Sailing inyourfootsteps.com

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Swell today

Direction N, height 0.0 metres, period 7.5 seconds, significant wave height of 0.1 metres.

Haven position?

52° 20.360' N, 006° 27.370' W

Where is that position?

This is in the middle of the moorings off the town quay.

What is the initial fix?

This waypoint is the 2011 position of the Bar Buoy Safe Water Mark. The bar buoy is a red pillar buoy with a radar reflector (Lighted) L Fl 10s.

What is the story here?

Wexford Harbour and town resides ten miles north of Ireland’s southeast corner. It is situated in a shallow, eastward-facing estuary of the River Slaney that is two and a half miles wide at its mouth with a four mile channel to the quays. Visiting boats may come alongside fishing boats moored on the town quay, anchor or pick up club visitor moorings inside the harbour.

The harbour provides complete protection. In the past Wexford Harbour was exposed to the southeast but a new pier, established on the opposite side of the river, protects this exposure. Attentive navigation is required for access as, although the harbour has a very well marked and maintained channel, there is little margin for error.

Please note Wexford Harbour’s limiting factor is its draft restrictions. Parts of the entrance channel can be shallow making it more suitable for shallow draft vessels. Technically the shallowest has on occasions been as low as 0.5 LAT and it varies every year depending upon the preceding years silting and storm activity. This makes the location slightly unpredictable necessitating some preliminary enquiries before a planned entry.

Why visit here?

The ancient County town of Wexford, in Irish Loch Garman, is situated where the River Slaney widens into a spacious harbour before exiting into the Irish Sea. According to local legend the town acquired its ‘Irish’ name from a young man called Garman Garbh who was drowned on the river mouth’s mudflats in floodwaters released by an enchantress. The resulting lake was thus named the Lake, Loch, of Garman.

The modern name of Wexford is derived from the Viking name Veisafjoror who founded the historic town in about 800AD. Veisafjoror translates appropriately to ‘inlet in the mudflats’ and the name has altered little through the centuries. For the 350 years that followed the Viking establishment remained largely independent, only paying token dues to the Irish Kings of Leinster. This all changed when Dermot MacMurrough, then King of Leinster, and his Norman ally Robert Fitzstephen besieged the town in 1169. Although the Norse inhabitants resisted strongly they were persuaded by the Bishop of Ferns to accept a settlement with MacMurrough. So, technically, the first Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed in this settlement in Selskar Abbey. The abbey hosted esteemed company a few years later, when in 1172, as a penance for the murder of Thomas a Becket, King Henry 2nd spent Lent incarcerated within the walls of the Abbey. Of the town’s early settlement fortifications, that included four castles and five fortified gateways, only the pieces of the West Gate Tower and fragments of walls that encompass the churchyard of Selskar Abbey remain today.

In the following centuries the town’s axis of history moved slightly southward to a small town square known as the ‘Bull Ring’. Originally a beach where boats laid up to land their produce into the towns markets, it got its name from the bloodthirsty sport of bull baiting. This was introduced to the town by the Butchers Guild, when from 1621 to 1770, where bulls were baited twice a year and their hides presented to the Mayor. But the Bull Ring went on to be a center of much human blood-letting too. Cromwell’s soldiers massacred part of the civilian population here in 1649. Likewise later in 1798, when County Wexford was the centre of the Rebellion against English rule, Wexford town was held by the rebels throughout the fighting. The Bull Ring was the scene of a notorious massacre of local Loyalists by the United Irishmen who executed them here and on the then wooden bridge. Immediately afterwards the Bull Ring became an open-air armaments factory where pikes and other weapons for the insurgents were built and repaired. This is commemorated by the ‘Pikeman’ statue that stands central in the Bull Ring today.

Historically the Port of Wexford was extremely important. It derived great commercial advantage by being the only harbour between Dublin and Waterford, and the outlet of a rich agricultural district. Coal was its major import plus agricultural machinery whilst grain, cattle, pigs, butter, bacon, oysters, and pit wood were its chief exports. In 1861 alone 813 vessels arrived of 81,779 tons, of which 161 were steamers and 40 from the UK colonies and other countries. The custom dues amounted to £175,701; this was a wealthy hive of activity in its time. However in the 20th century, as commercial ships increased in size, the port declined owing to the estuaries constantly silting sands. It became unprofitable to dredge the channel from the harbour mouth to the town quays in order to accommodate these larger ships, and so, in 1968, the port closed. In the 1990's the old wooden fronts to the quays were removed as part of a development plan to upgrade the area as a town amenity as well as retain it as a commercially viable waterfront. Today the port is now used exclusively by the local mussel dredgers and fishermen, and for local and visiting pleasure craft.

Wexford has a diverse wealth of leisure attractions to offer visiting yachtsmen. The town has plenty of lively pubs, bars and hotels which provide quality live entertainment most evenings plus several top class restaurants to choose from. For art lovers a visit to the Wexford Arts Centre is very rewarding as the Centre provides a year-round programme of artistic activity for the town. Wexford’s cultural highpoint, although a little late in the sailing season, is in October when it presents its world famous Opera Festival. This is held in the Theatre Royal and also includes a dynamic Fringe Festival where the town is alive with a host of activities.

On the outskirts of the town, no more than 5km from the quay, there is the Irish National Heritage Park. This traces the journey from man's first settlements in Ireland up to the arrival of the Norman's in the 12th century, and guides visitors exploring the 35 acres of this remarkable heritage walk. Naturalists will immensely enjoy a visit to the Wexford Wildlife Reserve where a wide range of birds can be observed. Wading birds and wildfowl are particular attracted to the harbours wide shallow sand bars and mud flats that provide safe areas for feeding and breeding. The entire harbour area and surrounding ‘Slobs’, large areas of the harbours water-covered space that were converted into dry lands by embankments in the seventeenth century, are a natural haven. It also benefits from being the closest point for birds migrating into or out of Ireland from Britain and the Continent from a southerly direction.

If sporting activities are more to your taste then why not spend a day at Wexford Races which holds many flat and jumps meetings throughout the year. Walkers should join one of the two organised walking tour operators in Wexford. For a wander through a more natural environment, try the Raven Point Nature Reserve Walk, just north of the town. This leads onto Curracloe Beach which doubled for Omaha Beach in the film ‘Saving Private Ryan’. A temporary anchorage can be found off the beach, about a mile northeast of The Raven Point in fine weather.

For further details of whats on where during your visit there is a Tourist Office conveniently situated on the quay. From a practical boating perspective Wexford is an excellent place to reprovision a boat. There are two major supermarkets immediately alongside the quay and the town’s main high street is a stroll up from the quay. Moreover it is also a good pick-up or drop-off point for crew. It has very good connections to Rosslare Europort, which is only 11 miles away, an hour to Waterford, with its airport, and the two hours distant Dublin serviced by national rail and local and national bus networks.

How to get in?

The ‘Routes: Dublin Bay to Rosslare Harbour Coastal description’ provides approach information to the suggested Initial Fix. Vessels approaching from the north should select the southbound sequenced description; vessels approaching from the south should select the northbound sequence; eastern approaches may use either description.

The town quays can be comfortably accessed by vessels of a draft of 1.8 meters and can support vessels of up to 3 metres working the tides. Deepest berths charted in the harbour are 3.7 metres. Wexford Harbour’s central issue is the depths in the approach channel are that subject to frequent change as the sands in the estuary shift. This largely depends upon the winter storm activity, plus to a lesser degree silting, that alters the channel each year. Therefore charted depths and sandbank structure are entirely historic and cannot be used.

The harbour channel markers are maintained and can be relied upon to follow the shifts. Likewise deep water will always be found in the fairway located at the mouth of the River Slaney, between the south and north training walls and alongside the town. Outside of this most of the harbour is silted up with more than half of its present extent uncovering and the remainder shallow.

The main issue however is less to do with the shifting channel but rather the present depths available along the channel. It is essential to check that the entire channel has sufficient depth, or can be made so by working the tides, to support the approaching vessel’s draft. This may be easily archived via enquires to Rosslare Radio, on channel 12 or phone +353 53 9133249, or via Wexford Harbour Boat Club, available on +353 53 91 22039, prior to entry. Either will be delighted to advise on the current status and depths within the channel.

Should sufficient depths be available in the channel, first time visitors should time their visit to avail of good conditions, ideally HW minus 2 hours, plus daylight with fair visibility to follow closely spaced channel markers. In conditions with strong onshore winds, where a boatman has no prior local experience, it would be best to select Kilmore Quay. Precise local data, such as weather from sensors mounted in the harbour, a chart showing the current channel layout, plus specific local tide feed and more are available from Wexford Harbour Info.

Provided adequate depth can be achieved all approaches then centre on finding the constantly changing Bar Buoy, that lies somewhere between The Raven Point and Dogger Bank on the 10 metre contour. Expect it to be in the immediate vicinity of the 2011 position Wexford Harbour Bar Buoy Initial Fix waypoint.

This marks the start of a line of clearly visible port and starboard channel markers that lead into the quays. From the bar buoy look west and the channel marker buoys will be clearly visible as there is little distance between them. Then it is simply a matter of following the channel markers in with the town’s conspicuous church spires clearly visible in the distance.
Caution: Please note least depth over the bar has been reported to be about 1.5 metres. In strong winds between southeast and northeast the seas break heavily on the bar making it impassable.

The channel is long, approximately 4 nautical miles, and snakes around the bay so a transit hour should be factor that into tidal planning. The shallowest point typically found in the sheltered inner reach of the harbour. Although more than what you need to navigate in, below is the list of the actual 2011 buoy positions.

Bar Buoy: 52° 19.14' N, 006° 19.39' W - Buoy (Lighted) Safe Water Mark L Fl 10s

No. 2: 52° 19.17' N, 006° 20.57' W - Buoy (Lighted) Lateral Port LFl R 10s

No. 4: 52° 19.17' N, 006° 21.50' W - Buoy (Lighted) Lateral Port QR

No. 5: 52° 19.21' N, 006° 21.50' W - Buoy (Lighted) Lateral Starboard QG

No. 6: 52° 19.60' N, 006° 22.02' W - Buoy (Lighted) Lateral Port Fl R 5s

No. 7: 52° 19.63' N, 006° 21.97' W - Buoy (Lighted) Lateral Starboard Fl G 5s

No. 8: 52° 19.84' N, 006° 22.74' W - Buoy (Lighted) Lateral Port Fl R 3s

No. 9: 52° 19.85' N, 006° 22.72' W - Buoy (Lighted) Lateral Starboard Fl G 3s

No. 10: 52° 20.03' N, 006° 23.26' W - Buoy (Lighted) Lateral Port Fl R 5s

No. 12: 52° 20.19' N, 006° 23.80' W - Buoy (Lighted) Lateral Port Fl (2) R 6s

No. 13: 52° 20.21' N, 006° 23.80' W - Buoy (Lighted) Lateral Starboard Fl (2) G 6s

No. 14: 52° 20.04' N, 006° 24.20' W - Buoy (Lighted) Lateral Port Fl R 5s

No. 16: 52° 19.86' N, 006° 24.58' W - Buoy (Lighted) Lateral Port LFl R 8s

No. 17: 52° 19.88' N, 006° 24.58' W - Buoy (Lighted) Lateral Starboard LFl G 8s

No. 18: 52° 19.94' N, 006° 25.17' W - Buoy (Lighted) Lateral Port Fl R 5s

No. 20: 52° 19.85' N, 006° 25.50' W - Buoy (Lighted) Lateral Port Fl R 2.5s

No. 21: 52° 19.86' N, 006° 25.50' W - Buoy (Lighted) Lateral Starboard Fl G 2.5s

No. 22: 52° 19.89' N, 006° 25.74' W - Buoy (Lighted) Lateral Port Fl R 5s

No. 24: 52° 20.01' N, 006° 26.27' W - Buoy (Lighted) Lateral Port Fl R 5s

No. 26: 52° 20.11' N, 006° 26.78' W - Buoy (Lighted) Lateral Port Fl R 5s

Black Man: 52° 20.21' N, 006° 26.84' W Beacon (Lighted) Lateral Starboard Fl G 5s

No. 28: 52° 20.24' N, 006° 27.39' W - Buoy (Lighted) Lateral Port Q(2)R 5s

No. 29: 52° 20.25' N, 006° 27.36' W - Buoy (Lighted) Lateral Starboard Q(2)G 5s

No. 30: 52° 20.71' N, 006° 27.76' W - Buoy (Lighted) Lateral Port Fl R 5s

No. 31: 52⁰ 20.75' N6⁰ 27.74' W - Buoy (Lighted) Lateral Starboard Fl G 5s

Note: Track in carefully there may be little very little tolerance in parts of the channel. The Black Man is located on the end of the north training wall that covers and it is important to pass well south of this marker. The above markers No. 30 and 31 are upriver from the bridge.

The town is situated on the west bank of the river fronted by a half mile of quays below Wexford Bridge, which spans the mouth of the river, plus there is a further new quay on the opposite side of the river from which the north training wall extends southeast to the Black Man marker. The bridge restricts vessels of any airdraft higher than the 5.8 metres centre arch’s vertical clearance.

Leisure craft may anchor in the river harbour between Ballast Bank and Wexford Bridge, in depths from 2.3 to 6 metres. Please note streams are strong and a tripping line is advised in this historic harbour. Alongside berths are available at the town quays or rafted up with from 0.3 metres to 3.7 metres, and 2.7 metres. Some visitor moorings are provided by WHBTC, close north of the Ballast Bank.

Vessels that can pass under the bridge will find Wexford Sailing Club half a mile above the bridge off the south bank of the river. There is a boat slip 300 metres from the clubhouse.

The river is navigable for a distance of 19 miles above Wexford for craft not exceeding a draught 1.1 metres. With some planning it may be possible to reach Enniscorthy which is 13 miles upriver from Wexford.

Note: For those familiar with the harbour, but who have not recently visited, the position of the channel has moved south in the past few years and is deeper. Also that the investment in channel markings plus the protection afforded by the new pier makes the harbour significantly more accessible and secure then it has been in the past.

What are the tides here?

High Water Cobh +0126
Today's Cobh tides — High waters: 03:30, 15:57, Low waters: 09:59, 22:19
Today's Dover tides — High waters: 09:09, 21:36, Low waters: 03:55, 16:22 ^{From Tide Times}

Or alternatively -0450 on Dover or about -0440 Dublin, Dover HWS -0330, HWN +0630 at the bar. HW on the bar it is an hour and fifteen minutes earlier.

MHWS 2.0m MHWN 1.5m MLWN 1.0m MLWS 0.5m Mean Level 1.3, Duration 0630

Within the estuary the streams are weak and broadly run in and out between the harbour entrance and the outer end of the training walls.

Off the town the ebb and flow is as follows:
Dover +0230 In-going at 2kn
Dover -0400 Out-going at 2kn
Mean spring range about 1.5 m; mean neap range about 0.5 m. After heavy rains the out-going stream is stronger and the in going stream weaker.

What facilities are available?

Wexford does not have a marina or visitors moorings. However you are always welcome to come alongside the quay or mussel dredgers (that generally do not fish in summer months) without berthing fees.

Wexford is a primary regional town featuring shopping, restaurants, cinemas, trains and bus connections to Dublin and elsewhere in the country.

Wexford Harbour Boat Club welcomes visiting yacht crews providing a bar, showers and toilet facilities. Wexford harbour boat club is however above the bridge, about a kilometres walk by road, and most people find it quicker to use the dingy to pass under the bridge and tie up at the club pontoon. Power boat cruisers are welcome to come up to the Boat Club and arrange for a refuelling lorry at the club pontoon. Contact a local member to have this arranged.

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:
The Wexford Harbour Info resource.
The Boat Club is available on +353 53 91 22039
Rosslare Harbour on channel 12 or phone +353 53 9133249
Police: +353 5322333; Doctor +353 5331154; Hospital +353 53 42233

Any security concerns?

Wexford does not have any particular security issues. You can leave a boat unattended but lock it up and don’t leave anything around the decks.

What navigational resources are available for this area?

Admiralty Chart 1772 covers navigation of Wexford harbour. Also Admiralty 1787 ‘Carnsore Point to Wicklow Head’ covers this area. Imray chart C61 plus Discovery Ordinance Survey map 76 also cover this area. The excellent ‘’Sailing Directions - Irish Cruising Club - East & North Coasts of Ireland’ provides pilotage.

With thanks to:

Jack Higginbotham and Brian Coulter, Wexford Harbour Boat Club.

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What other useful information is available?

RTE provides a highly simplified national and provincial outlook. More detail can be found from Met Éireann’s (the Irish National Meteorological Service) eastern Atlantic 24 hour synoptic, the current Irish sea area forecast and Irish observations.

The UK Met Office also provides a shipping forecast plus visible satellite and infrared satellite imagery to enable close observation of approaching frontal systems. This movement information makes it easy to predict when a weather event will affect a location thus providing an accurate estimate as to when the typical Irish sharp veer, off the back of a cold front, will arrive. Another useful resource is the 21st Operational Weather Squadron that provides Atlantic and European synoptics.

XC Weather provides a local view of wind conditions direct from and array of reporting station manned along the British Isles. Three hour historical info plus expected wind direction and strength for the next couple of days are available on this site and it is possible to interpolate between stations.

Wind guru is an international surfing site that provides a view on eighty five beaches around the coast of Ireland. It offers wind and wave information plus meteorological data such as temperature, wind speed and direction. The sites wind, wave height and direction information enables a good picture of a seaway, wave against wind or tide etc., to be understood.

Whilst off-line national weather information is broadcast as follows:

Coastal radio stations (VHF Channel)
Weather forecast at 0103 and thence every 3 hours updated every sixth.
Cork 26, Bantry 23, Valentia 24, Shannon 28, Clifden 26, Malin Head 23, Dublin 83, Wicklow Head 87, Rosslare 23, and Mine Head 83.

RTE Radio 1 Sea area forecast: 24 / 48 hour outlook and gale warnings rounding the country in a clockwise direction from headlands to headland.
FM 88.90 MHZ or MW 567khz/529m and 729khz/412m.
Weekdays 0602, 1253, 1823, 2355; Sundays 0633, 0755, 0855, 1253, 1823, 235

BBC Radio 4 Sea area forecast:
LW 198khz/1525M. VHF92.4/94.6MhZ
Daily 0048, 0535 (0542 on Sundays, 0556 Saturdays), 1201,1754.

Precise monthly Dover, Dublin, Cobh, Limerick, Rosslare, Sligo, Bangor, Donaghadee, Derry, Portrush tides are posted by the National Environmental Research Council.



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