Port Mahon

Port Mahon Rd, Dover, DE 19901

340 acres of beach, salt marsh, and tidal creek on Delaware Bay east of Dover — best known for the state-run Port Mahon Fishing Pier (reopened 2022 after emergency repairs). Not a swim beach. Requires a short hike over rocks to reach the pier, and a pier net is standard.

Ideal for a beach walk.

79°F air · 71°F water

Full NWS forecast for Today

Mostly sunny, with a high near 79. Southeast wind 5 to 15 mph.

Tonight

Partly cloudy, with a low around 71. South wind 10 to 15 mph.

Weather

  • 79°F air — ideal beach weather
  • Sunny skies — mostly sunny

Water

  • 71°F water — swimmable, refreshing
79 /100
great
77 Swim
83 Sunbathe
87 Walk
73 Fish
80 Photo

Best for walking today

Air Temp
79°F
Mostly Clear
Wind
5 to 15 mph
SE
Rain
1%
Today
UV Peak
8 Very High
High 12 PM–03 PM · burn in ~25m
Burn-free before 09 AM & after 05 PM
Tomorrow
84°F
Partly Sunny
Water Temp
71°F
Refreshing
Next High Tide
7:25 PM
5.7 ft · in 4.7h
Water Quality
Clean
20 #/100mL · Enterococcus
USGS · sampled 8mo ago
Sunrise
5:36 AM
Sunset
8:31 PM
Moon · 80%
Waxing Gibbous
Neap tides — smaller range
7-day chart →
Time Type Height
1:10 AM Low 0.8 ft
6:58 AM High 4.7 ft
1:12 PM Low 0.6 ft
7:25 PM High 5.7 ft
Today Jun 25
79°

Mostly Sunny

1%
82
Fri Jun 26
84°

Partly Sunny

6%
82
Sat Jun 27
78°

Showers And Thunderstorms

86%
15
Sun Jun 28
81°

Mostly Sunny

13%
82
Mon Jun 29
82°

Mostly Sunny

3%
82
Tue Jun 30
87°

Mostly Sunny

4%
82
Wed Jul 1
91°

Mostly Sunny

14%
74
  • critical SPF 50 sunscreen UV index 8 — very high

Always remember water bottle, trash bag (leave no trace).

Solunar theory: fish activity peaks at moon transits (major) and moonrise/moonset (minor). All times local.

Major
8:10 PM - 10:10 PM
Minor
1:50 AM - 2:50 AM
Major
8:30 AM - 10:30 AM
Minor
4:40 PM - 5:40 PM

Parking

DNREC lot near the pier.

Dogs

Leashed dogs permitted.

Entry Fee

Free for fishing; Conservation Access Pass required otherwise

Address

Port Mahon Rd, Dover, DE 19901

fishing piersalt marshwildlife viewing
Is Port Mahon dog-friendly?

Leashed dogs permitted.

Is there an entry fee at Port Mahon?

Entry to Port Mahon is free.

Are there lifeguards at Port Mahon?

No lifeguards are stationed at Port Mahon. Swim at your own risk and keep close watch on children.

What amenities are at Port Mahon?

Amenities at Port Mahon include fishing pier, salt marsh, wildlife viewing.

When is the water warmest at Port Mahon?

Delaware Bay peaks in July and August at roughly 76-80°F — warmer and calmer than the open Atlantic. Comfortable swimming mid-June through September.

Where is Port Mahon located?

Port Mahon is in Kent County, DE, at Port Mahon Rd, Dover, DE 19901.

Updated · Data from NOAA, NWS

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