Sailing inyourfootsteps.com

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Swell today

Direction N, height 0.0 metres, period 0.0 seconds, significant wave height of 0.5 metres.

Haven position?

53° 32.727' N, 006° 4.778' W

Where is that position?

At the southernmost end of Loughshinny pier.

What is the initial fix?

This waypoint is 600 metres east of the centre of the bay.

What is the story here?

Loughshinny is a small cove on the north Dublin County coast situated l.5 miles north of Rush point and 1.6 miles south of Shenick Island - the southernmost of the Skerries Islands. Within the cove there is a pier actively used for fishing that dries out entirely at low water.

Mooring possibilities include anchoring in the bay or coming alongside. Although much of the cove is shallow, there is a small area in the middle where depths up to 2.5 metres can be found. The pier dries out completely but its flat sandy bottom is suitable for bilge keel vessels. The outer extreme of the harbour wall can be used at high water by medium draft vessels for a brief stay.

The cove offers good anchorage in winds from north-northwest, through west, to south. A ledge of rocks, marked by a perch outside the harbour, offers partial shelters from the north but you will find a vessel typically rolls in northerlies. The cove is completely open to anything from the northeast round to the south-southeast.

Access is straightforward but the harbour is not lit so you must enter in daylight.

Please note an issue with Loughshinny is the amount of crab and lobster pots in the harbour and its vicinity plus established moorings. It makes it challenging to anchor without fouling. In any northeast round to the south-southeast conditions or general heavy weather you should select Howth harbour.

Why visit here?

Loughshinny is a picturesque fishing village with a population of eight hundred in the immediate area. The little bay with its picturesque working harbour and safe sandy beach is a popular picnic location in summer. Fishing for crabs and lobsters still forms a big part of the local economy while the fertile farmland surrounding the village still supplies vegetables and flowers for the Dublin market.
Loughshinny is the type of place you would drop in on high water to get a pint of milk and a paper but the area has more to offer the visiting boatman than that. Once ashore you will find the village retains a uniqueness of its own as, except for some new housing and a new school, the appearance of the village has not changed substantially over the years. Retaining that old world charm, within a stones throw of Dublin city is remarkable.
There is an interesting walk that encompasses the whole area of Loughshinny, taking in interesting geological features on the south side of the bay layered limestone and shale cliffs, to buildings of historical interest. On the cliffs on the headland of Drumanage you will find the remains of the largest promontory fort in Ireland. This dates from the late bronze/early iron age and still has the earthen ramparts intact right across the western side of the headland. The well preserved Martello Tower, to the south of the village, was erected in 1803 on Drumanage headland.

How to get in?

Access is straight forward. Align the approach so that it is halfway between the perch and the southern point – beyond the Martello Tower - then come in bearing due west. When directly south of the pierhead, and begin to see the inner side of the quay, find an area clear of the crab, lobster pots and moorings to anchor.

If coming alongside in a keelboat at high water I find the easiest approach is to come stern in to the very end of the pier. This makes it easier to set off. Also try time your quay time so that you are not obstructing the activity of a fishing boat.

What are the tides here?

Today's local tide estimates are based on High Water Dublin (North Wall) -0018
Today's Dublin (North Wall) tides — High waters: 01:29, 13:57, Low waters: 07:23, 19:27
Today's Dover tides — High waters: 01:04, 13:22, Low waters: 08:17, 20:33 (From Tide Times)
Dover + 0030, Dublin (North Wall) +0002
MHWS 4.2m MHWN 3.2m MLWN 1.1m MLWS 0.5m

The stream floods North from HW Dublin +0430 to -0130, and ebbs in reverse.
Max spring rate of 2.5 knots can be achieved off Loughshinny in Lambay Sound.

The latest monthly Dover Tides and Cobh 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’.

What facilities are available?

Loughshinny is a very quiet small little place. Apart from the landing area there is a small shop and reportedly you can get water from a house.

On the other hand Loughshinny has good transport links. It is serviced by Dublin Bus Route 33, which runs between Dublin city centre (Eden Quay), and Balbriggan and Route 33A which runs between Swords and Balbriggan. There is a also a special commuters bus, the 33X Expresso, which runs between Skerries and Belfield Campus - this bus being targeted at students. A late night service, the 33N, is also available.

A train service is available from nearby Skerries train station. The train runs between Dublin city centre and Drogheda/Dundalk.

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

Any security concerns?

Never an issue known to have occurred at Loughshinny.

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 and 1468 ‘Arklow to the Skerries Islands’ Scale of 100,000:1, Imray C61 St Georges Channel, C62 Irish Sea (overlap at Dublin Bay) and Discovery Ordinance Survey map 50 covers this area. ’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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