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Swell today

Direction SW, height 1.1 metres, period 9.9 seconds, significant wave height of 1.1 metres.

Haven position?

52° 11.000' N, 006° 57.190' W

Where is that position?

400 metres north of Creadan head in 2.5 metres.

What is the initial fix?

This waypoint is 200 metres south by southwest of the number 2 port hand channel marker that lies northeast of Creadan Head. It is in the ‘flashing red’ sector of the Dunmore East leading lights.

What is the story here?

Creadan Head resides in the Waterford Harbour entrance 2.5nm northeast of Dunmore East on the western side. It is a remote bay where you may anchor.

This is a tolerable day anchorage but Creadan Head is not a place to spend a night. The bay is clearly well protected from prevailing south-westerly conditions but the bay’s gradual shoaling keeps a vessel well out on anchor. This combines badly with waves that tend to wrap around the headland. With boats naturally lying to the wind, in prevailing south-westerlies, this brings the deflected waves abeam causing an uncomfortable roll. This roll driven crashing and banging puts Creadan Head out of the realm of a nights sleep but it is an excellent daytime stop in anything with a westerly component.

Normal navigation is required as access is completely unhindered with a 2.5 nm wide Waterford Harbour estuary entrance and excellent markers in the commercial channel. The bay is approximately 1 nautical mile off the channel free of off any offlying dangers.

Please note a potential race can develop at the harbour entrance where the estuary tide meets the sea in rough conditions. Prepare for a turbulent time on the entry if there is a strong south easterly blowing into an ebb tide. In extreme conditions, such as a south easterly force eight on an ebb tide, it can be particularly bad and it would be best avoided until the tide turns.

Why visit here?

This is a lovely secluded beach to land a dinghy and let the family loose to play and swim. It also offers an excellent anchorage to wait out a tide.

How to get in?

Once Hook Head Light House has been identified check the chart for the location of the race.

Hook Head Lighthouse - Fl 3s 46m 24M position: 52° 07.300’N 006° 55.700’W

The race is at the harbour entrance where the estuary tide meets the sea in rough conditions. At deck level the strong race will be clearly visible, a very short chop with the water dark green to seaward and light green / pale blue inside and this colouration is particularly visible in sheltered waters. When the tide is on the ebb the chop is much shorter, in the flood the wave length is longer and much easier. In extreme conditions, such as a south easterly force eight on an ebb tide, it can be particularly bad and it would be best avoided. Once past the race, and inside the harbour, the seaway quickly calms and Waterford Harbour offers good depths for the pleasure sailor. From there come up to the initial fix and turn into the bay.

The tide runs strong in this area and it needs to be factored into your transit. On springs it can reach up to 3 knots off Creadan Head but this decreases out to midchannel.

What are the tides here?

Today's local tide estimates are based on High Water Cobh +0013
Today's Cobh tides — High waters: 07:36, 19:53, Low waters: 01:41, 13:56
Today's Dover tides — High waters: 01:04, 13:22, Low waters: 08:17, 20:33 (From Tide Times)
Dover -0535, mean level 2.4 metres.
MHWS 4.1m MHWN 3.2m MLWN 1.3m MLWS 0.4m

Outside the entrance of Waterford Harbour
West going stream begins -0100 Dover or (+0450 Cobh)
East going stream begins at +0515 Dover (-0120 Cobh).
The external spring rate not exceeding 1 kn

Inside the Waterford Harbour estuary:
The flood begins at +0210 Dover (-0425 Cobh).
The ebb tide at -0505 Dover (+0045 Cobh).
Strong tides of up to 3 knots inside the estuary following the channels

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 Munster 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. Cork 26, Bantry 23, Valentia 24. 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 is nothing in Creadan Head save for Woodstown beach to land upon.

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:
Contact Dunmore East Harbour Master's Office Tel +353 (0) 51 383166 VHF Ch 16 when manned as this is used by the Waterford Authorities
Port of Waterford Harbour Master 051-74499.VHF ch.16 and 14

Any security concerns?

You are most likely to be completely alone at this beach and away from any interference.

What navigational resources are available for this area?

Admiralty Chart 2049 ‘Old Head of Kinsale to Tuskar Rock’ scale of 1:150,000 covers this sailing area. The key chart for Waterford Harbour area is Admiralty Charts 2046. This covers Waterford Harbour at a scale of 1:25,000, with details of Waterford Port - scale of 1:7,500, continuation of the River Barrow to New Ross - scale of 1:25,000, New Ross - scale of 1:10,000 and Dunmore East Harbour - scale of 1:5,000.

Imray chart C57 and Discovery Ordinance Survey map 76 also cover this area. The Pilot ’Sailing Directions - Irish Cruising Club - South and West Coasts of Ireland’’ describes sailing this area in great detail.

With thanks to:

Burke Corbett, Gusserane, New Ross, Co. Wexford.

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