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Adjacent Haven EAdjacent Haven SSW

Frenchport (Portnafrankagh)

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Overview






Please note

eOceanic has been made aware of this haven. We are looking for a sailor with first-hand experience to provide their direct personal insights so that we may complete our write up. In advance of this we have posted these preliminary research notes. Do you know this location? Please contact us or click the 'Report a Mistake or Omission' button below to help share this location with the sailing community.


Frenchport, or Portnafrankagh, is a little creek on the north side of Anuagh head, about 2 miles to the south-west of Eagle island, in County Mayo on the west coast of Ireland. It affords an anchorage in moderate weather but is quite exposed to the Atlantic swell and difficult to enter in heavy weather.

Frenchport, or Portnafrankagh, is a little creek on the north side of Anuagh head, about 2 miles to the south-west of Eagle island, in County Mayo on the west coast of Ireland. It affords an anchorage in moderate weather but is quite exposed to the Atlantic swell and difficult to enter in heavy weather.

The anchorage is on the north side of the creek providing tolerable shelter with straightforward access in all but westerly winds.



1 comment
Keyfacts for Frenchport (Portnafrankagh)
Facilities
Slipway available


Nature
No fees for anchoring or berthing in this locationRemote or quiet secluded locationAnchoring locationBeach or shoreline landing from a tenderJetty or a structure to assist landingScenic location or scenic location in the immediate vicinity

Considerations
Note: fish farming activity in the vicinity of this location

Protected sectors

Current wind over the protected quadrants
Minimum depth
4 metres (13.12 feet).

Approaches
4 stars: Straightforward; when unaffected by weather from difficult quadrants or tidal consideration, no overly complex dangers.
Shelter
3 stars: Tolerable; in suitable conditions a vessel may be left unwatched and an overnight stay.



Last modified
May 30th 2017

Summary

A tolerable location with straightforward access.

Facilities
Slipway available


Nature
No fees for anchoring or berthing in this locationRemote or quiet secluded locationAnchoring locationBeach or shoreline landing from a tenderJetty or a structure to assist landingScenic location or scenic location in the immediate vicinity

Considerations
Note: fish farming activity in the vicinity of this location



Position and approaches
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Haven position

54° 14.433' N, 010° 4.888' W

this is the position at the pierhead on the south shore

What is the initial fix?

The following Frenchport initial fix will set up a final approach:
54° 14.872' N, 010° 6.092' W
this is set in the Atlantic Ocean at a point midway between Annagh Head and Port Point



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 Frenchport (Portnafrankagh) for your convenience.
Ten nearest havens by straight line charted distance and bearing:
  1. Elly Bay - 5 nautical miles S
  2. Broadhaven Bay - 6.7 nautical miles E
  3. Inishkea Island South - 8.3 nautical miles SSW
  4. Blacksod Pier - 8.5 nautical miles S
  5. Ross Port - 10 nautical miles ENE
  6. Portacloy Bay - 11.9 nautical miles ENE
  7. Porturlin Bay - 13.9 nautical miles ENE
  8. Keel Bay - 16.7 nautical miles S
  9. Keem Bay - 16.9 nautical miles SSW
  10. Belderg Harbour - 19 nautical miles ENE
These havens are ordered by straight line charted distance and bearing, and can be reordered by compass direction or coastal sequence:
  1. Elly Bay - 5 miles S
  2. Broadhaven Bay - 6.7 miles E
  3. Inishkea Island South - 8.3 miles SSW
  4. Blacksod Pier - 8.5 miles S
  5. Ross Port - 10 miles ENE
  6. Portacloy Bay - 11.9 miles ENE
  7. Porturlin Bay - 13.9 miles ENE
  8. Keel Bay - 16.7 miles S
  9. Keem Bay - 16.9 miles SSW
  10. Belderg Harbour - 19 miles ENE
To find locations with the specific attributes you need try:

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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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How to get in?
Route location The 'Slyne Head to Erris Head' coastal description provides approach information to the suggested initial fix. Vessels approaching from the south should select the northbound Route location sequenced description; vessels approaching from the north should select the southbound Route location sequence; western approaches may use either description.


Why visit here?
Frenchport, or Portnafrankagh as it is more commonly known, is a quiet and peaceful location. It provides tolerably safe shelter with straightforward access, though often in some discomfort due to the roll coming from the direction of the entrance, and is subject to swell irrespective of the direction of the wind.

There are no facilities in this inlet, although there is a newish pier on the south shore that has a small slip on its southeasten side where it is possible for a dinghy to land at neap tides but which dries at spring tides.

Although normally quiet and peaceful the Mullet Peninsula becomes busier in the summer with tourists enjoying the beautiful beaches which stretch for miles, anglers and fishermen trying their luck, and walkers exploring the sandy barrenness of the area.

The Mullet Peninsula, also known as The Mullet, is a peninsula in the barony of Erris in Co. Mayo and consists of a large promontory connected to the mainland at Belmullet by a narrow isthmus. It is about 33kms long and 12kms wide at its widest parts and about 50 metres wide at its narrowest. Its northernmost point is Erris Head and the peninsula's doglegged shape forms two bays Blacksod Bay and Broadhaven Bay. The Mullet is part of the Mayo Gaeltacht, Irish speaking district, where Irish is the most common language in the rural areas, while English is also commonly spoken in Belmullet.

In the nortwest of the Mullet peninsula a site for testing full scale ocean wave power devices has been selected between Frenchport Pier, Annagh Head and Cross. The wave energy potential in the Atlantic Ocean between North Mayo and West Donegal is one of the best in the world for the development of this exciting new renewable energy technology.

Although the inlet has no facilities, supplies can be obtained from Belmullet which is four miles away, and there is a small shop and a pub at the village of Corclogh which is two miles inland. As an alternative to landing at the pier, it is also possible to land on the Cats Tail, a shingle reef at the head of the bay.


What facilities are available?
There are no facilities at Frenchport except for a slip, but limited provisions are available at the nearest village Corclogh which also has a pub; other supplies are available at Belmullet including a local bus service Bus Eireann route 446.


With thanks to:
inyourfootsteps.com site research






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Add your review or comment:


Seamus Butler wrote this review on Dec 3rd 2016:

A new 8m wide slipway will be complete by the end of 2016 in addition to an 8m extension to the existing pier, the pier level has also been risen to 1m above HW Springs. Steps will be complete to the north side of the pier extension about the end of January in addition to new ladders at the pier head and sides. The pier will benefit from street lighting and 220v elect supply and fresh water will be available from the Pier head. Frenchport is only 6miles (10 km) from Belmullet Local taxis (cars and minibus) are very reasonable and friendly. The pier extension will provide access at all times except low water springs ( 0.5 LW) for most sailing craft. If the weather is fair, this is a great spot to spend a few quiet days and is a short run to a good local town with all facilities.

Average Rating: Unrated

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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.