Carlingford Lough, Harbours and Anchorages
At a Glance
Contacts:
Warrenpoint HM VHF #12 tel +44 (0)2841 752878
Carlingford Lough Yacht Club tel +44 (0)2841
738604
Carlingford Sailing Club tel +353 (0)42 937 3238
(International rates from UK mobile)
Carlingford Marina VHF #37 tel +353 (0)42 937 3072
(International rates from UK mobile)
www.carlingfordmarina.com
The first thing to note about Carlingford Lough is that the NE
shore is in Northern Ireland and the SW shore is in the Irish
Republic. As both Eire and N.Ireland are in the Common Travel Area
along with the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man there are no
immigration rules in force at present but it is unclear what
"carraige of goods" rules are in force at the level of tourism! You
should note that, if you are using a UK based mobile phone, calls
to the SW shore are the same as calls to the other side of the
English Channel from Dover; ie expensive! It's also worth noting
that dialling codes are different in Southern Ireland - numbers
starting 08 are generally mobiles. If you have a ship's cat or dog
it might be wise to check on the rules regarding landing those
before you set off (They might not take kindly to stoppage of shore
leave!)
Right, having sorted the admin out, Carlingford is more like a
Norwegian Fiord than its neighbour Strangford, having steeper sides
and a deeper bottom, but it resembles it in that there is a large
body of water passing in and out of a narrow entrance with every
tide so you need fairly settled conditions and a favourable tide to
pass through. There are two approach channels to the neck at
Cranfield Point; one is a straight run in on the leading marks off
Greencastle the other a dog leg around the shallows to the South of
Haulbowline which is subject to cross tides. Our chart shows both,
with the transits to be followed.
Once through the neck you have the choice of several anchorages up
the Co Down side before Warrenpoint (separate page on this site) and a
Marina, Harbour and some anchorages on the Co Louth side. Further
passage from Warrenpoint will take you up the river to the canal
and Newry. The moorings at Warrenpoint and the canal to Newry are
dealt with on a separate page on this website; for a link click
HERE (opens in a new
tab)
The first anchorage is off Greencastle and, although it is out of
the main tide stream is still affected by it. It's useful if you
have come up with the flood from the South and made it through the
narrows on the last of the flood and need somewhere to drop the
pick before you get swept back out again on the ebb. There are no
facilities there what so ever; even the pier is falling down and
not suitable to tie up at. Further up this side is an anchorage at
Killowen Point which is the home of the Carlingford Lough Yacht
Club (not to be confused with the Carlingford Sailing Club at the
Marina on the other side).
This is a popular spot with easy entry and good facilities ashore
when the yacht club is open (most mornings during the season).
Further up there is Rostrevor which, although listed as an
anchorage, has shell beds along the low water mark so one would
have to anchor a fair way out to be clear of them. Between Killowen
Point and Rostrevor there is fairly deep water close in at the Wood
House which would provide shelter if the wind is whipping up or
down the Lough making Killowen a bit choppy for anchoring. At the
head of the bay is Warrenpoint which is a commercial dock and Ro-Ro
ferry point. There is a pontoon here just inside the SE breakwater
and although there is room to anchor there are permanent moorings
and it's not a good place to do so. There are pontoons in the Town
Dock built for shell fish boats; you may be able to use one of
these if you ask Warrenpoint on the radio (#12) There are, of
course, plenty of facilities here.
Crossing to the SW shore there are exposed anchorages off Omeath
and Greer's Quay suitable for shallow draft boats.
The main destination in Carlingford Lough is Carlingford Marina.
This has a room for visiting boats, ample depth both inside and in
the approach and all the facilities of a modern marina with the
addition of a bar and restaurant. If you can take the ground, just
down the shore is the old Carlingford Harbour which dries to soft
mud at low tide. This is a Council harbour and nothing to do with
the marina.
Carlingford Lough, Harbours and Anchorages
Approach
Tidal Information:
It is worth noting that tides at Cranfield Point.....
..... are as Liverpool so ingoing stream starts at LW Liverpool
and the outgoing stream at HW Liverpool. Out at the Hellyhunter
Buoy where your approach will start the tidal streams are coastal
and the change to in/out streams occurs as one gets closer in. At
their height the currents will slowly increase to 3.5 kts in the
approach, reaching 4.5 kts abeam the Haulbowline Light and further
increase to 5kts at Greenore Point. They then reduce quite rapidly
to about 2.5 kts between the Watson Rocks and Stalka Rocks and then
down to 1.5kts at the Marina. In the bight of the bay off Rostrevor
there is very little tide whilst in amongst the shoals at
Greencastle you can expect to be anchored in a tideway.
Approach:
The coast in this area, from St John's Point to Dublin, is such
that in any onshore conditions above F4 to F5, unless you are
trying to make it in to shelter, it's best to stay a good two or
three miles off shore. The slope of the bottom and frequent shoals
mean that the surf will start to gather quite a long way out and
cause quite challenging conditions for a yacht on passage. If
intending to close with Carlingford Lough you should pick settled
conditions and if unfamiliar with this coast make your approach in
daylight. Coming from the North you'll be coming down on the ebb
aiming to arrive off the entrance about LW to go in on the
beginnings of the flood and, if from the South, it's a bit more
ticklish because you'll be coming up on the flood but don't want to
arrive in the middle of that but you must get there before the ebb
starts (which is why you'll probably need to drop anchor at
Greencastle as soon as you get in).
There is a dredged channel all the way in which goes as far as
Warrenpoint; it's well marked with PHMs and SHMs of various shapes
and sizes (mostly buoys but some permanent marks) and they are
numbered, evens port and odds to starboard. It is interesting that
there are more starboard marks than there are port so by the time
you are halfway up the Lough you find that the No 16 to port is
paired with the No 21 to starboard!
From the North pass outside the Hellyhunter Rock buoy to the
Initial Fix and pick up the lead in marks off Greencastle and
follow them in. (the marks are tall square constructions; see
photograph in our gallery) At the Initial Fix itself you'll still
be under the influence of the tidal stream parallel to the coast
but as you get closer in the current into the Lough will start to
take effect; it needs constant attention to keep those marks in
line and, if you don't, there be dragons to left and to right of
the channel. It should be noted that ships making their way to or
from Warrenpoint will be on #12 so it would be a good idea to be on
that yourself before committing to the approach and be prepared to
leave the channel a bit to starboard (but not too much!) to avoid
them. It is possible to come inside the Hellyhunter Rock with
Slievenaglogh (Eire, not the one in the Mournes to the North) just
to the left of the Haulbowline Light on a bearing of 267T; this
will save you a mile over going round the outside.
From the South, abeam the Imogene Rock Buoy, you can make for the
same Initial Fix and use the main channel but to save a bit of time
(the difference is just over a mile) you could use the unmarked
Hoskyns Channel. To do this leave the Imogene buoy on 031T and
track towards the seaward side of Cranfield Point and stay on that
(to avoid the Ballagan Spit) until the cranes on Greenore Point
come onto 310T and are in line with Cloghoge Mountain up behind and
a bit to the left of Warrenpoint. Follow that line until Slieve
Donard (the tallest mountain to the NE in the Mourne Mountains)
comes on to a bearing of 028T and then follow that bearing, with
the Red No 6 Buoy on the starboard bow and the Green No 5 Buoy on
the port bow, into the main channel.
The cut-the-corner routes in have been included but it would depend
very much on the visibility on the day and what navaids you have
onboard; if all you have is the Mark I eyeball and a hand bearing
compass and the hilltops are shrouded in cloud perhaps the long way
round might prove more prudent!!
Euro/£ GMT
Waypoint
Charts
Rules & Regs
Hazards
Tides
Berthing
Greencastle . As has been said, this is the first anchorage inside....
.... the entrance to the Lough and is in behind Green Island on
the North East shore. To get there follow the dredged channel as
far as the No 9 buoy on the Vidal rock; pass close to this and turn
starboard towards the houses on Greencastle point. This will take
you to the West of the back lead in mark (tower structure, Oc 3s)
and as you pass abeam this look ahead for a thin red pole with a
small square top mark; aim to leave this close to port (about 15m)
and when you've cleared it turn slightly to port and aim for the
root of the derelict wooden pier. You'll see quite a few boats on
permanent moorings off this shore from quite far out; don't go for
these too early in your approach and keep in mind the rocks and
shallows which lie off shore. You should anchor in the tideway to
the West of the moorings. There is a prominent building with a
green roof on the shore; the transit between this and the end of
the pier is a useful guide to the rocks and shallows off
Greencastle Point; stay to the South of it and you should be
outside the two meter line.
Killowen Point. This is a popular
anchorage and is the home of the Carlingford Lough Yacht Club. The
approach is straightforward from the dredged channel but don't turn
in too early North of the No 25 SHM as there is quite shallow water
to the NW of the Killowen bank; leave it until about halfway
towards the No 27 SHM. You can anchor outside the permanent
moorings about 300m offshore or, by arrangement with and payment to
the Yacht Club (£10 per day), you can pick up one of their visitors
moorings closer in. You can land at the slip off the Yacht Club
but those of you blessed with an outboard for your dinghy will find
it bottoming in the shallows and will have to row the last bit. It
can become a bit open here in some winds when the choice would be
to either flee across the other side to the marina or motor further
half mile up the Lough shore and anchor to the SW of the "Wood
House" where you can tuck in closer under the shore than at
Killowen. Keep in mind that the NE shore of the Lough is peppered
with shellfish beds so don't drop your pick unless you are really
certain that you are clear of them unless you want to incur the
wrath of the local fishermen who rely on them for a living.
Warrenpoint is the next stopping point at the top of the Lough and
will be dealt with in a separate article.
Omeath & Greer's Quay. These are both
open anchorages on the Co Louth side of the Lough. At Omeath it is
shallow water for quite a way out and you need to anchor over
quarter of a mile off shore to be sure of not grounding; on the
other hand, if you can take the ground you could park alongside the
slip an hour either side of HW. The same is true off Greer's Quay
but the shore is slightly steeper to and the water deeper alongside
the pier which makes the pierhead accessible to drafts up to 1.5m
at all states of the tide. Be aware that the bottom here is
reported as "mud" so if you take the ground at anchor you may find
that the shore is inaccessible unless you have mud skis!! Bear in
mind too that, at Omeath, one is quite close to the shipping
channel and you may well be affected by their wash.
Ca 
rlingford Marina. This is the primary port of
call for leisure sailiors in Carlingford Lough; it is easy
to get into but unless you are familiar with the ground at the NW
end of the Carlingford Bank it's best to follow the buoyed channel
as far as the No 18 PHM and come back down to the marina entrance
from the NNE. The marina has 160 berths and can be contacted on
VHF#37.
At low water Springs there may be less water than usual at the
visitors berths here and they advise that if approaching these
berths at LWS you should avoid them for an hour either side of
LW
They have a website: www.carlingfordmarina.com
They have changed their pricing structure here
and are now charging 25 Euros per boat per night irrespective of
size
Carlingford Harbour. This is still
available to visiting boats but dries to a soft mud bottom and has
an unusually wide entrance making it very vulnerable to winds with
a Northerly component. The soft bottom means that even twin keeled
boats can settle on an uneven keel as the harbour dries out.
Marinas and Mooring
Carlingford Marina
North Commons
Carlingford
Co Louth
A91 DWP3
Facilities
Greencastle . None
Killowen Point. The yacht Club has showers/toilets when open
and are very helpful to visitors. They also have a bar! Rostrevor
village is two miles along the shore and has most supplies.
Omeath & Greer's Quay. Omeath village has pubs,
restaurants, supplies and fuel in cans from the filling station,
Greer's Quay has nothing but its slip and is two miles from
Omeath
Carlingford Marina . This has full marina facilities, (shore
power and showers are complimentary for visiting boats) including a
daytime café and an Indian Restaurant in the evenings,
and Carlingford "town" is close by with more facilities for
recreation. They have diesel but petrol must be obtained in cans
from a garage (3 miles - the marina is amenable to giving a lift))
which also has Calor Gas. Nearest chandlery is at Warrenpoint where
they stock Gaz.
What to Do
All the villages around the Lough have their stores and pubs; Killowen has its Yacht Club bar and the Marina has its restaurant with spectacular views.
History
Local Business
Outboard-Sales-and-Service
John MacAleese Marine
11 Terryhoogan Road
Scarva
Co. Armagh
BT63 6NF
Uncategorised
John MacAleese Marine
11 Terryhoogan Road
Scarva
Co. Armagh
BT63 6NF
Carlingford Marina
North Commons
Carlingford
Co Louth
A91 DWP3
Tide Information for carlingford-lough
Tidal Information