Anchoring ban in Beaulieu River

[Neeves]

noelex,

what do you mean - anyone novice or experienced will be seeking shelter if they hear 70 knots forecast, I don't get the ' expect 10 knots ' ?

I think he is referring to a comment I made (and he is trying to score a point) where I recounted how we had a 70 knot forecast, sought shelter (from a 50m hill - with trees on top) and only suffered 10 knot. My point was - we sat out a 70 knot Storm but it was, again, unremarkable. Nothing to boast about as in 'We sat out a 70 knot storm'.

To us - Its good seaman ship to anchor in places offering the best shelter possible - offering maximum potential for an uninterrupted sleep. For those who want to anchor in the full brunt of a forecast 30 or 50 knots, when there is usually shelter somewhere - good luck to them - we would not be impressed.

Interestingly I have a lovely photograph from Evan Starzinger of 'Hawk', lying in an anchorage in Labrador festooned with shore lines with a smaller yacht lying alongside (I don't recall if there was even an anchor deployed). 'Anchoring' does not need courtesy moorings, nor an anchor - you use the best gear for the appropriate location and forecast.

Jonathan

 

[Applespider]

Signs informing visitors of the environmental restriction will be put at the entrance to the river from the start of September.

I went in on Saturday (not knowing about the anchoring restriction) and didn't spot any signs. I'm guessing they're not enforcing it currently as there was a rally of some sort on the bottom stretch this weekend where most of the yachts were anchored* (must have been 15 or so). There were two 'rows' of anchored vessels which meant a few were somewhat centred in the channel; one really didn't leave a lot of room between it and one of the green posts (17) - given it was springs. Beautifully dressed fleet though - most were dressed overall and it did look quite spectacular.

*A few were on the buoys - and there was one raft of 5 boats where the centre yacht was hanging off two buoys fore/aft. :ambivalence: It was obviously the party boat as lots of tenders were surrounding the 'island' and they were all a tad lower in the water. Must have been a good night as the fore/aft boat was still clearing bottles/glasses at 11am the next morning!

 

[Neeves]

Way down south in New South Wales, in Jervis Bay to be precise, there is a well known anchorage called 'Hole in the Wall' that has been used for decades, if not a century or 2 (but no more than 2) as a place to overnight and sit out a Southerly (our inclement weather systems). The 'area' is governed by an Aboriginal group (its their traditional land) and they imposed a no anchoring rule in waters more shallow than 10m, Low Tide, (we have 2m tides). Just outside their area of responsibility is another large patch of seabed where anchoring in waters deeper than 10m is banned - same seabeds. The anchorage is protected by heavily wooded low lying land with the Tasman Sea on the other side (a few hundred metres away). It was quite possible to anchor close to shore and the yacht to be almost becalmed with a 50 knot front passing up the coast (which is why its been a well known anchorage for decades.

The Aboriginal group desired to protect the seagrass and installed a number of courtesy moorings. I think, from memory, 5. Usually empty, but busy during school holidays - no charges incurred.

When you visit now the courtesy moorings, composed of a big weight, sweeper chain, rope, big buoy and mooring pennant, have swept the seabed round the block destroying the seagrass and leaving a big, perfectly circular area of white sand, maybe 15m diameter.

Previously after decades of use - there was never any sand to be seen.

I'm just a casual observer - we have 2 sheltered areas immediately adjacent to each other with totally contradictory requirements. The attempt to protect the seagrass has caused more damage than a few yachts anchoring for the previous decades.

The problems at the Beaulieu River are common place internationally. The reasoning behind the restrictions being imposed lack any obvious concrete scientific basis.

Jonathan

 

[Seajet]

Jonathan,

the problems at Beaulieu River are indeed common - but the worry about eelgrass is completely spurious, no eelgrass there and nobody would take this seriously.

The problem is a feudal approach by the local aristocracy who treat anyone visiting as peasants and charge sky high fees for diabolical service - the comments about the only pub and hotel - captive customers - are legendary, I sometimes read the trip advisor and pub guide on here if I need a laugh.

I read of someone who makes ' smells for museums ' - when it came to the replicated 17th Century house at Bucklers Hard - the upriver place most people go to - he asked the late Lord Montagu ' what smell would you like ? '

" Make it smell of poverty ! "

His son seems to be carrying on the family tradition.

If you think Mr Burns of the Simpsons, you wouldn't be far wrong

 

[oldharry]

BORG has been working on that for 10 years now, with a limited degree of success. But the eco warriors and Nat Eng are a law unto themselves, and unfortunately have the law on their side. Any self styled 'expert' can come up with a 'damage' theory and expect it to become the basis for conservation law. Anchoring in eelgrass has been our particular bete noir. There is no evidence anchoring causes more than mild disturbance to eelgrass. There isn't any in the Beaulieu estuary anchorage. But someone somewhere down the line has claimed there is, and anchors must be destroying it, so now no anchoring.

The other side of this coin is that eelgrass is actually a vital part of marine ecology, so does need protecting from damage. But it means eelgrass is being used as an excuse for all kinds of rubbish arguments. There is also a strong tendency to want to restore things to an eden-,like condition, regardless of the cost to the community both in financial and social terms. This has already cost jobs,. So preventing leisure boat access is small change.

 

[alahol2]

Just come across this news/thread. Feel exceedingly downtrodden. Yet another anchorage gone. Miserable B*******.

Rant will be ongoing for several weeks yet.

 

[Channel Sailor]

To find out for myself I visited the river Tuesday night to anchor. Northerly winds so idea to stop in the outer reaches. Arrived at dusk. I saw two “no anchoring signs”, possibly on posts 18 and 20. But the writing is not very large so you have to go up close to see what it says, so close I nearly went aground looking. Happened to notice a yacht behind me did something similar when it was getting dark and they must have run aground because they appeared to have to anchor there anyway.

I picked up spare buoy near the BRSC building, very quiet that night. Except bird life and large Mullet around the buoy.

Maybe you can still anchor in the area between posts 13 and 15. I don’t recall seeing a no anchoring message on the large sign at the entrance (On Dolphin Lepe NB) though I was busy doing pilotage so may have missed it.

It was an eventful arrival on Tuesday night, watching a power cruiser decide to open throttles from this last river reach and head South East over the shallow/drying area near navigation post 12. I thought to myself I have never seen that done before but maybe the locals know the route. Anyway, smack, they ran aground. They managed to wriggle off and powered up again in the same direction to run hard aground again. I lost sight of them after that, just as I could see a wave of spray blasting out astern from a stationary boat. I wondered if the idea was that getting on the plane reduced draft enough to get over there on a falling tide.

On the way out very early next morning I noticed a very small yacht anchored opposite Lepe House, which I understand is a no anchoring area and has been for 10s of years. Last year I recall seeing a couple of small yachts anchored in that same spot. Too small an area from my yacht anyway.

 

[chrishscorp]

It was an eventful arrival on Tuesday night, watching a power cruiser decide to open throttles from this last river reach and head South East over the shallow/drying area near navigation post 12. I thought to myself I have never seen that done before but maybe the locals know the route. Anyway, smack, they ran aground. They managed to wriggle off and powered up again in the same direction to run hard aground again. I lost sight of them after that, just as I could see a wave of spray blasting out astern from a stationary boat. I wondered if the idea was that getting on the plane reduced draft enough to get over there on a falling tide.

Just had a look at my charts and red post 12 is lit, Fl.R 4s, the next 5 posts marking the curve of the river are not lit, the next lit one being the entrance Fl.R 5s if the light was fading they may not have seen the other posts or the helm not in familiar water and steered for the flashing red.
Either way i am sure chucking an anchor in the mud is less damaging than trying to repeatedly form a new channel with your pride and joy :ambivalence:

 

[robertj]

Way down south in New South Wales, in Jervis Bay to be precise, there is a well known anchorage called 'Hole in the Wall' that has been used for decades, if not a century or 2 (but no more than 2) as a place to overnight and sit out a Southerly (our inclement weather systems). The 'area' is governed by an Aboriginal group (its their traditional land) and they imposed a no anchoring rule in waters more shallow than 10m, Low Tide, (we have 2m tides). Just outside their area of responsibility is another large patch of seabed where anchoring in waters deeper than 10m is banned - same seabeds. The anchorage is protected by heavily wooded low lying land with the Tasman Sea on the other side (a few hundred metres away). It was quite possible to anchor close to shore and the yacht to be almost becalmed with a 50 knot front passing up the coast (which is why its been a well known anchorage for decades.

The Aboriginal group desired to protect the seagrass and installed a number of courtesy moorings. I think, from memory, 5. Usually empty, but busy during school holidays - no charges incurred.

When you visit now the courtesy moorings, composed of a big weight, sweeper chain, rope, big buoy and mooring pennant, have swept the seabed round the block destroying the seagrass and leaving a big, perfectly circular area of white sand, maybe 15m diameter.

Previously after decades of use - there was never any sand to be seen.

I'm just a casual observer - we have 2 sheltered areas immediately adjacent to each other with totally contradictory requirements. The attempt to protect the seagrass has caused more damage than a few yachts anchoring for the previous decades.

The problems at the Beaulieu River are common place internationally. The reasoning behind the restrictions being imposed lack any obvious concrete scientific basis.

Jonathan

Its easy now to sight environmental impact to gain revenue and in beaulieu he owns the river so do what ever he likes.

 

[Seven Spades]

Is there anything they can actually do if you ignore them and anchor anyway.

 

[[165264]]

I seem to remember that the last Lord Montague was known for cruising around trying to pick up some buoys.

 

[deep denial]

I do wonder about the legality of imposing an anchor ban, even though it is privately owned. On the land I believe that if a right of way has been used for x number of years without challenge, then the right becomes established?? I don't know if this is true, perhaps a lawyer can comment, but if it is, then might it apply to the river bed?

 

[JumbleDuck]

With regard to price that doesn't seem to be unreasonable. Tobermory moorings, for example, have been that price for a number of years. As the moorings have taken the best spots in the harbour, anchoraing is now severely limited to first come first served.

Mind you, in my limited number of visits (five?) to Tobermory since the pontoons went in and the new system started, I have seen precisely no boats in the anchoring zone.

 

[NormanS]

Realistically, there is very little space for an average size boat to anchor between the moorings and the steep shore.
Give Tobermory their due, Yes, they charge for overnight stays on the moorings, but if you're only using one for a short while, there is no charge. (There is a converted gas cylinder available for donations). Tob take the sensible view, that if you're only there for an hour or two, you're probably there to replenish stores, and that therefore your visit is already benefiting the community. Other pontooneries, please take note.

 

[mainsail1]

Mind you, in my limited number of visits (five?) to Tobermory since the pontoons went in and the new system started, I have seen precisely no boats in the anchoring zone.

That is because it is too deep to anchor for normal folk.

 

[mainsail1]

I do wonder about the legality of imposing an anchor ban, even though it is privately owned. On the land I believe that if a right of way has been used for x number of years without challenge, then the right becomes established?? I don't know if this is true, perhaps a lawyer can comment, but if it is, then might it apply to the river bed?

The Beaulieu river is a private river. They can do what they like. They could even ban all visitors if they wanted.

 

[awol]

The Beaulieu river is a private river. They can do what they like. They could even ban all visitors if they wanted.

What a strange country! Claiming the fish is almost understandable but tidal waters?

 

[BabySharkDooDooDooDooDoo]

I think it pretty unique in that the river bed is privately owned rather than belonging to the crown

 

[awol]

Even the Crown Estates don't charge for anchoring.

 

[chubby]

When I was there this season I used the white visitors buoys by BRSC but there was another boat at anchor near the signs and he was still there a day later despite visits from the HM dory so I suspect they are not actually moving people on.

I suspect the no anchoring is in return for being allowed to disturb the mud during the extension of Bucklers hard marina.

If you just use the lower reaches and don't go up to BH , the Beaulieu river has the advantage of always in my experience having space when Newtown is full. Accepting that the can charge for anchoring in a privately owned river, a solution would be to charge the same for anchoring as using a buoy, then the dedicated anchorer could still do so, most would opt for a buoy if the same price and keep the foredeck clean but know anchoring was an option if by some chance the buoys were full.