Anchorage/Mooring in Poole Harbour with a dog?

CaptainBob

CaptainBob

Well-Known Member
Joined
7 Nov 2007
Messages
1,477
Location
North Yorkshire
www.yacht-forum.co.uk
We're in Studland Bay at the moment, but there's a SE 5 forecast (according to inshore waters BBC).

Any recommendations for where to run to? Would really like to go into Poole Harbour, but I can't see where's best, considering we really need to go ashore and walk the dog.

Relatively easy access to shops for domestic provisions a definite bonus.

If not Poole, what about Christchurch? Or?

Thank you!!
 
poole

In a South Easterly your best bet would be the upper wych channel

come in through the entrance and head down the channel by the fuel barge keep going along that channel til you find an empty buoy there are a lot empty at the min or drop anchor at the end of the moorings near the old chain ferry.
 
Christchurch is very shallow. Best avoided I think unless you have a good pilot book or local knowledge.

I knew someone who kept a 'cat' there. May not be so good for dogs or Tempests

What about the marina at Poole town Quay handy for shops pubs and eateries
 
Last edited:
In a south easterly, Pottery pier on Brownsea should be OK but no shops and I'm not sure if dogs are allowed on the island. The Wych Channel between Long Island and Shipstal point may be OK, you can walk the dog but no shops. You could get up the River Frome to Ridge Wharf where there is a 'marina'. Good value. Walk ashore for the dog, fuel, water etc plus you can walk/dinghy into Wareham for shopping. Very picturesque river trip.
Other marinas in Poole are very expensive.
 
Could you go on the town quay at Poole? I've been there, but only in something much bigger and square rigged. However, there were fender boards (movable, but on long chains to prevent removal) which looked like they were intended for yachts. That puts you right in the middle of town for shops, walk-ashore for the dog, and I would guess is cheaper than any marina. Possible issues with noise / security from the pubs opposite though?

I'm really throwing this out as an idea for those with more experience to comment on; not having visited in a yacht I can't make a firm recommendation.

Pete
 
Could you go on the town quay at Poole?
Click to expand...
The quay, I think you will find is used for big boats, over a certain length. Small boats use the marina and only the quay as an over flow facility when the marina is full.
It's all on the website. I read it when Captain Bob first asked his question. I have forgotten all the details but what I read is what prompted me to suggest the marina ( Haven I think they call it) above
 
Thanks everyone. We were hoping to anchor in order to keep costs to a minimum - but succumbed to the temptation of the town marina. For £31.70 a night, you'd have thought the showers would be warm and the electricity would be included!! But we managed to have a nice day, walk the dog and get re-stocked. Now relocated to the Wych Channel to sob about the expensive night :(

Thank you again!
 
Morning early bird! Can't quite make you out from my bedroom window. Best place to go ashore is Shipstal Point. OK with dog, although an RSPB reserve. You might get famous as BBC are filming Springwatch there.

Enjoy - and next time you are tempted to spend your wealth on marinas go into Poole Yacht Club (next to ferry terminal) showers newly refurbished and dog walking on beach next door.
 
Morning :)

It looks a bit shallow over at Shipstall Pt on the chart - or will we find some vacant buoys up there we could pick up for the night?

They were filming some movie yesteray where we are now. A sunseeker and another charter boat were next to us all day filming a woman in a yellow dress (character name 'sunshine') and two guys trying to get to her from a dinghy, shouting "sunshine, sunshine, sunshine" then falling in. Over and over again.

Judging by the quality of the acting, etc, I think it might have been an 'adult' film hehe!
 
There are some private buoys near Shipstal but there is plenty of room and sufficient water to anchor not far off the beach. You may have a problem getting ashore at dead low water but the beauty of Poole is that low water doesn't last very long at all. There's a cafe in the bird reserve which makes a nice destination.
 
Fred, our Jack Russel, was very concerned about your plans to moor with a dog. I tried to explain that you probably didn't mean with a dog, but got nowhere and he asked that I post this:

mooringWithDog.JPG
 
Hehe brilliant.

Please let Fred know that Lunar is alive and well and not involved in our mooring in any way - other than the odd bark and chew of a hand when reaching over the toe rail with a rope.

She asked me to post this back to Fred....

cawsand1.jpg
 
cost of berthing at haven quay a sensitive one - was the most expensive night we have ever had and subsequently we commented to bod on their stand at boat show who argued that price was not expensive - we pointed out that we know what we were charged and what we pay elsewhere and it was extremely expensive he then said - ah but your charge paid at the haven includes harbour dues and without those the marina charge is not high - we clarified that the harbour dues are levied by poole harbour commisioners who also own the haven marina and hence that the total payment is still all going to PHC - not a point he accepted - for us the extreme overcharging has effectively put us off going to poole haven or town quay - shame as used to enjoy town quay but it leaves a sour taste with us as we felt ripped off - used to be a fun venue for boats of all sizes and types but our impression now is that the PHC and management of the haven are consciously targeting a different (much wealthier) market and really are not interested in the average yottie - have a look at the price they charge to berth on the town quay and compare it to yarmouth /lymington/cowes and others and grimace - despite that they amazingly suggested to me that they do a price comparison with other facilities and that they are reasonably priced - got to be kidding!
 
cost of berthing at haven quay a sensitive one...
I couldn't agree more. I can remember spending nearly a week gale bound on Poole Quay with a couple of young kids. Plus lots of other visits, all of them enjoyable. No more. The price is now way out of our league. We still visit Poole harbour but we make sure we've got enough supplies to not need to do any shopping. We spend nothing in Poole town. We may go up to Wareham if we have the time, berthing at Ridge Wharf Yacht Centre (at a very sensible price) and then taking the dinghy to Wareham Quay for shopping.
It's a real shame that the harbour authorities all seem to be targetting the charter and corporate market but I guess that's where the money is.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top