Slade Harbour was built a mile NE of Hook Head as a relief project
....... back in the 1870’s during the famine and is now used by local lobster potters. It is a small harbour consisting of an outer harbour with a narrow entrance and an inner harbour with an even narrower one.
The inner harbour is generally fairly crowded with local boats; the larger potters occupying the walls and open boats on running moorings in the middle of the harbour. There can be more room in the outer harbour but there are still a fair few potting boats. Outside the harbour, the bottom is rock and of poor holding.
The harbour dries at LW so, all told it does not lend itself as a very convenient place for any boat which cannot take the ground inside the harbour and you’d probably find it difficult to find room for anything above eight or nine meters in length.
On the other hand, if you are in a smaller boat and the weather is worsening from the SW, making the passage round Hook Head look a bit daunting then this would be a very good place to slip into and wait for the conditions to improve, especially as you won’t be pressured by increasing harbour dues to go back out before it suits you.
You need to make your approach two or three hours either....
...... side of HW at which time you should have no problems getting in.
If you are creeping round the coast from the NE watch out for the shallows, known as Brecaun Bridge, about three quarters of a mile from the harbour entrance. Other than that there may be a line of lobster keep-pots outside the harbour; keep those on the starboard hand as you approach the entrance.
You may be able to find a berth alongside but may have to raft with a potter.
There is not much room to manoeuvre so you could well have to warp her round when it comes time to leave. Silting in the SE corner of the harbour can reduce the depth available by as much as a meter and may cause significant “outward” lean when you take the ground.
There are no facilities here at all apart from public toilets (and we are not sure that those exist!!)
The keys to the castle may be obtained from Mr Richard Rice at Slade House. +353 (0)868228801
Street View
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.1338833,-6.9100849,3a,75y,81.02h,85.91t/data
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