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Port Dandy on Copeland Island, the principal of the Copeland Islands group, is located in the Irish Sea off the northeast coast of Ireland. The island group is situated on the south side of the entrance to Belfast Lough and Copeland Island is the largest island and closest to the mainland. Port Dandy is a very small inlet on the west side of the secluded island where a vessel may anchorage for a maximum of two or three boats.
The bay provides good anchorage in the north through east to southerly conditions, but is exposed to all conditions with a westerly component 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
Last modified
November 17th 2022 Summary
A good location with straightforward access.Facilities
None listedNature
Considerations
Position and approaches
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Haven position
This is in the middle of Port Dandy inlet on the 2-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
and the Donaghadee Sound
for local tidal optimisations.
- 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 - 3.7 nautical miles W
- Bangor Harbour & Marina - 4.5 nautical miles W
- Helen’s Bay - 6.6 nautical miles W
- Whitehead - 7.2 nautical miles NW
- Ballywalter - 8.6 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 - 3.7 miles W
- Bangor Harbour & Marina - 4.5 miles W
- Helen’s Bay - 6.6 miles W
- Whitehead - 7.2 miles NW
- Ballywalter - 8.6 miles SSE
- Carrickfergus Harbour & Marina - 9.5 miles WNW
What's the story here?

Image: Francis Robinson via CC BY SA 2.0
Copeland Island is by far the largest of the group of three islands, Lighthouse Island and Mew Island being the others, that mark the southern entrance to Belfast Lough. It is nearly 1 mile long, a ⅓ of a mile wide and it is low only rising to a modest 31 metres at its highest point. It forms the eastern side of Donaghadee Sound and Port Dandy is a narrow west-facing bay located close south of the western extremity of the island. The island is privately owned, with residents who come to stay during the summertime. Tourist boats bring visitors from Donaghadee who land at the jetty in the opposite Chapel Bay.
Port Dandy is a very small inlet that provides a popular anchorage for a maximum of two or three boats with a beach to land.
How to get in?

of the western extremity of the island
Image: © Brian Mason
This is a detached termination of a reef off the drying area that extends a ¼ of a mile southward from Copeland Island's southwesternmost point. This visually terminates at the continually exposed 1 metre-high islet of Carn Point but foul ground then extends a further 200 metres south by southeastward from Carn Point to the dangerous Rid Rock.
Rid Rock - Awash detached rock position: 54° 40.130' N 005° 32.590' W
So it is essential not be tempted to follow the southwestern coastline of Copeland Island from Chapel Bay into port Dandy. Rather it is necessary to drop south of Chapel Bay, and then circle south around Rid Rock, before approaching Port Dandy from the west. Rid Rock is positioned almost due west of the southeastern extreme of Copeland Island. So when it is on a bearing of 85°, or less, it is safe to proceed westward on that line, southward of Rid Rock, until Carn Point is aft of the beam, before turning northward.
Vessels approaching from all other directions may cut in closer as there are no dangers 150 metres out from the western shoreline of Copeland Island.

Image: Dillon Osborne
Dinghy landings are possible on the rocky beach at the head of the inlet. Copeland Island is owned by Alan and Ryan McCulla and access to the island beyond is only by direct permission from the owners.
Why visit here?
Port Dandy is an alternative anchorage to Copeland Island’s more 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. Doubtlessly that is how it got its name with 'Port' literally meaning port and 'Dandy' meaning 'an excellent thing of its kind'. Further information is available for the island in the Chapel BayFrom a boating point of view, akin to Chapel Bay, is a very useful anchorage on the southern entrance to Belfast Lough. It provides easy access and perfect shelter in easterly conditions where it offers a useful tide-wait anchorage for those heading along the coast or up towards the North Channel without the time it takes to set down in a harbour or marina or indeed take a detour into Belfast Lough.
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.Aerial views of Donaghadee Sound and Copeland Island
About Port Dandy
Port Dandy is an alternative anchorage to Copeland Island’s more 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. Doubtlessly that is how it got its name with 'Port' literally meaning port and 'Dandy' meaning 'an excellent thing of its kind'. Further information is available for the island in the Chapel Bay
From a boating point of view, akin to Chapel Bay, is a very useful anchorage on the southern entrance to Belfast Lough. It provides easy access and perfect shelter in easterly conditions where it offers a useful tide-wait anchorage for those heading along the coast or up towards the North Channel without the time it takes to set down in a harbour or marina or indeed take a detour into Belfast Lough.
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:
Chapel Bay - 0.2 miles SEDonaghadee Harbour - 1.2 miles SSE
Copelands Marina - 1.4 miles SSE
Ballywalter - 5.4 miles SSE
Ballyhalbert Bay - 7.1 miles SSE
Coastal anti-clockwise:
Groomsport - 1.6 miles WBallyholme Bay - 2.3 miles W
Bangor Harbour & Marina - 2.8 miles W
Helen’s Bay - 4.1 miles W
Cultra - 5.9 miles W
Navigational pictures
These additional images feature in the 'How to get in' section of our detailed view for Port Dandy.






Detail view | Off |
Picture view | On |
Aerial views of Donaghadee Sound and Copeland Island
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