Tidal Flow Information

The flood starts at Paddy’s Point half an hour earlier than any other point in the harbour. It runs past Ringaskiddy towards Monkstown and sometimes further.

At the mouth of the harbour the flood makes on the west side 20 minutes before mid stream. It flows past Fort Meagher and divides. One stream flows through west channel and one up the main channel towards Cobh and East Ferry. At this time the “Fresh” is still running out past Cobh and from East Ferry causing an eddy near the Spit and a current is forced along Cuskinny Bay and along towards Marloag Point.

The flood does not make on the surface at Cobh for an hour or more after it has started at the mouth.

The tide from Cobh to Cork depends very much on the fresh in the river.

At the start of the flood a weak current sets into White Bay. It is caused by Canavan’s Point which is dry at the time.

If there is fresh in the Carrigaline River it sets out at the southern side and around Fort Meagher for some time after the flood begins

An hour before HW the current sets out of East Ferry and along the north shore of Corkbeg and also out of the Carrigaline River. If there is a lot of fresh in the river there will be a strong surface ebb at Cobh before HW.

The ebb tide setting down past Whitepoint strikes Haulbowline and then runs towards the DW Quay resulting in a counter tide from No. 20 to the west end of Haulbowline.

The tide is always weak near the Spit Bank.

At the mouth the Ebb runs from Fort Meagher in a SE direction and from Roche’s Point in a SW direction so vessels are swept into White Bay and then across the entrance into Ringabella.

A Southerly but especially a South-easterly wind will raise the tide.

Northerly winds will cut the tide.

Fresh in the river increases the strength of the EBB and decreases the flood.