Moray Firth

Introduction

Times of high water

Ackergillshore: High water is 2 hours and 20 minutes before high water at Aberdeen

Lybster: High water is 2 hours before high water at Aberdeen

Helmsdale: High water is 1 hours and 50 minutes before high water at Aberdeen

Portmahomack: High water is 1 hours and 30 minutes before high water at Aberdeen

Nigg Ferry: High water is 1 hours and 30 minutes before high water at Aberdeen

Rosemarkie: High water is 1 hours and 25 minutes before high water at Aberdeen

Burghead: High water is 1 hours and 30 minutes before high water at Aberdeen

Tidal streams

Between Ackergilshore and Noss Head: The tidal stream here flows east. Continuous east going stream

Noss Head: The north going stream begins at 40 minutes before high water at Aberdeen. The south going stream begins at 5 hours and 30 minutes after high water at Aberdeen. The flow reaches a speed of 2 knots at springs. Skerries around head can produce boomers and waves in swell.

Wick: The north going stream begins at 40 minutes before high water at Aberdeen. The south going stream begins at 5 hours and 30 minutes after high water at Aberdeen. The flow reaches a speed of 1.5 knots at springs.

Offshore Wick: The north going stream begins at 53 minutes before high water at Aberdeen. The south going stream begins at 5 hours and 20 minutes after high water at Aberdeen. The north going stream reaches a speed of 1.9 knots at springs. The south going stream reaches a speed of 2.1 knots at springs.

Between Lybster and Dunbeath: The north-east going stream begins at 20 minutes before high water at Aberdeen. The south-west going stream begins at 6 hours and 5 minutes after high water at Aberdeen. The flow reaches a speed of 1 knots at springs.

Off Dunbeath Bay: The north-east going stream begins at 20 minutes before high water at Aberdeen. The south-west going stream begins at 6 hours and 5 minutes after high water at Aberdeen. The flow reaches a speed of 1 knots at springs.

Between Dunbeath and Helmsdale: The north-east going stream begins at 20 minutes before high water at Aberdeen. The south-west going stream begins at 6 hours and 5 minutes after high water at Aberdeen. The flow reaches a speed of 1 knots at springs.

Loch Fleet: Little information is available. The tide is said to run strongly in the narrow entrance. Sand bars at the entrance can produce heavy surf.

Few miles north west of Portmahomack: The north-east going stream begins at 1 hours and 10 minutes before high water at Aberdeen. The south-west going stream begins at 4 hours and 40 minutes after high water at Aberdeen. The flow reaches a speed of 0.5 knots at springs.

North west side of Tarbet Ness: The north-east going stream begins at 1 hours and 30 minutes before high water at Aberdeen. The south-west going stream begins at 4 hours and 50 minutes after high water at Aberdeen. The flow reaches a speed of 0.4 knots at springs.

Between Tarbet Ness and Balintore: The north-east going stream begins at 1 hours and 20 minutes before high water at Aberdeen. The south-west going stream begins at 4 hours and 35 minutes after high water at Aberdeen. The flow reaches a speed of 0.5 knots at springs.

Between Balintore and North Sutor: The north north-east going stream begins at 1 hours and 20 minutes before high water at Aberdeen. The south south-west going stream begins at 4 hours and 35 minutes after high water at Aberdeen. The north north-east going stream reaches a speed of 0.5 knots at springs. The south south-west going stream reaches a speed of 0.4 knots at springs.

Entrance to Cromarty Firth: The east going stream begins at 1 hours and 5 minutes before high water at Aberdeen. The west going stream begins at 5 hours after high water at Aberdeen. The east going stream reaches a speed of 2 knots at springs. The west going stream reaches a speed of 1.5 knots at springs.

Cromarty Firth West: The east north-east going stream begins at 37 minutes before high water at Aberdeen. The west south-west going stream begins at 5 hours and 13 minutes after high water at Aberdeen. The east north-east going stream reaches a speed of 1.6 knots at springs. The west south-west going stream reaches a speed of 1.2 knots at springs.

Cromarty Firth- Invergordon: The east north-east going stream begins at 50 minutes before high water at Aberdeen. The west south-west going stream begins at 4 hours and 50 minutes after high water at Aberdeen. The east north-east going stream reaches a speed of 1.9 knots at springs. The west south-west going stream reaches a speed of 1.4 knots at springs.

Cromarty Firth- Alness: The east north-east going stream begins at 1 hours and 5 minutes before high water at Aberdeen. The west south-west going stream begins at 4 hours and 36 minutes after high water at Aberdeen. The east north-east going stream reaches a speed of 2.4 knots at springs. The west south-west going stream reaches a speed of 2.6 knots at springs.

South off Sutors Stacks: The east north-east going stream begins at 2 hours and 15 minutes before high water at Aberdeen. The west south-west going stream begins at 4 hours and 5 minutes after high water at Aberdeen. The east north-east going stream reaches a speed of 0.5 knots at springs. The west south-west going stream reaches a speed of 0.4 knots at springs.

Between Rosemarkie and Sutor Stacks: The north-east going stream begins at 1 hours and 5 minutes before high water at Aberdeen. The south-west going stream begins at 6 hours and 5 minutes after high water at Aberdeen. The flow reaches a speed of 0.5 knots at springs.

Entrance to Moray Firth: The north-east going stream begins at 30 minutes before high water at Aberdeen. The south-west going stream begins at 4 hours and 40 minutes after high water at Aberdeen. The north-east going stream reaches a speed of 1.8 knots at springs. The south-west going stream reaches a speed of 1.7 knots at springs.

Between Chanonry Point and Fort George: The north going stream begins at 1 hours and 5 minutes before high water at Aberdeen. The south going stream begins at 6 hours and 5 minutes after high water at Aberdeen. The north going stream reaches a speed of 3.5 knots at springs. The south going stream reaches a speed of 2.5 knots at springs. Avoid Chanonry point on flood to avoid disturbing dolphins.

Off Hopeman: The east going stream begins at 20 minutes before high water at Aberdeen. The west going stream begins at 5 hours and 45 minutes after high water at Aberdeen. The flow reaches a speed of 0.5 knots at springs.

Notes

Firing range south of Wick: Phone Shetland Coastguard

Access/Egress

Reiss sands: (ND 345 556) g Lots of parking but slightly long walk

Ackergillshore : (ND 360 545) g

Staxigoe: (ND 385 525) g

Wick Harbour: (ND 369 509) g Good launch if using bus shuttles.

Sarclet: (ND 351 433) g Long carry.

Lybster : (ND 244 349) g

Latheronwheel Pier: (ND 191 321) g

Dunbeath: (ND 166 294) g Slip or sandy beach.

Berriedale: (ND 121 226) g Private estate road to harbour- emergency only.

Helmsdale: (ND 029 152) g

Brora: (NC 909 039) g

Golspie: (NH 830 996) g

Dornoch: (NH 806 895) g Long walk at LW.

Meikle Ferry north: (NH 729 870) g

Portmahomack: (NH 914 844) g

Rockfield: (NH 924 829) g Almost no parking.

Balintore: Harbour: (NH 863 755) g Perhaps harder than beach at LW.

Balintore: Shandwick bay: (NH 860 751) g At LW, this might be easier than harbour.

Nigg Ferry: (NH 797 687) g

Invergordon: (NH 697 689) g

Newhall Point: (NH 710 672) g

Cromarty: (NH 790 676) g

Rosemarkie: (NH 739 578) g

Chanonry Point: (NH 749 559) g

Fortrose : (NH 725 562) g Limited parking

Avoch: (NH 704 551) g

Kilmuir: (NH 674 497) g

North Kessock: (NH 656 478) g

South Kessock: (NH 655 472) g

Alturlie Point: (NH 713 494) g

Ardersier: (NH 780 546) g

Burghead: (NJ 110 690) g Paying slipway at back of harbour, possible alternative on sea front depending on tide.

Hopeman: (NJ 145 699) g

Lossiemouth: (NJ 229 711) g

Suggested trips

Back to index