Portavogie Harbour is located on the northeastern coast of Ireland, nine miles northeast of the entrance to Strangford Lough and immediately north of Plough Point. It is a small, active and crowded fishing port that welcomes leisure craft but is not specifically set up to receive them.

The active commercial harbour offers complete protection from all conditions within its basins. Access is straightforward in offshore conditions, at any stage of the tide, night or day.

The harbour has a narrow entrance along the shoreline. It should not be approached in any significant onshore winds. It is best to consult the harbour master in advance to see if berthing space is available and take his guidance.

Keyfacts for Portavogie Harbour

Position and approaches

Haven position

54° 27.405' N, 005° 26.290' W

This is in Portavogie Harbour's Middle Basin.

What is the initial fix?

This is ¾ a mile out from the breakwater head, close northeast of the Plough Rock light buoy and in the Portavogie Light white sector (258°- 275°).

What are the key points of the approach?

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What's the story here?

Portavogie Harbour is a small harbour with a town that lies 2 miles south of Burial Island. The modern harbour is formed by the enclosing arms of its two piers and the town has a population of about 2,200 and stands mainly on its north side. The harbour houses a large fishing fleet and it is an important and highly active commercial fishing port. The catch here is mainly prawns and herrings and there are fish auctions on the quays most evenings.




The port can accommodate vessels of up to 37 metres in length and 3 metres draft. In the past leisure craft have not been welcome but these days all mariners are welcome inside. However, expect the harbour to give priority to its fishing fleet for which the harbour is set up. Likewise, no provisions have been made to accommodate leisure craft so expect very 'rough and ready' rafting up here. Vessels will most likely be berthed alongside fishing boats or a rough quay wall so ample fenders if not a fender board should the only available berth be alongside a harbour wall with sheet piling.




Owing to the level of fishing activity and space constrictions it is preferred that leisure craft consult the Harbour Master for advice in advance of an approach. Portavogie Harbour Master may be contacted by Ch. 14 [Portavogie Harbour], +44 28 4277 1470, +44 77 1207 4609 during normal working hours. These are Mon - Thur 8 am to 4.30 pm, Fri 8 am to 3.30 pm, Sat 8 am to 12 noon (Excludes Sundays and Statutory Holidays)

How to get in?

Use the details available in the northeast Ireland’s Coastal Overview for Malin Head to Strangford Lough for local approaches. Standing off 3 miles from the shore during southern approaches, 1½ from the north clears all dangers. On closer approaches, rocks and drying shoals extend up to a ½ mile offshore, from the coast close north and south of the harbour.




The Portavogie Initial Fix is situated ¾ of a mile due east of the entrance where the harbour will be clearly visible. The lighted Plough Rock port buoy, Fl.R.3s, moored about a ½ mile east by southeast of the entrance will be seen close by. At night a 9-metre high sectored light is exhibited from a column situated on the extremity of the outer breakwater at Portavogie Harbour.

Portavogie Harbour – Iso.W.R.G. 5s 9m 10-8M position: 54° 27.400´N, 005° 26.100´W

From the Initial Fix steer due west and directly for the north end of the outer breakwater through the rocky areas that lay offshore to the northeast and southwest of Portavogie. By night along the middle of the Portavogie Light’s white sector 258°- 275°, on the brick tower standing at the head of the outer breakwater.




To the northeast, these reefs and rocks are, from north to south, Selk Rock (dries to 3 metres), McCammon Rocks (dries to 1.5 metres and part of which always shows) and the Pillion (dries to 3.4 metres), which are covered by the green sector, shore-to-258°.




To the southeast, is the half-tide Plough Rock (dries to 3 metres) which is covered by the red sector 275° - 348° of the Portavogie Light. A shallow covered section with 0.6 extends 300 metres towards the entrance channel so it is not advisable for vessels approaching from the south to cut in from the south if Plough Rock is showing. Not to be mistaken for the always-showing Bird Island and Green Island, southward of Portavogie Harbour, Plough Rock and its rocky covered extension terminate a ½ mile northeast of the latter Green Island.




On final approaches, the path is narrowed by shallow areas of the approach path with 1.2 metres to the north, plus a section with 1.8 metres close south near the harbour entrance. Steering due west on the pierhead clears all these.




The final stretch outside the entrance is through a short 24-metre wide channel running out eastward of the harbour entrance. The entrance faces due north, with the brick tower standing on the southern outer breakwater's pierhead. The inner breakwater extending off the shoreline is lit at the entrance 2F.G(vert).




Once within the outer heads continue alongside the outer breakwater for about 40 metres then prepare to turn hard to starboard.



This is for the 10-metre-wide entrance to the main harbour’s Middle Basin and then the Inner Basin beyond. The harbour has a maintained depth of 3 metres throughout.



Berth as directed by the harbour master alongside the quays of the Middle Basin or Inner Basin.

Why visit here?

Portavogie’s name is derived from its original Gaelic name 'Port a' Bhogaigh' meaning 'port or place of the boggy area'. The name evolved from its 1620 name of 'Portabogagh', to 'Portavaud' and finally, 'Portavogie' which was first recorded in 1810. 'Port' in Irish means either 'port' or 'place, spot, locality' and 'An Bogach' means 'the boggy area'.




Most unusually it is unlikely that the word 'Port' here is meant in the sense of a 'port' or 'harbour' as there is no evidence to suggest that an ancient landing place ever existed at Portavogie. The 1625 Clandeboye estate map, the earliest record of the townland, showed no sign of any harbour or beaching area that neighbouring Ballywalter and Ballyhalbert Bay have historically been used for. The 'bog' however certainly existed as the entire area of the Ards Peninsula, particularly the Blackstaff River delta, was historically an extensive bog.




Portavogie's birth was born out of Scottish migration to northeaster Ireland that took off in the late 16th century and intensified in the early 17th century. This area, with the homeland in view on a clear day, saw large-scale migration. In 1606 Sir Hugh Montgomery and James Hamilton acquired the property in the Ards Peninsula to develop it as a private plantation. The first map of Portavogie, Hamilton's 1625 map drawn by Thomas Raven that is today on display in the 'North Down Heritage Centre in Bangor', showed rabbits drawn over the area close south of the town that was then described as a Warren.




In 1735 the Anglo-Norman Echlin family were gifted the lands of the 'Savage family', by the crown as a reward for services rendered. The Savage family had held sway over the Ards since they arrived as part of the Norman invasion but at this point had come upon hard times. The Echlins were a powerful and industrious family who held lands in the Kingdom of Fife, Scotland, an area to the north of Edinburgh. They set about the task of draining the mid-Ards depression between Portavogie, Kirkistown and the Salt Water Bridge. Their contribution can be seen today in the quality of the fertile arable land of the 'Bogs' and the greater wealth this created was a primary impetus for the development of towns and ports on and around the peninsula.




The village of Portavogie first appeared after the dredging, around 1750. It commenced with the arrival of a community of Scottish fishing families from Maidens in Ayrshire. They were 'Covenanters' who had come from Scotland to escape the persecution. A small harbour with an off-lying anchorage was hewed from the rocky landscape and a mainly Presbyterian village quickly developed around it. By 1900 there were 18 families associated with Portavogie and many of these lines have continued to this day.





Portavogie was to see its most significant change in the latter half of the 20th century when the harbour underwent major reconstruction work at the end of the 70s. New chambers and boat slips were built as well as a fish market and an ice plant. HRH Princess Anne visited the village to officially open the new harbour in 1985. The rebuilding of the harbour area transformed a 'pretty' safe anchorage into a modern, if slightly unappealing, industrial harbour.

Today, Portavogie is home to a large active fleet of traditional fishing boats and many seafood processing plants. It is the second-largest fishing village in Ulster with nearby Kilkeel being the largest. Most evenings there are fish auctions on the quays for the catch of prawns and herrings. These markets are themselves a worthwhile draw for the passing boatman who would take the opportunity to stock up on an impromptu visit. Several resident seals can often be seen in the harbour, waiting patiently on returning boats in the hope of catching some treats. Three murals on the exterior of the local school celebrate the history of the fishing industry in the town.

However, the fortunes are inextricably linked to the now declining fishing industry, declining fish stocks and ever-increasing fuel and operating costs combined to reduce the fishing fleets of Ireland and the UK. What remains unchanged however is the fishermen’s Ulster-Scots heritage. It is as clearly visible in the rising sun, which provides inspiring views of Scotland and the Isle of Man, as in their accents where one is 'yin', the night is pronounced 'nicht' and 'don't know' is clearly 'dinny noo'.

From a boating point of view, Portavogie is a useful drop-in harbour, albeit one for a vessel that comes well equipped with fenders and fender boards to protect them from a rough and ready industrial harbour. It offers quick and straightforward seaward access at any stage of the tide, night or day, and being just ten miles north of the Strangford Lough entrance it is a useful staging berth to time a favourable tide to enter the lough.

What facilities are available?

With a population of approximately 2000 people all basic provisions can be found at Portavogie. The area is geared to meet the needs of the fishing fleet. A boatyard where repairs to large fishing vessels may be undertaken is available and there is a ships' chandler. Supplies of diesel and fresh water are available at the wharfs, and there is a bus service to Newtownards.

Any security concerns?

Portavogie is an open quay where normal security procedures should be adopted.

With thanks to:

Michael Young - Harbour Master Kilkeel.