The Irish coast pilot Author:Great Britain Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER II. SOUTH COAST OF IRELAND FROM MIZEN HEAD TO OLD HEAD OK KINSALE. Variation, 1893. Fustnet rock, 22 10- W. | Old Head of Kinsale, 21 40- W.,... more » decreasing about 9 minutes annually. The COAST in the vicinity of cape Clear is high, precipitous, and bold, increasing in height to the northward of the cape, where it is fringed by outlying islets and rocks of considerable elevation which in clear weather are easily recognised at a great distance. This part of the coast is the ordinary landfall of ships from the Atlantic ocean. The most conspicuous objects which first present themselves to a vessel coming from the westward on the parallel of the Fastnet, in lat. 51 23- N., are Hungry hill, Dursey island, and Skellig rocks ; proceeding to the eastward Mizen peak, 755 feet high, will appear in view, and finally cape Clear, and Fastnet rock. But this part of the coast is frequently obscured by haze, and during the winter season is subject to heavy gales and a turbulent sea. It, however, abounds with good harbours and roadsteads, and is comparatively free from hidden danger. To the eastward of cape Clear the shore preserves its bold aspect, but it less indented. Dangers.—The principal dangers off the south coast of Ireland are Daunt rock, off the entrance of Cork harbour, Coningbeg rock to the. southward of Saltee islands, the Barrels, and Tuskar rock off Carnsore point. Stag rocks off Toe head are free from hidden danger ; and Fastnet rock, which was formerly the dread of seamen on a dark night, has been converted into a beacon of safety by the erection of the lighthouse upon it. FASTNET ROCK, lying W. | S. nearly 4 miles from cape Clear, is 93 feet high with an area at low water of 360 by 180 feet. The bottom around it is rocky and the water shoal. See Admira...« less