Anchoring, south of the IoW

[Greenheart]

Thinking back over...good heavens...fifteen years, I never saw a single boat anchored off Ventnor, or in Chale bay, even in fine weather. Is the tide that bad down there? The beaches are fantastic, good bars and restaurants await and the water's deep close-in... but NO-ONE ever drops their hook and takes advantage. Even before they built the haven at Ventnor. Why not?

 

[toad_oftoadhall]

Thinking back over...good heavens...fifteen years, I never saw a single boat anchored off Ventnor, or in Chale bay, even in fine weather. Is the tide that bad down there? The beaches are fantastic, good bars and restaurants await and the water's deep close-in... but NO-ONE ever drops their hook and takes advantage. Why not?

Beats me. There's Freshwater Bay too.

Regardless of wind direction nobody seems to go much further round than Whitecliff.

Why? I've no idea, but I'm glad of it!

 

[Twister_Ken]

I've been at anchor in Freshwater and Ventnor, for trips ashore on quiet days, and have kedged off of Sandown and Shanklin when racing in light airs, to wait for breeze or a tide change. But, agreed, not something many people do as a regular event.

 

[All_at_Sea]

I've done it, sailing back from France, late at night with youngsters onboard so we dropped hook off the beach. Looks ideal but......the wake from the passing ferries, tankers and other channel traffic creates an incoming wave that sits very neatly side on to a boat lying to a sw wind, so we rolled all night.

Good enough holding though and the beaches are great but not good for a night's sleep!

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

Scratchells bay is another good anchorage, and occasionally comes complete with nudists.

 

[VicMallows]

Spent two very pleasant days close into the cliffs at Lucombe last summer.

Vic

 

[l'escargot]

Scratchells bay is another good anchorage, and occasionally comes complete with nudists.

How do they get there?

 

[Twister_Ken]

How do they get there?

They're born like that.

 

[capt_courageous]

HI
I have spent a couple of nights in Sandown bay. The trouble is the tide makes you lie parallel to the shore and swell coming at right angles in results in rolling, as All at Sea says. Perfectly safe but not comfortable. West of Dunose means you are very likely to be on a lee shore a lot of the time. I must say it would be nice to anchor off Ventnor for a quick trip to the Spyglass for lunch but my nerves could not stand a night there.

 

[Jenaline IV]

HI
I have spent a couple of nights in Sandown bay. The trouble is the tide makes you lie parallel to the shore and swell coming at right angles in results in rolling, as All at Sea says. Perfectly safe but not comfortable. West of Dunose means you are very likely to be on a lee shore a lot of the time. I must say it would be nice to anchor off Ventnor for a quick trip to the Spyglass for lunch but my nerves could not stand a night there.

Is the tide too strong for a bow and kedge anchor fixing the boat stern or bows onto the swell?

 

[l'escargot]

They're born like that.

No, in Scratchells Bay. It is only accessible by boat and you have to anchor off the beach. Do they leave Lymington/Yarmouth /Poole naked, do they row ashore in the dinghy naked, or do they undress when they get there! We need to know....

 

[KristiferColumbus]

I anchored between Brook & Atherfield ledges a few years ago in an emergency.
I was to late to make it round the Needles one afternoon about five & the tide had turned & I could'nt be bothered......besides it was a very settled period & the wind was from the North.
It was great but there wer'nt half some strange disturbances & currents showing on the surface & I could'nt help thinking of all those wrecks.....