burgundyben
Well-known member
Yes. Both lovely spots though.
Anchoring in Priory Bay - any tips?
- Thread starter SolentBoat
- Start date
bdh198
Active member
We anchored in Prior Bay for lunch yesterday. Water skiers were more of an issue!
MOBY2
Member
Probably go there 10 - 15 times a year and find it very pleasant, even took my Mother last year and we did get an ice cream, as said can get rolly but apart from that very pleasant.
Greenheart
Well-known member
Well, so much for my expectation of the east side of Bembridge entrance being crowded with yachts on summer weekends...
...I didn't go because SWMBO isn't well, but there certainly was space.
...I didn't go because SWMBO isn't well, but there certainly was space.
lampshuk
Member
Good to see the dredging has stopped and left the beach in usable state....
but there certainly was space.
lampshuk
Member
On Priory Bay: I would echo the comments about rolliness (also applies to Bembridge Roads, of course), and also watch out for much south in the wind. Any swell tends to roll around Bembridge Ledge rather enthusiastically.
Having said that, there's a wide, flat & firm sand/shingle/shell beach below the rather steep HW section.
We dried out there very nicely when evicted from Bembridge beach.
Much cleaner pottering around wiping the hull.
But note the comments on wash and swell. You'll want to wait for stable conditions, and get through the aground/afloat transition very quickly!
We - and 2 other boats - made our excuses and left rather abruptly when refloating at 4AM with a rising SSW breeze.
Having said that, there's a wide, flat & firm sand/shingle/shell beach below the rather steep HW section.
We dried out there very nicely when evicted from Bembridge beach.
Much cleaner pottering around wiping the hull.
But note the comments on wash and swell. You'll want to wait for stable conditions, and get through the aground/afloat transition very quickly!
We - and 2 other boats - made our excuses and left rather abruptly when refloating at 4AM with a rising SSW breeze.
FairweatherDave
Well-known member
evicted from Bembridge beach?
please tell...
was that on the beach inside the harbour....
Greenheart
Well-known member
I remember swimming at the beach near the little cafe on the west side of Bembridge entrance, a year or five ago.
The water was deep enough to be accessible at high water with shallow draft, and the bottom was firm sand with small stones.
Can one beach there, in the same way it seems to be accepted on the east side?
The photo is looking more or less due east, the shoreline being almost exactly north-south, and the water being (I'm guessing) reliably calm in westerlies. Credit to Google Maps for the pic.
The water was deep enough to be accessible at high water with shallow draft, and the bottom was firm sand with small stones.
Can one beach there, in the same way it seems to be accepted on the east side?
The photo is looking more or less due east, the shoreline being almost exactly north-south, and the water being (I'm guessing) reliably calm in westerlies. Credit to Google Maps for the pic.
lampshuk
Member
"...Can one beach there, in the same way it seems to be accepted on the east side? "
Don't see why not, though people usually don't. Others may know better.
I suspect there would be quite a strong cross-tide.
Interestingly, Navionics thinks there's an anchoring spot right on the point at the western side of the entrance, though IIRC it's a bit steep there.
The red dotted line appears to be just the edge of the speed limit.
The black dotted line at the top is a identified as a pipeline (sewage or drainage outfall?)
(chart courtesy of Navionics webapp) Navionics ChartViewer
Regarding the eviction:
We (and the 2 others) arrived late ish one Saturday PM last month. The dredger was in position but looked "parked" rather than "ready for action" so we got ourselves nicely settled when the HM arrived and made it clear in no uncertain terms that we couldn't stay - apparently they were planning to dredge that night.
One doesn't argue with the HM - especially one who sounds like a retired Sergeant Major of the Scots Guards.
Don't see why not, though people usually don't. Others may know better.
I suspect there would be quite a strong cross-tide.
Interestingly, Navionics thinks there's an anchoring spot right on the point at the western side of the entrance, though IIRC it's a bit steep there.
The red dotted line appears to be just the edge of the speed limit.
The black dotted line at the top is a identified as a pipeline (sewage or drainage outfall?)
(chart courtesy of Navionics webapp) Navionics ChartViewer
Regarding the eviction:
We (and the 2 others) arrived late ish one Saturday PM last month. The dredger was in position but looked "parked" rather than "ready for action" so we got ourselves nicely settled when the HM arrived and made it clear in no uncertain terms that we couldn't stay - apparently they were planning to dredge that night.
One doesn't argue with the HM - especially one who sounds like a retired Sergeant Major of the Scots Guards.
FairweatherDave
Well-known member
Thanks for the explanation. I will check the dredger has gone before I try to beach there.... I have always found it a bit rolly anchoring outside too.... not as idyllic as I would hope for given the shelter.
XDC
Well-known member
lampshuk
Member
Hmm.
Thanks for that, XDC. There's something about right of access to tidal zones, though. Don't they belong to the Queen?
It did seem pretty busy when we were there - loads of RIBs with people having Barbecues ashore. They mostly disappeared when the sun went down, though.
Lots of reports this summer of people "wild camping" all over the place and leaving horrible messes behind. I guess the unpleasant behaviour we normally export to Ibiza and Magaluf is coming home to roost.
Thanks for that, XDC. There's something about right of access to tidal zones, though. Don't they belong to the Queen?
It did seem pretty busy when we were there - loads of RIBs with people having Barbecues ashore. They mostly disappeared when the sun went down, though.
Lots of reports this summer of people "wild camping" all over the place and leaving horrible messes behind. I guess the unpleasant behaviour we normally export to Ibiza and Magaluf is coming home to roost.
FairweatherDave
Well-known member
My memory of anchoring there is it is an East facing beach, with a woody hill side behind so blocking a decent sunset. So a good lunch spot trather than evening barbeque, someone correct me if I'm wrong.
Sad though, if I see a security guard or signage it just destroys the ambience...........
Refueler
Well-known member
Had many a good stop there and BBQ on the beach ...
As regards the beach on left as you enter inside Bembridge ... always used to be very soft sand low down ... so to have hard - needed to beach the boat higher up - taking care not to get 'neaped' !! Don't know if still same ?
As regards the beach on left as you enter inside Bembridge ... always used to be very soft sand low down ... so to have hard - needed to beach the boat higher up - taking care not to get 'neaped' !! Don't know if still same ?
FairweatherDave
Well-known member
That piçture shows why I was nervous of drying out there.... that is a sizeable concrete block foreground left......
Refueler
Well-known member
That picture was taken many years ago .....
Rappey
Well-known member
Regarding rights of way. There is something about if passage is made over private land for 12 years and can be proven then it can be made a public right of way or some sort of legal access unless signs say otherwise .
On a hot summers day the sand must warm the incoming tide as the sea can feel like a luke warm bath next to the beach. Such a lovely place for smaller boats that can easily dry out.
There are a few private rivers and beaches dotted around.
I wonder how one gets to obtain a beach ?
On a hot summers day the sand must warm the incoming tide as the sea can feel like a luke warm bath next to the beach. Such a lovely place for smaller boats that can easily dry out.
There are a few private rivers and beaches dotted around.
I wonder how one gets to obtain a beach ?
lampshuk
Member
I suppose this doesn't exactly count as the definitive source, but according to ... Naturenet: Navigation law and access to water.
So the answer is "it depends"
Also a fascinating website here: On the seabed and coast | The Crown Estate
Did you know HMQ owns 450 mooring in the Hamble? Also - if the map is to believed - "foreshore" on about half of Ryde Sands, most of Yarmouth and Lymington Harbours, but not Beaulieu (probably hocked it to the Montagues some time ago).
The map, by the way, seems to imply that the Crown Estate does not own the foreshore in question at Priory Bay, but I may have misunderstood the map.
So the answer is "it depends"
Also a fascinating website here: On the seabed and coast | The Crown Estate
Did you know HMQ owns 450 mooring in the Hamble? Also - if the map is to believed - "foreshore" on about half of Ryde Sands, most of Yarmouth and Lymington Harbours, but not Beaulieu (probably hocked it to the Montagues some time ago).
The map, by the way, seems to imply that the Crown Estate does not own the foreshore in question at Priory Bay, but I may have misunderstood the map.
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Refueler
Well-known member
I know its thread drift ... but the subject of shore ownership is one that raises a few 'hackles' over here. Hang-over from the Soviet Collective days ... a house on grounds like mine - 10m back from the official waterline is public access and I am not allowed to build or modify that strip. When the previous owner dug the channel from the river and back into the grounds - to remove the 10m rule from the circumference of the channel - it would need a bridge constructed to rejoin the two outer ends.
I am lucky that it would be difficult for public to access unless coming from the water .. and in 16 yrs here - only 2x have any others accessed .. once when TV crew filmed the 14m high ice wall that blocked my channel .. and municipal Police one day having a 'quiet ciggy' !!
My solution is my big dogs ....
... friendly but they don't know that !!
With regard to beaches .... they are all public here - it is not possible to privatise 100% ... you can own and be responsible for - but cannot block access for public.
I am lucky that it would be difficult for public to access unless coming from the water .. and in 16 yrs here - only 2x have any others accessed .. once when TV crew filmed the 14m high ice wall that blocked my channel .. and municipal Police one day having a 'quiet ciggy' !!
My solution is my big dogs ....
... friendly but they don't know that !!With regard to beaches .... they are all public here - it is not possible to privatise 100% ... you can own and be responsible for - but cannot block access for public.
bdh198
Active member
I think that map is fairly accurate. I came across it when looking into foreshore access at King Quay Creek on the north shore of the IoW: King’s Quay Creek - Foreshore Access
The thing you have to be careful of is anyone else who might have a sub lease over the foreshore and who would also have the right to exclude access. For a definitive answer at Priory Bay the Isle of Wight Council would be the place to go; however, I suspect they’ll be less than enthusiastic to bother to research the issue!