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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.


Kiggaul Bay is a small inlet off the northern shore of Galway Bay situated between Lettermullan and Gorumna Islands, approximately 28 miles west of Galway itself on the west coast of Ireland. It offers a couple of convenient anchorages for vessels passing along the coast in a wild and unspoiled tranquil setting, with the possibility for a dinghy landing at a rough pier.

Kiggaul Bay is a small inlet off the northern shore of Galway Bay situated between Lettermullan and Gorumna Islands, approximately 28 miles west of Galway itself on the west coast of Ireland. It offers a couple of convenient anchorages for vessels passing along the coast in a wild and unspoiled tranquil setting, with the possibility for a dinghy landing at a rough pier.

The bay affords good shelter in all reasonable weather and seas, except in fresh winds with any southern element. The access is straightforward but careful navigation is required if venturing further into the north part of the bay.
Please note

The inner part of the bay is encumbered with rocks, and there is a swing bridge at the northern head of the bay which will only admit boats near high water.




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Keyfacts for Kiggaul Bay
Facilities
Shop with basic provisions availableHot food available in the localityPublic house or wine bar in the area


Nature
No fees for anchoring or berthing in this locationRemote or quiet secluded locationAnchoring locationJetty or a structure to assist landingScenic location or scenic location in the immediate vicinitySet near a village or with a village in the immediate vicinity

Considerations
None listed

Protected sectors

Current wind over the protected quadrants
Minimum depth
3 metres (9.84 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
September 19th 2018

Summary

A good location with straightforward access.

Facilities
Shop with basic provisions availableHot food available in the localityPublic house or wine bar in the area


Nature
No fees for anchoring or berthing in this locationRemote or quiet secluded locationAnchoring locationJetty or a structure to assist landingScenic location or scenic location in the immediate vicinitySet near a village or with a village in the immediate vicinity

Considerations
None listed



Position and approaches
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Haven position

53° 14.565' N, 009° 43.035' W

this is the position at the small pier on the east shore at the head of the bay

What is the initial fix?

The following Rossaveal initial fix will set up a final approach:
53° 11.515' N, 009° 46.722' W
This is the position in the North Sound of Galway Bay midway between Inishmore (Aran Islands) to the south, and Golam Head (Lettermullen Island) off the mainland to the north.



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 Kiggaul Bay for your convenience.
Ten nearest havens by straight line charted distance and bearing:
  1. Dinish & Furness Islands - 1.8 nautical miles NW
  2. Greatman's Bay - 3.2 nautical miles NE
  3. Kilkieran Bay - 4.8 nautical miles N
  4. Sruthan Quay - 5.2 nautical miles ENE
  5. Rossaveel - 5.8 nautical miles ENE
  6. Kilronan - 7.8 nautical miles SSE
  7. Caladh Mór Pier - 9.7 nautical miles SSE
  8. Bertraghboy Bay - 11.1 nautical miles NNW
  9. Gorteen Bay - 11.6 nautical miles NW
  10. Roundstone Bay - 11.7 nautical miles NW
These havens are ordered by straight line charted distance and bearing, and can be reordered by compass direction or coastal sequence:
  1. Dinish & Furness Islands - 1.8 miles NW
  2. Greatman's Bay - 3.2 miles NE
  3. Kilkieran Bay - 4.8 miles N
  4. Sruthan Quay - 5.2 miles ENE
  5. Rossaveel - 5.8 miles ENE
  6. Kilronan - 7.8 miles SSE
  7. Caladh Mór Pier - 9.7 miles SSE
  8. Bertraghboy Bay - 11.1 miles NNW
  9. Gorteen Bay - 11.6 miles NW
  10. Roundstone Bay - 11.7 miles NW
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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 'Loop Head to Slyne 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.

Following the easy entry, the anchorage in the outer bay is about 1,000 metres north of the entrance with a depth of 3 to 4 metres, and a landing can be made at a rough damaged pier on the west side of the bay but it is unsuitable for berthing a yacht. There is no difficulty obtaining this anchorage by day or night but there is not much room, and although it is sheltered from the west and north it would become untenable in fresh winds from the south and southeast.

The inner part of the bay is encumbered with rocks, but with local knowledge small craft can anchor about 500 metres south of the swing bridge at the head of the bay in about 3 metres depth. This anchorage affords good shelter but space is restricted with not much swinging room, and it can only be approached within two hours of high water. A dinghy landing is possible at the small rough pier on the east shore just below the pub.

Kiggaul Pass at the northern head of the bay is crossed by a swing bridge that links the islands of Lettermullan and Gorumna, which will admit boats only near high water, and once through it leads into Coonawilleen Bay and then to Casheen Bay, both part of the Kilkieran Bay complex.


Why visit here?
Kiggaul Bay is part of the region of the South Connemara Islands which are a series of archipelagos, islets and rocks to the west of the Carraroe Peninsula in west Galway. These islands lie off the main tourist trail and as such they are still wild and unspoiled and also relatively unexplored. At least 20 of the islands were inhabited in the nineteenth century but today only a few still have permanent residents other than the occassional holiday home occupants.

Numerous ruined cottages are all that remain of the local communities, destroyed by poverty and emigration, and those that remain are still amongst the poorest in Ireland. The area is at the heart of the Gaeltacht, Irish speaking, district of Connemara and this is one of the only parts of the country where non-English speakers still exist, Irish being the most commonly spoken language for all locals.

Kiggaul Bay separates the two islands of Gorumna, Irish : Oilean Gharmna, and Lettermullan, Irish : Leitir Meallain meaning Meallain's rough hillside, and which are connected by the swing bridge at the northeast of Lettermullan. The northern shore of the smaller of the two islands Lettermullan is not particularly interesting, but the eastern shore has a number of working quays, and the southern shore has a beautiful bay inside Dog Island. The area is heavily harvested by fishermen for oysters, salmon, and bladder-wrack seaweed which is processed into iodine and fertiliser.

The Lettermullan and Gorumna Heritage Centre based at Lettermullan has become a major attraction for visitors to the area since it opened in 2009. It has also served as an excellent educational facility giving guided heritage tours around the islands, which are collectively known as Ceantar na nOilean, and exhibitions for schools and colleges throughout the year.


What facilities are available?
There are no facilities at Kiggaul Bay except for an exceptionally attractive pub beside Kiggaul Bridge that serves excellent sea food.


With thanks to:
inyourfootsteps.com site research






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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.