Kilkeel Harbour
At a Glance
Contacts: Kilkeel HM VHF #12 tel 028 4176 2287 mobile 07592 786138
Kilkeel is a very, very busy fishing port being the main fishing
port on the East Coast of Northern Island. It's a man made harbour
lying SE/NW dredged to at least 1.5 meters with a narrow entrance
channel dredged to 1.0 meters. The entrance to the inner harbour is
via a 13m wide channel and the main harbour entrance is only half
as wide again. This makes it a very sheltered harbour but the
entrance is virtually inaccessible when the wind is in the East
through to South above Force 5. When bad weather is forecast just
about every fishing vessel in the Irish Sea will scurry for shelter
here if they can make it.
It is said locally that to make an approach here in a F5 takes
a great deal of experience, clean underpants and a bottle of Irish
whiskey for Dutch courage ; not only that, the HM says he has
seen a boat arriving through the main entrance stern first in bad
conditions; you have been warned.
Until recently they were not set up to deal with leisure craft but
although they now have a pontoon for small boats it's at the far
end of the harbour in shallow water where the river comes in and
all the slots on it have been taken by local boat owners (See
photograph on this site). If you wish to come in here you must
contact the harbour master before hand, either by radio or
telephone, and expect to be berthed alongside either wall with the
probability of rafting with FVs. (Note the HM is only available on
the phone during the normal working day and not at weekends)
There is also a problem in that the channel running in to the
harbour entrance is liable to silting especially after SW gales so
advice should be sought as to the state of that channel if you have
any depth of keel to worry about. Under normal conditions there
should be more than 3 meters over the bank at half tide.
As it is about 5.5 sea miles from the entrance to Carlingford Lough
Kilkeel is especially useful as a holding point for favourable
tides. (If coming from the North remember that the flood is now
from the South as is the buoyage)
Kilkeel Harbour
Approach
In clement weather the entrance to this harbour presents no difficulties.
If coming from the North you need to keep at least 6 cables from
the shore (which basically means keep to seaward of the buoy
marking the end of the Kilkeel Point outfall); from the South there
are no offshore hazards.
It is assumed that you have already made arrangements with the HM
by this stage. Make the approach from well out on the 340(T)
bearing to the South Pierhead but be aware that this bearing may
well run you into the shoals to the SW of the entrance channel.
When about 100 meters short of the South Pierhead bear off on to a
Northerly heading until the harbour entrance begins to open and
then head for that.
The problem here is that you are affected by the set of the tide at
start the approach and if that is running with any sort of wind you
are in danger of being set out of the narrow channel. Possibly the
best bet is to line up the mark on Meeney's pierhead with the end
(not the light) of the South pier and run in on that transit (about
332T) adjusting your heading all the way to counter any tide.
You begin to see why they say don't even think about it in E to S
winds over F5. Once you have weathered the South Pier turn port and
make your way via the narrow channel into the inner basin and clew
up where the HM instructs. If you arrive after the harbour office
has closed for the day you may be tempted by the empty berth next
to the Lifeboat Station; be advised that that berth, kept clear for
emergencies, requires a key fob to operate the gate and that key is
in the HM's office; without it you will be locked out of the
berth.
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Waypoint
Charts
Rules & Regs
Hazards
Tides
Berthing
We have discussed the options for berthing above but re-emphasise....
.... here that the harbour is a working harbour with no exclusive arrangements for visiting boats. You must contact the HM before approaching the harbour to ascertain what room there may be for you.
They could now be charging as much as £40 per night for a visiting boat but this is uncertain.
Marinas and Mooring
Kilkeel Harbour
The Harbour Office
Kilkeel
Co Down
BT34 4AX
Facilities
It being a busy fishing port all facilities are available with
the exception of shore power. There are repair facilities for all
manner of ills but you won't find a sail maker. Toilets and showers
are located in the Nautilus centre at the far end of the
harbour.
If you take the road from the harbour past the Nautilus centre and
the school, right at the end there is an ASDA store.
Boatyards & Boatyard Services
Ian Newell Boat Building & Repair
The Harbour
Kilkeel
Co Down
BT34 4AX
Chandlers
NIFPO Stores
The Harbour
Ardglass
County Down
BT30 7SD
What to Do
There are numerous pubs, cafés and restaurants in the town which is a good 3/4 mile hike from the Harbour. There is a restaurant at the Nautilus Centre but other than that it's all up in the town square.
History
Local Business
Uncategorised
NIFPO Stores
The Harbour
Ardglass
County Down
BT30 7SD
Kilkeel Harbour
The Harbour Office
Kilkeel
Co Down
BT34 4AX
Ian Newell Boat Building & Repair
The Harbour
Kilkeel
Co Down
BT34 4AX
Tide Information for kilkeel-harbour
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