West Cork & Kerry

The south-west corner of Ireland — West Cork and Kerry — offers some of the finest coastal sailing in the Atlantic, provided you accept the weather on its own terms. The coastline is a sequence of deep bays and peninsulas: Bantry Bay, the Beara Peninsula, the Kenmare River, the Iveragh Peninsula, and Dingle Bay, each penetrating inland and providing shelter from the prevailing south-westerly. The charter base is typically at Kinsale or Lawrence Cove on the Beara Peninsula. Kinsale, a small harbour town east of the main cruising ground, has a reputation for restaurants and a well-equipped marina. Lawrence Cove, further west in Bantry Bay, places you closer to the prime sailing area. Bantry Bay is the centrepiece — a deep, wide inlet that provides anchorages at Glengarriff (where the Italianate gardens on Garnish Island sit among the subtropical vegetation that the Gulf Stream's warmth permits), at Castletownbere (a fishing port with provisioning and a working-harbour atmosphere), and at several quieter bays along the northern shore. West beyond Bantry Bay, the coast becomes more exposed. The Skellig Islands — Skellig Michael, with its sixth-century monastic settlement perched on a rock eight miles offshore, and Little Skellig, home to one of the world's largest gannet colonies — are a highlight accessible in settled weather. The passage is open Atlantic, and the landing on Skellig Michael (permitted in summer, weather-dependent) requires conditions calm enough for the boat landing. The Kenmare River, between the Beara and Iveragh peninsulas, offers more sheltered sailing with anchorages at Sneem, Templenoe, and Kilmakilloge Harbour. Derrynane, on the Iveragh coast, has a sandy bay and the house where Daniel O'Connell — the 19th-century Irish political leader — grew up. The weather is the constant variable. Atlantic depressions cross Ireland's south-west regularly, bringing rain, wind shifts, and occasional gales even in summer. A settled week is a bonus; three good days out of seven is realistic. The compensation is dramatic light, empty anchorages, and a sailing environment where the pubs at every harbour stop serve pints that have become part of the culture's fabric. Provisioning is best done in Kinsale or Castletownbere. Smaller harbours have limited shops. Fuel and water are at the main marinas.