Sailing inyourfootsteps.com

5°C

Swell today

Direction S, height 1.6 metres, period 0.0 seconds, significant wave height of 2.0 metres.

Haven position?

54° 23.843' N, 005° 38.806' W

Where is that position?

At the south end of the town quay.

What is the initial fix?

Between Barrel and Skate Rocks that are marked by perches. It is set upon the useful transit marked on the Admiralty chart keeping Portaferry pier open upon Chapel Island. Bear west from here for Killyleagh.

What is the story here?

Killyleagh is located on the northeast coast of Ireland upon the southern end of Strangford Lough’s western shore. It offers a very good anchorage and the possibility to come alongside at the club jetty or town quay at high water.

Killyleagh offers complete protection and especially if a vessel can dry out by the old quay wall. However with westerly winds a north south wave develops that rolls the boat awkwardly and it can also get choppy in strong easterlies.

Normal navigation is required when traversing any of Lough’s eighty square nautical miles of shallow basin. The Lough is a completely enclosed waterway but there are a number of drying patches and shoals known as pladdies, some of which uncover whilst others never appear, throughout the Lough. When these are near a principal boating channel or route they are typically marked by poles or beacons. Currents are another complicating factor of the inner Lough. Although not as strong as in the ‘Narrows’ they do not run true in the Lough and tend to take a vessel off course. All of which necessitate some attention to navigation and detailed chart work in daylight.

However this is more than manageable as once a boat is out of the fast-running tidal channel to the south, the more gentle waters around the islands that gave this Lough its old Irish name Lough Cuan, meaning sheltered haven, is a pleasure to sail.

Why visit here?

Killyleagh is derived from the Irish; Cill Uí Laoch meaning "church of the hero's descendants". It is the largest town on the shores of the Lough and is dominated by the splendid Castle that was originally built after the Norman invasion in 1205.

The origins of the history of Killyleagh dates much further back than this to prehistoric man as is evidenced by the many ‘raths’ still visible around Strangford Lough. St Patrick arrival here in 432 AD bringing Christianity to the local people, known as Dufferin, that inhabited the Killyleagh woodlands and the area peaceably thrived. Then came waves of Viking raids who would have found the anchorage at Killyleagh an attraction.

In the 11th century the Normans arrived, led by John de Courcy who married the daughter of the King of Man and built the original Killyleagh Castle. Later Norman families fought with the local clans men for possession of the castle, which changed hands several times until a Scot, Sir James Hamilton, took over the property in 1610. It has been the home of the Hamilton family since and acquired its fairy-tale silhouette in the 1850s when the turrets were added. Today the castle is a riot of turrets and battlements rising above town like a Loire-style chateau or Disney fairytale. It hosts occasional concerts and is one of the oldest castles in Ireland that remains a family home.
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Along with the spectacle that is the castle Killyleagh offers fine walks good provisions and a welcoming yacht club with good facilities. It is a must on the Lough Cruising circuit.

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 through the ‘Narrows’ to the inner Lough.

Having entered Strangford Lough make for the Quoile River Initial Fix between Barrel and Skate Rocks that are both marked by perches. Barrel Rock, uncovers at low water plus normally has racing Mark 4 close by, lies to the north and Skate Rock, uncovers at four hours of ebb plus normally has a racing mark K close by, lies to the south. A useful transit to pass between the Barrel and Skate rocks is available by looking astern upon approach and keeping Portaferry pier open upon Chapel Island. The Killyleagh Initial Fix is on this transit indicated on the Admiralty chart between the rocks. Continue west from here to the anchorage.

The village of Killyleagh stands at the head of a small drying bight to the northwest of ‘Town Rock’. This is a highly distinctive red brick pillar marker, that looks not unlike a ‘Rook’ chess piece, and is lit QW – a vessel should pass no less than 10 metres south of this mark.

Anchor in depths to your preference between 2 to 4 metres south-southwest of the Town Rock beacon or pick up visitors mooring at the outer perimeter of the privately owned moorings.

Landing at the yacht club pontoon jetty to the west of the ‘Town Rock’ bea¬con where a flagstaff can be seen. If space is available it is permissible to come alongside for loading and unloading but no vessel should berth here. Approximately 2 metres can be found here at LWS.

The Town Quay, to the northwest of the Town Rock, is no longer in commercial use and dries to quarter of a metre of draft. However with a 3.5 metre range the quay can service vessels carrying up to 3 metres draft and a yacht drawing 2 metres can go alongside for a short stay at high water –0200. It is also safe to dry out here on mud where you will find good ladders. Approach with the spire a little open to the west of the quay.

What are the tides here?

Today's Dover tides — High waters: 11:11, 23:32, Low waters: 06:21, 18:43 ^{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 Dover +0145 or 2 hours 15 minutes after high water at Belfast

Inside the Lough tides decrease significantly
6 Kn between Strangford & Portaferry
4 Kn at Ballyhenry Island
1.5 Kn at Don O’Neill Island

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?

Fresh water is available on the pontoon but no power. Showers and bar in yacht club and there are alternate hotel and pubs in the immediate vicinity a short stroll from the jetty. With a population of almost two and half thousand the town has good shopping plus a basic chandlery, garage, bank, taxis and buses. A five tonnes crane is available for hire on the quay and some boat and rigging repairs can be addressed here. It is situated on the A22 road to Downpatrick that is a sizable town that serves as a commercial and administrative centre for the locality.

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:
Killyleagh Yacht Club Tel:+44 28 44 828250
Police: +44 4461 5011, Medical Clinic +44 4461 3016

Any security concerns?

Never a problem known to have occurred at Killyleagh.

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.

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