Sailing inyourfootsteps.com

4°C

Swell today

Direction SE, height 0.1 metres, period 0.1 seconds, significant wave height of 0.4 metres.

Haven position?

54° 3.130' N, 006° 11.430' W

Where is that position?

At the marina entrance marked with day marks and lights Port and Starboard, QR 4m 1M and QG 4m 1M.

What is the initial fix?

500 metres due south of Hellyhunter a south cardinal buoy Q(6) +FL1.15s. From here the line of the entrance’s leading light beacons may be picked up.

What is the story here?

Carlingford marina is located on the southern shore of the beautiful Carlingford Lough inlet, about four miles from Haulbowline Light House at the entrance, and one km from Carlingford village. The large 250 berth marina has 30 visitor berths that cater for all vessels ranging from light speedboats to large sailing vessels.

Once inside the marina a vessel is assured complete protection. Pilotage up and down the Lough is facilitated by a deep water shipping channel that runs the entire length of the Lough and makes the marina accessible at all states of the tide.

Although the channel is well marked access and pilotage requires careful navigation, a good chart and lots of light owing to exceptional currents in the Lough and at the entrance. Tides reach up to four and a half knots alongside Haulbowline Lighthouse and buoys take on the appearance of boats here with heavy bow waves. Consequently a first entrance should be timed to be around slack water and you need a reliable engine should the tide take control.

Please note that an approach to Carlingford Lough is best avoided in any strong onshore winds as it causes a dangerous seaway at the entrance. With a flood tide it makes the entrance highly challenging, but with the southeast ebb tide, running out into a strong southeasterly, the entrance is completely impassable. The key with Carlingford Marina proceed up to No. 18 Red Buoy - even though you appear to be passing the marina. If you try cut across you will most likely wind up on the Carlingford Bank.

Why visit here?

Carlingford Lough, with its upper parts resting between the lower slopes of the Mountains of Mourne and the Cooley Mountains, is the most picturesque inlet on the East Coast of Ireland.

It is simply a must for sailors providing both interesting sailing plus a variety of beautiful locations to anchor in waters that are absent of swell. The area offers a unique blend of natural beauty, spectacular panoramas, myths and legends that combine with a modern day culture and great boating facilities.

Carlingford Lough (Irish: Loch Cairlinn – Cairlinn) takes its name from a shortened form of Cathair Linn literally translated as "City of the Pool". In older sources, Carlingford Lough is called Snám Aignech (meaning "swift channel", "swift shallows"). The old town's sheltered harbour on tranquil Carlingford Lough, may well have provided a useful base for Viking raiding parties but no signs of a permanent settlement have been found.

Today, Carlingford is one of Ireland's best preserved medieval towns, founded by the Anglo-Normans in the 12th century, a linear settlement with typical medieval patterns, burgage plots, defensive walls, narrow streets, Friary and Urban Tower Houses. Much of this heritage and atmosphere remains today.

For the visiting boatman, Carlingford provides a tranquil, intimate base from which to enjoy the Cooley Peninsula and an ideal stepping stone to explore the other anchoring locations in the Lough itself.

How to get in?

Small vessels cannot enter or leave Carlingford Lough against the tide and for a first time visit it is advisable to approach on slack water. As slack water only happens twice a day, and most likely once in daylight, here are some cruising distances in nautical miles that may assist in planning your arrival:

Ardglass ~ 23 nm
Portaferry ~ 28 nm
Malahide ~ 38 nm
Dublin ~ 44 nm
Peel ~ 50 nm
Holyhead ~ 64 nm

Carlingford Lough is highly conspicuous as you approach the initial fix to set up for entry. The inlet is eight miles long, with its northeast reach residing between the lower slopes of the Mountains of Mourne and the Cooley Mountains. In addition there is a 34 metre high grey granite tower, Haulbowline Lighthouse, standing in the entrance.

The Carlingford Lough Initial Fix is approximately 1 mile from the mouth of the Lough and marks the entrance to deep water shipping channel.

From the initial fix you may come straight in on the leading lights, in line 310° following the outer channel markers until the Haulbowline Lighthouse is past abeam.

Haulbowline Lighthouse - Fl (3) W10s 17M position: 54° 01.196’N, 006° 04.740’W

Please be aware the entrance channel is only eighty metres wide here and yachts should take care not to impede commercial traffic in this area.

When the lighthouse is abreast the course alters slightly to port towards Greenore Point on the south shore - conspicuous for a pine plantation with some buildings.

Then it is a matter of following the well marked mooring buoys - odd numbered buoys to starboard and even numbered red buoys to port. Once inside you will find the waters completely absent of swell and thus marker identification easy.

Continue up the Lough to the No.18 Port Hand Channel Buoy Fl R(4) 8s although as already mentioned it takes you past the marina. The Carlingford Bank resides between the channel and the marina up to No.18 buoy.

Take the No.18 buoy to Port and then round it to steer a course of approximately 190°. From there it is half a mile back to the entrance of the marina.

There is plenty of water all the way with more than six metres in the main channel up No.18 Buoy. From No.18 to the marina there the minimum depth of 2 metres MLWS and the marina itself is dredged to this depth.

The marina entrance is marked with day marks and lights Port and Starboard, QR 4m 1M and QG 4m 1M.

It is advised that you make berthing arrangements with the marina in advance by phoning +353 42 93 73073; VHF: or Channel 37 or 16, channel 16 - change to channel 06.

What are the tides here?

Today's Dover tides — High waters: 11:11, 23:32, Low waters: 06:21, 18:43 ^{From Tide Times}

Tidal Streams
Flood starts Dover -0500, Ebb +0020 Dover.

Max tidal rates:
One mile outside the entrance streams are imperceptible.
Buoyed approach channel 3.5 kn,
East of the lighthouse 4.5 kn
Between Greenore and the entrance 1.5 kn
Off Carlingford 1.5 kn

What facilities are available?

Carlingford Marina has fuel, water, electricity, toilets, showers plus garbage disposal. There is a public telephone, free WiFi plus a first class bar and restaurant with spectacular views of the Mourne and Cooley Mountains.

Address: Carlingford Marina, Carlingford, County Louth.

There is a slipway plus a 50 tonne travelling boatlift and winter storage can be arranged. You will also find a boat yard that provides repair facilities and a chandlery.

Ten minutes walk will take you to Carlingford town, although hardly bigger than a village, has a surprising array of excellent facilities such as hotels, restaurants, pubs a post office, a reasonably good supermarket, newsagent, launderette, water, fuel, gas and a host of tourist facilities. Launching slip available at high tide upon the east pier.

Useful transport contacts in this area:
Dundalk Train Station + 353 42 933 5521
Dundalk Bus Station + 353 42 9334075
Newry Bus Station + 44 28 30623531
Newry Train Station + 44 28 30269271

What emergency contacts are there?

Dublin Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) VHF Ch 83 covers the area from Carlingford Lough to Youghal. Carlingford (04), Wicklow Head (02), Rosslare (23) and Mine Head (83) 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. Dublin (MRSC) may be contacted directly on +353 1 662 0922/3

Other useful contacts in this area:
Carlingford Marina Telephone: +353 42 93 73073
VHF: Channel 37 or 16, channel 16 - change to channel 06.
Email: cmarina@iol.ie

Warrenpoint Harbour Authority
‘Warrenpoint Harbour Radio’ VHF channel 12 (24 hrs)
Tel: +44 28 417 73381

Any security concerns?

Carlingford Marina is a secured access location.

What navigational resources are available for this area?

British Admiralty 1411 ‘Irish Sea - Western Part’, Scale of 200,000:1, SC 44 ‘Nose of Howth to Ballyquintin Point’ scale of 1:100,000. The key detail chart is British Admiralty 2800 ‘Carlingford Lough’ Scale of 20,000, including the ‘Entrance of Carlingford Lough’ scale of 12,500; ‘Warrenpoint’ scale of 10,000; Kilkeel Harbour scale of 5,000.

Imray chart C62 – ‘Irish Sea’. ’Sailing Directions - Irish Cruising Club - East & North Coasts of Ireland’ provides an excellent pilot for this area.

With thanks to:

Charlie Kavanagh - ISA/RYA Yachtmaster Instructor/Examiner - navigation and sail training available - details here: http://www.sailsoutheast.com/

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How can I get this offshore?

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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 Leinster 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. Carlingford 04, Dublin 83, Wicklow Head 02, 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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