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Ballyhalbert Bay and Harbour

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At a Glance

Ballyhalbert Bay and Harbour

Contacts: As at Ballywalter there are no reports of a Harbour Master at Ballyhalbert (In fact the HM at Donaghadee covers this harbour)

Ballyhalbert Bay is another useful anchorage on the East coast of Northern Ireland. It has good holding in shelter from offshore winds and a small pier and slip which dry at low water. As soon as the wind gets any East in it there is a heavy swell in the bay which prohibits anchoring. There's not very much here; the pier is used by a few local fishing boats and the village itself is mainly residential apart from a holiday camp situated on a disused airfield a mile up the coast.

There is a Youtube video at

https://youtu.be/QUBo7KAez3k?t=116

Ballyhalbert Bay and Harbour

Approach

There are no problems getting into the bay to anchor a cable from the pierhead in about 5m.....

.....holding is generally good. Strangers to the area would be advised to take a course outside the Burial Rock giving its South side a good offing although there is a narrow channel between the rock and the shore you need to know exactly where the deep water is to be safe.

  Harbour   Anchorage   Marina
   £   GMT

Waypoint

None Given

Charts

AC2156 East Coast & Strangford Lough, SC5612.9A Portavogie to Ballywalter, Imray C62 Irish Sea

Rules & Regs

None Known

Hazards

Burial Island a couple of cables ESE of the pierhead

Tides

HW as Portavogie and Dover: MHWS 4.7m MHWN 3.9m MLWN 1.4m MLWS 0.6==-Still very much under the influence of the strong streams through the North Channel so expect off shore rates in the region of 2.5 knots at Springs.

  Berthing

A smallish boat with bilge keels could enter here at high water....

.... but unless you have a special reason to stop here there's not a lot of point; at high water the Northbound stream is about to start and if you're waiting for the South bound stream you'll have to anchor off to wait for it in deep water!

  Facilities

Ashore there is water near the pier and some shops. Regrettably the petrol station has closed.

What to Do

History

Local Business

Uncategorised

Tide Information for ballyhalbert-harbour

HW as Portavogie and Dover: MHWS 4.7m MHWN 3.9m MLWN 1.4m MLWS 0.6==-Still very much under the influence of the strong streams through the North Channel so expect off shore rates in the region of 2.5 knots at Springs.
 

April 2026

 
SundayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday
16
LW04:060.8
HW10:134.6
LW16:320.4
HW22:374.5
17
LW04:430.7
HW10:494.8
LW17:090.4
HW23:124.6
18
LW05:210.6
HW11:274.9
LW17:480.4
HW23:514.7
19
LW06:030.5
HW12:114.9
LW18:300.5
20
HW00:344.7
LW06:470.5
HW13:004.8
LW19:150.7
21
HW01:224.7
LW07:330.5
HW13:574.5
LW20:040.9
22
HW02:164.6
LW08:260.7
HW14:594.3
LW21:001.1
© British Crown Copyright, 2026. All rights reserved
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UPDATE JULY 2022
27 Jul 2022 by Don Thomson 3
I think that, if there was a pub in the village it is no longer there.
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Update Early Summer 2021
17 Jun 2021 by Don Thomson 3
No Changes
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Update Spring 2019
01 May 2019 by Don Thomson 3
These notes were reviewed in May 2019. No changes but the chart has been updated.
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UPDATE APRIL 2017
05 Apr 2017 by Don Thomson
No changes
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Update 2015
20 Mar 2015 by Don Thomson
These notes were reviewed by Don in March 2015.
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Update November 2013
11 Nov 2013 by Don Thomson
These notes were reviewed by Don Thomson on the 11th November 2013. No changes apart from the closure of the filling station.