Reefwander
Reefwander
Full calendar

Destinations at their peak each month

  1. Jan167
  2. Feb183
  3. Mar192
  4. Apr216
  5. May186
  6. Jun272
  7. Jul307
  8. Aug313
  9. Sep296
  10. Oct180
  11. Nov119
  12. Dec145

Americas

Europe, Africa & Middle East

Indo-Pacific

Kilkee & the Clare Coast · Ireland · Reef · Cave & cavern

Middle Rock

Swim-throughs and small caverns cut through the rock

Middle Rock is an offshore rock on the Kilkee coast of County Clare, one of the regular boat sites run out of the town's East Pier. Its rock is cut through with swim-throughs and small caverns, and its depths run from about 5 m at the top all the way down to 45 m.

0

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Middle Rock: typical dive 5–45 m (15–148 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit5 m45 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 60 m (197 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

52.6886° N, 9.6663° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.

The dive

The top of the rock lies at about 5 m and its sides fall away to 45 m. Swim-throughs and small caverns run through the rock, and conger eels live in its cracks.

Marine life and season

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

Month-by-month season rating for Middle Rock
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
FairFairFairFairGoodGoodGoodPrimePrimeFairFairFair

Season follows Kilkee & the Clare Coast: The dive centre opens May to September; late August and September bring the warmest water and the triggerfish.

Dive videos

diving Middle Rock and the blue pool kilkee 🤿🇮🇪with oceanlife dive centre · Matt McBride Diving on YouTube

Questions divers ask

What certification does Middle Rock off Kilkee need?+

The rock runs from about 5 m down to 45 m, so its lower depths need deep training.

Sources

  1. Middle Rock — ScubaGo
  2. Oceanlife Kilkee — Oceanlife Dive Centre

More dive sites in Kilkee & the Clare Coast

Reef

Diamond Rocks

Quartz crystals that sparkle in the rocks around the entry

6–30 m · max 40 mintermediate

Wall

Donegal Point

An airy cavern on the swim back to the anchored boat

7–30 mintermediate

Similar dives elsewhere

Reef

Takenoko Rock

Shakotan Peninsula · Japan

A sheltered inlet, a drop to 20 m, hidden reefs and a cave

to 20 m · max 24 madvanced

Reef

Jardin d'Eden

Isle of Pines · New Caledonia

A chimney from 14 m that brings divers back up onto the reef top

11–45 madvanced

Reef

Roin

Kinlochbervie & the North-West Highlands · United Kingdom

Gullies and swim-throughs, often teeming with shoals of fish and dogfish

10–45 madvanced