
Approached through Cork's Lower Harbour and well up-river, Drake’s Pool offers complete protection from all conditions. Safe access is assured in all reasonable conditions by Cork Harbour, one of the most easily approached, well-marked and safest natural harbours in the world but daylight is required to pass through the numerous moorings that commence at Crosshaven.
Keyfacts for Drake’s Pool
Facilities
None listedNature
Considerations
Protected sectors
Approaches
Shelter
Last modified
July 2nd 2020 Summary
A completely protected location with safe access.Facilities
None listedNature
Considerations
Position and approaches
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Haven position
In the ‘S’ bend of the river where Drake’s Pool resides.
What is the initial fix?
The following Cork Harbour initial will set up a final approach:

What are the key points of the approach?
Offshore details are available in Ireland’s coastal overviews for Rosslare Harbour to Cork Harbour
or Cork Harbour to Mizen Head
as appropriate. Use the Crosshaven
entry for entry instructions to the Owenboy River.
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 Drake’s Pool for your convenience.
Ten nearest havens by straight line charted distance and bearing:
- Crosshaven - 1.2 nautical miles E
- Cork Harbour Marina - 2.4 nautical miles N
- Ringabella Bay - 2.4 nautical miles SSE
- Spike Island - 2.5 nautical miles NE
- Cobh - 2.9 nautical miles NNE
- White Bay - 3 nautical miles E
- Glenbrook - 3.3 nautical miles N
- Cuskinny - 3.8 nautical miles NE
- Robert's Cove - 3.9 nautical miles SSE
- Aghada - 5.2 nautical miles ENE
These havens are ordered by straight line charted distance and bearing, and can be reordered by compass direction or coastal sequence:
- Crosshaven - 1.2 miles E
- Cork Harbour Marina - 2.4 miles N
- Ringabella Bay - 2.4 miles SSE
- Spike Island - 2.5 miles NE
- Cobh - 2.9 miles NNE
- White Bay - 3 miles E
- Glenbrook - 3.3 miles N
- Cuskinny - 3.8 miles NE
- Robert's Cove - 3.9 miles SSE
- Aghada - 5.2 miles ENE
Chart
What's the story here?

Image: Michael Harpur
Drake’s Pool is located 1½ miles above the entrance to the Owenboy River that is accessed from the western side of Waterford Harbour. It is a river anchorage in a sequestered forested section of the river.

Image: Michael Harpur
The channel from Crosshaven is not marked but it has more than 2 metres LAT all the way up to the anchorage which has about 4 metres LAT. Most of the river is mud so there is very little of anything hard to hit and following the lines of moored vessels make the pathway clear albeit during daylight.
How to get in?

Image: Michael Harpur
After arriving at Crosshaven continue past the latter two of the village’s three marinas, Salve and The Royal Cork Yacht Club (RCYC). The fairway narrows alongside the marinas being situated between the outermost pontoon heads and the moored craft that encroach from the north side of the river. A host of RCYC moorings will then be seen upriver of their pontoon.

Image: Michael Harpur
Above Crosshaven the river takes a west-northwest direction whit its best depths tending towards the Gilroy Pontoon on the north shore. After this, the deepest water follows the outside of the first up-river bend, and then, when it narrows, mid-channel provides best depths.

Image: Michael Harpur
The first bend swings the river into a southwestward direction where it then snakes around the contours of the Owenabue Valley on the approach to Drake’s Pool.

Image: Michael Harpur
About 1½ miles upriver Drake’s Pool will be encountered a broadening of the river within steep wooded banks. A road runs along the southern edge.

Image: Michael Harpur

Image: Michael Harpur
There is a natural slip on the small outcrop to the south of the lower pool. Tenders are drawn up and stored here. An open area will be found behind the trees, stepped back from the road, where BBQs are commonly held. There is also a cement jetty about 20 metres southwestward of this.

Image: Michael Harpur
Vessels with a shallow draught that can take to the hard may continue towards Carrigaline, about two miles upstream where a good drying anchorage may be had. Alternatively, the town can be addressed by a tender near high water. Tie up at a slip or alongside the old sand quay just below the town.

Image: Tourism Ireland
Why visit here?
In 1589, the legendary English explorer and admiral Sir Francis Drake, was on the run with a squadron of five sloops and a vastly superior Spanish fleet closing in close behind. Running into Cork Harbour, he rounded Rams Head and then quickly slipped into the River Owenboy. Sailing past Crosshaven the small fleet dropped in behind the rounded mound of the Currabinny Peninsula that hid it from the lower harbour. Leaving nothing to chance at that, the squadron continued up the river as it snaked inland to finally moor in this basin, set deep in woodland under Coolmore Hill where they could not even be sighted from Crosshaven.
Image: CC0
The River Owenboy, also spelt 'Owenabue' and in Irish 'Abhainn Buí' which means 'yellow river', begins just north of Crossbarry and flows east towards the sea for roughly 32 kilometres. Along its southern shore, from Carrigaline to Crosshaven and passing the anchorage, is a very attractive riverside walk that has fine views of this pretty estuary. This was where the Crosshaven to Cork railway ran until 1932 and the lovely river walk now occupies the path of the railway line. Recent enthusiast efforts have seen railway signals, some small platforms and sample sections of track reinstated along the way to suggest its past.

Image: Michael Harpur
From a boating point of view, the river is a secure home to many moored craft that safely, swing all year round to the ebb and flood tides flowing between the mudflats. If an anchorage can be found here a vessel is assured perfect security surrounded by verdant woodlands all round with leaves that run down to the water’s edge.

Image: Michael Harpur
River anchorages are unusual treats for coastal boaters and this one is particularly beautiful. It is an enclosed pocket of tranquillity that has little changed since it was the refuge that saved Sir Francis Drake and his crews half a millennia ago.
What facilities are available?
There are no facilities at this secluded anchorage. A riverside footpath along the southern shore leads to the sizable town of Carrigaline, population of about 15 thousand, about 2 KM away. The town is accessible at HW by tender that can tie up at a slip or alongside the old sand quay just below the town.Any security concerns?
Never an incident known to have happened to a vessel in Drake’s Pool.With thanks to:
Anthony McCarthy, local yachtsman. Photography with thanks to Robert Ashby.Add your review or comment:
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