Stopping places: East Coast of Ireland from Carnsore Pt to Carlingford.

Anchorages = Red, Marinas = Blue,
Green = Possible

Be sure to check out Reeds  and / or the appropriate pilots for more detailed information and alternates, this is just an overview of likely candidates, but I have been to all of them. 

To see my recent visits to each anchorage check out the "Labels" towards the bottom of the right hand panel, links below may not be comprehensive.

Update through Sept 2023 to include Harbours and Marinas also info on fuel & gas availability although this is not comprehensive as I don't need either that often.

Further updated during a boring winter 2023/4 to include some information on access to and from marinas. See my page Marina notes (opens in a new window) for some general tips and the context (handling of my boat) in which I comment.

Comment re the Pilot refer to the 2nd edition, the 3rd edition may correct the minor errors found.

 

Contents (in order presented) Updated to 11 June 2025.


  • St Margaret's Bay
  • Roney Head
  • Arklow
  • Wiklow
  • Sorrento Bay, Dublin
  • Howth
  • The Skerries
  • Dundalk Bay.

St Margaret's Bay


Coming from Lands End, the Isles of Scilly, St Ives or Milford Haven,  Carnsore Point is often a good landfall and will usually allow you to avoid the Off Tuskar Rock TSS and the rock itself and in offshore winds it is then an easy sail up the coast inside of the often dangerous banks. The first suitable anchorage is St Margaret's Bay with Ballytrent Bay just beyond.  

Approaching Carnsore Point. ST Margret's Bay just out of
shot to the right.
No pictures of the anchorage I'm afraid because when I first went that way it was a bit damp and the other times overcast and dull. Good shelter in offshore winds, I have been there in in NW and SSE winds, the later quite strong, and had no problems. Vodafone and O2 signals OK.

Visited 2020, 2022 and 2023.


Roney Head


Again, no pictures but a reasonable passage anchorage in an offshore wind. Visited 2020.

Arklow

A decent anchorage north of the harbour but beware of a back eddy on the north bound tide that runs south bound close inshore, that can make getting the anchor in the right position clear of two outfalls and a power cable a bit tricky.

I took a look at the area south of the harbour that looks good on paper but the tide runs strong through it and there are a lot of pot buoys. No pics as the light had gone by the time I reached there in 2024.

Vodaphone and O2 fine

Wicklow


Anchor outside and north-west of the harbour avoiding the outfall one cable off the West Pier. Offshore winds or calm conditions only. It was OK in a F5 southerly. The harbour is a possibility, but the pilot is not complementary to the managements attitude towards yachts and there are no pontoons. Vodafone and O2 signals OK. 

Visited 2022, 2023 and 2025

Wicklow harbour from where I anchor.

Wicklow anchorage April 2025.

Sorrento Bay, Dublin


Just south of Dublin Bay, it is a good anchorage when the wind has west in it and in 2021, I spent a good night there in a strong northerly. You need to be quite close in for shelter and to be out of the deeper water. Vodafone and O2 signals OK.

Sorrento Bay, 2020. the following year I went a bit further west
away from the bathing area and in 2022 & 2023 further east. Jet Skies
and Speed boats were a problem for a time but didn't stay long.
Looking east towards Dalkey Island with its fort and Martello tower.
Visited 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023

Howth


A good harbour but care is needed in the channel through the outer harbour at low water and often access will not be possible an hour or so either side. Also if running for shelter from a gale with any east in it you need to be there before the storm arrives (as I did in 2023) as the passage inside Irelands Eye" gets very rough:

The passage inside "Irelands eye" is not a good place to be in a
strong easterly. Spray from waves breaking on the other side or the
island was reaching well above the Martello tower.
This boat had made the short hop from Malahide to the NW but
wished they hadn't.
The pilot warns of an old breakwater submerging at low water,
that has been rebuilt and provides good shelter to the marina
but it is very shallow either side so stay well clear on the marina
side of the port hand markers, check out the video below and it
is even narrower than it looks in that.

Howth at low water springs.

Access is straightforward but the channel is shallow and can change so ask for advice if within an hour or so of low water and keep in the marked channel. Designated visitors berths are on the hammerheads so you can choose to go port or starboard side too, expecting (and getting) an easterly gale I went starboard side too to be head into the wind. The channel is very narrow off of the inner pontoons so to turn round (with a clockwise prop) you head into one of the avenues turning to starboard then back out turning to port.

Good facilities albeit a bit utilitarian and very good food at the club, the Scampi is highly recommended from both visits. Fuel by porterage or from the fuel berth. Chandlery nearby with a reasonable amount of "yachty" stuff but more orientated to commercial users and general hardware. Loads of places to eat outside of the marina but I did not try them. Convenience store is a 15 - 20 minute walk (at least for me) up hill, there is a traditional butchers shop a few doors away. 

Vodafone and O2 signals OK although on the first day O2 data was unusable, the PC was unable to connect due to a "poor connection",  on subsequent days it was OK, 5G became available some time later, a roaming issue perhaps? 

 Visited in 2023 and 2025.

The Skerries


Good shelter from southerly and offshore winds, lots of moorings but room between and outside. Quite shallow further in. Vodafone and O2 signals OK.

The Skerries harbour.
Visited 2022, 2023 when I had a very disturbed evening due to beam on refracted waves and in 2024 twice.

Dundalk Bay


Dundalk bay is large and shallow and there is not a lot of shelter from an offshore wind which gave me a few uncomfortable hours on my visit in 2020 but it does avoid going into Carlingford Loch, that might be a good visit but getting out against the tide can be a problem - best to read my post Dublin – Dundalk Bay – Ardglass. My visits in 2021 & 22 when I anchored in different spots in different conditions went smoothly. Vodafone and O2 signals OK. Visited 2020, 2021 and 2022

Anchorages, marinas and harbours:

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