
Portmuck Harbour is situated on the northeast coast of Ireland to the east of Larne Lough and on the seaward side of the Islandmagee peninsula. Tucked into the peninsula, to the northwest end of the Isle of Muck, it offers a small harbour with an anchorage immediately offshore and the opportunity to dry out alongside its pier.
The little bay provides a tolerable anchorage with shelter and protection from southeast through south to west in winds up to 4 to 5. Although there are no off-lying dangers, and the bay can be accessed at all stages of the tide, attentive navigation is required for access. Rocks extending from the pierhead and the opposite shore require good visibility and keen observation whilst anchoring.
Keyfacts for Portmuck
Last modified
July 18th 2018 Summary* Restrictions apply
A tolerable location with attentive navigation required for access.Facilities
Nature
Considerations
Position and approaches
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Haven position
This is the position of Portmuck’s pierhead.
What is the initial fix?
The following Portmuck Initial Fix will set up a final approach:

What are the key points of the approach?
Offshore details are available in the northeast Ireland’s Coastal Overview for Malin Head to Strangford Lough
.
- Vessels approaching from the south should pass outside Muck Island.
- Track into the bay off the pier from the north keeping clear of the rocks off the head of the pier and the shoreline.
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 Portmuck for your convenience.
Ten nearest havens by straight line charted distance and bearing:
- Brown’s Bay - 1.5 nautical miles WNW
- Mill Bay - 1.7 nautical miles SSW
- Ballydowan - 1.7 nautical miles SW
- Larne Harbour - 1.9 nautical miles WSW
- Ferris Bay - 2 nautical miles W
- Magheramorne Point - 2.2 nautical miles SW
- Ballygalley Bay - 5.5 nautical miles NW
- Whitehead - 5.6 nautical miles S
- Carrickfergus Harbour & Marina - 8.8 nautical miles SSW
- Greenisland - 10.2 nautical miles SSW
These havens are ordered by straight line charted distance and bearing, and can be reordered by compass direction or coastal sequence:
- Brown’s Bay - 1.5 miles WNW
- Mill Bay - 1.7 miles SSW
- Ballydowan - 1.7 miles SW
- Larne Harbour - 1.9 miles WSW
- Ferris Bay - 2 miles W
- Magheramorne Point - 2.2 miles SW
- Ballygalley Bay - 5.5 miles NW
- Whitehead - 5.6 miles S
- Carrickfergus Harbour & Marina - 8.8 miles SSW
- Greenisland - 10.2 miles SSW
How to get in?


On rounding Skernaghan Point, continue southeast alongside Islandmagee’s three miles of precipitous cliffs that range in height from 15 to 31 metres. This coastline is clear of obstructions and a distance of 150 metres from the rocks, or holding to the 10-metre contour or deeper, clears all dangers.
The 37 metre high Isle of Muck will be clearly seen on the bow all the way. The high and bare green island presents a perpendicular sea facing cliff to the east. It is attached to the shore by a narrow neck of shingle beach.
Blackhead Lighthouse - Fl 3s 45m 27M position: 54° 46.016’N, 005° 41.338’W
To the north of Black Head, the coast of Islandmagee presents a steep perpendicular cliff composed of black basaltic rocks. At ‘The Gobbins’ this attains a height of 45 metres. Deepwater will be found close in under the cliffs with no outlying dangers.

Image: Eskling via CC BY-SA 2.0
The Isle of Muck situated close off the black basaltic cliffs of Islandmagee will be visible all the way on the bow from Black Head. The preferred approach is to round the island, keeping at least a 400 metres off the north most stacks of the island, and then to turn in towards the initial fix.

It is possible for shallow draft vessels to pass between the islet and Islandmagee shore at high water. The island is attached to the shore by a narrow neck of shingle beach that exposes at low water. However, this narrow connecting ridge can be covered by as much as two metres at high water springs. But this is not always the case and it can vary according to barometric pressure and wind direction. As such the cut between the islet and shore has many variables and the draft needs to be moderate or small. Hence the recommended approach is to round the island on the outside.
A course of due south for 200 metres along Islandmagee shore leads into the anchoring area.
The small pier at Portmuck dries out entirely beyond the pierhead at low water springs. However, at High Water Springs, a vessel can find as much as 3.5 metres against the wall. Boats that can take-to-the-hard may dry out alongside on sand with some stones.

The harbour is entirely exposed to anything from the north. It is possible to achieve some measure of protection from these conditions by anchoring in 3.5 metres to the south of the drying ridge that connects the islet to Islandmagee. The northerly protection available here is limited and in such conditions, a vessel would be best advised to head south to Carrickfergus or the anchorages along the north shore of Belfast Lough.
Why visit here?
Portmuck derives its name from ‘Muck Isle’ or ‘Isle of Muck’ itself a direct translation from the Gaelic ‘Inis Muc’. 'Muc' means 'pig' in Irish and Inis means ‘islet’. It is believed the island acquired its name from its earlier inhabitants by appearing to resemble the shape of a sleeping pig.
The peninsula’s name, 'Islandmagee', on which the harbour is situated, hails from the Portmuck area. The name is directly derived from the Gaelic 'Oileán MhicAodha' meaning 'MacAodha's island'. The Gaelic MacAodha clan, who owned and controlled the peninsula, had their home at Portmuck. From their time right up to today the little bay of Portmuck has been adapted to play many roles through history.
It hosted at various times a monastery, fortress, revenue station, coast guard station and was well known for smuggling. The present harbour of Portmuck was specifically built to facilitate the industrial role of Islandmagee limestone for export. But this trade fell into terminal decline by the 1920’s and by the end of the decade the harbour went into ruins. In the 1980s government grants were made available to support local fishing activity from small locations such as this. If a number of fishermen were dependent on a pier in question, central government funds would be made available for renovation. As such restoration work took place at Portmuck creating the beautiful small harbour that exists there today. It is often said that a number of deceased fishermen supported the locals in their application.

The northern route is accessed from the car park across the picnic area; go through the wooden swing gate, turn left and follow the path up the slope to the cliff top. The National Trust walk is bounded by private land that is clearly marked, so return by the same route. This path offers a particularly attractive opportunity to photograph a vessel at anchor in the bay. Here the cliff provides an elevation of almost 40 metres. With Muck Island situated in the backdrop and the Irish Sea out beyond, it makes for a spectacular photo opportunity of a vessel at anchor.

Muck Island, despite its name, is technically not an island. Although located 300 metres off the mainland an ever-shifting ridge maintains a connection to Islandmagee. This dries at low water springs and is scarcely covered at neaps making it possible to walk out to the island over a mixed sand and shingle bar. At high water springs, however, it has up to two metres of cover. The island itself lies north to south and has an overall length of about 1,000 metres, and has three small rocky stacks off the northern end. Its height increases west to east presenting attractive steep 30-metre high basalt sea cliffs to seaward.

From a coastal cruising point of view, Portmuck is the hidden gem that is too often overlooked along this coast. It offers an excellent stop-off point for northbound or southbound vessels making their way along the coast. It also provides an ideal point of departure or arrival for the Western Isles of Scotland. It is non-tidal, free from off-lying dangers and access is immediate and straightforward from seaward. It also serves as a highly convenient tide wait location to allow mariners to take full advantage of favourable tidal streams that are the dominant feature of this area of the coast, not to mention it its highly useful half-tide eddy to the north of the island. Those who drop in here will be treated to a stunning little harbour that provides access to a beautiful coastline within a few strides out from the pierhead.
What facilities are available?
Toilet blocks are available on the pier and the harbour has a good slip. Contact the harbour master, who could not be more helpful, for any resources required including basic Marine engineering that may be available locally.The small village of Mullaghboy, one mile away, has basic provisions to service its population of about 300 people and a café that serves good food. Almost everything else is available at nearby Larne harbour.
Any security concerns?
Never a problem known to have occurred in Portmuck Harbour.With thanks to:
Terence Stitt, Portmuck Harbour Master. Photography with thanks to KyleH, Wilson Adams, Albert Bridge, Mary and Angus Hogg, Eskling, Aubrey Dale and Mike Simms.




Footage of Portmuck from the air.
A panoramic view of the coastline from Muck Island to Portmuck
About Portmuck
Portmuck derives its name from ‘Muck Isle’ or ‘Isle of Muck’ itself a direct translation from the Gaelic ‘Inis Muc’. 'Muc' means 'pig' in Irish and Inis means ‘islet’. It is believed the island acquired its name from its earlier inhabitants by appearing to resemble the shape of a sleeping pig.

The peninsula’s name, 'Islandmagee', on which the harbour is situated, hails from the Portmuck area. The name is directly derived from the Gaelic 'Oileán MhicAodha' meaning 'MacAodha's island'. The Gaelic MacAodha clan, who owned and controlled the peninsula, had their home at Portmuck. From their time right up to today the little bay of Portmuck has been adapted to play many roles through history.
It hosted at various times a monastery, fortress, revenue station, coast guard station and was well known for smuggling. The present harbour of Portmuck was specifically built to facilitate the industrial role of Islandmagee limestone for export. But this trade fell into terminal decline by the 1920’s and by the end of the decade the harbour went into ruins. In the 1980s government grants were made available to support local fishing activity from small locations such as this. If a number of fishermen were dependent on a pier in question, central government funds would be made available for renovation. As such restoration work took place at Portmuck creating the beautiful small harbour that exists there today. It is often said that a number of deceased fishermen supported the locals in their application.

The northern route is accessed from the car park across the picnic area; go through the wooden swing gate, turn left and follow the path up the slope to the cliff top. The National Trust walk is bounded by private land that is clearly marked, so return by the same route. This path offers a particularly attractive opportunity to photograph a vessel at anchor in the bay. Here the cliff provides an elevation of almost 40 metres. With Muck Island situated in the backdrop and the Irish Sea out beyond, it makes for a spectacular photo opportunity of a vessel at anchor.

Muck Island, despite its name, is technically not an island. Although located 300 metres off the mainland an ever-shifting ridge maintains a connection to Islandmagee. This dries at low water springs and is scarcely covered at neaps making it possible to walk out to the island over a mixed sand and shingle bar. At high water springs, however, it has up to two metres of cover. The island itself lies north to south and has an overall length of about 1,000 metres, and has three small rocky stacks off the northern end. Its height increases west to east presenting attractive steep 30-metre high basalt sea cliffs to seaward.

From a coastal cruising point of view, Portmuck is the hidden gem that is too often overlooked along this coast. It offers an excellent stop-off point for northbound or southbound vessels making their way along the coast. It also provides an ideal point of departure or arrival for the Western Isles of Scotland. It is non-tidal, free from off-lying dangers and access is immediate and straightforward from seaward. It also serves as a highly convenient tide wait location to allow mariners to take full advantage of favourable tidal streams that are the dominant feature of this area of the coast, not to mention it its highly useful half-tide eddy to the north of the island. Those who drop in here will be treated to a stunning little harbour that provides access to a beautiful coastline within a few strides out from the pierhead.
Other options in this area
Click the 'Next' and 'Previous' buttons to progress through neighbouring havens in a coastal 'clockwise' or 'anti-clockwise' sequence. Alternatively here are the ten nearest havens available in picture view:
Coastal clockwise:
Whitehead - 3.5 miles SCarrickfergus Harbour & Marina - 5.5 miles SSW
Greenisland - 6.4 miles SSW
Newtownabbey - 7 miles SSW
Belfast Harbour - 9.9 miles SSW
Coastal anti-clockwise:
Brown’s Bay - 1 miles WNWFerris Bay - 1.3 miles W
Larne Harbour - 1.2 miles WSW
Ballydowan - 1.1 miles SW
Mill Bay - 1 miles SSW
Navigational pictures
These additional images feature in the 'How to get in' section of our detailed view for Portmuck.









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Picture view | On |
Footage of Portmuck from the air.
A panoramic view of the coastline from Muck Island to Portmuck
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