Anchorages in Chicester Harbour

[Duncantaz]

I am planning a passage from Poole to Chatham in the next few weeks and was wondering if anyone could recommend a nice quiet anchorage in Chichester Harbour for an overnight stay and also if the mooring area in Dover Harbour is suitable for an overnight stop.

Grateful for any other useful tips as it's my first time.

Many thanks,
Duncan.

email: duncan.cannock@eu.jll.com

 

[duncan]

you will certainly find somehere comfortable in either Chichester Harbour or Bembridge but where's best will be dependent on the conditions

 

[[2068]]

Most people anchor at East Head, although you need to be careful: there's a shallow (almost drying) area that isn't charted if you go too far eastwards. As to how quiet, it's fairly well protected in anything other than a NWerly. Anchor tackle needs to be good, as there can be a fair current thru there.

Other main option is to pick up a visitors buoy further up at Itchenor.

dv.

#####

CHICHESTER HARBOUR-ANCHORAGES

Anchorages exist:
1. North of East Head (50°47.3'N, 0°54.6'W)
2. Thorney Channel, NE of Pilsey I. (50°48.0'N, 0°54.2'W)
3. South of a line from Fairway buoy (50°48.6'N, 0°52.3'W) to Chalkdock Bn (50°48.'5N, 0°53.2'W). Visitors moorings are available at Itchenor and Emsworth, contact Chichester Harbour Master.

CHICHESTER HARBOUR

ANCHORING PROHIBITED
Anchoring is prohibited in Itchenor Reach and Bosham Channel east and north of Fairway buoy (50° 48.6'N, 0°52.4'W) and in Emsworth Channel north of Emsworth Beacon (50°49.7'N, 0° 56.8'W) because of the many moorings. Moorings also occupy extensive parts of all the sheltered channels and drying channels shown on this chart. Vessels are warned not to anchor in any established mooring area owing to the existence of ground tackle. DEPTHS are reduced to Chart Datum,which is approximately the level of Lowest Astronomical Tide.

####

 

[[10753]]

Between Chichester Marina and Dell Quay is very quiet on a weekday. Also very pretty - relax with a beer in the cockpit !

 

[Anonymous]

Have you considered going south of the Island? Saves getting all the tides just right thru the Needles and out the other side. In W and NWs Sandown Bay is a good anchorage if you want to break the passage and is very easy to enter and leave in the dark (which might be starting to become an issue now). If you are not familiar with Chichester Harbour you might prefer not to be making an approach in the dark, or leave in the dark - the tides run fast and the Winner Bank can catch you out. If you fancy going through the Needles in any case, consider Osborne Bay as an anchorage; very easy to find, good holding, easy day and night.

 

[snowleopard]

Agreed. Just above Birdham is a nice quiet spot. East head is OK and handy for the entrance. There is an anchorage just S of Marker point in the Emsworth channel though it's a bit bleak.

 

[fireball]

East Head is indeed a good stop - although more akin to stopping off at a motorway service station (all the through traffic see!) The bottom is sandy/mud and does offer reasonable holding.
For a quieter night you'd be better off Pilsey Island (follow the channel past East Head and turn west to go up Thorney Channel rather than the M25 - sorry - Chichester Channel). The tide is not quite as strong here and the bottom is more muddy than sandy.
If Pisley is busy then carry on up into Thorney Channel - anchor south of the moorings - good holding in mud /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[DJE]

When we got chased out of East Head by a NW squall a few weeks ago we went up the Itchenor channel to the point where it turns due East and anchored just East of Roman Transit Beacon. Very sheltered but a very strong tide.

 

[fireball]

Thats the problem with that bit - you've got all the water from dell quay and bosham to pass through a narrow stretch - thats why Thorney Channel is quieter (tide wise) - not so much water to pass by.....

 

[KevB]

And here is a forum member on said shallow

 

[rogerroger]

Re: And here is a forum member on said shallow

And the marina entrance bites too!

 

[FinesseChris]

People have been known to anchor on the W side of the Emsworth Channel at the start of Mengham Rythe. This is closer to the entrance than marker.

Chris

 

[Spacewaist]

I prefer Pilsey Island for the reasons stated. It is usually empty and quite quiet save for a little passing traffic in early evening.


It is a bit out of your way though, unless you have timed yourself on the tide up the Solent.

East of there really depends on the wind/weather. In a westerly breeze, anywhere after Dungeness can be quite sheltered just hanging off the coast. However, if you think you could get to Dover, then my preferred passage would be to try to get to Ramsgate. Long day but worth it.

 

[[2068]]

Re: And here is a forum member on said shallow

Ooo err, but that was deliberate. The Starboard side of the hull needed a scrub, the Port side a rinse, and there was that wedding ring that had been dropped underneath an engine...

Towed a yachtie off almost exactly the same spot on Monday - it's about time someone issued a chart correction, or put a buoy down, or something.

dv.

 

[oldharry]

[ QUOTE ]
you will certainly find somehere comfortable in either Chichester Harbour or Bembridge but where's best will be dependent on the conditions

[/ QUOTE ]

Anchoring is prohibited inside Bembridge harbour itself, and visitors can only lie either to the pontoons or dry out on the beach at the eastern end of the harbour. In settled weather Priory Bay NW of Bembridge provides a safe if rolly berth.

Being Chi based I would never use E Head now except for a beach stop. Many years experience of disturbed nights as winds change, tides turn, neighbours dragging anchor etc.....

My 'regular' overnight preference is the Thorney channel above Pilsey - much quieter than the Pilsey anchorage itself, above the two beacons (but then my mooring is at the top of the channel anyway), the south side of the channel just below the Itchenor moorings, and for a really quiet night in windy weather you can not beat the pool above Birdham opposite the Chichester Marina. For solitude, and one of the best views of the Downs, the area above the Thorney YC moorings where Nutbourne and Prinstead Channels meet provides more shelter than you would expect, but do not hope to get ashore from there except by dinghy around HW - the mud is literally a killer!

 

[wooslehunter]

Or if it looks a bit blowy then just continue up the Emsworth channel & there's a visitor pontoon on the west side of the moorings. A short dinghy ride & you can get into Emsworth. Disadvantage is that it's about 4 miles inside the harbour.

 

[KevB]

Re: And here is a forum member on said shallow

I'll give the guy his due. He had actually been anchored overnight and with the tide change the boat swung over the shallow whilst he was asleep.
First thing he knew about it was when he woke up and his starboard port hole was now a sky light!!

 

[mogmog2]

[ QUOTE ]
you will certainly find somehere comfortable in either Chichester Harbour or Bembridge but where's best will be dependent on the conditions

[/ QUOTE ]

Anchoring is prohibited inside Bembridge harbour itself, and visitors can only lie either to the pontoons or dry out on the beach at the eastern end of the harbour. In settled weather Priory Bay NW of Bembridge provides a safe if rolly berth.

Being Chi based I would never use E Head now except for a beach stop. Many years experience of disturbed nights as winds change, tides turn, neighbours dragging anchor etc.....

My 'regular' overnight preference is the Thorney channel above Pilsey - much quieter than the Pilsey anchorage itself, above the two beacons (but then my mooring is at the top of the channel anyway), the south side of the channel just below the Itchenor moorings, and for a really quiet night in windy weather you can not beat the pool above Birdham opposite the Chichester Marina. For solitude, and one of the best views of the Downs, the area above the Thorney YC moorings where Nutbourne and Prinstead Channels meet provides more shelter than you would expect, but do not hope to get ashore from there except by dinghy around HW - the mud is literally a killer!

Hi, we're looking to get out of this wretched wind - you mention Birdham, but the chart has a ni anchoring symbol. Do you just turn to port onto the mud and dry? I see you have a Trident 24 so you can do that, and we can too. Thanks.

 

[Just_sayin']

Hi, we're looking to get out of this wretched wind - you mention Birdham, but the chart has a ni anchoring symbol. Do you just turn to port onto the mud and dry? I see you have a Trident 24 so you can do that, and we can too. Thanks.

I wonder if the mud has moved a lot in the 18 years since the original post

 

[Aeolus]

Hi, we're looking to get out of this wretched wind - you mention Birdham, but the chart has a ni anchoring symbol. Do you just turn to port onto the mud and dry? I see you have a Trident 24 so you can do that, and we can too. Thanks.

I trust you are aware that you're restarting an 18 year old conversation?