Saltee Islands

vicwatson

What's the low down these days on day trips to Great Saltee? Is it still Declan Bates the only one with permission? Does he drop you right to the beach and I heard before that he drops you in the sea about 20 feet out and ya have to wade to the beach??

redfacedbear

Can't remember the name of the operator but he did have exclusive rights (Bates sounds about right, but then again Bates seems to be right 85% of the time in Kilmore :pac:).

I think how wet you get is dependent on the tides - we were there last year and the rib was able to get us pretty much directly onto the sand - the soles of our shoes barely got wet.

On the way back it was up to our ankles - 20 feet of wading doesn't sound right to me as the rib should be able to get very close I would have thought.

traprunner

I was there a year or two ago. Declan is the guys name and I still have his number. He landed us on rocks and got us off the rocks when departing.

Beware of the giant hogweed it really burns and there is a lot of it on the north end of the island. It looks like cows parsnip.
https://www.google.ie/search?tbm=isch&q=giant+hogweed+leaves&revid=1426664330&sa=X&ei=67OKVfPuFYa9Ufzij7gD&ved=0CCQQ1QIoAQ&biw=1280&bih=890&dpr=1#tbm=isch&q=giant+hogweed+flower
https://www.google.ie/search?q=giant+hogweed+burns&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=6LOKVcWfKsvlUq23gOgP&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ#tbm=isch&q=giant+hogweed+leaves

Del.Monte

And try not to disturb the breeding seabirds. The gulls have field day when there's human disturbance near the cliffs.

vicwatson

Del.Monte wrote: »

And try not to disturb the breeding seabirds. The gulls have field day when there's human disturbance near the cliffs.

Yes Sir