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Terms and Conditions

[Important information] Terms and Conditions: [Please read]

In the event of cancellation due to unsuitable weather / sea conditions the money is refunded back to source through the booking system. We do not have access to any of the customer payment details.

Our tours are always subject to suitable weather and sea conditions and can be cancelled / rescheduled at short notice depending on swell conditions, tides etc.

Priority is given to prepaid passengers on our booking system.

We can only gurantee a place on the boat, when sailing if you have a prepaid booking. We cannot guarantee a place with a verbal booking. Unless you have a prepaid booking you do not have any contract with Blasket Island Eco Marine Tours.

Please supply mobile number INCLUDING INTERNATIONAL DIALLING CODE incase of cancellation or reschedule information.

You do not need to have a account in order to book / pay on our booking / payment system. You can pay by credit card on the system.

Please provide email address and / or mobile contact number for update on any change of schedule. Your particulars will only be used for this purpose. Otherwise please contact us by email, phone or text the morning of intended departure to confirm schedule and booking.

Please arrive at Ventry Harbour – Ceann Trá – 15 minutes before intended departure time. Ventry Harbour – Ceann Trá – is 4 miles west of Dingle town (6 minutes by car driving @ 40 m.p.h.) on the Slea Head drive, road R559. Look out for road signs for “CEANN TRA”.

There is parking above the Shop/ P.O., or at beach car park 300 metres beyond pier (coming from Dingle town). There is also a toilet at the beach car park.

Customer safety is our priority. We have Dept. of Transport Passenger Certificate and all required safety, communication and navigation equipment and trained staff.

Children under 12 yrs. old are required to wear life jackets at all times and parents should keep them under adequate supervision.

We cannot guarantee sightings on every trip.

The animals are free and it is a big ocean but skipper and crew will always strive for best sightings on the day depending on weather, sea conditions, swell, tides, visibility and known prevailing wildlife distribution.

The company motto is Safety, Safety, Safety, therefore:

We will not travel if we consider that the conditions are unsuitable and outside our safety parameters which are based on years of experience fishing and ferrying around the Blasket Islands and Dingle Bay.
We will not travel, or will adjust our itinerary, if we consider that conditions will make some of our customers unwell.
We will adjust our itinerary if we consider conditions in one area are not suitable for comfortable wildlife viewing or productive sightings.

The skipper of the vessel decides the itinerary for the day in real time according to prevailing weather, sea conditions and wildlife distribution.

Please dress warmly as conditions at sea are often cooler than on land and there may be sea breezes. We recommend a warm jacket and (woolly / fleece) hat. We also recommend sun cream and sunglasses for the sunny days!

We are not allowed to hand out sea sickness tablets but we have been told that “Sturgeon” are a good brand. Please provide your own or pressure patch on wrist; only eat a light meal before travelling if you think you are prone to sea sickness but keep in mind that 90% of seasickness is caused by anxiety.

Please don’t worry and enjoy your trip! Your safety and comfort are our priority!

Written by M Sheeran on 01 December 2017. Posted in Uncategorised.

FAQ's

Frequently Asked Questions for Dingle Bay / Blasket lslands Boat Tours & Charters

How to prepare for a perfect day trip to one of Ireland's most fascinating islands...

What happens if we book / pay and the trip is cancelled due to unsuitable weather and / or sea conditions?

We refund the payment back to source on a “no quibbles” basis.

Alternatively we will give you a day when conditions are more suitable, if you wish. On the booking form we ask you to give us your email address and contact mobile number (including your international dialling code) so that we can contact you by email or text / sms in the event of any change of schedule. If we think that there is the possibility of cancellation we normally send an email or text / sms a day or two before to let you know of possible change of schedule.

Do you have a toilet on board?

Yes.

Where can we park?

There is some limited parking on Ventry Pier. Also there is some parking in small car park above shop / P.O. and around the village. There is a large car park at Ventry beach which is approx. 200 meters from the pier- you can walk along the beach over to the pier.

There is a car park opposite Quinn’s pub – The Ventry Inn – but normally reserved for patrons. If you park here please consider visiting The Ventry Inn for a drink or a meal after your trip

How long before departure time do we need to arrive?

Please arrive on pier approx. 15 / 20 minutes before departure time. Allow for some delay along the way either due to road works, slow traffic on the road or traffic congestion in Dingle town.

Are there any facilities or places to eat in Ventry village?

Yes. You can get drinks, tea / coffee and soup in Quinn’s pub and they also have an excellent selection of food at the Ventry Inn. Penny’s Pottery Café is a lovely place to stop for coffee, delicious snacks and cakes. There is also an excellent shop /P.O. in the village where you can get takeaway tea / coffee and freshly made sandwiches / rolls and delicious freshly made salads.

Where can we stay locally?

There are many local B. and B. in Ventry village also know officially in Gaelic as Ceann Trá. Please email us if you require more info or google Ventry or Ceann Trá on line.

Dingle town also has a wide selection of hotels, restaurants and accommodation.

Will we get seasick on the trip?

Hopefully you will not get seasick on this short 1 hr. trip to the island. We only travel when conditions are good to reasonable but please be aware that this is the Atlantic Ocean and the trip can be subject to some sea swell. We sail through Dingle Bay and the Blasket Sound which can get choppy especially in wind against tide conditions.

If you are anxious about getting sea sick you can take some medication beforehand which you can get at chemist and if you feel a bit queasy when you get to the island a nice cup of tea at the island tearooms will settle you in no time at all!

Is there anybody living on the Great Blasket Island?

The island was officially evacuated in 1953 and has only sporadically being occupied ever since mainly in the summer months from April to the end of September. There are the remnants of a very atmospheric village on the island and a magical atmosphere of times past. Some of the houses are occupied during the summer by shepherds from the mainland tending to the six hundred plus flock of island sheep and there is a small tearooms and hostel at the top of the village.

What is there to do on the island?

You can get a guided tour of the old deserted village by the OPW guides which run twice a day at 12 and 2 o’clock or walk on the Trá Bán – The White Strand – and watch the grey seals which are often hauled out on the beach or take a loop walk around the island which takes about 1 ½ hrs. Please note if you wish to walk to the end of the island and back you would need approx. 4 hrs.

Are there any special clothes or equipment that we need to wear / bring?

Please wear warm clothes, a windproof jacket and good walking shoes or boots for the rough terrain on the island.

Are there any dangers on the island?

Yes, there are steep unguarded cliffs if you wander off the track and uneven ground underfoot so you need to be careful that you do not step into any gulleys or rabbit holes. There can be midges on the island, especially in moist damp conditions and some ticks in the longer grass which you should try and avoid.

Is the trip suitable for elderly people or people with special needs?

The embarkation and disembarkation points both on the mainland and at Great Blasket island are subject to tidal conditions and the mainland embarkation point may necessitate the use of a tender around low water and the use of a tender is always required at the Great Blasket island slipway as the “harbour” is too restricted for the main vessel to enter.

The tender consists of a licenced dinghy for 8 passengers plus one crew and is operated professionally subject to Tendering Safety Plan and by experienced crew. We always give every assistance possible to our customers but people must make up their own minds about the suitability of the trip taking into account that there are only green (grass) roads on the island and the rest is a wilderness area.

Can I stay overnight on the island and get picked up next day?

Yes you can but only if we expect conditions will be suitable to run the following day. Please email us for details – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Is there a group or family rate?

We only charge half price for children under 12 yrs. Our Vessel has a relatively small capacity and we keep numbers below our maximum permitted capacity for passenger comfort. We have access to a second larger vessel so if you have a group over 12 persons please email us with your details and requirements This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Do we have to book online? Can we not pay cash on the day?

We only have an internet booking system. This system also helps us to keep track of our passenger numbers so that we do not over book etc. You can pay cash on the day, but only if there is space, and obviously preference is always given to customers who have booked and prepaid online. Please note that telephone bookings can only be taken on this basis.

Do we have to print out our Booking Confirmation?

No, you do not have to print out your Booking Confirmation as long as you can show us the booking on your smartphone or other device.

I have a query that is not included in the above. Where can I ask?

Please use the form on the “Contact Us” page for your enquiry or email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Contact & Location

Contact & Directions Ventry Pier Dingle Peninsula Kerry Ireland

Contact us

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Call Mick Sheeran on: +353 (0)86 3353805

Directions

You can enter our location into your GPS: 52.13171,-10.359733

Find us on Google Maps: V92 XK65

Ventry, Dingle Kerry, Ireland

Leave Dingle Town on the R559
Go past the pier and the marina
Turn left at the roundabout at Milltown Bridge.
Follow signs for Slea Head Drive and Ceann Tra
Continue for approx 4 miles / 6 km until you enter Ceann Tra / Ventry village.
The pier is on the left towards the sea and the parking is to the right past the shop / post office.
Please do not block pier access.

The map shows the location of the PIER and the PARKING

Pier Location

52.1315,-10.3598

Ventry Pier

Departure for Marine Tours

Parking Location (100m from Pier)

52.1330,-10.3582

Parking

Please park on the right above the shop and post office

Ventry village / Ceann Trá - Dingle

By Bjørn Christian Tørrissen - Own work by uploader, http://bjornfree.com/galleries.html, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19747437

Ferry to Great Blasket Island

The Blasket Princess purpose built ferry

Experienced and Qualified Local Crew - Our company motto is Safety, Safety, Safety...

“Blasket Princess” is a Class VI purpose built vessel complying with all current Department of Marine standards; with Passenger Certificate for 44 passengers and 2 crew, and inside seating for 20 passengers.

The boat complies with all S.O.L.A.S Safety, Fire-fighting and Communication Regulations and has an extensive range of electronic equipment.

The boat is powered by a pair of John Deere 220 h.p. marine diesel engines (“nothing runs like a deere”). There is a flying bridge for passengers to view sealife when the boat is stationary / calm conditions.

Your Captin Michael ("Mick") Sheeran has all the relevant Department of Marine qualifications and Commercial endorsements and has over 30 years experience fishing/ferrying/sailing in these waters. He has brought in excess of 100,000 people to the Great Blasket Island in Safety over more than a twenty year period. His intimate knowledge of the Blasket Sound is based on his years when he lived and fished from the Great Blasket Island and rowed across to the mainland many times by namhóg (curragh/canoe).

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Written by M Sheeran on 30 November 2017. Posted in Uncategorised.

Activities

Activities on Great Blasket Island

Walking, hiking, swimming, painting, photography, bird watching, whale watching, relaxing....

The Great Blasket Island is a walker's paradise and the perfect day trip while visiting County Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula.

Walk the unique system of unfenced green roads - grassy tracks previously used by the Blasket islanders and these days kept trimmed by the island's sheep, rabbits and hares.

Take a stroll down to An Trá Bán ( White Strand), the pristine island beach, and take a dip in the refreshing Atlantic waves.

Visit Seal Cove and spend some time watching the large colony of Grey Seals fishing or relaxing on the rocks.grey seal, blasket islands, dingle peninsula

Hiking on Great Blasket

Take a longer hike around the back of the island where you can enjoy amazing views over the other islands of the archipelago, amongst them Inis Tuascairt and remote, cone-shaped Tearacht.

Take a hike up to the 'Cró', the island's highest point at 292m - the perfect spot for a picnic.

Birdlife on Great Blasket

Don't forget to look out for the amazing amount of birdlife surrounding the island, including diving Gannets and playful Choughs. You might even catch a glimpse of a White-tailed Eagle - they've recently been reintroduced to the Kerry mountains.

For some less strenuous activity join us on an adventure trip aboard our Eco Marine Adventure Tour around the Blasket Islands visit our Marine Tours site for more information.

Whale and Dolphin Watching

Sit down at the southern end of the island and take out your binoculars for some dolphin and whale watching, with Common and Bottlenose Dolphins, Porpoises and Minke Whales being regular visitors to these waters, as well as gigantic Basking Sharks filter-feeeding around the rocks here.

Things to Do in Dingle at Night

A Dingle Holiday can offer a lot off things, from exploring beautiful Islands to enjoying one of Ireland's liveliest towns.
There is a wonderful choice of restaurants in Dingle town and around the Peninsula, from O'Gormans Hilltop restaurant in Ballydavid, to a diverse choice in Dingle itself from Benner's Hotel and restaurant to "The Coastguard Restaurant" in the Dingle Skellig Hotel.

Dingle boasts a wide selection of pubs, many of which are famous for their traditional character and their wonderful Irish music. The world-famous "An Droichead Beag", features nightly music sessions, featuring local Dingle traditional musicians and nationally renowed figures as well.

Check out the 'Folk Concerts' in St James' church in Main Street, Dingle. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays the best of local and visiting musicians come together for a two-hour concert in this 200-year-old church. Tickets are available from the Tourist Office, Leac-a-Re craft shop and others.