Best Anchorages in Southwest Ireland

3–8m · Alarm: 95m

Baltimore is the undisputed sailing capital of Southwest Ireland — a small, atmospheric village with a superb natural harbour that serves as the gateway to Roaringwater Bay and the Carbery Islands. The famous ruined O'Driscoll castle overlooks the harbour approach from the headland, and the waterfront pubs are legendary for music and hospitality. Excellent mud holding in 3–8m makes this one of the most reliable overnight anchorages in SW Ireland. Sherkin Island and Clear Island are a short sail away, and Baltimore is the ferry hub for both. The Fastnet Rock lighthouse is 14nm to the southwest — Baltimore is the natural base for Fastnet Race spectators. A sheltered, sociable, and well-provisioned harbour.

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3–7m · Alarm: 85m

Lawrence Cove on the northeast corner of Sherkin Island offers a beautifully sheltered anchorage within sight of Baltimore — close enough for a quick ferry or dinghy trip to the village, but far quieter. Sherkin Island has a small resident community and one of Ireland's finest examples of a Franciscan friary (founded 1460, ruined but atmospheric). The island has sandy beaches, seabird colonies, and superb walking, with the pub open in summer for visiting sailors. The sand and mud bottom provides reliable holding, and the SW protection makes this preferable to Baltimore in a southwesterly ground swell. A quintessential Southwest Ireland anchorage.

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2–6m · Alarm: 80m

Glengarriff is one of Ireland's most celebrated anchorages — a magical, almost landlocked bay deep in the head of Bantry Bay, surrounded by ancient oak woodland and set against the dramatic backdrop of the Caha Mountains. The warm Gulf Stream influence gives the area a uniquely mild microclimate, making the famous Garnish Island (Ilnacullin) garden one of the finest in Ireland, with Himalayan plants flourishing in the open air. The anchorage in soft mud provides exceptional holding and all-round shelter, and the village ashore has a good selection of restaurants, pubs, and provisions. An absolute classic of Irish coastal sailing.

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4–10m · Alarm: 100m

Long Island Bay sits at the eastern entrance to Bantry Bay, tucked between the Mizen Peninsula and the outer Carbery Islands. The anchorage east of Long Island is a wide, mostly sheltered bay offering 4–10m over mud and sand in surroundings of extraordinary beauty — rolling green hills, scattered farm buildings, and not a marina in sight. The island itself is uninhabited, and the bay sees very few yachts except in summer. This is Southwest Ireland at its most elemental — a working agricultural and fishing landscape with no concessions to tourism. Best reserved for settled SW conditions.

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3–6m · Alarm: 80m

Clear Island (Cape Clear, Oileán Chléire) is the most southerly inhabited island in Ireland — a rugged, windswept Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking) community 8nm southwest of Baltimore, with a population of around 150 people and one of Ireland's finest seabird observatories. The approach from Baltimore passes Fastnet Rock to the south — one of sailing's most famous landmarks. North Harbour is the main anchorage, reasonably sheltered from the prevailing SW but exposed to the north. The island has a pub, a small shop, and a heritage centre. Humpback and minke whales are regularly sighted from the headlands, and the island is a key migration point for rare birds. A bucket-list destination for Irish coastal sailors.

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2–5m · Alarm: 75m

Schull is a vibrant, well-provisioned small town on the south coast of the Mizen Peninsula, with one of the best natural harbours in Roaringwater Bay. The town has a thriving arts and food scene — a farmers' market, excellent restaurants, and a famous cheese shop (Gubbeen Farmhouse). The harbour provides good shelter from the prevailing SW, with a sheltered anchorage in mud and sand east of the pier. Mount Gabriel (407m) to the north serves as a major air traffic control radar station and is a landmark for the whole region. Schull is a perfect provisioning stop between Baltimore and the outer Bantry Bay anchorages.

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5–12m · Alarm: 110m

Castletownbere (Castletown Berehaven) is the primary all-weather harbour for Southwest Ireland — a deep, completely enclosed anchorage in the Beara Peninsula that provides protection in any direction and in the most severe Atlantic storms. This is Ireland's most important whitefish port, and the harbour bustles with large trawlers, fish carriers, and service vessels around the clock. The town has excellent provisions, fuel, and all services a passage-making yacht requires. The anchorage in deep mud is among the finest in Ireland — the holding is outstanding and the shelter is absolute. Dursey Island and the spectacular Dursey Cable Car are 8nm west. Castletownbere should be on every SW Ireland sailor's itinerary as both a destination and a refuge plan.

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3–8m · Alarm: 90m

Puxley Cove on Dursey Island is one of the most remote and atmospheric anchorages in Southwest Ireland — a wild and lonely spot at the very tip of the Beara Peninsula, accessible only by sea or by Ireland's only cable car (a basic steel cable car running from the mainland, capable of carrying cattle as well as people). The island is virtually uninhabited, with ancient field systems and the ruins of a 17th-century settlement. The anchorage is exposed and holding is only fair in patches of sand over rock, making this strictly a fair-weather stop. The reward is extraordinary solitude and some of Ireland's most dramatic coastal scenery — the cliffs plunge hundreds of metres into the Atlantic, and dolphins, whales and seabirds are commonly sighted from the island clifftops.

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3–7m · Alarm: 85m

The Kenmare River estuary (An Ribhéar Ciarraí) is one of Southwest Ireland's hidden cruising jewels — a long, narrow ria stretching 30nm into the Kerry mountains, becoming progressively more sheltered and more spectacular as it narrows. Killmakilloge Harbour on the south shore offers excellent holding in deep mud with near-complete shelter from Atlantic weather. The river is prime mussel farming country, and the maze of aquaculture lines creates a navigational challenge but also signals some of Ireland's cleanest water. The surrounding landscape is stunning — the MacGillycuddy's Reeks (highest mountains in Ireland) form the backdrop to the north, and red deer are sometimes visible on the lower slopes. An experience far removed from the more familiar Bantry Bay anchorages.

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3–8m · Alarm: 95m

Dingle (An Daingean) is one of Ireland's finest cruising destinations — a well-sheltered harbour on the north side of the Dingle Peninsula, backed by one of Ireland's most vibrant small towns with exceptional food, traditional music, and a strong Gaeltacht heritage. The approach through Dingle Bay is dramatic, with the Blasket Islands visible to the west. The harbour offers good holding in mud and sand with reasonable shelter from the prevailing SW, though the outer anchorage is exposed to W and NW. Dingle is the westernmost town in continental Europe — the next landfall west is America. The famous resident dolphin Fungie lived here for 37 years (1983–2020) before disappearing; the town's maritime character and spirit endure. Exceptional fishing, food (Dingle Bay seafood is world-class), and traditional pub music.

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