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Millport and Cumbrae Islands Anchorages

Your Comments: 13 Read or add your comments

Courtesy Flag

Flag, Red Ensign

Waypoint

Millport 55:45' N 004:55' W

Charts

Admiralty 1867, 1907

Rules & Regulations

Unknown

Hazards

Islets in Close Approach to Millport

Tidal Data Times & Range

+0100 Dover MHWS 3.4m, MHWN 2.8m, MLWN 1.0m, MLWS 0.5m   (links)

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General Description

A pair of islands in the Firth of Clyde, Great Cumbrae and Little Cumbrae, lie.... ... read more

Approach

Starting with Little Cumbrae Island, the Anchorage lies in the bight.... ... read more

Berthing, Mooring & Anchoring

This section deals with the closer approach to Millport Harbour. ... read more

Your Ratings & Comments

13 comments
New Millport breakwater
Written by Chris Bashforth | 14th Aug 2024
Was there in June 2024 and the new breakwater makes a huge difference. Inside the 'lagoon' its calm and beautiful even in a stiff SW wind. Apparently the moorings are free to use though I didn't go ashore to check.
Entry is through the West end of the breakwater - marked by a port hand buoy and starboard post (on the end of the breakwater). There is a yellow buoy in the middle. It seems accessible at all tides (had about 4.5m of water at low tide).
1 of 1 people found this helpful
Moorings laid
Written by Contender | 29th Apr 2024
The breakwater is completed round the southern boundary of the mooring / anchorage area as described earlier in NtMs. Navigation buoys clearly indicate the entrance from the west side. Inside the new rock breakwater are the mooring buoys, and also space to anchor. The improvement is dramatic. There are plans for more development including pontoons, but meantime this anchorage is now protected from that S swell that used to make it often un-useable. Do not attempt the chart marked leading line entry, this line of approach is completely blocked off.
2 of 2 people found this helpful
Millport new breakwater - approaches to the pier/moorings altered
Written by MrsMac | 8th Apr 2024
Peel Ports Notice to Mariners 09/24 regarding new breakwater as part of Millport flood defences.
This will fill the area between The Spoig and The Eileans, which is the route to the pier & moorings given in the CCC Sailing Directions. Unclear what impact this will have on the moorings. Cannot find a more recent notice (8 April 2024) but hopefully one will be forthcoming

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.peelports.com/media/vxmce2yr/cntm-09-24-firth-of-clyde-millport-flood-prevention-scheme-breakwater-construction.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjF87fvlLKFAxWWYEEAHaBqCDgQFnoECA8QAw&usg=AOvVaw2oP_5GvQ-4X355hQn0Ue-6

Text of Notice; "Mariners are advised that work to construct a new offshore breakwater in Millport Bay will continue until March 2024 as part of the Millport Flood Protection Scheme. The breakwater will be constructed between the small rock islands of The Leug, The Spoig and The Eileans as illustrated below.
Materials for the breakwater will be transported to site from Hunterston Terminal by tug and barge. A temporary barge mooring buoy will be established for the duration of the works.
A wave monitoring buoy and 4x temporary marker buoys will also be established to mark the work area boundary and mariners are requested to remain outside this area. Entry to and from the harbour is to the East of Millport Bay. The existing shore-based lights will be permanently extinguished when the marker buoys are established. A new lighting scheme will be installed as part of the project and will be communicated in a separate NTM.
Chart 1907"


1 of 1 people found this helpful
White Bay (North Gt Cumbrea)
Written by Jumblies | 15th Aug 2023
Take care here there is an unmarked wreck in the 2m contour. Steel frames attract your anchor chain like a magnet. Had to get divers to recover ours.
UPDATE AUGUST 2022
Written by Don Thomson 3 | 17th Aug 2022
I reviewed these notes in August 2022. Very little has changed here BUT the North Ayrshire Council provide and service the visitors moorings here, they are free and they have no connection with their old sign accompanying the "honesty box" There was a period when they that was how they collected the money, then the local community and the "Garrison" took over responsibility and left the signage and now the Council does the buoys and publishes the information on their website. It is not entirely certain who is collecting and auditing the honesty box.
Avoid anchoring in Kames Bay
Written by Grr | 24th Mar 2022
Although marked on the charts as an anchorage, Kames Bay is to be avoided (or at least treated with caution).

It is a gentle slope which at first impression is fine, but (and it might depend upon tide and wind) at certain states of tide there are significant waves which can cause serious rolling and a distinct lack of sleep!
1 of 1 people found this helpful
By Editor
Written by Don Thomson 3 | 14th Jul 2021
I am aware of that entry (below) on the Ayr website and am trying to get some sort of clarification from them. The powers-that-be are slow in responding. The telephone number we had for the people ashore at Millport doesn't work and neither does the website to pay on line. So, something has changed but I'm not sure what.
1 of 1 people found this helpful
September 2020
Written by beasag | 14th Jun 2021
Made a visit September 2020, the moorings were free - the North Ayrshire.gov website (June 2021) states the following:

Millport Harbour, Facilities include 30 moorings located across Millport, plus one marker buoy.
We do not charge a fee for the use of any these facilities.

The location is:
latitude: 55° 45' 2.304'' N
longitude: 4° 55' 52.2264'' W

See admiralty charts 1867 and 1907.
Please note: Be aware of islets in close approach to Millport.

NOTE: If you go ashore next to the main quay, watch out for the youngsters above you on top of the quay. Last year they launched a heavy unknown object at our dingy, which skiimmed off the top of my head and sunk. My advice is stay well out out from the quay when going ashore.
2 of 2 people found this helpful
Update Spring 2019
Written by Don Thomson 3 | 29th May 2019
These notes were reviewed in May 2019. I've expanded the notes on paying for moorings at Millport and revised the overnight payment from £15 to £10 . I've also added a contact number for the local people who look after the buoys. Charts have been updated.
UPDATE APRIL 2017
Written by Don Thomson | 12th Apr 2017
I reviewed these notes in April 2017. As far as I can tell there have been no changes here this year
1 of 1 people found this helpful
Update summer 2016
Written by dononshytalk | 21st Sep 2016
There are now 30 visitors buoys in Millport Bay and the text of this article has been edited along with a new chartlet in the Navigation gallery
1 of 1 people found this helpful
Update 2015
Written by dononshytalk | 3rd Apr 2015
These notes were reviewed by Don in April 2015. I have been unable to discover for certain whether North Ayre Council intends deploying the blue "courtesy" buoys in Millport Bay again this year. If anyone reading this knows who, in the NAC, is responsible for these I would appreciate a heads up. Other than that there are no changes of note.
Update 2013
Written by dononshytalk | 11th Mar 2013
The notes for the Cumbraes were updated by Don T in February 2013. There has been little change here.
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