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Dublin Bay Boating News and Information

Displaying items by tag: Coastal Cruising

#Superboats – Having spent a week visiting Dun Laoghaire Harbour, the 46m superyacht Christopher that dwarfed the local 500 plus craft and several larger craft currently taking part in the Round Ireland race departed today and follows the anchorage of 37m motoryacht Katrion to the secluded waters off Glengariff, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Such large-sized and luxuriously appointed leisure-vessels visiting Irish waters, reflects not only the high-season, but also demonstrates the appeal of our wonderful scenic cruising grounds where the role of marina's and suitable sheltered seas benefit visitor alike and the local economy.

Christopher, a dark-bull hulled ketch from the design of Ron Holland cannot be easily forgotten even when witnessed in static mode moored alongside an outer-lying berth within Dun Laoghaire Marina.

The Cayman Islands flagged vessel was berthed close to the customs cutter, RCC Suirbheir, where she and her sister, RCC Faire are relatively frequent callers to the marina.

As for the motoryacht, Katrion, the white hulled 400 tonnes vessel launched from Feadship, a leading Dutch specialist of such luxurious leisure boats yesterday anchored off Glengariff having called as reported to Cork City Marina. Likewise her sheer size made an impact along local Leeside craft.

As previously alluded the 10-guest capacity visitor also flying the flag of the these Caribbean islands was due to discover the delights of Dingle, from where Katrion departed for Glengariff.

This she did as the vessel departed Dingle yesterday and took the passage to Glengariff along the spectacular rugged Kerry and Cork coastlines. This included a call to Knightstown, Valentia Island only accessible from the northern approaches due to the low-lying bridge linking the mainland at Portmagee.

Later the motoryacht made a transit through Dursey Sound before heading for her current attractive anchorage in Bantry Bay.

Glengariff is to welcome a considerably larger leisure seeker in the form of the 190m cruiseship Amadea due next month. As previously reported, there are seven callers scheduled this season, with the Phoenix Reisen operated ship to make a repeat call.

Beforehand another caller is expected the eye-catching cruise tall-ship, Club Med 2 due in September.

Published in Superyachts

Dublin Bay

Dublin Bay on the east coast of Ireland stretches over seven kilometres, from Howth Head on its northern tip to Dalkey Island in the south. It's a place most Dubliners simply take for granted, and one of the capital's least visited places. But there's more going on out there than you'd imagine.

The biggest boating centre is at Dun Laoghaire Harbour on the Bay's south shore that is home to over 1,500 pleasure craft, four waterfront yacht clubs and Ireland's largest marina.

The bay is rather shallow with many sandbanks and rocky outcrops, and was notorious in the past for shipwrecks, especially when the wind was from the east. Until modern times, many ships and their passengers were lost along the treacherous coastline from Howth to Dun Laoghaire, less than a kilometre from shore.

The Bay is a C-shaped inlet of the Irish Sea and is about 10 kilometres wide along its north-south base, and 7 km in length to its apex at the centre of the city of Dublin; stretching from Howth Head in the north to Dalkey Point in the south. North Bull Island is situated in the northwest part of the bay, where one of two major inshore sandbanks lie, and features a 5 km long sandy beach, Dollymount Strand, fronting an internationally recognised wildfowl reserve. Many of the rivers of Dublin reach the Irish Sea at Dublin Bay: the River Liffey, with the River Dodder flow received less than 1 km inland, River Tolka, and various smaller rivers and streams.

Dublin Bay FAQs

There are approximately ten beaches and bathing spots around Dublin Bay: Dollymount Strand; Forty Foot Bathing Place; Half Moon bathing spot; Merrion Strand; Bull Wall; Sandycove Beach; Sandymount Strand; Seapoint; Shelley Banks; Sutton, Burrow Beach

There are slipways on the north side of Dublin Bay at Clontarf, Sutton and on the southside at Dun Laoghaire Harbour, and in Dalkey at Coliemore and Bulloch Harbours.

Dublin Bay is administered by a number of Government Departments, three local authorities and several statutory agencies. Dublin Port Company is in charge of navigation on the Bay.

Dublin Bay is approximately 70 sq kilometres or 7,000 hectares. The Bay is about 10 kilometres wide along its north-south base, and seven km in length east-west to its peak at the centre of the city of Dublin; stretching from Howth Head in the north to Dalkey Point in the south.

Dun Laoghaire Harbour on the southside of the Bay has an East and West Pier, each one kilometre long; this is one of the largest human-made harbours in the world. There also piers or walls at the entrance to the River Liffey at Dublin city known as the Great North and South Walls. Other harbours on the Bay include Bulloch Harbour and Coliemore Harbours both at Dalkey.

There are two marinas on Dublin Bay. Ireland's largest marina with over 800 berths is on the southern shore at Dun Laoghaire Harbour. The other is at Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club on the River Liffey close to Dublin City.

Car and passenger Ferries operate from Dublin Port to the UK, Isle of Man and France. A passenger ferry operates from Dun Laoghaire Harbour to Howth as well as providing tourist voyages around the bay.

Dublin Bay has two Islands. Bull Island at Clontarf and Dalkey Island on the southern shore of the Bay.

The River Liffey flows through Dublin city and into the Bay. Its tributaries include the River Dodder, the River Poddle and the River Camac.

Dollymount, Burrow and Seapoint beaches

Approximately 1,500 boats from small dinghies to motorboats to ocean-going yachts. The vast majority, over 1,000, are moored at Dun Laoghaire Harbour which is Ireland's boating capital.

In 1981, UNESCO recognised the importance of Dublin Bay by designating North Bull Island as a Biosphere because of its rare and internationally important habitats and species of wildlife. To support sustainable development, UNESCO’s concept of a Biosphere has evolved to include not just areas of ecological value but also the areas around them and the communities that live and work within these areas. There have since been additional international and national designations, covering much of Dublin Bay, to ensure the protection of its water quality and biodiversity. To fulfil these broader management aims for the ecosystem, the Biosphere was expanded in 2015. The Biosphere now covers Dublin Bay, reflecting its significant environmental, economic, cultural and tourism importance, and extends to over 300km² to include the bay, the shore and nearby residential areas.

On the Southside at Dun Laoghaire, there is the National Yacht Club, Royal St. George Yacht Club, Royal Irish Yacht Club and Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club as well as Dublin Bay Sailing Club. In the city centre, there is Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club. On the Northside of Dublin, there is Clontarf Yacht and Boat Club and Sutton Dinghy Club. While not on Dublin Bay, Howth Yacht Club is the major north Dublin Sailing centre.

© Afloat 2020