Days Out NI
Diving & snorkelling Whitehead

Whitehead Shore Dive (Promenade Slipway)

A tidal slipway off the Whitehead seafront used by qualified, club-backed divers.

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Free accessSelf-access, no booking
FreeSite is free to enter
WhiteheadDiving & snorkelling
Get directionsOfficial website
Free shore siteType
FreeCost
Qualified diversExperience
Kelp life & lough fishYou may see
FreeParking

Whitehead Shore Dive (Promenade Slipway) — A tidal slipway off the Whitehead seafront used by qualified, club-backed divers.

  • What you can do: Self-access diving for qualified divers; mainly used as a tidal launch point for nearby wrecks.
  • Experience needed: Qualified divers only; beginners should join a club for a try-dive and training, not dive here solo.
  • Conditions: Cold water year-round; tidal access, generally best around two hours either side of high water; strong currents possible; no lifeguard.
  • Kit: Bring your own; wetsuit or drysuit essential, no air fills on site.
  • Booking & access: Free self-access from the promenade slipway; no operator on site.
Plan your visit

A slipway entry, on the sea's terms

Access is from the promenade slipway by the yacht club rather than a long surface swim or an awkward scramble, and the slipway dries up at low tide. It is best treated as a site for qualified divers working with a club or an experienced buddy. Access is tidal, so plan your dive around high water and check a tide table before you travel, and be aware there can be strong currents in the lough. Antrim dives can turn up kelp, crustaceans and small fish, but visibility and what you see vary with conditions and the season, so treat any sighting as a bonus, not a promise.

Free wild site No lifeguard Cold water Tidal access Qualified divers Slipway launch
Good to know before you go:

Conditions here change with the weather and the tide, and visibility changes with them — clear and calm one day, murky and rough the next. Check a forecast and a tide table before you set off. This is a self-access site with no lifeguard, so match it to the experience you actually have, go with a buddy, and never dive alone.

Before you set off

What to bring

  • 🗺️A proper planA buddy, a tide check and a weather check. Wild sites have no lifeguard and nobody expecting you.
  • ☕Warm layers and a hot drinkThe water is cold all year. Dry clothes and something hot afterwards make the whole day.
  • 🏖️A towelAnd somewhere to put wet kit for the drive home.
  • 🤿An honest look at your experienceMatch the site to the training you actually have. Plenty of people start with a try-dive instead.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Type
Free wild dive site, tidal slipway (self-access)
What you can do
Self-access diving for qualified divers; mainly used as a tidal launch point for nearby wrecks
Experience needed
Qualified divers only; beginners should join a club for a try-dive and training, not dive here solo
Conditions
Cold water year-round; tidal access, generally best around two hours either side of high water; strong currents possible; no lifeguard
Booking / access
Free self-access from the promenade slipway; no operator on site
Kit
Bring your own; wetsuit or drysuit essential, no air fills on site
What you may see
Kelp life and lough fish possible, never guaranteed
Parking
Free car park with toilets at Whitehead, above the slipway
Address / location
Whitehead promenade / slipway, Whitehead, Co. Antrim
Questions

Before you go

Do I need experience?
Qualified divers only; beginners should join a club for a try-dive and training, not dive here solo
Do I need to book?
Free self-access from the promenade slipway; no operator on site
What are the conditions like?
Cold water year-round; tidal access, generally best around two hours either side of high water; strong currents possible; no lifeguard
What kit do I need?
Bring your own; wetsuit or drysuit essential, no air fills on site
What might I see down there?
Kelp life and lough fish possible, never guaranteed
Getting there

Whitehead Shore Dive (Promenade Slipway) is at Whitehead promenade / slipway, Whitehead, Co. Antrim. Free car park with toilets at Whitehead, above the slipway. Tap below for directions.

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Nearby

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The story

About it

Whitehead is a small Victorian seaside town on the northern entrance to Belfast Lough, between Carrickfergus and Larne, with a long promenade and a slipway by the County Antrim Yacht Club. Divers use it both as an easy shore entry and as a tidal launch point for wrecks in the lough, including the Chirripo, with access generally limited to around two hours either side of high water.