At one end of Barloge Creek, there is a narrow, shallow section known as the “Rapids,” which is only 16.5 feet deep at high tide. This causes tides with water flooding in for 4 hours and ebbing for 8.5 hours.
Because of the lake's small size, an unusual habitat is created that sustains a large variety of plants and animals, many of which are not found anywhere else in Ireland. While Lough Hyne a small lake, it is Europe’s largest marine lake, and was the first Marine Nature Reserve designated in Europe (in 1981).