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Adjacent Haven ESEAdjacent Haven WSW

Between Jackdaw & Chapel Island

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Overview





Chapel and Jackdaw Islands are located on the northeast coast of Ireland within Strangford Lough and are the first islands encountered on the southern shore after exiting The Narrows. This anchorage is in a deep channel that lies between the two small uninhabited islands.

Chapel and Jackdaw Islands are located on the northeast coast of Ireland within Strangford Lough and are the first islands encountered on the southern shore after exiting The Narrows. This anchorage is in a deep channel that lies between the two small uninhabited islands.

This is a good anchorage offering all-round protection except for northerly quadrant winds and it offers particularly good protection against southerlies. The Lough's enclosed body of water provides sheltered sailing in all weather, all tides and ample marks to make daylight navigation straightforward.



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Keyfacts for Between Jackdaw & Chapel Island
Facilities
Marked or notable walks in the vicinity of this location


Nature
No fees for anchoring or berthing in this locationRemote or quiet secluded locationAnchoring locationBeach or shoreline landing from a tenderScenic location or scenic location in the immediate vicinity

Considerations
Note: strong tides or currents in the area that require consideration

Protected sectors

Current wind over the protected quadrants
Minimum depth
3 metres (9.84 feet).

Approaches
4 stars: Straightforward; when unaffected by weather from difficult quadrants or tidal consideration, no overly complex dangers.
Shelter
4 stars: Good; assured night's sleep except from specific quarters.



Last modified
November 7th 2022

Summary

A good location with straightforward access.

Facilities
Marked or notable walks in the vicinity of this location


Nature
No fees for anchoring or berthing in this locationRemote or quiet secluded locationAnchoring locationBeach or shoreline landing from a tenderScenic location or scenic location in the immediate vicinity

Considerations
Note: strong tides or currents in the area that require consideration



Position and approaches
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Haven position

54° 23.097' N, 005° 36.047' W

Between Jackdaw & Chapel Island

What is the initial fix?

The following Chapel Island & Jackdaw Islands Initial Fix will set up a final approach:
54° 23.368' N, 005° 35.970' W
On the small 8.8 metre contour patch approximately 300 metres north of Chapel Island.


What are the key points of the approach?

Offshore details for vessels approaching Strangford Lough from the north are available in northeast Ireland’s coastal overview for Malin Head to Strangford Lough Route location. Details for vessels approaching from the south are available in eastern Ireland’s coastal overview for Strangford Lough to Dublin Bay Route location. Details of the approaches, tidal timings, the run up The Narrows and onward to Killyleagh, on the Lough's western shore, are covered in the Entering and exiting Strangford Lough Route location route description.


Not what you need?
Click the 'Next' and 'Previous' buttons to progress through neighbouring havens in a coastal 'clockwise' or 'anti-clockwise' sequence. Below are the ten nearest havens to Between Jackdaw & Chapel Island for your convenience.
Ten nearest havens by straight line charted distance and bearing:
  1. Chapel Island - 0.2 nautical miles ESE
  2. Jackdaw Island - 0.3 nautical miles WSW
  3. Audley’s Point - 0.8 nautical miles E
  4. Audley's Roads - 1.2 nautical miles ESE
  5. Ballyhenry Bay - 1.3 nautical miles E
  6. Salt Island (South) - 1.6 nautical miles WSW
  7. Don O’Neill Island - 1.7 nautical miles NNW
  8. Strangford Harbour (Strangford Village) - 1.8 nautical miles ESE
  9. Killyleagh - 1.8 nautical miles WNW
  10. Brandy Bay (North Salt Island) - 1.8 nautical miles WSW
These havens are ordered by straight line charted distance and bearing, and can be reordered by compass direction or coastal sequence:
  1. Chapel Island - 0.2 miles ESE
  2. Jackdaw Island - 0.3 miles WSW
  3. Audley’s Point - 0.8 miles E
  4. Audley's Roads - 1.2 miles ESE
  5. Ballyhenry Bay - 1.3 miles E
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Chart
Please use our integrated Navionics chart to appraise the haven and its approaches. Navionics charts feature in premier plotters from B&G, Raymarine, Magellan and are also available on tablets. Open the chart in a larger viewing area by clicking the expand to 'new tab' or the 'full screen' option.

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What's the story here?
Chapel Island as seen from the channel
Image: Michael Harpur


The small uninhabited Chapel and Jackdaw Islands are the two easternmost islands on the southern shore of Strangford Lough. Chapel Island, the easternmost, rises almost wedge-shaped to 12 metres at the highest point on its northwest end.


Jackdaw Island as seen from the channel
Image: Michael Harpur


Jackdaw Island lies 400 metres to the southwest and a ¼ of a mile off the shoreline. It is an almost square islet that is about 160 metres wide with a central hummock that rises to 10 metres. The shoreline dries out to about 25 metres around both islands.


The channel between Jackdaw and Chapel Islands as seen from the south
Image: Michael Harpur


The channel between the two offers from 5 to 3 metres LAT in the area between the two islands and as much as 1.2 LAT metres further in and approaching the shore.


How to get in?
Chapel and Jackdaw Island as seen from Audley's Point
Image: Michael Harpur


Convergance Point Details of the approaches, tidal timings, the run up The Narrows and onward to Killyleagh, on the Lough's western shore, are covered in the Entering and exiting Strangford Lough Route location route description. Chapel Island, on the south shore of the Lough, is a little under a mile northwestward of Audley Point.


Jackdaw and Chapel Islands as seen from the west
Image: Michael Harpur


Initial fix location The Chapel & Jackdaw Islands Initial Fix is placed 300 metres north of Chapel Island where it is a matter of tracking in between the islands and passing down equidistant between them.


The channel as seen from above Jackdaw Island
Image: Michael Harpur


Haven location Anchor according to draft and conditions in shale that provides excellent holding. Land on the island's gravelly shoreline.


Why visit here?
Although alongside each other Jackdaw and Chapel Island are very different to each other.

Chapel Island most likely had a hermitage, hence the name, and has been farmed whereas not so Jackdaw Island. It has been left untouched as a perfect example of one of the scores of drowned drumlins in Strangford Lough. By contrast, the island's tussock grass has been home to bird populations which is perhaps how it acquired its name.

The snug anchorage between two pleasant islands is a perfectly secure berth that is easy to access and has superb holding. It is a place from which a family boat can let the kids off to roam either island or, indeed, strike out oneself. Please note that Jackdaw Island is an important nesting site for Sandwich Terns in the spring and should be avoided at that time.

From a boating point of view, this is an excellent anchorage, especially during heavy southerlies. Craft needing some respite from this Audley's Roads exposure need look no further.


What facilities are available?
There are no facilities on Chapel and Jackdaw Islands or in the surrounding area.


Any security concerns?
Never a problem known to have occurred around the isolated Chapel and Jackdaw Islands.


With thanks to:
Brian Crawford, local Strangford Lough boatman of many decades. eOceanic would like to thank Quoile Yacht Club External link for hosting our survey boat during the survey of Strangford Lough.




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Please note eOceanic makes no guarantee of the validity of this information, we have not visited this haven and do not have first-hand experience to qualify the data. Although the contributors are vetted by peer review as practised authorities, they are in no way, whatsoever, responsible for the accuracy of their contributions. It is essential that you thoroughly check the accuracy and suitability for your vessel of any waypoints offered in any context plus the precision of your GPS. Any data provided on this page is entirely used at your own risk and you must read our legal page if you view data on this site. Free to use sea charts courtesy of Navionics.