Dunmore East

Contacts:
Harbour Master VHF 14 tel no +353 (0)51 312359
email dunmoreeastharbour@agriculture.gov.ie
Pontoon Superintendant +353 (0)873455623

Waterford SC tel no +353 (0)51 383389 or mob +353 (0)876743572 for a mooring

Situated on the western shore of the River Suir estuary this is a favoured port of entry for many skippers from the South West of UK. It is easy to see why as it offers complete shelter from the prevailing south Westerlies, has a completely uncomplicated entrance and offers all the facilities of a working harbour.

If the weather is strong from the SE there is a nasty scend into this harbour so you would be wise to consider the many anchorages available on the East side of the estuary but until you get well up the river these are without facilities. The problem with Dunmore was that you were likely to find it packed from wall to wall with fishing vessels, rafting four, five and even six deep on all the walls. Our photo by Shaun McGuire illustrates this dramatically.

The harbour belongs to and is operated by the Irish Government's Agriculture and Fisheries Department; it's primary purpose is to service the Fishing industry and whilst it acknowledges "a significant number of visiting leisure craft in the summer months" you should be in no doubt where you stand in the pecking order here.

Having said that there has been a seismic shift in the attitude here over the last five years. The whole of the inner harbour is given over to the fishing fleet whilst there is now a substantial pontoon laid along the East breakwater for the sole use of leisure craft.

They have also remodelled the Harbour Office building to accommodate toilets and showers for visiting yachtsmen and they are only a couple of years old.

If choosing a spot to anchor be aware that in some South Westerly conditions the swell tends to hook round the East breakwater so that, at anchor, you can end up beam on to the swell. Those of you who have experienced this in an anchorage will know what I mean, and if you haven't, believe me, you don't want to. The best place for a bit of peace is off Lawlors Strand about a quarter of a mile north of the harbour.

There is an up side! The river up to Waterford is sheltered, well marked and very scenic; it has several little harbours and/or anchorages which can be used for pleasant overnight stops and, at the end of it, the county town of Waterford with all its attractions and served by a very long town pontoon for visitors. If your fortnight's summer cruise to Ireland is being wrecked by the old "SW four to five, occasional six, gusting seven" weather then this is the place to rescue it; clew up at Dunmore East for the night then potter up river next morning and you can spend an idyllic fortnight exploring in shelter. Just have to leave Kinsale for another year!!

We go in to more detail in our notes for Waterford Harbour

The Dunmore East website is at
gov.ie - Fishery Harbours (www.gov.ie)