OVERVIEW


Lough Swilly is a deep and sheltered north facing glacial fjord lying between the western side of the Inishowen Peninsula and the Fanad Peninsula, in County Donegal. The spacious inlet penetrates southward into the land for twenty-six miles to its tidal head, near the town of Letterkenny, and it varies from one to three miles wide. The entrance is well defined by Fanad lighthouse on the western point, and by the bold and lofty headland of Dunaff Head on the eastern side 3½ miles apart. Mid-channel depths at the entrance are in excess of 35 metres and 18 metres to within a short distance of either shore. The general depth of the lough is from 18 to 12 metres, on a bottom of sand, or sand and mud. Both sides of the lough are bordered by hills, 90 to 305 metres high, which are mostly bare at the entrance, but more fertile and cultivated farther to the south.




Entry is simple, day or night in all reasonable weather conditions and at all stages of the tide which makes it the principal harbour of refuge for vessels passing north of Ireland. Once safely inside the lough provides numerous well sheltered anchorage with excellent holding, a marina at Fahan with plenty of space for visitors and a pontoon, usually May to September, at Rathmullan. To name but a few of the berthing oppertunities, eOceanic covers: Pincher Bay , Ballymastocker Bay , Scraggy Bay , Macamish Bay , Rathmullan , Ramelton , Buncrana , Dunree Bay , Crummie’s Bay and Lenan Bay and Lough Swilly Marina at Fahan which the list of waypoints leads directly to and has ample visitor berths and basic toilet / shower facilites available. All of this makes Lough Swilly, argaubly, the principal yachting area on the north coast of Ireland.


LISTED WAYPOINTS
The complete course is 13.93 miles from the waypoint 'Lough Swilly' to 'Fahan Channel 8' tending in a south south easterly direction (reciprocal north north westerly).














PASSAGE NOTES

The entrance is well defined by Fanad lighthouse on the western point, FI (5) WR 205 38m 18/14M, and by the bold and lofty headland of Dunaff Head on the east 3½ miles apart. The 151 metres high Crockdonelly and Murren Hill, surmounted by a conspicuous radio mast, rise 1.2 miles to the south by southwest and 3 miles south by southwest, respectively, of Fanad Head. A spit with less than 8 metres of water extends nearly half a mile northeastward from the lighthouse. In heavy gales the sea breaks on this and the uneven ground adjacent; and even after the gale has subsided the rollers are dangerous, rendering it necessary to give the point a wide berth in passing.




Dunaff Head, at the east side of the entrance, is bordered by 180-metre high sheer cliffs which are on the north side and 45 to 120 metres high on the west and south sides. The summit of the head, which is 219 metres high, is somewhat rounded and falls in a very abrupt slope to the bordering cliffs. The 501 metres high Raghtin More stands 2.5 miles southeast of Dunaff Head, its prominent summit appears from the north to have a flat top. Dundaff head also tends to have confused seas in its vicinity caused by waves reflecting off its sheer cliffs so it is best to stick to the central waypoint to proceed into the lough.




The entire length of Lough Swilly is marked with various easily identified lit navigation marks along the main deepwater shipping channel that makes it a trivial route to follow as far as the 'Inch Spit', Fl.R3s, port buoy.

After that, the route leads into the Fahan Channel where it becomes much more challenging as it has a bar with only 1-metre MLWS at its entrance. Therefore the full length of the route, for most medium draft vessels, will require an arrival at the 'Inch Spit' buoy at high water ± 2 hours to continue to Fahen Marina. More details surrounding this part of the route can be found in the Lough Swilly Marina pilotage.



HAZARDS
The central entrance is easy and dangers up the lock are largely fringe its sides and are to the most part well marked. Once in the lough follow the waypoints southward where the land rises above to high hills and increases in height as we proceed up the lough, the mountains on either side presenting a bold and majestic appearance. The principal dangers flanking this route are as follows:

• • Swilly Rocks. Two drying ledges situated 1¾ South by southwest of Fanad Head. Comprising Swilly More, that dries 1.5 metres, and Swilly Beg, that dries 0.9 metres, these are the principal dangers that flank the west side of the inner entrance.


• • Marine farms and shellfish beds south from Scraggy Bay.


• • Colpagh Rocks, situates 2 miles southeast of Dunree Head and drying to 4.1 and 2.9 metres.


• • Carrickacullin group of rocks that dry 3.2 metres a mile southwest of Buncrana Pier. These are very much in the way of a vessel moving from Buncrana to the Fahan Channel to proceed on to Lough Swilly Marina .


• • The Kinnegar Spit, drying to 0.5 metres and extending from the west shore north of Kinnegar Head.


• • Inch Flats, a sandbank drying to 0.9 metres, that extend a mile northward of Inch Island.

What is the best sailing time?

May to September is the traditional Irish Sailing season with June July offering the best weather. June and July’s statistical incidence of strong winds are however two days of winds up to force seven. As such, depending on personal sailing preferences, a vessel may expect to be held-up or enjoy robust sailing conditions. Ireland is not subject to persistent fog. Statistically complete days of persistent fog occur less than once in a decade.

With thanks to:

Graham Wilkinson and the Lough Swilly Yacht Club.