Clare Boating

1. KILBAHA BAY (chart 1819). This is a useful passage anchorage 4 miles inside Loop head, sheltered in winds from west to N.E. but with indiffferent holding and exposed to swell. A pleasant spot in fine weather, but if unsettled Carrigaholt is much preferable. There are submerged rocky ledges on both sides of the bay so keep to the middle as you sound your way to the anchorage. This is in about 1 ½ fms. in the centre of the bay with the pierhead bearing about 250 ^.. It is completely exposed to S.E. winds which send in a nasty short sea. Wooden lobster tanks with buoys are moored in the inner part of the bay but there is still plenty of room for a couple of yachts to anchor.

2.CARRIGAHOLT (chart 1547). This bay, 1 ½ miles north of Kilcredaun point, gives good protection from all westerly winds and a yacht seeking shelter in the estuary need go nor further. The most convenient anchorage is about ½ cable north of the New pier at the castle in 11/2 fms., excellent holding and no tidal stream to speak of. It is exposed to wind and sea from S. to N.E. In southerly winds one can go alongside the New pier. In E. to N.E. it is better to run up to the Old pier at the village at H.W. A small yacht can find better shelter in W. or N.W. wind off the small bay south of Carrigaholt castle and north of Kilcredaun bay, good holding in 2 fms., sand.

3.QUERIN QUAY (chart 1547). Querin creek, 4 ½ miles from Carrigaholt on the northern shore, can be identified by a handball alley above the quay. It is approached close inshore from the east at suitable rise of tide. The best depth is close to the south point of the entrance which is steep-to. The quay, just inside the entrance, dries 3 ft., sand bottom. With fresh S.W. wind the south side is uncomfortable at H.W. and one can shift to the east berth. Both berths are exposed to the east. There is 7 ft. alongside the south side of the quay when 5 tonnes are showing below the S.E. corner of the quay.

4.KILRUSH. The port of Kilrush lies on the northern side of a creek which dries completely at springs. It should be approached from the S.E. and course shaped for the centre of the entrance. Having rounded Watch House point to starboard bring the square church tower on with the southern skylight of the shed on the promontory at the eastern end of the creek; this line leads within 50 ft. of the disused patent slip pierhead on the starboard hand and should be held until the bollard on this pierhead comes in line with the south jamb of the big gate of a shed at the rear of the pierhead; hold this line astern till abreast Bob’s point (a cable further east), then steer for the chapel steeple, which will lead to the quays. Abreast the patent slip pierhead there is 5 ft. at half-tide.

5.Cappagh Pier. This is the deepwater pier for Kilrush and lies in the channel N.E. of Hog island. The pierhead berth abreast the iron ladder has 5 ft. L.W.S. but is in constant use by the pilot boat for vessels entering the Shannon. Yachts should not use this berth nor should they lie alongside the pilot boat (an ex-R.N.L.I. lifeboat). The middle and inner berths dry about 2 ft. and may be used at suitable rise in reasonable weather; it would not be safe to dry out there. Facilities. Small shop and pub, water. Phone at Pilot station.

6.KNOCK PIER (chart 1548). Clonderlaw bay on the northern side opposite Tarbert is a long inlet most of which dries. Knock pier is a mile within the bay on its N.W. side and is approached across drying mudflats. When the rock at the base of Tarbert lighthouse covers, which corresponds to H.W. neaps, there is 6 ft. at the pier. Caution. The eastern pier shown on the chart is in ruins and covered at H.W. Keep very close to the visibile western pier when going alongside its east side. The bottom is mud over small stones and shelter good, subject only to a little discomfort in S.E. and E. winds. Facilities. P.O., ‘phone, 100 yds. from pier with public water tap beside P.O. Two pubs, one with taxi.

7.Kilteery Pier. This is on the southern shore opposite Dillisk rocks. It is in good condition and dries about 4 ft. It can provide a sheltered berth alongisde from S.E. through south to N.W. It is foul with stones in two places on its S.E. side: immediately south of the elbow, and at the steps, inshore from the 7^th step from the top; between these two stony places there is a good mud berth. There are no facilities nearby; it is half an hour’s walk to Loughel, R.C. Church and pub.

8.CAHIRCON PIER (chart 1549). This is behind Inishmurray on the Clare side north of Foynes. It is not a very good pier for yachts as it is unsuitable for drying out being built on a projecting rocky ledge. There are dangers in the approach from either direction. The best approach is from S.W. but there is a dangerious rock, the weed on which shows at L.W., just over a cable S.W. of Inishmurray; the pierhead bearing 10^. leads clear in west of this rock. The N.E. entrance is much more difficult and only possible at sufficient rise as the flats between the island and Colonel rock only have 1 ft.; a drying spit extends 4 cables N.E. from the island and between its N.E. end and Ballynacragga point there are rocks on the mud on the mainland side.

The best berth, which only just dries (rock) at L.W.S., is between the chain hanging from the middle bollard and second stone on the edge of the pier west of the east bollard. Elsewhere the rock dries 5 ft. The ebb runs very strongly off the east corner of the pier and causes an eddy up the outer face of the pier. There are rocks immediately N.E. of the pier projecting somewhat outside the line of its face; to the S.E. the line of the face of the pier marks the edge of the mud.

9.RIVER FERGUS, locally knowns as THE CLARE RIVER. The mouth of this river is 3 ½ miles wide, obstructed by many islands and rocks on the west side, and by rocks alone on the east side where the main channel lies. Chart 1549 shows the mouth well. There was a smaller scale chart of the whole river (1584), but this has been withdrawn; part of it is reproduced here; the river is navigable for 9 miles to Clare Castle; the upper parts are not of very great interest and should certainly not be attempted without the chart.

10.KILDYSART and Approach (chart 1549). Kildysart lies at the head of a creek entered just within the western entrance of the Fergus, north of Colonel point. The only mark to avoid the dangerious Colonel rock and cross the bank on which it lies in the best water (5 ft. L.W.S.) is to steer with the summit of Inishcorker bearing 360^. till in deeper water. At Colonel point, the east end of Inishcorker, the tide runs fast, spring ebb 5 kn. The passage past it is narrow, but straightforward with 4 ft. least depth. There are couple of large boulders N.W. of the point which must be given a fair berth when coming round for Kildysart creek, but more particularly when leaving, as the ebb sets down on them. However, do not go too far from this side. The creek runs north of Inishcorker up to the village; it all dries at L.W.; there is a slip on the mainland on the point due north of the west end of Inishcorker; just beyond this where the road joins the shore there is a quay.