Shannon Estuary Cruising Notes

The extensive waterway of the Shannon Estuary is 50 nautical miles long from Loop Head, the northern point of the outer entrance, to Limerick City. Its widths vary from ten miles across between Loop Head and Kerry Head (the southern point of Shannon Mouth) to one mile wide in the narrower sections between Tarbert and Foynes. Approaching from the north, the distance from the sheltered harbour of Kilronan in the Aran Islands to Loop Head is 38 miles. Although there are some anchorages for settled weather in the intervening coast, the prudent navigator should do this passage in one hop.
Approaching from the south-west, once the Blasket Islands have been cleared, the straightforward 36-mile passage to the Shannon Mouth is favoured by the prevailing winds, and there are several readily-available anchorages en route at Smerwick (ten miles from Blasket Sound), Bandon Bay (22 miles), and Magharee (24 miles), with an additional diversion to Fenit Marina in Tralee Bay (36 miles).
Admiralty:Large scale 2254 and 2173 cover the southwestern and northern approaches respectively. 1819 has details of the Shannon Mouth and the Inner Mouth between Kilcredaun Head and Kilconly Point. Inwards from the inner Mouth the detailed charts are 1547, 1548, 1549 and 1540 respectively, with the 1993 revision of 1547 including a chartlet of Kilrush Marina.
Imray:Imray Chart No.C55 has been produced in consultation with Kilrush Marina, and covers the west coast from Dingle Bay to Galway Bay and up the Shannon Estuary as far as Limerick City. It includes detail chartlets of all main harbours and anchorages.
Sail Directions: The latest edition of the Irish Cruising Club's Sailing Directions for the south and west coasts of Ireland is essential reading for anyone cruising this region.
Tides:While the tides in the Estuary need to be treated with some respect, if used sensibly they add greatly the interest and enjoyment of cruising the area, and rapid passage-making can become a feature of your sailing eastwards of the Shannon Mouth.In the main part of the Estuary the flood starts approximately five hours before High Water Galway, and the ebb one-hour after. In general, in the narrower channels, the tides can run at up to four knots at Springs, and more in certain areas, for instance, off Tarbert.   Next Page

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While every effort has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information provided, Kilrush Marina cannot accept any responsibility for errors or ommisions.