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A small red rowing boat on calm water in a channel, with a low green island and a stone tower beyond under a pale sky — Dalkey Sound, Dublin Bay.

Dublin Bay · Ireland · Drift · Channel & pass

Dalkey Sound

The tide carries divers between Dalkey Island and the mainland

Photo: Ian Paterson · CC BY-SA 2.0

The channel between Dalkey Island and the mainland in Dublin Bay, dived as a drift on the running tide. The sandy floor with its rocky outcrops carries crabs and dogfish, and in summer a carpet of brittlestars. Divers go for the ride itself, a really exciting drift.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Dalkey Sound: typical dive 10–20 m (33–66 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit10 m20 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

53.2745° N, 6.0957° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.

The dive

The tide can fly down between Dalkey Island and the mainland, and the dive rides it as a drift through the sound. The bottom ranges from around 10 to 20 metres and is mostly sand with the odd rocky outcrop. Crabs and dogfish are common along the way, and in summer the sand is often covered in a seething mass of brittlestars.

Marine life and season

The sources we used don't single out particular species here.

Month-by-month season rating for Dalkey Sound
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
FairFairFairGoodGoodPrimePrimePrimeGoodGoodFairFair

Season follows Dublin Bay: Club boats run from April to October; high summer brings the longest days and evening dives, while March has the coldest water.

Know before you go

  • The tide can run fast between Dalkey Island and the mainland.

Sources

  1. Dublin Bay dive guide — DUSAC (Dublin University Sub-Aqua Club)
  2. About Oceandivers — Oceandivers
  3. OpenStreetMap — OpenStreetMap

Photo credits

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