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Dublin Bay Boating News and Information

Displaying items by tag: Grand Canal

Waterways Ireland advises masters and owners of vessels that it will be carrying out maintenance works on the waiting jetty on the upstream side of the 35th Lock in Shannon Harbour.

Works will begin on Monday 29 January and will last for four weeks, from 9am to 5pm each day. The jetty will be closed during this time, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways says.

Published in Inland Waterways

Waterways Ireland advises masters and owners of vessels on the Grand Canal that the Barrow Line from Lock 24 (McCartney’s) to Lock 25 (Moores) will reopen to navigation on Thursday 28 March following essential quay wall refurbishment at Bell Harbour in Monasterevin.

Localised quay wall restrictions will remain within Bell Harbour to facilitate ongoing paving and landscaping works, and vessels navigating within the harbour are asked to proceed with caution, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways adds.

Published in Inland Waterways

Waterways Ireland advises masters and owners of vessels that the water level in the Grand Canal between Locks 13 and 14 in north-east Kildare will be reduced by around 18 inches (450mm) with immediate effect.

The reduced water level will be in place until 1 February 2024.

The cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways advises masters of vessels to check mooring lines regularly throughout this period.

Navigation in this section will be restricted and only possible by first contacting the area foreman on 087 359 9072.

Published in Inland Waterways

Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessel on the Grand Canal that due to the ongoing works at Shannon Harbour, passage through Locks 35 and 36 will only be possible by prior arrangement with the Waterway Patroller.

This system will be in place until Tuesday 21 November, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways adds.

Operation of the locks will be controlled by the Waterway Patroller and only during working hours, as follows:

  • Until 31 October: 9.30am to 4.45pm (lunch break 1-1.30pm).
  • 1 November to 15 March: 9.30am to 2pm (lunch break 1-1.30pm).

To arrange passage through Locks 35 and 36, use the following numbers:

  • For passage from Monday to Sunday (excluding Friday), call 087 245 6587.
  • For passage on a Friday, call 087 245 6609.

Waterways Ireland thanks its customers for their cooperation.

Published in Inland Waterways

Waterways Ireland advises masters and owners of vessels on the Grand Canal that the Barrow Line will be closed to vessel traffic from McCartney’s (Lock 24) to Moore’s (Lock 25) to enable essential quay wall refurbishment at Bell Harbour in Monasterevin.

This closure will commence on Wednesday 1 November for a period of around 18 weeks, until early March 2024.

Mooring in Bell Harbour and through navigation will not be possible in this area for the duration of the works. Vessels moored in Bell Harbour will be accommodated on the 24th and 26th levels during this period.

Vessels in Bell Harbour are requested to vacate the harbour and 25th level by Tuesday 31 October.

Any craft remaining in this area on 1 November will be removed to alternative mooring on the 26th level by the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways.

Published in Inland Waterways

Waterways Ireland advises masters and owners of vessels on the Grand Canal that culvert replacement works will be commencing on the summit level from Thursday 2 November.

These works — some 450 metres east of Lock 19 in Lowtown, Co Kildare — are to replace a damaged culvert under the canal and are expected take around 10 weeks.

Navigation will not be possible in this area for the duration of the works, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways adds.

Published in Inland Waterways

Waterways Ireland advises masters and owners of vessels on the Grand Canal that essential repair works will be taking place at Lock 22 at Cappyroe Bridge in Co Offaly until this Friday 6 October.

Due to these works, navigation will not be possible through the area during this time, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways says.

Published in Inland Waterways

Waterways Ireland advises all masters and owners of vessels on the Grand Canal that Offaly Rowing Club will be holding time trials between Locks 23 and 24 this Saturday 30 September.

The event will take place between 8am and 4pm. The cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways asks users of the navigation and adjacent greenway to follow the directions given by the event marshals on the day.

Published in Inland Waterways

Waterways Ireland advises all masters of vessels on and users of the Grand Canal that as part of the Green WIN project (more HERE), new deep well and flow devices are to be installed at Locks 35 and 36 at Shannon Harbour.

These works are due to begin Monday 25 September and will continue for around eight weeks, until mid-to-late November.

The works are land-based and navigation through the locks will not be affected, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways adds.

Published in Inland Waterways

Waterways Ireland advises all masters of vessels on and users of the Grand Canal that it will be carrying out maintenance works on a damaged section of the north quay wall in Shannon Harbour.

Works will begin on Monday 25 September and will last around seven weeks until mid November, from 9am to 5pm each day.

A section of the harbour wall will be closed off to boat users during this time.

The access road to the north of Shannon Harbour will also be closed to public traffic and only local traffic will be permitted access.

Water levels in Shannon Harbour may have to be lowered for a time to allow these works to be completed, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways adds.

Published in Inland Waterways
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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