Protected sectors

What's the story here?

Simmy Island is located on the western shore of Strangford Lough, 3½ miles northwest of the Narrows and 1.8 miles northward of Killyleagh. The small 8-acre Simmy Island is technically not an Island as it is reached by a causeway as is very much the case with the flanking Castle Island to the north. It is privately owned today so no landings may take place although Island Taggart to the south is owned by the National Trust and welcomes visitors.




It offers an exceptionally picturesque anchorage, overlooking the National Trust's Island Taggart which lies to the south. The facilities of the East Down Sailing Club are also available via a ¾ of a mile tender ride southward between Island Taggart and the mainland. The latter, of course, is only available for those with a stalwart outboard motor.

How to get in?

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 description. After entering Strangford Lough proceed up the deep waters of track Ⓔ depicted on Admiralty Chart 2156 to the Ringhaddy Initial Fix. This passes along the east shore of the lough clear of the unmarked awash McLaughlin Rock, Long Rock, Don O'Neill Island and Limestone Rock. It is possible to cut this and pass through the channel that lies between the smaller northern Don O’Neill Island and the Limestone Pladdy as directed in the Don O’Neill Island entry.




Vessels approaching from the south should make note of the drying Selk Rock which lies ¼ of a mile off of the Island Taggart shore and is 0.4 miles northwest of Don O’Neill Island. It is marked by a pole standing on its southeast end.





From the Ringhaddy Initial Fix steer to pass northeastward of Limestone Rock beacon.

Limestone Rock - Port Beacon Q.R.4m4M position: 54° 25.144' N 005° 36.129' W

This is situated approximately 200 metres southeast of the Limestone Rock. The beacon marks the eastern point of Pladdy Rock which covers after 4 hours of the flood tide, and there is a further pole on the northeast corner of Limestone Rock.

Once clear of Limestone Rock steer for the entrance in the recess to the north end of Taggart Island and south of Castle Island a distance of 1 mile on a bearing of about 280° T. The house and jetty, seen central on Simmy Island, make for a conspicuous seamark. On final approaches, prefer the south side of the coastal recess/north end of Taggart Island side where there is less rock adjacent to the shore.




After passing inside the opposite points of Island Taggart and Castle Island on the north shore it shelves quickly to 1.2 metres LAT.




Sound slowly into a suitable depth where a handful of local moorings will be seen. Anchor over very good mud holding with some scattered boulders.

Why visit here?

Simmy Island, in Irish 'Oileán Siomaí', most likely takes its name from the old Irish given male names of 'Séimí, Síomí' that are variants of the old Irish ' Síomus', now 'Séamus'. This is the Irish equivalent of the name James, so Simmy Island can be said to translate to 'James Island'.




The name James itself is the English New Testament variant of the Hebrew name of Jacob. Its meaning in Hebrew is 'one who supplants' or more literally 'one who grabs at the heel'. This refers to the Hebrew patriarch Jacob who was born grasping at his twin brother 'Esau's' heel. The Irish and Scottish Gaelic variant was on account of the name arriving through a French variation of the late Latin for Jacob, 'Iacomus'.




The name may very well be oddly appropriate as the Island is very much privately owned so no landings may take place here. The impressive gates and railings on the island's causeway side dissuade visitors from the landward side. It is, reportedly, owned by one of Northern Ireland's most prominent hoteliers. The house backing the jetty was originally an island boathouse. It was converted into a dwelling house in recent times and the jetty was modernised and extended at this time. The matter was locally controversial as planning permission was retrospectively applied for and was subsequently questioned. Many might have felt that the origin of the island's name 'one who supplants' retained some meaning.




By comparison Island Taggart, immediately to the south, stands very much in contrast to Simmy Island. Unlike the small Simmy Island, which being reached by a causeway is technically not an Island, as is very much the case with the Castle Island peninsula to the north, Island Taggart is one of the largest islands in the southern half of Strangford Lough. It is owned by the National Trust which preserves the two small farms that existed here in the past and it openly welcomes visitors – see East Down Yacht club . A host of wildlife such as badgers, foxes and otters now reside on Taggart, and camping is also permitted.




From a boating perspective, the location makes for an exceptionally picturesque berth. When all the elements of the anchorage combine, the remote Island Taggart to the south, the wooded headland to the north and the refined New England style boathouse conversion, in the blink of an eye, one could be forgiven for thinking that in a Canadian anchorage rather than Northern Ireland. It is also very quiet where you can expect to have the bay entirely to yourself. This makes the location a wonderful hideout.

What facilities are available?

None, this is a secluded bay with no resources.

Any security concerns?

Never a problem known to have occurred at Simmy Island.

With thanks to:

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