Our favourite dive sites

Tory Island

Directions:
To get to Tory Island, head for Letterkenny. Then take the N56 signposted Creeslough. Just after the village of Gortahork, on a bend turning to your left, take a right turn - clearly signposted Magheroarty (or, as you are now in the Gaeltach, Machaire Ui Rabhartaigh). After approx 2 miles, you get to Magheroarty - then take a right turn, marked Pier/Harbour. At the harbour there is a large car park. Leave your car here and take the ferry (approx 30 - 45 minutes).

There is also a ferry (a longer ferry trip) from Bunbeg, further round the coast. However Magheroarty is recommended.

Parking:
As you can't take your car to Tory Island, parking isn't a problem!

Facilities:
Tory has an hotel, a shop (limited opening hours) a club and a fish and chip shop. Other accommodation is available. Pat Doohan (who runs the hotel) also runs the dive shop (compressor to fill tanks) and RIBs to take you to dive sites.

Tides and weather:

Tide table - closest datum point is Inishbofin Bay

Weather - closest datum point is for the county of Donegal

Shipping Forecast - Sea Area Malin

Previous 24 hours weather data - Buoy M4  This Marine Institute buoy is approx 80 miles NE from Killybegs (Location:55.0000°N 10.0000°W) and reports current conditions on an hourly basis

Why we like Tory Island:
As Tory Island is 10 miles off the coast, the water is usually crystal clear. We have done a number of fantastic dives on the west side of Tormore.

Depths in this area up to 25m

I found this fantastic photo of Tory in Flickr (http://flickr.com/photos/raforrest/416112229/) Taken in January 2006, the taker says "This was a British Airways flight from London to Detroit. I identified it as Tory Island by following the route on Google Earth." The Donegal mainland is off the top of the picture - this is looking down on the north side of Tory

Magheroarty pier

Hotel is creamy/red building in centre

Dolphin in Tory harbour

Number of great dive sites here - you can dive under the arch - fantastic!

Another view of the arch