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Today's local tide estimates
High water: 00:33,
Low water: 06:48
High water: 13:07,
Low water: 19:05
Local weather
ENE Force 5, Patchy light drizzle, 7°C
Swell today
Direction S, height 0.1 metres, period 8.9 seconds, significant wave height of 0.9 metres.
Summary* Restrictions apply
An exposed location with attentive navigation required for access.
LWS draught
2.5 metres (8.2 feet).
Shelter See it »
Sheltered: SE, S, SW
Unprotected: N, NE, E, W, NW
Nature (summary)
Anchorage, secluded, scenic, no landing, overwhelming tides, strong tides.
Facilities (summary)
(None)
Haven position? See it »
54° 23.037' N, 005° 34.737' W
Where is that position? See it »
Upon the 2.7 metre contour within 100 metres of the shore.
What is the initial fix? See it »
The following North ‘Narrows’ Initial Fix waypoint will set up a final approach:
54° 23.160' N, 005° 34.360' W
The middle of the north end of the ‘Narrows’ where the upper Lough opens out. It is west of Ballyhenry Bay and directly north of the highest ground of Audley’s headland. A bearing of 235° for quarter of a mile leads into the anchorage.
Why visit here?
Audley’s Point is a very beautiful quiet anchorage in a place where Strangford begins to open out into the more gentle waters of the upper Lough.
Though a lunch spot, where a boat can not be left unattended owing to the difficult rock holding, it is a nice place to shelter from southerlies beneath a forested headland. This is a good alternative to Audley Roads at the opposite side of the headland that is exposed to this quadrant.
It is also the last ‘Narrows’ anchorage and on the doorstep of an island-studded sea lough that offers the boatman the chance to discover some of the country’s finest scenery.
How to get in?
Use the entries for Strangford Harbour, Audley’s Roads or Portaferry for guidance on how to approach from the Irish Sea and pass through the five nautical mile long fast-running tidal ‘Narrows’. Any of these lists of directions will guide a boat up to the North ‘Narrows’ Initial Fix that is mid channel.
Track in from the initial fix on a bearing of 235° for quarter of a mile paying careful attention to steerage when passing from the main tidal streams of 3.5 knots of the fairway into the comparative slacker waters of the inner bay.
Anchor in a depth to your preference as close in as possible. The closer in to the forested headland the more the protection and likewise the tide run reduces inshore.
The area is subject to kelp over rock that may challenge a CQR making for uncertain holding. Hence an anchor watch is advisable and the vessel should not be left unattended unless the security of the holding has been absolutely assured.
What are the tides here?
Today's local tide estimates are based on High Water Belfast +0152
Today's Belfast tides — High water: 11:15, 23:31, Low water: 04:56, 17:13
Today's Dover tides — High water: 11:14, 23:30, Low water: 06:06, 18:22 (From Tide Times)
High Water Strangford Quay Dover +0147 springs, 0157 neaps
MHWS 3.6m MHWN 3.1m MLWN 0.9m MLWS 0.4m
Local high water is 2 hours 15 minutes after high water at Belfast
Strangford Narrows Tidal Streams
Flood starts Dover -0345, Belfast -0330
Ebb starts Dover +0215, Belfast +0230
The latest monthly Dover and Dublin (North Wall) 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 Ulster 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. Dublin 83, Wicklow Head 87, Rosslare 23 and Mine Head 83. 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?
Audley’s Point is a stay-aboard anchorage with nowhere to land and no local facilities.
What emergency contacts are there?
Belfast Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC). Operational Area: Northern Ireland/ Irish Republic Border, Lough Foyle to Northern/Irish Republic Border Carlingford Lough. Belfast Coastguard (MRSC) VHF Ch 16, liaises closely with IRCG. Emergencies are worked on 16, 67 and working channel.
Alternatively, or if ashore, phone 999 and 112 and ask for ‘Marine Rescue’. Police, Fire and Rescue are also available on this number. Belfast (MRSC) may be contacted directly on +44 2891 463 933. An inshore lifeboat is maintained at Portaferry.
Other useful contacts in this area:
Strangford Sailing Club Tel:+44 28 44 86404
Strangford Harbour Master (at ferry terminal)
VHF Channel Ch 12, 14, 16, M
Tel:+44 28 4488 1637
Monday to Friday (9am-5pm)
Portaferry Marina
VHF Channel Ch. M2, 80
Tel: +44 28 4272 9598
Mobile: +44 7703 209 780
Police: +44 4461 5011, Medical Clinic +44 4461 3016
Any security concerns?
Never a problem known to have occurred at Audley’s Point. A vessel anchored here is most likely to be alone.
What navigational resources are available for this area?
The key detail charts are British Admiralty 2156 ‘Strangford Lough’, scale of 37,500:1. and for the ‘Narrows’ 2159 ‘Strangford Narrows’, scale of 12,500:1, including ‘Strangford’, scale of 5,000:1. Imray chart C62 – ‘Irish Sea’. ’Sailing Directions - Irish Cruising Club - East & North Coasts of Ireland’ provides an excellent pilot for this area. Northern Ireland Ordinance Survey No. 21 at a scale of 1:50 000.
With thanks to:
Brian Crawford, local Strangford Lough boatman of many decades.
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.
