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eOceanic has been made aware of this haven. We are looking for a sailor with first-hand experience to provide their direct personal insights so that we may complete our write up. In advance of this we have posted these preliminary research notes. Do you know this location? Please contact us or click the 'Report a Mistake or Omission' button below to help share this location with the sailing community.


Inishturk lies midway between Clare Island and Inishbofin, just south of Clew Bay, in Co. Mayo off the west coast of Ireland. It has a rocky coastline which rises to 180 metres at it's highest point inland upon which there is a ruined tower.

Inishturk lies midway between Clare Island and Inishbofin, just south of Clew Bay, in Co. Mayo off the west coast of Ireland. It has a rocky coastline which rises to 180 metres at it's highest point inland upon which there is a ruined tower.

There is an anchorage on the east side of the island which affords good shelter in winds from the west to the north west. Access to this anchorage is straightforward and many cruisers have found the island well worth stopping at.



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Keyfacts for Inishturk
Facilities
Shop with basic provisions availableSlipway availablePublic house or wine bar in the areaMarked or notable walks in the vicinity of this locationTourist Information office available


Nature
No fees for anchoring or berthing in this locationRemote or quiet secluded locationAnchoring locationVisitors moorings available, or possibly by club arrangementBeach or shoreline landing from a tenderScenic location or scenic location in the immediate vicinitySet near a village or with a village in the immediate vicinityHistoric, geographic or culturally significant location; or in the immediate vicinity

Considerations
Restriction: shallow, drying or partially drying pier

Protected sectors

Current wind over the protected quadrants
Minimum depth
5 metres (16.4 feet).

Approaches
4 stars: Straightforward; when unaffected by weather from difficult quadrants or tidal consideration, no overly complex dangers.
Shelter
4 stars: Good; assured night's sleep except from specific quarters.



Last modified
May 30th 2017

Summary* Restrictions apply

A good location with straightforward access.

Facilities
Shop with basic provisions availableSlipway availablePublic house or wine bar in the areaMarked or notable walks in the vicinity of this locationTourist Information office available


Nature
No fees for anchoring or berthing in this locationRemote or quiet secluded locationAnchoring locationVisitors moorings available, or possibly by club arrangementBeach or shoreline landing from a tenderScenic location or scenic location in the immediate vicinitySet near a village or with a village in the immediate vicinityHistoric, geographic or culturally significant location; or in the immediate vicinity

Considerations
Restriction: shallow, drying or partially drying pier



Position and approaches
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Haven position

53° 42.275' N, 010° 5.498' W

this is the position at the pier head at the quay at Garranty harbour.

What is the initial fix?

The following Inishturk initial fix will set up a final approach:
53° 38.879' N, 010° 5.918' W
this is the position in the North Atlantic Ocean midway between Inishbofin and Rinvyle Point and Inishturk.



Not what you need?
Click the 'Next' and 'Previous' buttons to progress through neighbouring havens in a coastal 'clockwise' or 'anti-clockwise' sequence. Below are the ten nearest havens to Inishturk for your convenience.
Ten nearest havens by straight line charted distance and bearing:
  1. Bofin Harbour - 7.1 nautical miles SW
  2. Clare Island - 7.6 nautical miles NE
  3. Cleggan Bay - 8.8 nautical miles S
  4. Ballynakill Harbour - 8.9 nautical miles SSE
  5. Fahy Bay - 9.2 nautical miles SSE
  6. Little Killary Bay (Salrock) - 10.3 nautical miles ESE
  7. Clifden Boat Club - 13.2 nautical miles S
  8. Clifden - 13.3 nautical miles S
  9. Mannin Bay - 15 nautical miles S
  10. Killary Harbour - 15.5 nautical miles ESE
These havens are ordered by straight line charted distance and bearing, and can be reordered by compass direction or coastal sequence:
  1. Bofin Harbour - 7.1 miles SW
  2. Clare Island - 7.6 miles NE
  3. Cleggan Bay - 8.8 miles S
  4. Ballynakill Harbour - 8.9 miles SSE
  5. Fahy Bay - 9.2 miles SSE
  6. Little Killary Bay (Salrock) - 10.3 miles ESE
  7. Clifden Boat Club - 13.2 miles S
  8. Clifden - 13.3 miles S
  9. Mannin Bay - 15 miles S
  10. Killary Harbour - 15.5 miles ESE
To find locations with the specific attributes you need try:

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Chart
Please use our integrated Navionics chart to appraise the haven and its approaches. Navionics charts feature in premier plotters from B&G, Raymarine, Magellan and are also available on tablets. Open the chart in a larger viewing area by clicking the expand to 'new tab' or the 'full screen' option.

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How to get in?
Route location The 'Slyne Head to Erris Head' coastal description provides approach information to the suggested initial fix. Vessels approaching from the south should select the northbound Route location sequenced description; vessels approaching from the north should select the southbound Route location sequence; western approaches may use either description.

Inishturk, Irish : Inis Toirc which literally means Wild Boar Island, is situated in the North Atlantic Ocean, midway between the islands of Inishbofin and Clare, located 9 miles off the coast of County Mayo on the west coast of Ireland.

It is a small beautiful tranquil island measuring only 3 miles long by 1.5 miles wide and sits atop wall-like cliffs to the northwest, and steep hills to the north on which stands the prominent ruins of an old signal tower and then drops down to the Atlantic. The permanent population of around 70 live by a little fishing, especially lobsters and large crabs for which the island is renown, some sheep farming and particularly tourism during the summer months. The island is served by regular daily ferry sailings from the pier at Roonagh Head near Louisburgh on the mainland.

Inishturk is one of the most rugged and remote of all the inhabited islands off Ireland's west coast, with fantastic cliffs at the back of the island to the more peaceful surroundings of secluded white sandy beaches at Carraun and Tranaun on the east side. If circumnavigating, the western side of the island can cut up very rough and care should be taken to avoid breakers up to 100 metres west of the cliffs. In mirror calm conditions or offshore westerly winds these cliffs are a delight to explore, and on the northeast tip there is a blowhole which gives a great opportunity for some scuba diving.

On the east side of the island at Garranty which is the main village, there is a landing place at the small harbour which is well sheltered but dries at low water, and it is also possible to make a landing at the beaches just south of the main harbour if necessary. The harbour also has a convenient slipway for a dinghy landing adjacent to the quay. Anchorage can be taken in 5 metre depth in the bay off the harbour where some visitors moorings have been laid and which are protected from the westerly winds. There is also a narrow cut in the rocks along the shoreline of the south coast which leads into a superbly sheltered natural harbour at the Dun at Portdoon, where the remains of a 9th century Dun, or fort, overlooks the natural lagoon.


Why visit here?
Though small in size the island of Inishturk has much to offer the visitor, from secluded sandy beaches to mountains and spectacular cliffs that are hosts to a variety of sea birds. The panoramic view of the coastline and mountains from Slyne Head to Achill Head viewed from Inishturk is breathtaking and unequalled around any part of the coast of Ireland.

Since the famine, traditionally Islanders have emigrated to America and England and as a result English is now the spoken language on the island. The island people are very friendly and welcoming to visitors and frequently provide traditional Irish music and song as entertainment in the bars and pubs. Inishturk has a lovely small harbour with a new improved pier, superb small beaches, many interesting archaeological sites, and its rugged pathways and trails offer hill walkers plenty of opportunities to explore. There is a splendid circular roadway to walk which goes up the valley from the harbour and back anti-clockwise by the southern side which takes in the ruined 16th century church, the ruins of the 9th century fort, and the ruins of a 19th century Napoleonic signal tower.

Legend has it that the Dun at Portdoon, a 9th century fort, was built by pirates who harboured their galleons in the lagoon below, which were screened by the rocks from those sailing past. This pirate crew were the last Danes in Ireland who knew how to make bier lochlannach, a priceless drink made from the heather bloom. The fort was surprised by the Irish who slaughtered the inmates except for one old Dane captain and his son, offering to spare the two of them if they told the secret of the bier, or as others said the hiding place of their vast treasures, the plunder of many years. The old pirate fearing the boy might be tempted or tortured into betrayal offered to tell if his son was put to death first, so none of his kin might see his treachery. This done the Pirate Captain tore himself from his captors and ran to the deep chasm, jumping over the cliff and carrying his secret to Odin.

Lying halfway between Inishturk and Roonagh pier is the mystical Caheer Island, Irish : Cathair Phadraig or Cathair na Naomh. On this striking wedge shaped little island there is an early Christian monastery with the remains of a chapel in an enclosure adorned with the original 7th century carved crosses. The island also seems to have contained the hermitage sites of 7th century monks possibly followers of St. Columbia. On the 15th of August each year there is a pilgrimage to Caheer island, and to many people this visit is an important part of the annual pilgrimage to climb Croagh Patrick on the last sunday in July.

There are limited facilities on this delightfully unspoilt and friendly small island but it does have a shop that stocks basic provisions, a post office, B & B guest houses, a pub and a tourist information office.


What facilities are available?
The island has a shop that stocks basic provisions, a post office, a pub, a tourist information office and several B & B guest houses.


With thanks to:
inyourfootsteps.com site research





Inishturk ferries P: +353 98/23737

The following videos may be useful to help first time visitors familiarise themselves with Inishturk.

The following video presents views of the harbour and the island as a whole.




The following video presents a walking tour of Inishturk, Achillbeg and Inishark. Inishturk is about 4 minutes in.




A photograph is worth a thousand words. We are always looking for bright sunny photographs that show this haven and its identifiable features at its best. If you have some images that we could use please upload them here. All we need to know is how you would like to be credited for your work and a brief description of the image if it is not readily apparent. If you would like us to add a hyperlink from the image that goes back to your site please include the desired link and we will be delighted to that for you.


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Please note eOceanic makes no guarantee of the validity of this information, we have not visited this haven and do not have first-hand experience to qualify the data. Although the contributors are vetted by peer review as practised authorities, they are in no way, whatsoever, responsible for the accuracy of their contributions. It is essential that you thoroughly check the accuracy and suitability for your vessel of any waypoints offered in any context plus the precision of your GPS. Any data provided on this page is entirely used at your own risk and you must read our legal page if you view data on this site. Free to use sea charts courtesy of Navionics.