Sailing & Kayaking - Living the Sheep's Head Way

Carbery Sailing

January 6, 2017 by Dunmanus

At Carbery Sailing on the Sheep’s Head peninsula, we offer RYA-approved sailing courses and chartered sailing trips along Ireland’s beautiful Atlantic coastline

Our sailing school is based in Ahakista on West Cork’s Sheep’s Head peninsula – a European Destination of Excellence. All of our sailing courses take place on our Hallberg Rassy 46 yacht ‘Merlin’.

Bantry Bay, Dunmanus Bay and Roaringwater Bay offer technical challenges to suit everyone and make West Cork a fantastic place to learn to sail. You’ll gain practical experience and confidence as well as your RYA sailing qualifications when you’re learning to sail, or building your sailing skills on Cork’s dramatic bays.

Our professional and friendly instructors cater for novice sailors and for people looking to advance their sailing skills. Train for your ‘Start Yachting’, ‘Competent Crew’, ‘Day Skipper’ and ‘Yachtmaster Coastal’ sailing qualifications here. You can also sign up for ‘taster’ weekends, mile-building courses or chartered day trips and Wild Atlantic Way Cruises.

Our visitors love the fine scenery, fantastic food and great company they find on the Sheep’s Head peninsula after a day out on the water. It’s a wonderful base for a sailing break along Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way.

Contact Carbery Sailing today, and we’ll help you plan every aspect of your trip from your training, travel, and transfers to great accommodation.

You’ll find our scheduled sailing courses and Wild Atlantic Way cruises here on the events calendar and at http://carberysailing.com

Location:	Ahakista, Sheep's Head peninsula, Co. Cork
Open:	7 days, 9am-8pm.
Email:	[email protected]
Tel:	00 353 (0)27 29101
	No
Website:	http://carberysailing.com/
TripAdvisor:	Yes
Responsible Tourism Policy:	Yes Long-listed for Irish Responsible Tourism Awards 2015: 'Best in a Marine or Coastal Environment' category.
Google Maps:	Yes
Facebook:	Yes
Twitter:	@carberysailing

Bantry Bay Sailing Club

January 6, 2014 by Dunmanus

Bantry Bay Sailing Club offers ISA-approved dinghy sailing courses on West Cork’s Bantry Bay.

We operate in the sheltered and safe location of the inner harbour of the bay which is located in West Cork in the south-west of Ireland.

We are a recognised ISA training centre. This means we can provide you with Irish Sailing Association certification if this is what you want and you can meet the standards required. This certification is recognised internationally.

Our class sizes are small giving you more individual attention. We will provide you with the use of a club dinghy for the duration of your course. This will save you the cost of having to buy your own, even though, in time, we hope you will if you really get to like sailing.

The sailing club is located on the Bantry Bay Blueway!

Darren’s Kayaks

January 4, 2014 by Dunmanus

Kayak on the peaceful and sheltered waters of West Cork’s Dunmanus Bay with Darren’s Kayaks and explore the scenic coastline of the stunning Sheep’s Head peninsula

Whether you want a relaxing paddle taking in the scenery and wildlife of the beautiful Sheep’s Head coastline or a fast-paced fun ‘Pier to Mannion Island’ time trial, we are happy to accommodate you.

Dunmanus Bay in West Cork, lying between the Mizen and Sheep’s Head peninsulas, is the perfect place for kayaking.

In addition to mini-excursions and a personalised tuition service we also offer kayaks for rent. Kayak for an hour or two in Ahakista’s scenic inner harbour, or, if you wish, you can rent a kayak to take away and explore at your leisure. If you want to try your hand at kayak fishing or – for the more adventurous – kayak sailing, give Darren a call. We also offer an expert sales service if you are looking to buy a kayak of your own.

Location:	Durrus, Co. Cork.
Opening Hours:	Open 7 days a week but, as our office is often at sea, please phone for availability.
Tel.	00 353 (0)27 61515
Email:	[email protected]
Website:	http://darrenskayaks.com
Facebook	Yes
	No
TripAdvisor Reviews:	No
Google Maps:	No

Wild Atlantic Way Cruise

September 30, 2013 by Dunmanus

Discover Ireland’s rugged coastline on Carbery Sailing’s Wild Atlantic Way Cruise. Taste the salt air at the edge of Western Europe, and sample the fantastic food produced here on the Sheep’s Head peninsula – an unspoilt European Destination of Excellence.

As you watch dolphins and whales play in pristine waters, and explore the bays and islands around the Sheep’s Head, you’ll understand how the changing sea has shaped the landscape of the Sheep’s Head peninsula, and the lives of its people, across the millennia.

West Cork Wild Atlantic Way Cruise

Your journey will take place on a luxury Hallberg-Rassy yacht operated by Carbery Sailing from Ahakista.

Moving through Dunmanus Bay, watch the coastlines of the Sheep’s Head and Mizen peninsulas unfold alongside you. As we make our way towards the Atlantic, Chris from Carbery Sailing and his crew will share with you stories about the people who have made this remote landscape home over several thousand years.

Bantry Bay, bordered by the Sheep’s Head and Beara peninsulas, is one of the deepest natural harbours in Europe. The drama of this bay, which can be as flat as glass or angry enough to repel an invading fleet, is something to experience. The majestic outlines of Hungry Hill and the Sugarloaf stand over the bay. The hills transform the sea, the wind, and the quality of the light in ways that our visiting sailors are always amazed by.

We’ll also explore Roaringwater Bay, named for the sound of the waters that, powered by Atlantic gales, crash against its many rocks and 100 islands. No better place to experience the Wild Atlantic Way! For all its drama, the climate here, influenced by the Gulf Stream, is mild. As we sail, look out for the harbour porpoises, dolphins and whales which make this bay their home. You’ll need your camera ready throughout the trip to capture images of local dolphins, minke whales, sunfish and leatherback sea turtles.

You’ll encounter three magnificent bays on Carbery Sailing’s Wild Atlantic Way Cruise. We’ll also chart our course past West Cork’s 7 inhabited islands. Spend time with their unique communities and experience the stunning natural habitats on Sherkin and Bere islands during your sailing trip, and you’ll get a real sense on what it is to live life by the Atlantic, at the very edge of Europe.

Price:

Carbery Sailing’s Wild Atlantic Way Cruises start from €290 (per person, cabin-sharing).

Transport:

Ahakista is located 1.25 hours’ drive from Cork Aiport. Transfers can be arranged.
UK airports with flights to Cork Airport include:
Birmingham, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Newcastle upon Tyne, Liverpool, London Gatwick, London Heathrow and London Stansted.

European airports with flights to Cork include:
Amsterdam, Barcelona, Brussels, Geneva, Girona, Lisbon, Milan, Munich, Nice, Paris and Warsaw.

Bookings and Enquiries:

You can either book a scheduled cruise, or contact Carbery Sailing’s Chris Forker to arrange a booking for dates to suit you.
Email: [email protected]

Bantry Bay Blueway

August 31, 2013 by Dunmanus

Bantry Bay Blueway is an inviting water-based trail that will tempt you out onto the waters of Bantry’s spectacular bay which flanks the Sheep’s Head peninsula on its northern side

The trail offers a host of activities like kayaking, paddleboarding and sailing, suitable for everyone from beginners to more experienced sailors. Around Bantry’s shoreline, out on Whiddy Island, and around the bay, you’ll find information boards with trail maps, safety details, and tips on equipment hire and tuition.

The three trails available on the Bantry Bay Blueway are graded for beginners, intermediate, and advanced kayakers, so people of all ages and abilities can get out onto the water.

The famous bay runs approximately 35 km (22 mi) from northeast to southwest into the Atlantic Ocean. It is approximately 3-to-4 km (1.8-to-2.5 miles) wide at the head, and 10 km (6.2 mi) wide at the entrance. Two of West Cork’s inhabited islands – Bere and Whiddy – are located within Bantry Bay.

ABBEY POINT SLIPWAY TO RAILWAY PIER RETURN
Green Trail: Beginner Trail
Access Point: Abbey Slipway
Distance: 2 km return Duration: 1 hour return
Description: Short return trail between Abbey Slipway (1) and Railway Pier (7). Beware of Ferries operating from
Bantry Pier.

ABBEY POINT SLIPWAY TO BANK HOUSE RETURN
Blue Trail: Intermediate Trail
Access Point: Abbey Slipway
Distance: 6km return Duration: 2 hour return
Description: Travels west to point (2) where the crossing point is marked by a signpost and flag. Beware of winds
and tidal flows at the crossing, a wind flag at point (2) will indicate local wind conditions. If suitable cross
600m (15 minutes) to the Blueway flag on Whiddy Island point (3). Be careful of ferries operating between Whiddy
Island and Bantry. Follow trail to Bank House on Whiddy Island (4). Return via the same Blue Intermediate Loop
to Abbey Slipway.

ABBEY SLIPWAY TO WHIDDY ISLAND TO ABBEY SLIPWAY – LONG LOOP
Red Trail: Advanced Trail
Access Point: Abbey Slipway
Distance: 9km Duration: 3 hours
Description: Follow the Blue Trail description to Bank House on Whiddy Island (4) continue north to point (5)
where the crossing point is marked by an orange buoy and flag. This is a 2 km long (45 minute) open water
crossing which requires experience to successfully complete. Beware of winds and tidal flows at the
crossing, a wind flag at point (5) will indicate local wind conditions. Cross between Horse Island and Chapel
Island flanked by mussel farm buoys to the green channel marker. From the green channel marker head
for the Blueway flag on Reenbeg Point (6). Then cross the small bay south to reach Railway Pier (7) and on to
Abbey Slipway (1).

Useful Information

Service Providers
* Darren’s Kayaks
* Carbery Sailing

Check out the Bantry Bay Blueway Guide here.

The Whiddy Island Pontoon and access gangway are suitable for craft of up to 3mtr draft. Full operating rules are available here. Contact the Harbour Office, Wolfe Tone Square, Bantry (+353 (0)27 53277 or [email protected] for details and charges.

For more details about exploring the Bantry Blueway from Whiddy Island, contact Tim O’Leary on 086 862 6734.

Stay Safe

Wind Flag Sagging: Slack Winds – Favourable paddling conditions
Wind flag extended or flapping: High Winds – not favourable paddling condition
No Flag: Trail CLOSED.

Users of this trail do so at their own risk. Trail users must check the weather forecast and beware of the wind especially in open water crossings. In case of an emergency dial 112 or 999 to contact the emergency services. Use
VHF channel 16 to contact the Coast Guard.