Crossing Pwllheli to Arklow

ghostlymoron

ghostlymoron

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Doing a bit of armchair sailing today and looking at crossing from Llyn peninsular to Arklow. Any info about facilities at Arklow would be appreciated and also waypoints that others have used (i will check them first!). Is it possible to cross Arklow Bank at high water or must I go north or South. Several wrecks are marked on my chart in this area so perhaps that's a clue. I don't intend going until spring but it looks a good mini cruise along harbours on East of Irish coast.
 
Without even looking at a chart, or knowing the area, I would ask you to check the depth over the bank & compare it with your draft. Then decide what state of tide will you need to be there for. Allow plenty of water & expect some rough water if the wind is across the bank (from the East).

keep an eye open for the GE wind turbines, they should make a good landmark if you can plot their position - it's south of the river entrance.
 
Arklow

ICC recommends avoiding the Arklow bank especially in calm weather,fog or darkness. Their advice -
Enter Arklow under power, entrance unsafe after F6, N through E to SW. Enter mid way between piers allowing for cross tide, dock is to port, berth in middle part of SE side.
There is 2.6m at the old quay just beyond the dock then reduces to less than 2m and the rest of the quay dries.
Courtown is an intersting harbour in good weather and neaps but quite shallow.
Wicklow is more accessible than Arklow in bad weather.
 
More details about Arklow

It is not recommended to cross the Arklow Bank except in very calm weather, good visibility and in well known tide and position. Pass to the north or south end of the bank depending on your starting point and the direction of the tide. Unless you are a speedy motor boat you want to arrive at the end of the bank so you are uptide of Arklow. The turbines are located at the northern end of the bank, just south of Wicklow Head which is a great landmark. If you are unsure enter Wicklow first.

There can be a big swell inside the breakwater arms. As already said do not enter with an easterly wind of F6 or greater. Wicklow is safer but a strong north/easterly blows waves and shingle over the east breakwater.

Inside Arklow, the dock basin is to the left. Its shallow on the seaward side. Ask at the HM office on the Quay for a berth. Further up the river on port is the marina, small and tight turning with not many visitors berth. Office/ showers on seaward side of basin. Also on port side of the river is a long pontoon that belongs to the sailing club (http://www.arklowsc.com/) which is located further up river. The club website says yachts over 14m should use the pontoon. I found very little space for berthing and turning in a 10m yacht. The depth gets shallower along the pontoon towards the town. The pontoon gate is locked, key at club, open some evenings/week ends. Club used to be dry but has license now.

Arklow is a nice town if not pretty. Several good pubs. Supermarket and lidl up hill on left past the church.

Avoid Courtown if possible. Very narrow shallow entrance. only 1m tide. Surrounded by caravans and lots of tourists in summer.

Pm me if you you need more info.
 
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I've short-tacked close along Arklow Bank. You get a lot of tide sweeping across it. I'd be very wary of crossing it as the charted heights are based upon old surveys (there might be more recent data where they put in the wind turbines). Remember high tide locally isn't very high so it won't give you much extra height.

I'd advise going around the bank. The wind turbines stand out, but remember the bank extends quite a way north & south of them.

Not entered Arklow in heavy onshore weather but even then there was enough swell in moderate winds to indicate it could get very hairy.

As said above, the marina is very compact. I don't think it would be that feasible at more than about 35' and even then you might well have to manhandle the boat around the marina, so you'll need a couple of spare crew. And it could still be too full for you to get in.

There's sometimes space on the pontoons. Beware that the depth will probably stop you turning near the pontoons, especially further up. There's not usually enough room to raft on the pontoons as the moorings are pretty close. As you'll probably guess when you see it, there's not much depth where the moorings fizzle out.
 
It is possible to cross the Arklow Bank in settled weather in daylight near high water at the No 2 Red Buoy, but not recommended for a first passage. Coming from Wales you gain only a little and the better approach woud be to round the bank to the North or South depending on wind and tide.There are strong tidal flows along the East Coast of Ireland, and they set across the Arklow Bank to the NE at flood and the SW at ebb.The tide can run at 3kn at Springs, and make 4kn around Wicklow Head, so plan your passage taking this into account. A boat of your size will be fine in Arklow Harbour, and the pontoon on the river usually has space. Entrance is safe unless there is a F6 or more blowing from the N or E in which case you get a severe swell across the harbour mouth. Wicklow is not much better in these conditions with a heavy swell in the harbour unless you run well up the river. In Arklow the inner marina is normally also available, but needs careful manouvering as space is tight. Be careful turning in the river if you go on the outer pontoon as the river moorings are fore and aft, so allow for the aft mooring ropes. The old Commercial Dock is also available but may involve rafting to fishing craft and is possibly less secure. While Arklow is pleasant with good pub grub, be warned that the locals try not to wet their warps in the river, and wear marigolds to handle them as, to our shame, there is no sewage treatment plant in the town. If you make the passage, Wicklow is a short trip to the North where you can tie up to the pier, and you can go on to Dun Laoghaire, go up the Liffey to moor in Dublin City centre and go further North to Howth or Malahide, all with Marinas. To the South you have Courtown, probably only suitable if you can take the ground, Wexford Harbour which has a very difficult entrance, Rosslare which is a ferry facility and only suitable as a port of refuge, and Kilmore Quay around the corner which is a grand spot with a friendly marina, but make sure to go in on the the leading marks. Enjoy,
 
ghostlymoron said:
Doing a bit of armchair sailing today and looking at crossing from Llyn peninsular to Arklow. Any info about facilities at Arklow would be appreciated and also waypoints that others have used (i will check them first!). Is it possible to cross Arklow Bank at high water or must I go north or South. Several wrecks are marked on my chart in this area so perhaps that's a clue. I don't intend going until spring but it looks a good mini cruise along harbours on East of Irish coast.
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The first time I did it from Pwllheli, I rashly said, oh we will cross the bank. Half way across in 30 plus knots of wind, sanity descended upon us and we put in a fresh way point for the north arklow bank buoy, when we "turned" the corner the wind was southerly, 40 knots steady gusting to 46 knots!
The seas were horrendous, and quelle surprise there is a fecking big wind farm there on the banks.
Dont even think about it, go north around the buoy and all will be well.
Stu
 
Why Arklow as your first port of call? We always used to head for Howth or Dun Laoghaire. Easy to find and get in, and good marinas. DART gets you into Dublin, if you wish, for a good night out.

Head for Kish Lighthouse, and go from there.

Once settled on the right side of the Irish Sea, you can day sail in a relaxed manner from port to port, and you might even give Arklow a miss :)
 
Richard10002 said:
Why Arklow as your first port of call? We always used to head for Howth or Dun Laoghaire. Easy to find and get in, and good marinas. DART gets you into Dublin, if you wish, for a good night out.

Head for Kish Lighthouse, and go from there.

Once settled on the right side of the Irish Sea, you can day sail in a relaxed manner from port to port, and you might even give Arklow a miss :)
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I guess it depends where you are starting from, and where you are going on to? We have sailed direct from Caernarfon Bar to Arklow on several occasions and find it to be a perfectly OK port of entry. First time we went, some years ago, we berthed alongside a fishing boat being renovated. Next day I went to pay for the berth to be told "Its £6 per night or £6 per week".
 
Arklow

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All the people we know who have been into Arklow didn't like it, with many saying it was very dirty. We've sailed down and back up the coast inside the bank several times, but we have never been in. I would not cross the bank personally as I believe the sand shifts. The strobes on the wind turbines are easily visible at night and give useful reference points.

Wicklow is OK and easy to enter but there can be hideous seas off Wicklow Head at the turn of the tide in some conditions - stay well offshore.

Wexford has a well-buoyed entrance channel and is supposed to be easy to enter at High Water, but we have never been in.

Kilmore Quay has an excellent marina but the approach can be a little scary at low water or in rough weather. If you do decide to head for Kilmore Quay there are a few unmarked rocks you need to be sure of the position of if you are rounding Carnsore Point inshore.

- W
 
I'm surprised that the wind turbines on the Arklow bank still dont appear on charts. I first saw them 5 years ago and they were not on charts or updates, OK so they are effectively on land but as others have said, they make a jolly good reference.
 
galadriel said:
I'm surprised that the wind turbines on the Arklow bank still dont appear on charts. I first saw them 5 years ago and they were not on charts or updates, OK so they are effectively on land but as others have said, they make a jolly good reference.
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Which chart are you using? I've got them on BA1410 (printed out and stuck on the patch about three years ago). If I remember rightly, 1468 doesn't cover the location of the turbines, but I'd have to double check on the next visit to the boat to say that with certainty.
 
Arklow is a nice town but the river is a dirty brown colour. I would go South of the bank and ensure you arrive with a north going tide - it runs strongly between the bank and the shore. Look out for pots - dodgy in the dark! Entrance is easy but river shallows quickly after the dock entrance. Dock is on the south bank and you can usually lie up against a fishing boat etc. Facilities are in Lifeboat shed. Marina on the north side is tight and can be a bit dirty.

Wicklow is also nice but go up the river rather than on the wall for a quiet night and a shorter walk. Watch your depth but its ok if you keep close to north bank after the moorings. Don't go further up than the old, grey hulk being renovated on the south bank. Town is very like Arklow.
 
When we went there (2006), we passed S of the Arklow (coming from Aberystwyth) bank then headed N back up into Arklow, no problems going in or coming out. We moored up on the long floating key on the N side of the river, water and electric was available when we went there last. Showers and toilets were much better than most we have found in the Med', so no complaints there.

We found Arlkow friendly and not to bad a place to be, plenty of good Guinness at the Bridge Hotel, and the food was good in the restaurants around the town as well. Fuel was available in the fishing harbour.

All in all we enjoyed our 3 day stay there, only a short hop from Pwllheli as well. Go for it and enjoy it, its not like Dublin a bit more of real Ireland.

If you think its all going a pear shaped there are bolt holes N & S of the bank.
 
JCP said:
Which chart are you using? I've got them on BA1410 (printed out and stuck on the patch about three years ago). If I remember rightly, 1468 doesn't cover the location of the turbines, but I'd have to double check on the next visit to the boat to say that with certainty.
Click to expand...

The charts would have been UKHO, but were borrowed, we updated them prior to the trip, I cannot remember the number of the chart. This was of course 2 years prior to your trip. I thought though that the OP had made reference to the turbines not appearing on up to date charts???
 
galadriel said:
I thought though that the OP had made reference to the turbines not appearing on up to date charts???
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My chart is Imray C61 printed July 2003 - so not up to date. I've been looking at the update section of Imray but not found the towers yet. I have however found numerous other corrections which have made me realise how lax I am at updating. Do others update their paper charts - be honest. I do not have a plotter.
 
The wind turbines are certainly on Imray C61 2006 edition, which gives good coverage for this passage and extends to Malahide in the North. If you are thinking of rounding Carnsore Point you might want a little more detail, although I use a chartplotter with C-Map coverage and have found Imray pretty adequate for paper coverage in combination with the plotter.
 
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