Cork Harbour tide times

The mean spring range at Cork Harbour is approximately 4.2 metres above Lowest Astronomical Tide (LAT), with neap ranges around 1.8 metres. The average mean range sits near 3.6 metres. These figures relate to the outer harbour at Roches Point; ranges decrease slightly moving deeper into the inner harbour toward Cork city quays. Tides are semidiurnal — two high waters and two low waters per day.

High water at Cork Harbour (Roches Point) occurs approximately 6 hours 10 minutes after high water at Cobh, which itself follows the primary Atlantic tidal wave up the Celtic Sea. The flood stream at the harbour mouth runs northeast for roughly 6 hours; the ebb reverses southwest. Use the tide times displayed on this page as a planning guide; for a specific date confirm against Marine Institute Ireland published predictions, as the Open-Meteo forecast carries ±45-minute timing uncertainty.

The inner harbour offers well-sheltered water suitable for kayaking at any state of tide, with the eastern shore from Crosshaven to Spike Island popular among paddlers. Myrtleville Beach on the western outer harbour is the principal swimming beach — it faces southeast and is accessible at all tide states, though the foreshore steepens slightly on the lower ebb. Tidal streams in the main channel at Roches Point run at 1.0–1.5 knots on springs, which is manageable for experienced kayakers but worth noting when crossing the shipping lane. Cobh foreshore exposes considerable mudflat at low water; wading is inadvisable.

Yes. Cobh is accessible by private boat via the main harbour channel; a visitors' pontoon operates seasonally adjacent to the town quay. Low-water clearances at the town-side berths are adequate for most cruising yachts at half-tide and above — check the latest berthing guide from Cobh Marina for sill depths. The Titanic Experience Cobh is a short walk up the hill from the quay, housed in the original White Star Line ticketing offices where passengers boarded the tenders on 11 April 1912.

Tide times and heights displayed on TideTurtle use Open-Meteo Marine model output. That source carries an inherent forecast uncertainty of approximately ±45 minutes on timing and ±0.2–0.3 metres on height relative to observed water levels. For recreational planning — timing a beach visit, launching a kayak, checking whether a drying mooring is accessible — this accuracy is generally sufficient. For commercial vessel operations, passage planning, or any situation where grounding or flooding would carry serious consequences, use Marine Institute Ireland's published tide tables or UKHO Admiralty charts as the authoritative source. This site does not replace official nautical publications.