
The bay provides good anchorage in the north through east to southerly conditions, but is exposed to all conditions with a westerly quadrant and holding is not the best. Access is straightforward in daylight at any stage of the tide although a great measure of tidal planning will be required to operate in this area.
Keyfacts for Port Dandy
Facilities
None listedNature
Considerations
Protected sectors
Approaches
Shelter
Last modified
July 18th 2018 Summary
A good location with straightforward access.Facilities
None listedNature
Considerations
Position and approaches
Expand to new tab or fullscreen
Haven position
This is in the middle of Port Dandy inlet on the inner point of Admiralty Chart 1753’s three meter contour.
What is the initial fix?
The following Port Dandy 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
.
- From the north and east leave Lighthouse, Mew and Copeland Islands well clear to port.
- From Belfast Lough or the north there are no dangers beyond 150 metres from the shoreline.
- Approach Port Dandy from Donaghadee Sound fairway, or from due south, pay particular attention to stand clear of the very dangerous Rid Rock when rounding the island.
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 Port Dandy for your convenience.
Ten nearest havens by straight line charted distance and bearing:
- Chapel Bay - 0.3 nautical miles SE
- Donaghadee Harbour - 1.9 nautical miles SSE
- Copelands Marina - 2.2 nautical miles SSE
- Groomsport - 2.5 nautical miles W
- Ballyholme Bay - 3.8 nautical miles W
- Bangor Harbour & Marina - 4.4 nautical miles W
- Helen’s Bay - 6.5 nautical miles W
- Whitehead - 7.3 nautical miles NW
- Ballywalter - 8.1 nautical miles SSE
- Carrickfergus Harbour & Marina - 9.5 nautical miles WNW
These havens are ordered by straight line charted distance and bearing, and can be reordered by compass direction or coastal sequence:
- Chapel Bay - 0.3 miles SE
- Donaghadee Harbour - 1.9 miles SSE
- Copelands Marina - 2.2 miles SSE
- Groomsport - 2.5 miles W
- Ballyholme Bay - 3.8 miles W
- Bangor Harbour & Marina - 4.4 miles W
- Helen’s Bay - 6.5 miles W
- Whitehead - 7.3 miles NW
- Ballywalter - 8.1 miles SSE
- Carrickfergus Harbour & Marina - 9.5 miles WNW
Chart
How to get in?

Island
Image: nealpreston46
Port Dandy is a narrow bay facing west situated on the north side of the uninhabited Copeland Island, the largest of the island group off the southern entrance to Belfast Lough. Set at the southern entrance to Belfast Lough the Bangor Harbour
The single exception to this is for a vessel approaching Chapel Bay from around the north side of the island and hugging the shoreline. Do not be tempted to follow the western coastline of Copeland Island from Chapel Bay into port Dandy. A drying area extends a quarter of a mile southward from the islands westernmost point. This terminates at the continually exposed 1 metre high Carn Point. Foul ground then extends a further 200 metres southward from Carn Point to the dangerous and covered Rid Rock. Hence vessels approaching from the adjacent Chapel Bay cannot cut into Port Dandy or directly from Donaghadee Sound. Rather it is necessary to drop south of the Chapel Bay, circle around Rid Rock, before approaching Port Dandy from the west.
The Port Dandy initial fix is set well outside Port Dandy to ensure a southern approach is well clear of Carn Point and its outlying danger of Rid Rock. Vessels approaching from all other directions may cut in closer as there are no dangers metres 150 metres out from the shoreline.

Image: Dillon Osborne
Dinghy landings are possible on the rocky beach at the head of the inlet.
Why visit here?
Port Dandy is an alternative anchorage to Copeland Island’s spacious primary anchorage situated in the adjacent Chapel Bay.Small and enclosed it is very different to Chapel Bay and very popular during the sailing season. Those who wish to come ashore here will find the island is well covered in the Chapel Bay
What facilities are available?
There are no facilities available off this secluded island.Any security concerns?
Never an incident known to have happened to a vessel anchored in Port Dandy.With thanks to:
Michael Fitzsimons, Groomsport Harbour Master. Photography with thanks to Francis Robinson.
Aerial views of Donaghadee and Copeland Island
Aerial views of Copeland Island
Add your review or comment:
Please log in to leave a review of this haven.
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.