Black Head
Conditions & tides
Scored by DiveConnect's site-physics model
Marine forecast via Copernicus Marine. Score is a rule-based guide from swell/wind vs. the site's exposure — always dive your own assessment.
Dived here today? How were conditions vs. what we showed?
About this site
Black Head is a headland dive known as The Canyon, inside the Old Head of Kinsale on the south coast of Ireland. It is an easy dive and a good introduction to diving in Ireland, suitable for novice and experienced divers alike, including PADI Open Water divers.
The maximum depth is around 15 m depending on the tide. The site is a mixture of rocky reef and sandy gullies, and some of the gullies are narrow with steep sides, which can make the dive feel much deeper than it is.
Start on the north side of the headland by dropping into a small gully about 6 m deep. Its walls rise straight up with marine algae clinging to the rock. Along the gully floor you swim over large rocks and seaweed, and many side alleys and narrow gullies reward exploration. Head south for an easy boat pickup.
Read the full guideShow less
Look closely at the weed on the walls for nudibranchs, skeleton shrimp, painted top shells, periwinkles and dog whelk, and watch for pipefish along the bottom. In summer, tiny hydroid jellies and larger jellyfish often float by during the 5 m safety stop.
Photography: because of the shallow depth, there is plenty of time to explore and perfect an image, and the site is wonderful for underwater photographers.
Marine life here
Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.
LobsterLobsterReported here · unconfirmed
ScorpionfishScorpionfishReported here · unconfirmed
PipefishPipefishReported here · unconfirmed
NudibranchNudibranchReported here · unconfirmed
Durable tips from divers — access, hazards, marine life, facilities. For day-of conditions, use the report tool in the conditions card above.
No notes yet. Dived here? Be the first to leave a tip.
Share a write-up or a photo. Submissions are reviewed before they appear on the page.
Nearby dive sites
Shops that dive here
No shops have listed this site yet.