Sport & Leisure

Diving

Diving in West Cork is unique, with the option of wreck diving on old sailing vessels to a 2nd World War U-Boat and the world’s largest accessible wreck, the 900ft Kowloon Bridge which sunk in 1987. The sheltered waters of Glandore Bay and Roaring Water Bay provides ideal opportunities for the novice diver to explore island coves, sea caves and abundant sea life. On board support includes compressor up to 300 bar.

Angling

West Cork hosts many international angling competitions, the temperate climate ensures opportunities for deep sea and coastal angling throughout the year, with the exception of the occasional visit of a strong Atlantic storm!

Most of the common coastal species can be found, including ling, cod, thornback ray, skate, wrasse, mackerel, etc. while further off shore are shark and larger fish grounds.

Whale Watching

West Cork is fortunate to have a great variety of sea mammals, both as residents and as visitors on migration trails or following their food sources. It is possible to see Minke, Fin and Humpback whales along with Common and Bottlenose dolphins. Basking sharks are frequent visitors, with over 80 being counted in one day south of Sherkin Island in September 2010. Atlantic Gray and Common seals can be seen on the rocks all along the coast and around the islands.

Bird Watching

The high cliffs of Cape Clear and Sherkin Island provide wonderful playgrounds and nesting sites for many species of sea bird, it is possible to see four families of Shearwaters, Corey’s, Manx, Sooty and the Great Shearwater, alongside storm petrels, Artic Skuas, Puffins, Razorbills and Peregrine Falcons. The great diving Gannets and the little Guillemots abound, while the Chough is making a great recovery in numbers.

Harbour Tours

Family trips around Glandore Bay, enjoying the wildlife around Adam’s Island and Eve Island in the Bay and High Island, Low Island and Rabbit Islands nearby, the seal colonies on the rocks, the sea birds gliding the up-drafts on the cliffs of Foilnashark Head to the east and Sheela Point to the west.
A great opportunity to introduce children and young people to the marine environment, perhaps catch some fish and bring them home for dinner! Enjoy a hot drink in the galley, a photograph’s dream of sea, cliffs and island landscapes.

Eco Tours

Eco Tours take in a wide variety of habitats and wildlife, including coastal sea birds, seal colonies on the rocks, hidden coves on the islands, sea caves. On lucky days pods of dolphins will swim with the boat, whales can be seen breaching and the basking sharks can be seen gliding through the water with their huge mouths filtering plankton from the water. Ideal for environmental enthusiasts, family adventures and ‘special day’ outings.