Click the logo for the 'Lite' search page.
Today's local tide estimates
High water: ,
Low water: * Coming soon
High water: ,
Low water:
Local weather
W Force 4, Partly Cloudy, 5°C
Swell today
Direction NW, height 0.0 metres, period 5.7 seconds, significant wave height of 0.1 metres.
Summary
An exposed location with straightforward access.
LWS draught
2.5 metres (8.2 feet).
Shelter See it »
Sheltered: E, W
Unprotected: N, NE, SE, S, SW, NW
Nature (summary)
Anchorage, jetty, edifying.
Facilities (summary)
Slipway, walks.
Haven position? See it »
53° 16.380' N, 006° 5.280' W
Where is that position? See it »
In the anchorage area.
What are the initial fixes? See it »
The following waypoints will set up a final approach:
(i) North Approach Dalkey Sound initial fix
53° 16.750' N, 006° 5.730' W
This waypoint is in the channel half a mile northwest of the anchorage.
Please note: Initial fixes only set up their listed targets. Do not plan to sail directly between initial fixes as a routing sequence.(ii) South Approach Dalkey Sound initial fix
53° 16.140' N, 006° 5.240' W
This waypoint is in the channel 400 metres south of anchorage.
Please note: Initial fixes only set up their listed targets. Do not plan to sail directly between initial fixes as a routing sequence.
Why visit here?
The uninhabited Dalkey Island (Deilginis in Irish, meaning "thorny island") is an area of 9 hectares (22 acres). The island walk plus the views of Dublin Bay from both the Martello Tower and the ruined forts are well worth getting the dingy out.
The island is visibly steeped in history. Artefacts excavated from the island such as Mesolithic Bann flakes, Neolithic hollow scrapers and Bronze Age arrowheads, now housed in the National Museum in Dublin. All are evidence of the island’s occupation from the Mesolithic or Middle Stone Age. Settlers continued to use the site through the Iron Age and Early Christian period. There is equal evidence the island was used as a Viking base. The ruined stone church was built in the 9th/10th Century and was probably abandoned when the Vikings used the island as a base to form part of the busiest port in the country at that time.
The ruins of another church named after St Begnet with a lintelled doorway feature of the period prior to the twelfth century. The bellcott high on the gable is likly to have been added in the fifteenth century. This was altered by the addition of a fireplace on the east side when builders used it as living quarters while building the Martello tower and gun battery in 1804.
A promontory fort was located at the northern end of the island, its presence still visible today in the form of a ditch. This was bolster, as mentioned, when in 1804 the British Admiralty erected the exceptionally large Martello Tower, one of eight dotted along the Dun Laoghaire coastline, and gun battery as an early warning Napoleonic defensive device. The current entrance is an insertion that leads directly into the magazine - the original entrance was higher up and required a ladder. The gun battery constructed at the same time is built into the granite cliffs on the southern tip of the island.
How to get in?
Approaching from the North or South you come in between Dalkey Island and Sorrento Point where there is a clear passage with eight metres of depth through the fairway. Favour the mainland’s steep-to shoreline side of the sound as any dangers in this route are on the Dalkey Island side.
Approaching from the south please note the foul area south west of the Island. Here a reef extends 50 metres along the shore from opposite the southern fort to approximately halfway along the coast to the Martello Tower. Be aware that there is a drying rock at LAT close to the south of the landing steps where you haul out. North of the steps another reef 0.6 metres depth runs out 70 metres from the shore.
Approaching from the north you need note the rocks extending six hundred metres to form the northwest ridge of the Island. Rocks known as Maiden (or Carraig Rock), Clare Rock and Lamb Island are all parts of this ridge some of which are only visible at low tide.
Be aware of the tide funnelling through the sound when coming in as they can reach up to 1.5 to 2.5 knots. There are often overfalls caused by the reconnection of tide runs that wrap around the island just off Sorrento point.
Anchor in 2.5 metres LWS to the north of the islands mid point. Land at the slipway on the northwest corner and haul out. Alternatively there is a little cove just alongside the slipway and the beach (west of St. Begnet church) that may be used for the top two thirds of the tide.
What are the tides here?
Today's Dover tides — High water: 09:09, 21:36, Low water: 03:55, 16:22 From Tide Times
Dover +0042, Dublin (North Wall) -0003, mean level 2.4
Rise: 4.1 – 3.4 metres springs, 1.5 - 0.6 metres neaps
MHWS 4.1m MHWN 3.4m MLWN 1.5m MLWS 0.7m
Dalkey Sound’s tidal direction turns on:
Neaps: Dublin high & low water -0130 achieving 1.5 knots
Springs: Dublin high & low water -0200 achieving 2.5 knots
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?
There are no facilities on the island.
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:
Dun Laoghaire Port operations VHF Ch.14, Tel. +353 1 2808074
Any security concerns?
Never a known issue to have occurred at Dalkey Island.
With thanks to:
Charlie Kavanagh - ISA/RYA Yachtmaster Instructor/Examiner - navigation and sail training available - details here: http://www.sailsoutheast.com'>www.sailsoutheast.com'>http://www.sailsoutheast.com
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.
