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Strangford Lough, Co. Down

Strangford Lough is an inlet from the Irish Sea on the East coast of Northern Ireland, south of Belfast. It is widely acclaimed as an area of outstanding natural beauty, renowned for it's bird life, seal colonies and breathtaking scenery.

The area has been popular with divers for some time and has a lot to offer. The small town of Portaferry is situated on "The Narrows". The Lough derives it's name from the Norse for "strange fjord" so named because of the extremely strong tidal currents through "The Narrows".

Spectacular Marine Life
Tidal conditions in the Lough are unique, reaching speeds of up to 8 knots in the "Narrows". This, and the physical make-up of the shoreline and seabed, create a huge variety of habitats and consequently an amazing diversity of species and spectacular communities. The abundance of food attracts and sustains an unrivalled variety of plant life with the colourful Cliona Selata Sponge growing to the size of an armchair and over 2,000 species of animals including the most important Common Seal colony in Ireland. Porpoises and Basking Sharks are regular visitors!

All year, All Weather
Sheltered dive sites can be found even in the most severe weather conditions, so there's no hanging around on the shore when you want to be out on the water1

Wreck Diving
There are over a dozen wrecks within an 8km radius of Portaferry, both inside and outside the Lough, offering an immense variety of wreck diving from 5-50m, from trawlers to cargo ships, from easy to challenging.

Drift Diving
The tidal conditions described above create some of the best opportunities for drift diving in the whole of these islands, with spectacular drop-offs plunging to depths of 65m! Not for the fainthearted!

Many other Local Attractions
Portaferry is in an area rich in historical, natural and geographical features. The shores of the Lough offer much to the historian, the nature lover, the geologist, the fisherman and the water sports enthusiast and there is plenty to occupy any non-diving members of your group.
Portaferry is home to the famous Northern Ireland Aquarium and is within easy reach of the Mourne Mountains, the Giant's Causeway and the Bushmills Distillery to name but a few other attractions.