Sailing inyourfootsteps.com

4°C

Swell today

Direction SSE, height 1.7 metres, period 0.0 seconds, significant wave height of 2.0 metres.

Haven position?

54° 2.280' N, 006° 6.110' W

Where is that position?

One hundred metres south of the wooden pontoon in the anchorage area.

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?

Greencastle is located and on the north shore one and a half miles inside of the entrance to Carlingford Lough inlet situated on the northeast coast of Ireland. It offers the first secure anchorage inside Carlingford Lough.

The anchorage offers good protection from all winds except for northwesterly or southeasterly conditions. Pilotage up to the anchorage is facilitated by a deep water shipping channel that runs the entire length of the Lough although the final approach to Greencastle is not specifically marked and requires careful navigation by daylight. Tides in the anchorage can run up to three and a half knots so you should only approach Greencastle at slack or high water unless you are very familiar with the area.

Indeed the whole area 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 at the entrance 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.

Why visit here?

Greencastle is the first anchorage of the beautiful sailing area that is Carlingford Lough. Carlingford Lough or Loch Cairlinn in Irish literally translated, as 'City of the Pool' is a sea loch that forms part of the international border between Northern Ireland to the north and the Republic of Ireland to the south. Karlingfjord was the name given to this area by the Vikings as the Lough resembled a fjord of their experience.

The Normans recognised the Lough's strategic significance of this vital stretch of water to the Gap of the North and inland Ulster. They were determined to secure it by constructing two castles at its mouth on the southern and northern shores, at Greencastle and at Carlingford. A further measure was the construction of a fort at the present day site of Narrow Water Castle.

Greencastle, together with King John's Castle on the opposite shore in Carlingford, was the means by which the Normans controlled the narrow entrance to the Lough, is the main feature of this remote out of the way location.

It consists of a rectangular two-story tower and a strong curtain wall with corner towers that were constructed in the mid-13th century by Hugh de Lacy, the 1st Earl of Ulster and was altered and improved in the 15th and 16th centuries. It was stormed by the Irish in 1260, 1375 and sacked by Edward Bruce in 1316. Still it maintained as an English garrison in the 1590s. In 1552 ad, the castle was granted to Nicholas Bagenall (whose daughter, Mabel, would later marry Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone). Greencastle was bombarded and destroyed by Parliamentary forces in 1652.

The old Castle is an important feature in the scenery of this coast, and claims notice among the numerous architectural remains of antiquity, which are scattered over the County Down. The location adds much to its appeal offering stunning views of the Lough, the surrounding landscape plus the towering mountains beyond.

Today this dismantled and dilapidated fortress, with its air of sombre antiquity, carries the meditative mind to memories of the past, is what the Greencastle anchorage offers the visiting boatman. Apart from the castle and an old church there is now little else. For surrounding it there is an occasional fisherman’s and holiday houses that can scarcely be called even a scattered hamlet.

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 at 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 in this area and yachts should take care not to impede commercial traffic.

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. Continue on this route until you arrive at the No. 9 Vidal Rock buoy.

From there you should turn to starboard and commence a final approach on the anchorage to the east of Green Island.

Steer approximately 340° towards the houses on Greencastle Point a distance of less than a mile. From there all that is required is to pass the rear Leading Lt. Beacon (providing the Lough in line at 310° leading lights) to starboard and a red perch, marking ‘Half Tide Rock’, to port.

The first of which is easily identified. The rear light pile beacon is a green and white framework tower 14 metres in height (day glow orange, triangle day mark apex down) stands 500 metres northwest of the front light. Pass this on your starboard side.

The latter red perch that marks ‘Half Tide Rock’ can be harder to identify as it is a thin perch and only has one metre showing at high water springs. Nevertheless you should find it easily enough and especially so if you go in at slack water. Then the rocks on the south side of the anchorage are visible.

Align the perch with Greencastle pier as you track in and this will keep you in the deepest water. Then as you approach the perch swing to starboard and pass ‘Half Tide Rock’ it marks to port. Keep a minimum distance of 10 metres off.

Once past the perch steer for the end of the pier and this leads into the mooring area where you will clearly see boats already moored.

The best place to anchor is to the west round to northwest of the moorings unless at slack water where it is easy to place the vessel in relation to the rocks on the south side of the anchorage.

Holding is excellent in gravel and sand but make certain it is well in as the currents run up to 3.5 knots here.

The pier itself is a derelict wooden structure and it is best to land on the beach alongside.

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.
Mean spring range about 3.9 m; mean neap range about 2.5 m

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
In the anchorage tides run up to 3.5 kn.

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 shops or facilities of any kind in Greencastle.

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

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

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

Any security concerns?

Never an issue know to have occurred at Greencastle.

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; and ‘Warrenpoint’ scale of 10,000, plus 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:

Thomas Cunningham - Harbour Master for ‘Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission’

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