Sailing inyourfootsteps.com

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Swell today

Direction N, height 0.0 metres, period 0.0 seconds, significant wave height of 0.4 metres.

Haven position?

54° 25.560' N, 005° 38.000' W

Where is that position?

In the centre of the anchorage in a depth of approximately two metres.

What is the initial fix?

Approximately 200 metres northeast of the Limestone Rock beacon Q.R.3M. A bearing of 280° will take a vessel into Simmy Bay from here.

What is the story here?

Simmy Island is located upon the northeast coast of Ireland, north of Killyleagh, upon Strangford Lough’s western shore. It is an anchorage to the north of Taggart Island in a quiet and particularly picturesque location.

It is a good anchorage offering protection from anything without an easterly component where it would become uncomfortable.

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?

Simmy Island (Irish Oileán Siomaí 'meaning uncertain' is likely to be Irish in origin but its meaning is not clear) is almost a peninsula.

The location is both exceptionally picturesque and very quiet so you can expect to have the bay entirely to yourself. The wooded headland to the north is what you would imagine Canada to look like more than Ireland and it makes the location a wonderful hideout.

The anchorage also overlooks the Island Taggart immediately to the south. Island Taggart is one of the largest islands in the Lough and is owned by the National Trust. In the past it support two small farms and these are preserved for a visit. Much of the filming of ‘December Bride’ took place on Island Taggart in early 1990s particularly the Echlin farmhouse. The movie was based on Sam Hanna Bell's 1950s novel describing a tight-knit Presbyterian community in turn-of-the-century Northern Ireland. It is a remarkable story of passion and politics set against a rural backdrop.

A host of wildlife such as badgers foxes and otters reside now on Taggart and camping is permitted.

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.

After entering Strangford Lough proceed up the deep waters of the eastern side to the Simmy Island Initial Fix. This is situated approximately 200 metres northeast of the Limestone Rock beacon Q.R.3M. From the initial fix it is just over a mile to the anchorage upon an approximate bearing of 280°.

Aim for the centre of the anchorage but preferring the south side where there is less rock, adjacent to the north end of Taggart Island, and feel your way in to a suitable depth. You will find very good mud holding with scattered boulders.

What are the tides here?

Today's local tide estimates are based on High Water Belfast +0202
Today's Belfast tides — High waters: 01:11, 13:24, Low waters: 07:09, 19:27
Today's Dover tides — High waters: 01:04, 13:22, Low waters: 08:17, 20:33 (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

What facilities are available?

None, this is a secluded bay with no man-made resources.

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:
East Down Yacht Club, Comber Road, Killyleagh,
Tel:+44 28 44 828375
Web: http://www.edyc.co.uk/
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 Simmy Island.

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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How can I get this offshore?

If a mobile signal is available you can access all of our information via a mobile phone's internet browser. We provide a 'Lite' site, Lite In Your Foot Steps using the shorter initials www.liyfs.com, that presents our data in a simplified, speed optimised format. Similarly, if an internet connection is limited or expensive, switching to the 'Lite' site enables faster and more efficient access.

Alternatively print this page's text, illustrations and photos, but without the internet menu, layout, backdrops and Google maps, or economise upon printer consumables and print this page with text only, to get a hardcopy of this location.

What other useful information is available?

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’.



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