A very brief history of Kinsale Deep Sea Angling Charters

   Though working for Celtic Coasters in Cork from the early '80s and fishing for many years as a pastime, this business was formed in 1999 with our first boat, the 32' westward Boy Scott. Mainly operated from Kinsale to the Ling Rocks, Old Head and other areas she proved a very good, stable sea boat and was well-liked by anglers. She was replaced in 2010 by the 43' aquastar HARPY which allows us to travel further - up to 30nm from Kinsale - and to many fine wrecks such as the LUSITANIA.

   We are fully insured and are proud members of the Irish Chartered Skippers Association. We are fully qualified skippers and divers and take your safety and enjoyment very seriously. We carry medical oxygen aboard and are qualified O2 administrators. We are qualified MMOs (Marine Mammal Observers), (which helps when there is so much marine diversity in our amazing waters).

   In order to continue to develop we added UNDERWATER SURVEYING and DIVING to the repertoire with the investment  in side-scan sonar, multi-beam sonar, ROVs, SeaSpy Overhauser magnetometer hardware and very very sensitive 3-axis gyros. Survey software and sonar image post-processing software was added in 2011. In 2012 our first ROV was a JW Fishers Sea-Otter to which we added a VideoRay PRO3 GTO in 2015, equipped with scanning sonar and manipulator arm. Further hardware and software investments continue.  Many surveys and operations have been done on the Lusitania, and also more recently surveys on the Pegu, UC-42, U-58, City of Chicago and some as yet unknown wrecks. Being involved in the AUD anchor recovery for the 1916 centenary was special. In 2024 we were involved in the recovery of one of the propellors from UC-42 for display in the Spike Island museum once preservation and conservation of the artefact is completed.

   Many of the above wrecks (and others) have been well fished by us too - both surveying and fishing are working well together for our customers. With the benefit of this experience,we modified a winch of the Port of Cork's vessel m/v DENIS MURPHY, added hardware and integrated software - making this a very capable survey vessel to meet the growing demands of the  Port of Cork. We have worked with XOCEAN - locating and retrieving USVs (Unmanned survey vessels). We have worked with NUIG with their water quality and sediment sampling projects and also with UCC on Marine Archaeology studies.  HARPY has completed hydrographic surveys in Cork harbour, Courtmacsherry, Dingle, Caherciveen, Kinsale and we've even done some marine surveys many miles inland. In 2018 we started laying, lifting, inspecting and replacing moorings and channel buoys for harbour authorities. If you have marine requirements we will provide solutions.

   Carroll O'Donoghue is the skipper/owner of HARPY and runs the business with his wife Anne. Carroll has an ISA Category B license as required for commercial charter boats. He also has an RYA/MCA Yachmaster Offshore 200 ton skippers ticket, a B.Sc. (Computers & Maths), is a HSE-qualified commercial diver, an IAA-qualified commercial pilot and previously a flying instructor at nearby Cork airport. He is also ex-RNLI lifeboat crew and ex-operations manager at Kinsale's RNLI lifeboat station.

   We endeavour to make the fishing experience as worthwhile for beginners as for the experts. We would like to hear your comments and want to pass on the great times we've had on the water fishing or just simply admiring the wonders of nature.

How can I contact Kinsale Deep Sea Angling Charters?

Kinsale Deep Sea Angling Charters,
1, Rampart Lane,
The Ramparts,
Kinsale,
Co.Cork,
IRELAND.
Mobile: +353 (0)85 8631000   Business: +353 (0)21 2429000

 

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