Anchoring in Wembury Bay?

[TwoHooter]

Has anyone any experience of anchoring in Wembury Bay (Devon, entrance to River Yealm)? There is no anchorage marked on my chart and Reeds only mentions the very tight anchorage of Cellar Bay inside the Yealm bar. I would appreciate any knowledge of holding, preferably on the east side to get the most shelter possible tomorrow.
Thanks.

 

[doug748]

The whole of the bay enclosed by the bar is quite large (with Cellar Beach at the SE corner) and in summer months it is often full of boats anchored right across. The only time I have seen people / Harbourmaster get niggly is when folk anchor on the leading marks. You should find 3m minimum low tide tomorrow tucked into the North of the second red can and more depth than that if you hunt about. When you get there you may find the area in front of the beach perfectly usable.

In theory you can be charged harbour dues in this area, I have never heard it enforced but the harbormaster does have a scout round now and again. You could anchor outside the bar to the west but I think you will find a better spot within. Holding is generally ok on sand.

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[Jon Stacey]

There were probably 30 yachts there this lunchtime along with a number of motorboats of various sizes. It does get pretty crowded and Doug is right, you're better off behind the bar but there is good sand holding right across the back of the bar but it does get more exposed to the easterly teh further from the shore you get.

 

[TwoHooter]

Thanks both. I'm still puzzled why there are no anchorages marked on the chart or mentioned in Reeds in Wembury Bay itself, outside the bar.

 

[Jon Stacey]

There are some pretty substanitial rocks around between Wembury ledge and the Mew Stone and then the Inner and Outer Slimers are pretty horrid too. There is definitely anchoring outside the bar to the west on sand and then weedy rocks. It's fine when it's flat but...

 

[doug748]

There are some pretty substanitial rocks around between Wembury ledge and the Mew Stone and then the Inner and Outer Slimers are pretty horrid too. There is definitely anchoring outside the bar to the west on sand and then weedy rocks. It's fine when it's flat but...

Indeed, it is shallow towards the E and the whole lot is open to SW wind and swell. As you say, great in the right conditions.

Here is an interesting factoid Two Hooter. In the 1920's Henry Ford was looking to build a UK base and had two sites in mind, one of which was Wembury Bay, where he fancied he could build a deepwater port. In the end he decided Dagenham would be cheaper!
Imagine that : -[

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[TwoHooter]

Here is an interesting factoid Two Hooter. In the 1920's Henry Ford was looking to build a UK base and had two sites in mind, one of which was Wembury Bay, where he fancied he could build a deepwater port. In the end he decided Dagenham would be cheaper!
Imagine that : -[

I'd rather not imagine it thank you very much
Have you seen the plans for housing development of Wembury Point (which thankfully never happened)?

 

[longjohnsilver]

Has anyone any experience of anchoring in Wembury Bay (Devon, entrance to River Yealm)? There is no anchorage marked on my chart and Reeds only mentions the very tight anchorage of Cellar Bay inside the Yealm bar. I would appreciate any knowledge of holding, preferably on the east side to get the most shelter possible tomorrow.
Thanks.

Cellar Bay is great in an easterly. But come and join us in Dandy Hole. That’s where I am now, so peaceful.

 

[TwoHooter]

longjohn silver's invitation to join him in Dandy Hole was very tempting but we got pinned to the pontoon at Plymouth Yacht Haven yesterday by a fairly stiff easterly - just too risky. Fairways seem narrow here. Saw a yacht blown into other boats while trying to berth which emphasised the "discretion is better part". And our boat does have a little bit of windage to it.
But today was great. Just a one hour jaunt for lunch at anchor in Cellar Bay and a ride in the tender up the Yealm. Magic.
Edit: The Yealm is open but the Harbour Master prohibits overnight stays at the moment.
Edit2: The video looks OK on my device but I'm told it's rubbish on others. Sorry if it's rubbish for you.

 

[Greg2]

Interesting to read about Wembury and the Mewstone - many, many moons ago I was a young matelot at HMS Cambridge. Still shown on my Navionics app even though it has long since been demolished and from what I hear there is nothing left that indicates it was once the Navy’s gunnery school. Lots of memories - some good and some less so but all character building! Would love to have the opportunity to cruise that part of the country.

 

[Mataji]

Does anybody know if the beach just west of Blackstones Rocks - Wembury beach - is accessible? It looks clear on my Navionics chart.

 

[Jon Stacey]

It depends on what you're trying to access it on and in what conditions - loads of kayaks and paddleboards during flat periods but it carries a lot of swell in from the prevailing SW and, as one of the local surfing beaches you can imagine what that means. You can get in and pick up in a rib but it's very rocky on both sides.

 

[Mataji]

Thank you Jon for that reply. I’m a Cornish Crabber, 24 ft, long keel and draw 1 metre. My daughter and young grandsons will be staying in Wembury for a week in the summer and hope to be down on the beach a lot. It’s obviously not a sheltered anchorage but I wondered, if the weather was right, whether I could get in close enough to get to the beach in the dinghy. I know there are rocks to either side but there appears to be a sandy patch off the beach. Is there enough room there?

Alternatively is there any access to the Yealm from Wembury? I have been into the Yealm many times but always gone ashore at Newton Ferrers.

 

[jordanbasset]

Alternatively is there any access to the Yealm from Wembury? I have been into the Yealm many times but always gone ashore at Newton Ferrers.

You can dinghy ashore to the north shore of the Yealm and walk from there, there is a footpath, from memory it takes about 20 minutes or so to walk
Edit, found a link here for the walk, obviously you do not need to do the full circular walk
Wembury Bay and the River Yealm walk

 

[Jon Stacey]

There are plenty of landing places around the Yealm and the walk from Wembury to the ferry steps on the Pool is probably 20 minutes of lovely coastline - easy pick up from the steps.

If you have a look at the search for Wembury waves you will see that while it could easily be tenable in flat conditions, it does pick up the swell so you could be lucky, nut you probably won't be. I also have a Cornish Shrimper and often anchor either boat off The Tomb which is NNW of Season Point and lovely for a swim with anchoring on sand. You can walk around the cliffs and climb down onto the sand bar at low tide if you know what you're doing but I suspect the Ferry steps are your best and most certain risk free pick-up/drop-off

 

[Mataji]

Thank you Jordan and Jon, very useful information.

 

[TwoHooter]

Here's a snap of us lying at anchor at 50.18.7N 004.04.6W right now. Holding seems to be good here although these conditions aren't much of a test!
Sorry, the beach is just out of shot to the left (west).
Today's the first day it's legal to fly a drone in a public area (one in which the public do not have to pay for access)

 

[longjohnsilver]

Here's a snap of us lying at anchor at 50.18.7N 004.04.6W right now. Holding seems to be good here although these conditions aren't much of a test!
Sorry, the beach is just out of shot to the left (west).
Today's the first day it's legal to fly a drone in a public area (one in which the public do not have to pay for access) View attachment 110744

Looks great! Dandy Hole next?

 

[TwoHooter]

Hi John. Could well be Dandy Hole next but not in the next few days. We're allergic to storms.
Your boat looks fine - I took a peek. Managed to steer past it without clouting it too, which is a bonus. Are you still abroad?

 

[longjohnsilver]

Hi John. Could well be Dandy Hole next but not in the next few days. We're allergic to storms.
Your boat looks fine - I took a peek. Managed to steer past it without clouting it too, which is a bonus. Are you still abroad?

No, I’ve been back since mid Nov. Yes, mid week on looks interesting. Hope to be down tomorrow for just the 2nd time this year. It’s been a fabulous day here in Exeter, I bet it was gorgeous out in the Sound.