Anchorages in the Solent and surrounding areas ????

[CPD]

Boat is in Brighton and going back to her next week, for the week, to probably head west but fancy doing an anchorage or two. Have had enough of the Eastbourne/Brighton marina complex type marinas and would prefer to try something a little different down there. Any ideas ??. Thanks as usual

 

[rob2]

Of course it depends on the weather and your draft. Although the Solent is my home patch, I've only anchored twice. Once was on the Hamstead Ledge as I'd run out of fuel and wind. Rather too popular and no chance of a trip ashore - arrive early and you can get in to Newton Creek, which is also crowded of a weekend. The other time was outside Yarmouth Harbour, just shore side of the visitors mooring buoys. You can still use the water taxi to go ashore from there.

Many people stop off in Osborne Bay in settled weather, but it can suffer from the Solent chop. There are however many places to stop off which have no similarity to Sovereign, but still offer pontoon berths. In the Hamble River, you can moor on a mid-river visitors pontoon and either dinghy or taxi ashore. Likewise, most of the berths in Yarmouth do not have direct shore access, which seems to discourage the noisier yahoos!

I'm sure many others will come up with their favourites. I'm just a sucker for a pub when I arrive.

Rob.

 

[Boomshanka]

This may be of interest: http://www.troppo.co.uk/tightwad/tightwad.htm

 

[Saddletramp]

Alan
Pop into Chichester Harbour. Several nice anchorages there. Top of the Nutborne Creek would be my choice. Google Chi Harbour there is a good site produced by the HM.

Sounds like a good excuse for a South Coast Jester get together. Several lurk in the harbour.

 

[dulcibella]

Send me a PM with your email address included and I'll send you my home-brewed guide to anchorages between Chichester and Weymouth

 

[Iota]

At the entrance to the Beaulie is rather nice as is off Newtown Creek. Agree about Chichestedr and in the same vein Poole

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

East side of I of W just North of Bembridge are some good beaches ??? 'something' Point?
Great in Westerlys wityh a calm sea WITHOUT a strong tide or strong South, S.E N.E or North winds, especially if you are just arriving and want a short stop over to picnic or rest up, but check the chart as when you go closer to No Mans Land Fort there are some shallows.

Osborne Bay, as mentioned earlier.

Newtown, (national trust - out of sight of habitation etc.) just before Yarmouth, o.k. if the tide is right.
Either anchor to the East inside the entrance or go West and pick up a visitors buoy. Free to anchor or around £12 for a buoy. No facilities just open countryside and a great pub off to the Western end and a 15min walk to build up an appetite and walk it off afterwards.
Also watch the tides as you can't leave in the dinghy after being at the pub in low springs.

A little further West out from the Solent and beyond St. Albans head (watch the overfalls), is Warbarrow bay. (Jurassic-Geological survey area etc.. go to website).
Great on a calm day or if the wind is anywhere other than South or S.West .Especially good in N.East corner of the bay. O.k to swim and ideal for a stroll.

Studland Bay is great in Westerlys or Southerlys but not in Easterlys or Northerlys and make sure you stay out of the restricted 'seahorse trial' areas.

 

[oldharry]

I am based in Chichester, sail regularly rond the Solent, and never do anything else but anchor normally. I also very rarely have to pay any significant amount for the priviledge!

The 'tightwad sailor' link above gives most of the decent anchorages: my favourites include Beaulieu river lower reaches (£5 a night) or go further up and pick up a vacant mooring, Newtown river (free if you belong to the NT), Priory Bay -but never in easterlies, Langstone harbour up the eastern arm, Keyhaven (£5 a night, drying), and in Chichester: forget East Head unless you have kids needing a sandy beach - exposed, crowded and plenty of scope for turn of tide antics at 3.00am! Instead try Pilsea island, or further up the Thorney reach; theres a safe but busy anchorage on the s side just below the Itchenor reach moorings, and an even safer one at Birdham above the entrance to Chichester Marina.

None of these places have any scope for going ashore for pubbing or other entertainment however. They are anchorages - and lovely in their own right. If you want to get ashore anywhere with 'facilities' then you are stuck with using Marina's - unless you have a good tender, set up for a longish pull each way!

 

[Twister_Ken]

Totland Bay (towards the NW corner of the IOW), quiet and with a beach caff.

Alum Bay, same but more popular.

Lepe offshore of the folly tower.

Hillhead, with wind in the north, dinghy into the drying harbour.

Pennington Creeks (west of Lymington River). Never done it myself, but seen boats there when walking.

Ashlett Creek - discussed here recently

Southampton Water, off of Netley or Hythe if you can find a patch without moorings.