Helen's Bay today
- Beach day Not today Not a beach day · 0/10
- Tide now 10.4 ft ↑ rising · high 12:26 am (11.6 ft)
- Best time tomorrow 6:40–7:40 am average day · 6/10
- Waves · water 0.7 ft · 56 °F smooth · 4.8 s from the west-southwest
- Wind · air 5 mph · 52 °F from the SSW, gusts 10 · overcast
- Sun 7:17 am–4:55 pm 9 h 38 min of daylight
- Moon 92% · 5:25 pm waning gibbous · rises at 5:25 pm
- Diving tomorrow 11:40 am–12:30 pm great day · 9/10
Today in Helen's Bay there is high tide at 12:04 pm (11.7 ft) and low tides at 5:54 am and 6:10 pm. Tide coefficient 85. Right now the tide is rising toward the high tide at 12:26 am. The sun rises at 7:17 am and sets at 4:55 pm: 9 h 38 min of daylight. The moon is 92% illuminated (waning gibbous) and rises at 5:25 pm. Major solunar periods run from 12:46 am to 2:46 am and from 1:17 pm to 3:17 pm. The next spring tides arrive from October 26 to 28. The sea is smooth, with 0.7 ft waves. There's a light breeze from the south-southwest (5 mph). Overcast, 52 °F.
Beach day in Helen's Bay
Is it a beach day?
- Calm for swimming: 1.4 ft waves
- Cloudy (96% cloud cover)
- Feels like 53 °F: chilly for the beach
- Moderate offshore wind (14 mph): it blows floats and inflatables out to sea
- Water at 56 °F (very cold)
- High tide at 12:04 pm
Today, hour by hour
- Swimming Calm · 1.4 ft
1.4 ft waves: calm for swimming. Low rip current risk. Always follow the lifeguard's flags.
- Water 56 °F
Very cold: ease in and keep swims short.
- Sun & sunscreen UV 1 · SPF 15
Max UV 1 (low): SPF 15 sunscreen.
- Wind 14 mph
Moderate offshore wind (14 mph). Skip the inflatables: offshore wind carries them out to sea.
- Tide & sand 5:54 am
Low tide at 5:54 am and 6:10 pm: that's when there's the most sand. High tide at 12:04 pm.
We don't have data on jellyfish, sargassum or beach closures: ask the lifeguard or check with the local beach authority. How it works · The next 7 days
About Helen's BayThe beach
2.8 mi from Bangor. Tides, weather and sun in Bangor →
Amenities from OpenStreetMap: some may be missing or out of date. See on OpenStreetMap · Fix on OpenStreetMap
UK bathing water quality: DAERA. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full attribution.
Beaches near Helen's Bay
Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors
- Crawfordsburn Beach 0.5 mi · SE
- Parking
Excellent water quality 2025 season, DAERA
- Brompton Bay 2.0 mi · E
- Parking
Good water quality 2025 season, DAERA
- Skippingstone Beach 2.3 mi · E
- Restrooms
- Parking
- Ballyholme Beach 3.7 mi · E
Good water quality 2025 season, DAERA
- Seapark Beach 3.9 mi · SW
- Restrooms
- Parking
- Groomsport Beach 5.0 mi · E
- Parking
Excellent water quality 2025 season, DAERA
- jordanstown beach 5.9 mi · W
- Restrooms
- Parking
Named beaches within 6.2 mi, nearest first. Amenities from OpenStreetMap: some may be missing or out of date. View on OpenStreetMap · Add or fix on OpenStreetMap
Beaches and amenities: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
UK bathing water quality: DAERA. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full attribution.
Webcams near Helen's Bay
Webcams provided by windy.com — add a webcam
Fishing in Helen's Bay today
Best time to fish
Solunar activity today: high- Low tide at 6:10 pm
- Minor period 4:55–5:55 pm (moonrise)
- Sunset at 4:55 pm, golden hour from 4:02 pm
- Rising pressure (+0.41 inHg in 24 h), light offshore wind (7 mph) and calm sea (0.9 ft waves)
- Waning gibbous: a bit more activity than at the quarters
- Highest tide coefficient today: 85 (average tides)
- A minor period lines up with sunset
Your day at a glance
The best window, 4:50 pm to 5:50 pm, combines the 6:10 pm low tide, moonrise and sunset, though with rising pressure.
Species with the most records nearby: whiting, small-spotted catshark, European plaice and haddock. October is one of the months when these are seen most: haddock and Atlantic mackerel. What you can catch
Tides in Helen's Bay
Today's high and low tides
- ▼ Low tide 5:54 am 2.1 ft
- ▲ High tide 12:04 pm 11.7 ft · coef. 85
- ▼ Low tide 6:10 pm 1.9 ft
↑ Rising The tide is rising. 1 h 28 min to high tide at 12:26 am.
Tide coefficient 85 for the 12:04 pm high tide. Average coefficient. The water rises and falls 9.7 ft between the highest high and the lowest low: an average range for this place. 70 is an average tide here; 90 and above means spring tides; below 45, neap tides. What is the tide coefficient?
2026 extremes: the highest tide of the year is on December 27 (12.6 ft) and the lowest, on July 17 (0.6 ft).
Semidiurnal: two high and two low tides a day, of similar height.
Heights above chart datum: the lowest astronomical tide (LAT), the zero of nautical charts in Europe. Astronomical prediction: wind and air pressure can raise or lower the water by a few inches, and more in a storm. Not for navigation. chart datum (LAT)
Tide coefficient and range in October
The biggest tides of the month came from October 9 to 11 (coefficient 86, 10.4 ft range). The smallest, from October 19 to 20 (coefficient 43, 5.5 ft).
Tide and solunar table · this week
| Day | Sun | Tide 1 | Tide 2 | Tide 3 | Tide 4 | Coef. | Moon | Major periods | Activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today, Wed 28 | 7:17 am · 4:55 pm | Low tide 5:54 am · 2.1 ft | High tide 12:04 pm · 11.7 ft | Low tide 6:10 pm · 1.9 ft | — | Coef. 85 | 92% | Major periods 12:46 am · 1:17 pm | High |
| Thu 29 | 7:19 am · 4:53 pm | High tide 12:26 am · 11.6 ft | Low tide 6:37 am · 2.3 ft | High tide 12:48 pm · 11.8 ft | Low tide 6:58 pm · 1.9 ft | Coef. 85 | 85% | Major periods 1:49 am · 2:22 pm | High |
| Fri 30 | 7:21 am · 4:51 pm | High tide 1:17 am · 11.4 ft | Low tide 7:24 am · 2.7 ft | High tide 1:37 pm · 11.7 ft | Low tide 7:52 pm · 2.0 ft | Coef. 82 | 76% | Major periods 2:54 am · 3:26 pm | Medium |
| Sat 31 | 7:24 am · 4:49 pm | High tide 2:13 am · 11.0 ft | Low tide 8:16 am · 3.2 ft | High tide 2:32 pm · 11.6 ft | Low tide 8:52 pm · 2.2 ft | Coef. 78 | 65% | Major periods 3:57 am · 4:27 pm | Medium |
| Sun 1 | 7:26 am · 4:47 pm | High tide 3:16 am · 10.5 ft | Low tide 9:17 am · 3.7 ft | High tide 3:34 pm · 11.3 ft | Low tide 10:02 pm · 2.5 ft | Coef. 71 | Last quarter | Major periods 4:56 am · 5:23 pm | Medium |
| Mon 2 | 7:28 am · 4:45 pm | High tide 4:29 am · 10.0 ft | Low tide 10:32 am · 4.0 ft | High tide 4:45 pm · 10.9 ft | Low tide 11:23 pm · 2.5 ft | Coef. 65 | 43% | Major periods 5:49 am · 6:15 pm | Medium |
| Tue 3 | 7:30 am · 4:43 pm | High tide 5:50 am · 9.6 ft | Low tide 11:57 am · 4.0 ft | High tide 6:01 pm · 10.8 ft | — | Coef. 62 | 32% | Major periods 6:39 am · 7:02 pm | Medium |
▲ high tide · ▼ low tide · heights above chart datum (LAT). Major periods: start time; they last 2 hours. Activity: based on the moon phase and the solunar periods.
Where this tide comes from
Tides from the Bangor station (Environment Agency), 2.6 mi from Helen's Bay. Times and heights are its predictions.
Station data attribution: This uses Environment Agency tide gauge data from the real-time data API (Beta): Bangor (E73824), https://environment.data.gov.uk/flood-monitoring/id/stations/E73824. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/). Modified: harmonic constants fitted by TidePlanet from the 15-minute sea levels of 2025-10-29 to 2026-10-22 (356 days).
The sea at Helen's Bay
Sea stateSea state: smooth
The waves you may find
- Most commonMost common0.4 ft
- Significant0.7 ft
- Highest expectedHighest1.5 ft
One wave in seven is higher than the significant height, and about 3 times a day one reaches 1.5 ft. Before heading out, expect waves of up to 1.5 ft.
Wind on the coast and offshore
Offshore wind. The coast faces northeast and the wind blows from land out to sea: calm shore and clean waves, but watch the drift out to sea.
Wave height, next 7 daysWaves, next 7 days
Waves stay much the same all week. The biggest waves arrive on Friday 30: 2.4 ft with a period of 4 s, from the south-southeast (slight).
Water temperature
Water temperature →Water temperature changes how fish behave: in very cold or very warm water they feed less. The water is steady these days, with no sudden changes.
Water about normal for late October.
Satellite: NASA MUR (JPL MUR MEaSUREs, PO.DAAC), doi:10.5067/GHGMR-4FJ04. Sources and licenses
Water temperature →Forecast from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0) with models from ECMWF, NOAA, Météo-France, DWD, Copernicus Marine and CAMS. Updated at 10:58 pm (local time).
Nearest buoy
This is a real measurement of the sea, not a forecast. Data from Met Eireann, Commissioners of Irish Lights, via the E.U. Copernicus Marine Service. Generated using E.U. Copernicus Marine Service Information (doi:10.48670/moi-00036).
Diving in Helen's Bay today
Diving and snorkeling today
Likely visibility: good- Tidal current running: mid-tide, the water is moving
- 0.5 ft swell at 7 s from the northwest: barely any surge
- Light offshore wind (7 mph)
- 0.5 mph current toward the south-southeast, weak (model)
- Daylight
- Slack water today: high tide 11:40 pm (11:10 pm–12:10 am), low tide 5:54 am (5:30–6:10 am), high tide 12:04 pm (11:40 am–12:30 pm) and low tide 6:10 pm (5:50–6:30 pm)
- Likely visibility: good. The sea has been calm and there's been little rain. Based on the last 24 hours of data.
- Water at 55.9 °F: a 7 mm semi-dry suit, with hood, gloves and booties.
- Snorkeling: good, calm sea and light wind.
- Night dive: dark from 5:33 pm. Waning gibbous (92%), rising at 5:25 pm: a bright night.
Your diving day at a glance
The best window, 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm, combines little swell, light wind and weak current, though with tidal current. Also worth a look from 9:40 am to 12:40 pm, with slack water at high tide, little swell and the sun high, though with moderate wind and current.
Slack water comes from the tide: in inlets, channels and between islands the water can keep running for an hour or two after. Ask the local dive shop.
Never dive alone and check with the local dive shop: this rating is a guide, not a substitute for a professional.
Dive sites, wrecks and dive shops nearby
Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors
- Bellatrix 2.1 mi
- Troutpool 2.9 mi
- Normanby Hall 3.6 mi
- Annagher 4.2 mi
- HMS Jewel 4.4 mi
- Graphic 5.5 mi
- Hmt Rose II 5.7 mi
- Lagan 6.5 mi
- Chirripo 6.7 mi
- Dive Belfast SAC 8.5 mi
- DiveClub Northern Ireland 9.1 mi
- DV Diving 10.0 mi
Within 12 mi. Some may be missing or closed; marine reserves usually need a permit. Open the map on OpenStreetMap · Missing one? Add it to OpenStreetMap
Wreck and reef positions are approximate and not for navigation; a wreck’s depth runs from the top of the hull to the seabed.
Sites: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Wrecks: EMODnet Human Activities (AND-International), from UK Hydrographic Office data, CC BY 4.0. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Weather in Helen's Bay
Now in Helen's Bay
- Low / high
- 48 / 57 °F
- Rain
- 0.01 in · 84%
- Clouds
- 100%
- Humidity
- 92%
- Dew pointDew point
- 50 °F
- Visibility
- 13 mi
- UV indexUV
- 0 · low
- Air qualityAir
- Fair · 23
- Saharan dust
- No
- Pollen
- None
Pressure and fishing
- ↗ RisingRising Anglers say fish bite less for a while
- → SteadySteady · now Anglers expect normal activity
- ↘ FallingFalling Anglers say fish feed more before the change
Steady now (+0.02 inHg in 3 hours). Over the next 48 hours: +0.17 inHg. Steady pressure: anglers expect normal activity. Fast changes, either way, tend to affect fishing.
Today, hour by hourHour by hour
Bars: mean wind. Dashed line: gusts. Arrows point where the wind blows to.
| Time | 12:00 am | 3:00 am | 6:00 am | 9:00 am | 12:00 pm | 3:00 pm | 6:00 pm | 9:00 pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sky | Overcast | Overcast | Overcast | Overcast | Overcast | Overcast | Overcast | Overcast |
| Temperature | 48° | 51° | 52° | 54° | 56° | 56° | 54° | 51° |
| Wind (mph) | 14 SSW | 19 SW | 12 SW | 14 SW | 13 WSW | 10 SW | 6 SSW | 4 SSW |
| Gusts | 27 | 35 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 19 | 13 | 10 |
| Waves | 1.7 ft | 1.8 ft | 1.6 ft | 1.2 ft | 1.2 ft | 1.0 ft | 0.8 ft | 0.7 ft |
| Rain | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in |
- 12:00 am 52° 5 SSW 0.7 ft
- 3:00 am 51° 4 S 0.7 ft
- 6:00 am 50° 4 S 0.7 ft
- 9:00 am 53° 6 S 0.9 ft
- 12:00 pm 58° 11 S 1.2 ft
- 3:00 pm 57° 13 S 1.7 ft
- 6:00 pm 55° 11 SSE 2.1 ft
- 9:00 pm 55° 12 SSE 2.0 ft
Next 14 daysComing days
| Day | Sky | Low / high | Max wind | Max wave | High tides |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today · 28 | 48 / 57 °F | 19 mph SW | 1.8 ft | 12:04 pm | |
| Thu 29 | 49 / 58 °F | 14 mph S | 2.1 ft | 12:26 am · 12:48 pm | |
| Fri 30 | 54 / 57 °F | 17 mph S | 2.4 ft | 1:17 am · 1:37 pm | |
| Sat 31 | 54 / 58 °F | 9 mph S | 1.1 ft | 2:13 am · 2:32 pm | |
| Sun 1 | 47 / 55 °F | 11 mph NNW | 1.5 ft | 3:16 am · 3:34 pm | |
| Mon 2 | 47 / 53 °F | 6 mph E | 1.4 ft | 4:29 am · 4:45 pm | |
| Tue 3 | 46 / 50 °F | 2 mph E | 0.6 ft | 5:50 am · 6:01 pm | |
| Wed 4 | 47 / 52 °F | 7 mph E | 1.0 ft | 7:08 am · 7:12 pm | |
| Thu 5 | 50 / 52 °F | 13 mph SE | 2.0 ft | 8:12 am · 8:14 pm | |
| Fri 6 | 51 / 52 °F | 16 mph SE | 2.1 ft | 9:03 am · 9:05 pm | |
| Sat 7 | 47 / 52 °F | 15 mph SE | 3.2 ft | 9:43 am · 9:48 pm | |
| Sun 8 | 42 / 51 °F | 14 mph ESE | 2.9 ft | 10:17 am · 10:27 pm | |
| Mon 9 | 51 / 54 °F | 14 mph ESE | 3.2 ft | 10:48 am · 11:03 pm | |
| Tue 10 | 53 / 54 °F | 11 mph E | 2.4 ft | 11:19 am · 11:39 pm |
- Thu 29 Overcast 49° / 58° 2.1 ft
- Fri 30 Overcast 54° / 57° 2.4 ft
- Sat 31 Overcast 54° / 58° 1.1 ft
- Sun 1 Overcast 47° / 55° 1.5 ft
- Mon 2 Overcast 47° / 53° 1.4 ft
- Tue 3 Overcast 46° / 50° 0.6 ft
- Wed 4 Overcast 47° / 52° 1.0 ft
Each day comes from the best model covering this spot: regional ones first (HRRR and NBM in the U.S., AROME, ICON-EU), then ECMWF; day 16, NOAA GFS. Waves: Météo-France up to day 10, then ECMWF WAM, coarser and further offshore. High tides: our own tide calculation.
- The models Partly agree · medium confidence: unsure about rain today. See the models →
- Normal Today, warmer than normal for late October (+4.6 °F; normal high: 52 °F). Climate by month →
Forecast from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0) with models from ECMWF, NOAA, Météo-France, DWD, Copernicus Marine and CAMS. Updated at 10:58 pm (local time).
The sun in Helen's Bay
Sunrise and sunset
- First light 5:58 am
- Full dark 6:15 pm
- Civil dawn 6:40 am
- Civil dusk 5:33 pm
- Solar noon 12:07 pm (22° high)
- Daylight 9 h 38 min (−4 min)
- Evening golden hour 4:02 pm
- Full dark 6:15 pm
Golden hour and the day-night map
Today the sun is 92,359,472 mi away and looks 32′ 11″ across.
The moon in Helen's Bay
Moon phase and position
Today the moon is 226,451 mi away and looks 32′ 47″ across.
Solunar periods
Today's activity: high- 12:46–2:46 am Major · the moon passes overhead · high activity
- 1:17–3:17 pm Major · the moon passes underfoot · high activity
- 10:33–11:33 am Minor · moonset · medium activity
- 4:55–5:55 pm Minor · moonrise · medium activity
According to solunar theory, fish feed more when the moon passes overhead or underfoot (major periods, about 2 h) and when it rises or sets (minor periods, 1 h). It works best around new and full moon.
Upcoming moon phases
2026 moon calendar →- Last quarter Sun, Nov 1 · 8:29 pmNov 1 in 4 days
- New moon Mon, Nov 9 · 7:03 amNov 9 in 12 days
- First quarter Tue, Nov 17 · 11:48 amNov 17 in 20 days
- Full moon Tue, Nov 24 · 2:54 pmNov 24 in 27 days
Perigee on October 28, 226,426 mi away, coinciding with the spring tides from October 26 to 28: they will be stronger than usual.
Where to fish in Helen's Bay
Piers, ramps and tackle shops nearby
Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors
- Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club Pier 3.6 mi
- Jetty 2.3 mi
- Jetty 2.5 mi
- Jetty 2.7 mi
- Boat ramp 0.9 mi
- Boat ramp 2.7 mi
- Boat ramp 2.8 mi
- Bangor Marina 2.6 mi
- Carrickfergus Marina 4.0 mi
- McKees's Angling Centre 3.2 mi
- IFISH Tackle 3.4 mi
- Fishing Tackle 2U 3.4 mi
Within 9.3 mi. A spot may be missing or closed. Open the map on OpenStreetMap · Missing one? Add it to OpenStreetMap
Spots: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps.
Tides near Helen's BayTides nearby
- Bangor2.8 mi
- Kilroot3.8 mi
- Carrickfergus4.1 mi
- Holywood4.3 mi
- Whitehead5.6 mi
- Newtownards5.9 mi
- Greenisland5.9 mi
- Whiteabbey6.6 mi
- Jordanstown6.6 mi
- Newtownabbey7.0 mi
Helen's Bay at a glance
- Beach. Coordinates: 54.674° N, 5.735° W.
- It is 2.8 mi west of Bangor, the main place in Ards and North Down. The sun rises at the same time and sets at the same time than in Bangor.
- 2.8 mi from Bangor.
- The nearest tide station, Bangor, is 2.6 mi to the east.
- Its coast faces northeast.
- Beaches and harbors nearby: Eisenhower Pier (2.7 mi).
Questions about Helen's BayQuestions
Where is Helen's Bay?
2.8 mi from Bangor, in Ards and North Down (United Kingdom). The shore faces northeast.
What amenities does Helen's Bay have?
OpenStreetMap doesn't list its amenities. Check the town's website or ask at the beach.
How clean is the water at Helen's Bay?
Excellent water quality in the official rating for the 2025 season (DAERA).
What time is high tide today in Helen's Bay?
Today in Helen's Bay there is high tide at 12:04 pm (11.7 ft) and low tides at 5:54 am and 6:10 pm. Tide coefficient 85.
What time is sunset today in Helen's Bay?
At 4:55 pm. There is light until the end of civil twilight, at 5:33 pm.
What time is sunrise tomorrow in Helen's Bay?
At 7:19 am. First light comes at 5:59 am.
What phase is the moon today?
Waning gibbous, 92% illuminated. New moon on Mon, Nov 9 · 7:03 am.
When are the next spring tides?
From October 26 to 28, together with the lunar perigee: they will be stronger than usual.
What are today's solunar periods?
Major 12:46–2:46 am, Minor 10:33–11:33 am, Major 1:17–3:17 pm, Minor 4:55–5:55 pm. Today's activity is high.
What's the weather like today in Helen's Bay?
Light rain, from 48 °F to 57 °F, with a light breeze from the south-southwest (5 mph) and a 84% chance of rain.
How is the sea today in Helen's Bay?
Smooth (Douglas 2): 0.7 ft waves with a period of 4.8 s from the west-southwest. The water is 55.9 °F.
When is the best time to visit Helen's Bay?
The best time to visit Helen's Bay is from June to August: highs of 64 °F to 66 °F, about 12 rainy days a month and 5 hours of sunshine a day.
Can I use this data for navigation?
No. These are predictions for fishing and leisure; for navigation, use the official publications.
Where this data comes from
Tide: Bangor tide gauge (UK National Tide Gauge Network). This uses Environment Agency tide gauge data from the real-time data API (Beta), under the Open Government Licence v3.0; constants fitted by TidePlanet from a year of its readings. Sun and moon: our own calculation with astronomy-engine. Places: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Coastline: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).