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What's the story here?

Ballyhenry Bay lies ¾ of a mile north by northwest of Portaferry. It is entered between Walter Rocks and foul ground extending from Ballyhenry Point which lies offshore of the small Ballyhenry Island. The bay is set in a rural part of the coast fronted by trees with woods and arable farmland rising up behind in the background. At its centre is a large period cottage that serves to positively identify it along with its collection of moored vessels.




The shore of the bay is bordered by a mud flat with depths of about 2.5 metres that offers an excellent anchorage out of the tide.

How to get in?

Use the approaches, tidal timings, the run up The Narrows and onward to Killyleagh, on the Lough's western shore, as covered in the Entering and exiting Strangford Lough route description. The principal danger when approaching from The Narrows is Walter Rock.




Walter Rock dries to 3.4 metres, lies a ¼ mile above Portaferry and is nearly 200 metres from the east shore. It is marked with a perch when covered. Walter Pladdy, an awash rock, also lies 100 metres southward of it. As there is a strong tide setting past these vessels approaching the bay must be cautious and give them a sensible distance.




From the Initial Fix steer northward into the bay a ⅓ of a mile away.

Vessels approaching Ballyhenry Bay from the west should pass southwest of the Ballyhenry Point light beacon, Q.G.3m 3M, that marks foul ground which extends southward from Ballyhenry Island. Then take care to avoid the partly submerged stern section of the SS Empire Tana lying about 60 metres off of John’s Rock. It breaks the surface at low water and is in 12 metres of water. Between the SS Empire Tana and Ballyhenry Point is the pinnacle John’s Wee Rock, awash, and between the wreck and the shore is John’s Rock, which dries to 2.1 metres, at the northern side of the bay.




Do not turn sharply into the bay as the Little Ballyhenry Rock, awash at low water, lies about 250 metres from the shore. It is a detached patch situated about 300 metres eastward from John’s Rock.





The position of the anchorage is made unmistakable by its moored yachts, about fifteen, that are permanently moored in the bay and its central cottage visible among the trees.




Anchor clear of the permanent yacht moorings The shore of the bay is bordered by a mud flat with depths of about 2.5 metres. Tidal streams reduce the closer to shore that draft permits. Holding is fair to good in boulder clay, rock and shale. Although the tidal streams are vastly reduced an anchor watch is advisable at least at the change of tide.




Land by the cottages where the gap in the wall that runs around the edge of the road will be seen. There are usually some local boat tenders in this area.

Why visit here?

Ballyhenry, variously recorded as Ballyhanny, Ballyhany and Ballyhenny, takes its name from the Irish 'Baile Héinrí' which means 'Henry’s townland'. The name Henry was brought to this area by the Anglo-Normans led by de Courcey.




Although De Courcy choose Carrickfergus as his base, he saw this area as critical to holding building three castles within three miles of Ballyhenry Bay: Portaferry, Strangford and Ardkeen. He also established the ferry service that connected Lecale and the Upper Ards which is probably the oldest in Europe, if not the world. But Ballyhenry Bay remained a quiet peaceful location throughout this period. The shallow flat bay was in the 20th century the site of Lee's Breakers Yard owned by John Lees. The yard has left it with the most unusual feature offshore; the remains of SS Empire Tana.




SS Empire Tana was built in Trieste, Italy, in 1923 and started life as the SS Carso. It was captured during World War II and taken as a prize by the Allied forces in 1943 renaming it HMS Empire Tana. In 1944 she was towed to the D-Day beachhead at Normandy where she was scuttled and used as a block ship, 'Gooseberry No. 5' at Ouistreham on the British 'Sword' Beach. In 1947 she was purchased and raised to be scrapped by Lee’s Yard. The breakers intended to beach the ship at high tide, but alas the currents took her and she struck a reef, most likely John's rock, and falling off, split into two, sank and could not be refloated. Thereafter the wreck became known locally as 'Lees Wreck'.




The mid-section was salvaged, so not all was lost for the breaker's yard. The bow section referred to as the 'Inner Lees' wreck can be seen running in on Ballyhenry Island. The bow section is easily visible from the shore as, except at high water, it breaks the surface. The stern wreckage lies 300 metres to the southeast in about 15 metres of water and usually breaks the surface and is highly visible at low tide. Both sections are today popular dive sites in Strangford Lough.




Ballyhenry Bay offers an excellent anchorage with road access to the village of Portaferry. It offers an uncomplicated anchoring location out of the tides and makes an ideal easy set down or place to wait for a tide. More importantly, Ballyhenry Bay, along with all the berths in its vicinity are setdown locations and gateways to Strangford Lough that provide a boatman with magnificent cruising in unspoilt surroundings.

What facilities are available?

There are no facilities available in Ballyhenry Bay, however it is a very short walk from here into Portaferry. There you will find local amenities including supermarkets, post office, butcher, green grocer, cash machine, hardware supply shop, credit union, bakery, gas, and minor repairers etc. who cater for a local population of almost 3,000. The Health Centre and pharmacy are located in the High Street. Barholm Hostel during office hours offers a launderette.

Any security concerns?

Never a problem known to have occurred in Ballyhenry Bay.

With thanks to:

Brian Crawford, local Strangford Lough boatman of many decades. eOceanic would like to thank Quoile Yacht Club for hosting our survey boat during the survey of Strangford Lough.