History & Heritage Estuary Cruise in the Orinoco

Walter Foley and his team at South East Charters have a passion for the sea. The local beauty of the Hook Peninsula and Waterford Estuary drives everything they do. They feel fortunate to live in an area rich in maritime history and breathtaking scenery and are eager to share this heritage-from-the-water experience with visitors during Heritage Week.

Departing from Ballyhack, the Orinoco will take up to 12 passengers on two narrated voyages of discovery of the historic peninsula, and the estuary which contains dozens of shipwrecks. Among them is the Alfred D Snow which went down in a storm on January 4, 1888, with all 29 hands lost. Many of the lost souls are buried in nearby Ballyhack Graveyard.

Advance booking online is essential for both cruises on the Orinoco. Contact Walter via WhatsApp on 087 243 7148 to book a seat.

The History & Heritage Estuary Cruise In The Orinoco is part of a joint initiative for Heritage Week 2026 by Waterford Estuary Villages Alliance (WEVA). Under Weva, the five traditional fishing villages of the Estuary have come together to confront the threat of heritage loss among other issues. The villages have been under long-term threat from population decline since the collapse of the fishing industry in the early 2000s and the failure to replace it with alternatives that would help to sustain the communities. With great resilience and self-reliance, the villages have a mission to forge a more sustainable future by preserving and developing their shared heritage as part of a wider economic strategy.