- Water quality Excellent sampled 15 Sep 2026
- Sea temp 13.4 °C surface, modelled
- Waves 0.5 m period 4 s · N
- Wind 11 mph from NE · gust 18
- Next tide High 04:23 today · 2.6 m
Brown's Bay is a coastal beach on the Antrim Coast coast, in the Mid and East Antrim Borough Council.
Conditions now
Water quality
A designated bathing water: DAERA samples it weekly through the bathing season (1 June–15 September).
Latest sample 15 Sep 2026: Excellent — E. coli 29, intestinal enterococci 10 CFU/100 ml
Sample history (40 shown)
| Date | E. coli | Ent. | Rating | Algae |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Sep 2026 | 29 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 10 Sep 2026 | 17 | 11 | Excellent | — |
| 2 Sep 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 26 Aug 2026 | 10 | 11 | Excellent | — |
| 21 Aug 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 13 Aug 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 10 Aug 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 5 Aug 2026 | 33 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 28 Jul 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 24 Jul 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 20 Jul 2026 | 83 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 17 Jul 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 8 Jul 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 2 Jul 2026 | 80 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 22 Jun 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 16 Jun 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 9 Jun 2026 | 70 | 11 | Excellent | — |
| 4 Jun 2026 | 270 | 100 | Good | — |
| 1 Jun 2026 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 26 May 2026 | 19 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 8 Sep 2025 | 25 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 2 Sep 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 28 Aug 2025 | 70 | 17 | Excellent | — |
| 20 Aug 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 15 Aug 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 11 Aug 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 8 Aug 2025 | 14 | 11 | Excellent | — |
| 29 Jul 2025 | 20 | 13 | Excellent | — |
| 24 Jul 2025 | 49 | 50 | Excellent | — |
| 16 Jul 2025 | 130 | 14 | Excellent | — |
| 8 Jul 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 3 Jul 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 30 Jun 2025 | 48 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 24 Jun 2025 | 1200 | 1300 | Satisfactory | — |
| 20 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 18 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 12 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 6 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 2 Jun 2025 | 10 | 10 | Excellent | — |
| 28 May 2025 | 17 | 10 | Excellent | — |
Weekly lab samples, not real-time. Avoid bathing for 48 h after heavy rain. Bathing Water Profile (PDF).
Sewage & storm overflows
No NI Water storm overflow mapped within 1.2 mi. Most of NI's overflows have no spill monitor, so this isn't the same as “no spills”.
Nearest wastewater treatment works: Ferris Bay 50 ST (0.6 mi → Larne Lough) · Ballylumford Cottages ST (1.1 mi → Larne Lough).
Amenities & features
Dogs, access & rules
- Dogs: Mid & East Antrim Dog Control Orders exclude dogs from Browns Bay (Islandmagee) 1 May–30 September. Council byelaw
Rules and dates vary by council and season — check the signage at the entrance.
Boating — nearest harbours & marinas
- Ballylumford 1.1 mi
- Larne 1.5 mi
- Islandmagee 1.5 mi
2 more further away
- Whitehead 7.2 mi
- Unknown 7.9 mi
Wildlife & designations
This beach lies in or within 0.6 mi of:
- SAC North Channel
1 protected feature
- Harbour porpoise Phocoena phocoena Favourable, 2019
- pSPA East Coast Marine proposed Special Protection Area, not yet classified
7 proposed features
- Great crested grebe
- Red throated diver
- Sandwich tern
- Common tern
- Arctic tern
- Manx shearwater
- Eider duck
Protected features and their latest condition assessment, from DAERA's 2023 marine protected area review. Only sites with a marine part are assessed there.
Alerts & advisories
Rip currents on surf beaches
The open Atlantic strands generate strong rip currents, particularly around low tide and after big swell. Swim between the red-and-yellow flags at lifeguarded beaches in season, never alone, and if caught in a rip do not swim against it: raise a hand, float, and let it carry you out until it releases.