the way to Fenit and out again.

How to get in?

From the middle of Maharee Sound initial fix proceed north. Keep one hundred metres off the island and you should be clear of Thurran Rock on your east side.

I usually anchor right off the beach half way between the monastic settlement and the dwelling house (see photos below) in sand with good holding in two metres. Another popular location to anchor is where the local house owner moors his Currach that is often marked on Admiralty charts (also marked on the chartlet below).

Landing is easy at the steep, sandy beach on the east side.

What are the tides here?

Today's local tide estimates are based on High Water Cobh -0037
Today's Cobh tides — High waters: 07:36, 19:53, Low waters: 01:41, 13:56
Today's Dover tides — High waters: 01:04, 13:22, Low waters: 08:17, 20:33 (From Tide Times)
More accurately Cobh -0057sp, -0017np, or alternatively -0612 Dover

MHWS 4.6m MHWN 3.4m MLWN 1.6m MLWS 0.5m; ML 2.6 M Duration 0605

The flood tide in Magharee Sound starts running East at –0100 Dover, or +0450 Cobh, HW Galway +0505. The ebb tide starts running West at +0500 Dover or –0055 Cobh, HW Galway -0120. The tides run in line with the fairway in the sound and around the north of the islands reaching a maximum of two to three knots at springs both ways. During west gales, a heavy breaking sea makes up in the sound with an opposing current.

What facilities are available?

None

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

Other useful contacts in this area.
Fenit Port Manager VHF 14 & 16 phone: +353 66 7136231

Any security concerns?

A problem occurring in this remote location would be unimaginable.

What navigational resources are available for this area?

The large scale Admiralty Chart 2254 ‘Valentia Island to River Shannon’ Scale of 1:150,000 covers this area for planning purposes. Admiralty Chart 2739 ‘Brandon and Tralee Bays’ Scale of 1:37,500, including Fenit Harbour 1:12,500, provides the requisite detail required for cruising this area. Also Imray C55 ‘Dingle Bay to Galway Bay’ scale of 1:170,000, Ordinance Survey of Ireland, Discovery Series Map ref No. 70 / 71 Kerry scale 1:50,000.

With thanks to:

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

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