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Today's local tide estimates
High water: 03:13,
Low water: 09:11
High water: 15:26,
Low water: 21:29
Local weather
S Force 3, Clear/Sunny, 13°C
Swell today
Direction N, height 0.0 metres, period 0.0 seconds, significant wave height of 0.4 metres.
Summary
A good location with attentive navigation required for access.
LWS draught
3 metres (9.84 feet).
Shelter See it »
Sheltered: N, NE, E, SW, W, NW
Unprotected: SE, S
Nature (summary)
Anchorage, secluded, scenic, strong tides.
Facilities (summary)
(None)
Haven position? See it »
54° 25.560' N, 005° 38.000' W
Where is that position? See it »
In the centre of the anchorage in a depth of approximately two metres.
What is the initial fix? See it »
The following Holm Bay Initial Fix waypoint will set up a final approach:
54° 25.280' N, 005° 35.870' W
Approximately 200 metres northeast of the Limestone Rock beacon Q.R.3M. A bearing of 280° will take a vessel into Simmy Bay from here.
Why visit here?
Simmy Island (Irish Oileán Siomaí 'meaning uncertain' is likely to be Irish in origin but its meaning is not clear) is almost a peninsula.
The location is both exceptionally picturesque and very quiet so you can expect to have the bay entirely to yourself. The wooded headland to the north is what you would imagine Canada to look like more than Ireland and it makes the location a wonderful hideout.
The anchorage also overlooks the Island Taggart immediately to the south. Island Taggart is one of the largest islands in the Lough and is owned by the National Trust. In the past it support two small farms and these are preserved for a visit. Much of the filming of ‘December Bride’ took place on Island Taggart in early 1990s particularly the Echlin farmhouse. The movie was based on Sam Hanna Bell's 1950s novel describing a tight-knit Presbyterian community in turn-of-the-century Northern Ireland. It is a remarkable story of passion and politics set against a rural backdrop.
A host of wildlife such as badgers foxes and otters reside now on Taggart and camping is permitted.
How to get in?
Use the entries for Strangford Harbour, Audley’s Roads or Portaferry for guidance on how to approach from the Irish Sea and pass through the five nautical mile long fast-running tidal ‘Narrows’. Any of these lists of directions will guide a boat up through the ‘Narrows’ to the inner Lough.
After entering Strangford Lough proceed up the deep waters of the eastern side to the Simmy Island Initial Fix. This is situated approximately 200 metres northeast of the Limestone Rock beacon Q.R.3M. From the initial fix it is just over a mile to the anchorage upon an approximate bearing of 280°.
Aim for the centre of the anchorage but preferring the south side where there is less rock, adjacent to the north end of Taggart Island, and feel your way in to a suitable depth. You will find very good mud holding with scattered boulders.
What are the tides here?
Today's local tide estimates are based on High Water Belfast +0202
Today's Belfast tides — High water: 01:11, 13:24, Low water: 07:09, 19:27
Today's Dover tides — High water: 01:04, 13:22, Low water: 08:17, 20:33 (From Tide Times)
High Water Strangford Quay Dover +0147 springs, 0157 neaps
MHWS 3.6m MHWN 3.1m MLWN 0.9m MLWS 0.4m
Local high water Dover +0145 or 2 hours 15 minutes after high water at Belfast
Inside the Lough tides decrease significantly
6 Kn between Strangford & Portaferry
4 Kn at Ballyhenry Island
1.5 Kn at Don O’Neill Island
What facilities are available?
None, this is a secluded bay with no man-made resources.
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. An inshore lifeboat is maintained at Portaferry.
Other useful contacts in this area:
East Down Yacht Club, Comber Road, Killyleagh,
Tel:+44 28 44 828375
Web: http://www.edyc.co.uk/
Killyleagh Yacht Club
Tel:+44 28 44 828250
Police: +44 4461 5011, Medical Clinic +44 4461 3016
Any security concerns?
Never a problem known to have occurred at Simmy Island.
What navigational resources are available for this area?
The key detail charts are British Admiralty 2156 ‘Strangford Lough’, scale of 37,500:1. and for the ‘Narrows’ 2159 ‘Strangford Narrows’, scale of 12,500:1, including ‘Strangford’, scale of 5,000:1. Imray chart C62 – ‘Irish Sea’. ’Sailing Directions - Irish Cruising Club - East & North Coasts of Ireland’ provides an excellent pilot for this area. Northern Ireland Ordinance Survey No. 21 at a scale of 1:50,000.
With thanks to:
Brian Crawford, local Strangford Lough boatman of many decades.
Please note inyourfootsteps.com makes no guarantee of the validity of this information, we have not visited this haven and do not have first-hand experience to qualify the data. Although the contributors are vetted by peer review as practised authorities, they are in no way, whatsoever, responsible for the accuracy of their contributions. It is essential that you thoroughly check the accuracy and suitability for your vessel of any waypoints offered in any context plus the precision of your GPS. Any data provided on this page is entirely used at your own risk and you must read our legal page if you view data on this site.