1st night at anchor

[Laundryman]

My wife wants to go to Poole for our next trip of 3 or 4 days and i would like to spend a night at anchor for the first time. Is Lulworth Cove suitable for my first time or would i be better finding a space in Poole Harbour? It will definately be midweek! Thank you Westerly 28 fin keel 4' 6" draft

ps Thanks to everyone who gave advice re my first trip to Cowes. It was a success and wife is now talking about the Channel Islands and a bigger boat !

 

[NDG]

Lulworth can be a bit dodgy in any sort of southerly wind, and you need really settled weather or winds from the N. Not getting much of either at the moment! I personally wouldn't use it for a first overnight anchor. Poole would be a much better choice.

 

[AIDY]

Lulworth is rubbish for holding ! okay for a lunch time stop. the bottom is weed and big rocks. and your have fun if the wind turn direction in the night, been their done that ! never again. saying that it's a lovely place, but not for a first time anchor overnite !

I would recommend either pottery pier just to the west of brownsea and a day trip on the island to see the red squirrels or anchor in south deep / blood ally on the south side of brownsea....

Or you could try studland bay.

 

[fireball]

Having done two nights at anchor in Poole Harbour I can heartily recommend it ... as you go in to the harbour, turn left and follow the channel around - once you're in "South Deep" you can drop hook in a few meters of water. The range is around 1m so not a lot to worry about.
A lot of ppl say that they spend their first nights at anchor awake and listening out for all the noises - I can honestly say that it was one of the best nights sleep I had!!

Just make sure you dig the anchor in well and hopefully sit up and wait for a tide change to ensure you're swinging correctly.

 

[AIDY]

if your coming from the solent... you will probably arrive poole on a falling tide... watch the humps as you turn left from the main channel into south deep it's quite shallow at LW.

 

[Evadne]

If the wind is NOT in the east at all then Swanage is a better bet. Not as scenic perhaps but I can vouch for the holding off the end of the pier (NE F6 it was).

 

[Poignard]

...watch the humps as you turn left from the main channel into south deep it's quite shallow at LW.

Er yes - that's true.

 

[jonjo]

Lulworth is rubbish for holding !

Indeed, I dragged there last season and the keel found Cunliff's pile of bricks at 4am in the morning.