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Today's local tide estimates
High water: ,
Low water: * Coming soon
High water: ,
Low water:
Local weather
W Force 5, Light rain, 7°C
Swell today
Direction SSW, height 1.5 metres, period 9.9 seconds, significant wave height of 1.7 metres.
Summary
A completely protected location with careful navigation required for access.
LWS draught
2.5 metres (8.2 feet).
Shelter See it »
Completely protected.
Nature (summary)
Anchorage, no minder, secluded.
Facilities (summary)
(None)
Haven position? See it »
51° 31.440' N, 009° 22.050' W
Where is that position? See it »
Mid river approximately 200 meters approx east of a private slipway.
What is the initial fix? See it »
The following Baltimore entrance initial fix waypoint will set up a final approach:
51° 28.120' N, 009° 23.423' W
This waypoint is quarter of a mile due south of the entrance, midway between Beacon & Barrack Point in the white sector of the lighthouse.
Why visit here?
This is a safe location to sit out a bit of bad weather in a nice quiet setting. Skibbereen is well serviced with buses one hours walk away.
How to get in?
Use the Baltimore harbour initial fix and navigate up to the Ilen River and Reena Dhuna. You may also enter and exit Baltimore Harbour from the north or west and this is covered in ‘Routes’ where you will find usefull waypoints.
The river entrance is situated behind Hare Island. A useful waypoint is 51° 29.750’N 009° 24.330’W at the North entrance to Baltimore Harbour where ‘The Sound’ and the Ilen River entrance meet, amidst and above Sandy Island and Quarantine Island.
Leave Baltimore by the North entrance and turn to Starboard up towards Skibbereen. You may also come in from Long Island Bay into Baltimore’s north passage and the river entrance. This route lies between Hare Island and Sherkin Island and requires careful navigation as there are many dangers to be avoided.
From the entrance you may simply follow the river to the anchorage. It is at the top end of a northern length of the river before it turns east. You will see a big holiday house on the north side with a private slip just above it.
What are the tides here?
Today's Dover tides — High water: 09:09, 21:36, Low water: 03:55, 16:22 From Tide Times
Baltimore’s tides are Cobh -0025sp, -0005np
MHWS 3.5m MHWN 2.9m MLWN 1.4m MLWS 0.6m
Tidal streams river Ilen plus Baltimore’s north and south entrances.
Dover -0005 (Cobh +0545) In-going
Dover +0610 (Cobh –0025) Out-going
The latest monthly Dover Tides and Cobh Tides courtesy of the National Environmental Research Council. Printable monthly tides for Dublin, Dunmore, Cobh, Galway, Belfast are available from the ISA.
The national weather forecast, Met Éireann and BBC shipping forecasts, plus a very simplified Munster tourist outlook. From an Atlantic perspective a 24 hour North Atlantic synoptic chart that you may ‘right click’ and save to your hard disk. Met Éireann’s Eastern Atlantic chart and the BBC’s surface area forecast plus visible satellite images for Ireland and Northeast Atlantic from Met Éireann. Wind observations, XC UK & Ireland, Windguru wind & wave reports, and Windfinder where you can determine a forecast time. Coastal radio stations (VHF Channel) Weather forecast at 0103 and thence every 3 hours updated every sixth. Cork 26, Bantry 23, Valentia 24. Radio broadcasts on RTE 1 (89.1FM) 0603, 1253, 1655 and 2355.
A free tidal range prediction application for windows, a simple tide monitor plus the rule of twelfths are available in inyourfootsteps.com shared ‘experience’.
What facilities are available?
Reena Dhuna in the Ilen River has no facilities. Further upriver, the large provincial town of Skibbereen is a one hour walk and is well serviced by buses. The town is the hub of west Cork and has all stores available plus one of the best Chandleries in the SW that has nearly everything a boatman could require. 1.5 miles further up river at Old Court there is a quay with a boatyard frequented by trawlers.
What emergency contacts are there?
Valentia Maritime Rescue Sub-Centre (MRSC) VHF Ch 24 & MF 1752 kHz covers this costal area. Cork (26), Mizen (04), Bantry Bay (23), Shannon (28) and Galway (04) provide relay stations. Coastguard Radio is always called on a working channel. Emergencies are worked on 16, 67 and working channel.
Alternatively, or if ashore, phone 999 or 121 (free) and ask for ‘Marine Rescue’. Gardai (police), Fire and Rescue are also available on this number. Valentia (MRSC) may be called on +353 669 476 109
Other useful contacts in this area:
Baltimore Harbour Master - Telephone 087 235 1485
VHF Ch.16 & 09
Cork Radio 16/26/67
RNLI Lifeboat - Telephone 028 20 143 or 0208 20174
Gardaí / Police 028 20102
Ambulance 028 21677
Skibbereen Medical Centre 028 23456
Skibbereen Hospital 028 21677
Any security concerns?
Never an issue known to have occurred in Reena Dhuna. The owner of the big house is a sailor and has kept an eye on my boat when I left it there unattended. My reciprocation was a duty free contribution that I thought fitting. Of course he may be off sailing somewhere himself but I am sure arrangements can be made if that is the case.
With thanks to:
Burke Corbett, Gusserane, New Ross, Co. Wexford.
Please note inyourfootsteps.com makes no guarantee of the validity of this information, we have not visited this haven and do not have first-hand experience to qualify the data. Although the contributors are vetted by peer review as practised authorities, they are in no way, whatsoever, responsible for the accuracy of their contributions. It is essential that you thoroughly check the accuracy and suitability for your vessel of any waypoints offered in any context plus the precision of your GPS. Any data provided on this page is entirely used at your own risk and you must read our legal page if you view data on this site.
