Anchorages

The coast of Down is truly intriguing and there are several overnight and temporary anchorages suitable for small craft. The coast is low lying and characterised by sandy bays, rocky promontories, islands and shallows so the use of a pilot book such as the Irish Cruising Club's Sailing Directions East and North Coasts of Ireland, and charts is recommended.

Belfast Lough to Strangford Lough

Belfast Lough is a wide expanse of water, virtually free of strong tides, lying between Orlock Point and Blackhead, extending westwards to the Port of Belfast. It's ideal as a stopping point on Irish Sea passages and is the home on Bangor of the Royal Ulster Yacht Club from where Sir Thomas Lipton made his famous America's Cup challenges. If you're a racing sailor, then this is a competitor's dream, giving 30 square miles of open water and enough coast line to make short inshore races day long affairs. The Ards Peninsula coast is one of contrasts with foul rocks and shoals, as well as sheltered harbours and anchorages.

  • Holywood*
  • Cultra
  • The Long Hole*
  • Ballyholme Bay
  • Chapel Bay (Copeland Island)
  • Ballywalter (Temporary Anchorage)
  • Ballyhalbert Bay (Temporary Anchorage)
  • Knockinelder Bay (Kearney Point)

* Some anchorages are suitable only for shallow draft boats capable of taking the ground

Strangford Lough

This stunning island studded sea lough is the largest inlet in the British Isles covering 150 square kilometres. Almost totally landlocked, the lough is approached from the Irish Sea through the eight kilometre long fast running tidal Narrows, which open out into more gentle waters, where it is said, there are 365 islands, one for every day of the year! In reality there are 70. Countless tidal rocky outcrops called paddies litter the lough and mudflats, marches, rocks, bays and headlands all go to make this a cruising paradise. The Lough is a conservation area and its abundant wildlife recognised internally for its importance. Explore it in a day or spend a week of leisurely cruising.

  • Cross Roads
  • Strangford Creek (Strangford Village)
  • Audley Roads
  • East Down Yacht Club
  • Quoile
  • Killyleagh
  • Ringhaddy Sound
  • Whiterock
  • Down Cruising Club Ballydorn
  • Newtownards Sailing Club (Only possible well offshore during suring the top half of the tide)
  • Kircubbin
  • Ballyhenry Bay

Harbours

The Down coast has many small tidal harbours and several are home to fishing fleets.

  • Bangor
  • Donaghadee
  • Portavogie
  • Dundrum (Only for keeled or motor cruisers)
  • Newcastle (Not tidal, shallow or silting)

 


Taken from The Kingdoms of Down

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