Sailing inyourfootsteps.com

4°C

Swell today

Direction SSE, height 0.0 metres, period 9.9 seconds, significant wave height of 0.3 metres.

Haven position?

55° 17.510' N, 006° 11.686' W

Where is that position?

This position is at the southern end of the Manor House Pier. This pier lies inside the outer breakwaters and the inner basin, from which the leisure boat pontoon extends, is situated close east of the Manor House Pier.

What is the initial fix?

This is approximately half way between the \'Drake\' Wreck South Cardinal Pillar Light Buoy Q (6) +LFI 15s and the western shoreline of island’s southern leg. It is within the white sector of the harbour’s sectored light and is approximately half a mile south-southwest of the entrance. Track in on 024°, or within the white sectors 023°-026°, that leads to the harbour entrance from here.

What is the story here?

Church Bay is the main harbour for Rathlin Island that is a small island residing five miles to the north of the most north-easterly point of Ireland. The island is the largest and the only permanently inhabited island off Northern Ireland coastline. It offers the potential to come alongside a pontoon or anchor within the small very well sheltered harbour. It may also be possible to come alongside the pier or inner harbour basin.

Tucked in to the northeast corner of Church Bay behind substantial breakwaters the harbour provides good protection for the summer cruisers from all winds northwest through east to south-southeast. The harbour provides safe access at any stage of the tide by a well dredged entrance channel supported by leading lights. With the exception of the well marked wreck of the ‘Drake’ the Bay is absent of offshore dangers.

Please note the direction and velocity of the tide should be the central feature of any navigation planning in this area. During the full run of the west going stream violent overfalls occur at Slough-na-more, shown on the Admiralty chart, that resides to the east end of Rathlin Sound about one mile southwest of Rue Point. During gales the overfalls break heavily and should be avoided. For those approaching from the south the roughest water may be experienced between Fair Head and Torr Head where just off Torr Head the Ebb runs up to 9 knots during Spring tides. However, if the tides have been well studied and embraced, a well-found yacht should have no difficulty sailing this area in conditions up to Force 4 or 5.

Why visit here?

Rathlin Island (Irish: Reachlainn or Reachra) is the most northerly island off the Irish coastline and the only inhabited offshore island of Northern Ireland.

Six km from east to west, and four km from north to south, Rathlin is a mere 25 km from the Mull of Kintyre, the southern tip of Scotland's Kintyre peninsula. This strategic position in the North Channel, between Ireland and Scotland has caused Rathlin's history to be a tale of conflict. The island was successively conquered and reconquered by the Vikings, Scots, Normans and the English.

Of interest amongst these trials and tribulations is the 1306 story of when Robert Bruce, King of Scotland, took refuge in a Rathlin cave after his defeat by the English at Perth in Scotland. It is said that the dispirited warrior watched a spider repeatedly trying to reach the roof of the cave by its thread. Eventually it succeeded. So he coined the expression 'if at first you don't succeed, try, try and try again'. With renewed determination he returned to Scotland to gain the throne at the battle of Bannockburn. Bruce's Cave, beneath the East Lighthouse can be visited today amongst many others upon the northeast corner of the island. Some have magnificent interiors with iridescent reflected light others with walls and pillars of white limestone.

Another oddity of contest was in 1617. Rathlin Island was subject to a legal dispute over ownership between Scotland and Ireland. The island was found to be Irish on the peculiar basis that there were no snakes on the island. As Saint Patrick was firmly believed to have banished all snakes from Ireland in the 5th Century it had to be therefore Irish.

Today the 33 families that reside on Rathlin have come to enjoy a very peaceful existence. Some are farmers, maintaining good herds of cattle and sheep; others fish for lobster around the island's coast. All are serviced environmentally sustainable mains electricity thanks to the erection of three wind turbines called the three ‘Children of Lir’ that is locally maintained by two islanders.

These hardy souls numbers are boosted by its many annual visitors - divers, birdwatchers, botanists, sea-anglers who come to visit this special island that is one of forty-three Special Areas of Conservation in Northern Ireland.

How to get in?

A north-western approach, from west of Sheep island as far as the entrance of Lough Foyle, will find the mainland coast composed of a rugged broken shore that is subject to a heavy surf. The mainland’s predominant feature is of black basaltic cliffs alternating with limestone and inland hills rising to heights of 180 metres in places. There are some outlying rocks, but there are no hidden dangers beyond a quarter of a mile from the shoreline.

On closer approach, Ballintoy Point, with a white tower old coast-guard station on its summit and a white church, has some straggling rocks off it. These may be cleared by keeping Fair Head well open of the rocks north of Sheep island.

Sheep Island is a highly distinctive precipitous basaltic rock island just over half a mile north of the conspicuous white cliffs of Larry Bane Head upon the shore. On its north and east sides are some detached rocks.

Rathlin Sound is then clear of dangers with the exception of Carrickmannanon off Kinbane Head, two and a half miles southeast of Sheep Island. This rock is visible as it nearly always breaks and dries 0.3m. From here Ballycastle Bay commences stretching between Kinbane Head and Fair Head facing Rathlin Island on the opposite side four miles across the sound.

Approaching from the south. The immediate offshore area is likewise free from outlying dangers and the coastline presents a remarkably bold outline. For the 16 miles from Glenarm to Fair Head the rugged Antrim mountain slopes push almost vertically out to the coast. Again composed of white limestone overlaid with black basaltic rocks the cliffs are a remarkable feature of this coast. The mountain range terminates at Fair Head, a vertical 191 m high precipice, around which resides Ballycastle Bay.

Composed of a 140 metres high table-land and surrounded by precipitous cliffs Rathlin Island, across the Sound, is similar in appearance and structure to the mainland shore. There is a lighthouse on all three points of the ‘L’ shaped island.

Rue Point Lighthouse - Fl (2) 5s 16m 14M position: 55° 15.533’N, 006° 11.474’W

Rathlin East (Altacarry Head) Lighthouse - Fl (4) 20s 74m 26M position: 55° 18.111’N, 006° 10.313’W

Rathlin West (The Bull) Lighthouse - Fl R 5s 62m 22M position: 55° 18.052’N, 006° 16.815’W

Church bay is located in the bight formed southwest shores of Rathlin Island, between Bull Point and Rue Point. The shores of Rathlin are clear of hidden dangers beyond the distance of 400 metres and plenty of depth all round.

The Church Bay Initial Fix is approximately half way between the 'Drake' Wreck South Cardinal Pillar Light Buoy and the island’s western shoreline.

'Drake' Wreck South Cardinal - Q (6) +LFI 15s position: 55° 17.093’N, 006° 12.488W

Track in from here on 024°, or within the white sectors 023°- 026°, for half a mile to the entrance to the outer harbour and pass between the pier heads.

At night time you will see the Initial Fix is within the white sector of the harbour’s sectored light. This light is positioned within the village near the Manor House Hotel Oc.WRG.4s, Green 020°- 023°, White 023°- 026°, Red 026°- 029°. The light at the end of North Breakwater (The Bow), Fl R 2s 5.3m 3M whilst the South Breakwater: Fl (2) G 6s 3.5m 3M.

Once inside these substantial breakwaters a vessel may elect to berth at the pontoon or alternatively lay alongside Manor House Pier for a short period or use the, 30 metre wide by 100 metre long 1.7m. MLWS, inner harbour provided harbour master permission is granted.

It is possible to anchor in the northwest section of the harbour, but beware there may be insufficient depth at LWS.

Harbour dues may be levied.

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 Dover -0445 spring, -0200 neap. Belfast -0450 spring, -0155 neap
Direction of stream through Rathlin Sound -0500 East, +0100 West

The tides in Rathlin Sound are very strong, have several eddies and are subject to great variations both in force and direction. Tides run from 6 knots at springs, to 4 knots at neaps causing strong eddies along the shores, with heavy overfalls off all the headlands - the MacDonnell Race at the northeast corner is particularly fearsome. Slough-na-more overfalls are violent during the full strength of the west going stream between about +0130 and +0230 Dover. After this the overfalls slowly subside to ripples upon the surface. For those approaching from the south, close in off Torr Head the Ebb runs up to 9 knots during Spring tides.

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?

Water and electricity available on the pontoon but there is no reliable source of petrol or diesel and if obtainable it would be at a premium. There is limited shopping plus a post office catering for the islands population, of about 100. A pub and restaurant is available to while away a few hours in the evening

A daily ferry crossing from Ballycastle from Easter to September and for the rest of the year there is a crossing three times a week. The six mile journey takes 45 minutes: phone +44 28 2076 9299

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. There is an auxiliary rescue coastguard station at Rathlin Island.

Any security concerns?

Never an issue known to have occurred to a boat off Rathlin Island.

What navigational resources are available for this area?

British Admiralty 2798‘Lough Foyle to Sanda Island including Rathlin Island’ scale of 200,000:1 plus 2494 ‘Ireland-North Coast, Plans on the North Coast of Ireland’. Imray chart C64 ‘Belfast Lough to Crinan and Islay’ plus Northern Ireland Ordinance Survey No. 5 at a scale of 1:50,000 for inland details.

With thanks to:

Terry Crawford, local boatman of many decades.

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