We can’t think of any better words to describe County Clare than those of an eighteenth century schoolmaster called John Lloyd, who wrote “from its agreeable situation, the climate is remarkably wholesome, the air clear and temperate, and the prospect pure and delightful.” This is part of the introduction to Lloyd’s book, A Short Tour, which was written with the purpose of promoting County Clare as an example of natural beauty and good living. Little did he know, his words would be just as relevant in the 21st century, when the best way to enjoy the waterways and landscapes of the area is on a powerful jet ski - now there’s a pure and delightful prospect.

Jet skis are classified as personal watercraft, PWCs, and they’re the perfect machines for touring the spectacular coastlines of this southwestern Irish county. First and foremost, they’re fast and fun. Secondly, they can operate in the shallow waters right on the shoreline and get you a close up view of the cliffs, caves and beaches that make up the coast of Clare. Finally, their designation as personal vehicles is a bit misleading. Although there are single rider models on the market, like stand-up jet skis, most PWCs have room enough for the pilot and one or two passengers. If you’re eager to get your bum on one of those seats, keep reading to find out more about this fantastic experience.

Where are the best places to go jet skiing in County Clare?

The starting point for your jet ski adventure in County Clare is the town of Kilkee. This seaside resort is perfectly located between two of the highlights of Clare’s coastline. To the North are the breathtaking Cliffs of Moher, whose dark colour and dramatic formations can only be properly appreciated from the water, while to the south, the Loop Head peninsula extends into the Atlantic Ocean, bounded on the other side by the mouth of the River Sharon.

• Kilkee: At the base of the Loop Head peninsula, Kilkee is located on a small cove that is inside a sheltered bay. The views of the bay open up as you jet off from the seafront, with the popular natural swimming pools known as the Pollock Holes on one side and Kilkee Golf Club perched on top of the cliffs on the other.

• George’s Head: A rocky promontory that marks the edge of Kilkee Bay, this headland boasts some fascinating features which are the result of thousands of years of erosion by the waves, wind and rain. There are rocky stacks, tidal pools and tunnels into the cliffs that are just waiting to be explored.

• Doonbeg: If you choose to continue north past George’s Head, you’ll get to the pretty beach town of Doonbeg. Mutton Island sits in the bay, guarding the entrance to the port. In a bygone age there was a manned fort on the island overlooking water, but only the ruins are left now, alongside some tumbledown houses, as the island is uninhabited.

• Kilkee Cliffs: Travelling in the opposite direction, you can observe the dramatic meeting of land and sea that extends from Kilkee right along the coast to Loop Head. The green, rolling landscape, so typical of County Clare, comes to an abrupt halt in a series of cliffs with deep dark caves at their base. Some of these caves are big enough to enter on a jet ski - who knows what you might find!

• The Bridges of Ross: When it comes to spectacular coastal scenery, you can’t do much better than the natural rock arches of the Bridges of Ross. Once upon a time, a long sea cave penetrated the Kilkee cliffs near the Loop Head. Over time, the cave grew and grew, weakening the roof. This has now largely fallen away, leaving a series of bridges that cross an open channel where the waves come crashing in.

• Loop Head: The westernmost point of County Clare, Loop Head is a sharp point of land that separates the Atlantic from Ireland’s most important river, the Shanon. There’s a lighthouse near the headland which guides ships between Loop Head and Kerry Head on the other side of the Shanon and up to the port at Limerick.

What are the options for organising a safari?

After reading about all the natural beauty that you can experience on a sightseeing tour of the coast of County Clare, your mouth is probably watering. So, we better get you on the ocean as quickly as possible, and the best way to do that is with a jet ski tour. You’ll ride as a passenger on a large jet ski - a Seadoo model - that combines high performance with comfort, and be taken for a spin by a guide with all the expertise and local knowledge to make this tour as rewarding as possible. And, so long as size and weight restrictions are met, it’s even possible to get two passengers on board, so you can take a special someone with you. These passenger rides last around 2 hours, which is plenty of time to see the places that we’ve mentioned above.

But if you’re the kind of person who’s not content to be a passenger, don’t worry because it’s also possible to get your hands on the controls of a jet ski here in County Clare. You can do this by hiring a PWC in Kilkee for 1 hour, and taking full control over how you ride and what you see. Open up the throttle and find out what jet skis can really do, or explore the caves and cliffs in the area, you decide if you’re the pilot. But this doesn’t have to be a solo experience, you can also take a passenger or two with you on your voyage of discovery.

Requirements to do this activity

Messing about in the water is all well and good, but it’s better suited to larger, more stable watercraft like boats. Jet skis require a slightly more delicate touch, so if you want to take one for a spin off County Clare’s Atlantic coast, you need to be over 16 years old, whether you’re pilot or passenger. But if you meet the age requirements, you can get out onto the water without having had experience of riding a jet ski before. A safety briefing and quick training session will take place at the start of any jet ski experience before the journey gets underway.

Ready to let rip? Say the word and we’ll make your dreams come true.