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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° 26.464' N, 005° 37.600' W

Where is that position?

East of Eaglehill Point on the southeast side of Islandmore and Pawl Island, favouring the Islandmore side of the gap.

What is the initial fix?

Approximately 200 metres east of the Limestone Rock beacon Q.R.3M. It is on the 318° line of bearing off a converted windmill, situated 4 miles to the northwest, that leads to Ringhaddy Sound from here - as noted on the Admiralty chart.

What is the story here?

Pawle Island is located upon the northeast coast of Ireland, upon Strangford Lough’s western shore, to the East of Ringhaddy Sound and Islandmore. It is a quiet and out of the way anchorage.

Tucked in between Islandmore and Pawle this is a very good anchorage. It offers excellent northerly and westerly protection but has marginal exposure to hard southerlies where it may 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?

This is a very pleasant out-of-the-way anchorage where one can keep an eye on boats coming in and out of Ringhaddy Sound.

The small 49 acre Pawle Island is privately owned by a farmer who would prefer no unauthorised use but is reportedly open to requests. The island is a very pleasant picnic location and it is well worth seeking permission. In the past the island supported two farms and one of these old houses remain on the southwest point with the remains of a slip cut through the rocks on the beach. A stroll to the top of the hill behind the house offers a spectacular panoramic view of the southern half of Strangford Lough.

Pawle Island is an out-of-the-way and beautiful anchorage that offers very good protection. Yet all the resources of Ringhaddy Cruising Club are just a short run around Islandmore.

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 of the Lough to the Ringhaddy Initial fix. This is situated approximately 200 metres east of the Limestone Rock beacon Q.R.3M. This beacon marks the eastern point of a rock Pladdy that covers after 4 hours of flood tide and there are an additional two perches marking the western and northern points.

From there track in on the 318° line of bearing off a conspicuous circular building, that is a converted windmill, along with two white leading marks near the shore that lead into Ringhaddy Sound.

One mile in and the route closes to about 500 metres to pass between the unmarked Brownrock Pladdy and Brown Rock to the port or south side. Both cover at half tide where only seaweed may be visible. However a small grass island close to the south called Black Rock is visible making the former easy to position. On the starboard or north side is the Verde Rocks that are marked by a perch.

The route then continues in close south to the gap between Pawle Island and Eaglehill Point at the south end of Islandmore. Turn in and feel your way in relatively close into the shore where good mud holding will be found. Expect up to 2 knots of current on Springs.

Please note the area between Pawl Island and the Black and Brown Rocks have an awkward seaway in wind-against-tide conditions.

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
Up to 2 Kn alongside Islandmore and Pawle 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?

There are no facilities at Pawle Island.

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:
Ringhaddy Cruising Club
Ringhaddy Road, Killinchy Tel:+44 (0)28 97 541158
Police: +44 4461 5011, Medical Clinic +44 4461 3016

Any security concerns?

Never an issue known to have occured in this remote anchorage.

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’. 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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