Bembridge

Iain C

Iain C

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I'll confess...I've never been to Bembridge. With my boat based in Gosport, it just seems bit of a waste of a weekend, especially with the tidal constraints there. However we have a 4 day weekend coming up, and it's hardly going to be prime sailing weather so I thought we might give it a go.

Unfortunatly I've left my almanac/pilot book on the boat, so any thoughts? Am I right in saying the entrance dries but there's deep water and walk ashore pontoons?

Are there any decent pubs in there? Is it the kind of place where we won't get bored for 24 hrs in winter? We have folding bikes so wouldn't mind using it as a base to explore for a bit.

Also, very roughly, when can you get in with a boat drawing 1.4m?

Thanks
 
Hi Ian,

well if you're into maritime naval history take a camera; the bemusingly eccentric houseboats include a couple of Motor Gun Boats, an MTB and a 3 storey job among others !

There's a very interesting walk from the visitors' pontoon all the way to Ryde if you fancy it, past the old oyster farms and ' terra forming ' attempts by the Victorians.

The facilities at the pontoon are adequate but not up to the 21st Century.

There is a good pub, the Pilot Boat ? on the other side of the harbour; it's a long but pleasant walk; there's a boat ferry across at high tide times but it doesn't often work out for an overnight stay, better for longer.

Brading Haven YC is famously friendly and does good value meals, and the buses and taxis on the IOW are great.

You could also walk up the hill to the West and visit the pub/s there but I have no idea what they're like these days.

One warning, might sound trivial but the results weren't, my Dad - who is very fit - fell off the steep kerb by the visitors pontoon onto the golf course, causing a fair bit of injury; this is unsigned and unlit at night by the demands of the National Trust so do take torches :rolleyes:

Bembridge is a great place but the harbour entrance rules are serious, not a place to take chances; I've also found it a tad unpleasant getting out of there in a strong Northerly.

Overall, yes you should have a great time.

Edit; just a thought but www.Chimet.co.uk would be well worth looking at, the tides are pretty much the same and the weather should be similar too.
 
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The entrance doesn't quite dry except on extreme springs, rough guide is 2 metres over the bar 3 hours either side of high water. Pontoons (many replaced this year) now dredged to 2 metres at low water, you sit in a pool at low tide - walk ashore and electric. Several nice pubs in cycling distance, round the embankment to Bembridge to the Pilot Boat Inn, up into the village for the Village Inn or on to Forelands for the Crab & Lobster - don't rely on buses which are infrequent and taxis if they can be bothered to turn out in the winter will charge an arm an a leg. Also the Vine Inn in St Helens and 2 sailing clubs - Brading Haven and Bembridge but check winter opening hours.
 
Bembridge is perhaps my favourite destination from Gosport. I typically dry out on the beach and enjoy the Bembridge side, but St Helens does seem to have more shops, places to eat. As has been said the entrance only dries on springs and I did once sneak in on the bottom of a low tide with 30cm draft.
 
I would also suggest checking the berthing fee - to avoid an unpleasant surprise....... especially if you find yourself rafted several deep and no spare electric outlets. Admittedly not so likely in winter, but you never know.
 
If you go on neaps you can get in on the afternoon tide and out the next morning. Also there's a much longer tidal window - I've been in 2 hours after LW neaps with 1.2m draft. But don't try that if there is a fresh easterly blowing as it can get more than a bit choppy in the approach channel.
 
Did my first trip into Bembridge this summer for a local rally - enjoyed it very much. The channel in is fine, just pay attention and follow the buoys. The order is fairly obvious, just wiggles around a bit. We only just got back out against the flood tide as it flows pretty fast at the harbour mouth.

Hot showers in the marina and the Duver is a wonderful place on a calm summer's day - be warned that it all shuts down a bit in the winter though. I'd avoid it in an easterly - walks on the beach are less appealing then. Definitely take a bike if you can as things are all fairly spread out and most of the stuff that will still be open for business will be up in Bembridge.

Not really relevant to you big tanked diesel folk, but there is no fuel available there unless you can scrounge some diesel from the yard next door. I needed some petrol and found the petrol station up in Bembridge has closed down, so a friend had to give me a lift to the Tesco in Ryde.
 
Twister_Ken said:
Is there still a tide gauge near St Helens Fort which shows depth on the bar?

There used to be (still is?) a serious dog leg in the entrance channel and it's not unknown for folks to miss the buoy for the dog leg and cut across, only to come to a juddering halt.
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Yes the gauge is still there. There are details of the buoys/route on the harbour website, extra buoys have been added as well but the numbers haven't been changed to run consecutively - there is a 2a, 6a, 7a etc. Google Earth is quite good for visualising the course of the channel - there is a sharp turn to starboard after going over the bar, then a sharp turn to port to run parallel to the beach.
 
Guys

Thanks very much for all the replies. Certainly seems like there's enough to keep us amused for a bit...as long as we can get a walk ashore pontoon we will give it a go. Not fussed about walk ashore usually, but depths of winter with folding bikes is a different matter!

That website is very good, and I do look forward to seeing the interesting houseboats!

I know people's views on the Solent can be a bit "marmite", however I do love the fact that I've based the boat there for 4 years now and there's still places I haven't been. Yes, so we've been up to Brighton, down to Fowey and over to France and the CIs, but I've still never been into Bembridge, Langstone, up the Itchen, into Keyhaven (only by bike) and I've hardly explored Chichester harbour either. Shocking really, but that should keep me busy for a while then!

Thanks again.
 
Iain C said:
Guys

Thanks very much for all the replies. Certainly seems like there's enough to keep us amused for a bit...as long as we can get a walk ashore pontoon we will give it a go. Not fussed about walk ashore usually, but depths of winter with folding bikes is a different matter!

That website is very good, and I do look forward to seeing the interesting houseboats!

I know people's views on the Solent can be a bit "marmite", however I do love the fact that I've based the boat there for 4 years now and there's still places I haven't been. Yes, so we've been up to Brighton, down to Fowey and over to France and the CIs, but I've still never been into Bembridge, Langstone, up the Itchen, into Keyhaven (only by bike) and I've hardly explored Chichester harbour either. Shocking really, but that should keep me busy for a while then!

Thanks again.
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The "Marmiteness" (!) of the varied opinions suggests you have to find out for yourself whether you like it or not, some like destinations that are all clinical, walkashore, power, showers et al. Others prefer a bit of rough and ready. In the right wind, drying on the beach looked a good option, avoiding the trek around the harbour from the walkashore pontoons. Each to his own.

So go there, and then go again in summer..
 
Chewi

I meant "marmite" of the Solent in general, not specific locations. I guess what I was getting at, is that from some harbours/marinas, it is possible to exhaust all of your "weekendable" destinations almost instantly, yet the Solent has so many little places tucked away it's possible to sail there for years and still not see it all.

Personally, I much prefer an anchor or mooring and a bit of piece and quiet, or perhaps the bustle of a town quay like Lymington, rather than a soulless marina. But certainly during the depths of winter faffing around with the dinghy in the pitch black and having a bag full of foul weather gear and LJs to take to the pub is a bit of a ball ache!

Anyway, I'll definitely give Bembridge a go this time round...it does look very pleasant.
 
As others have said.. It should be quiet at the Duver marina at this time of year but make sure you identify 'every' buoy as you enter the harbour.. On the first turn to port you could find the odd single red mark off to starboard then realise why... Just take it steady and it'll be easier coming out.

If you enjoy the stay then a fun event to go back to in the summer is the Dance on the Duver which is held each year and raises money for the Isle of Wight Hospice and the RNLI... http://www.danceontheduver.co.uk/
 
We go there often and love the place, all the pontoons are walk ashore and the showers are ok no more, for eating the Vine in the village has nice pub food and friendly as said before there is more choice if you go to Bembridge. I disagree about the comments re the bus, we often take the bus to Sandown and walk back along the cliff path it takes a couple of hours and is lovely.
Enjoy its a very nice place.

Delbuoy
 
r_h said:
Iain, if you're there on a weekend with spring tides, take a look at the Illusion racing. It may be slower than you're accustomed to, but it's extremely tactical.
http://bit.ly/1dvwTy0
Click to expand...

I have always wanted a go in one of those. They look fantastic. I remember as a kid in the 80s watching the AC and thinking how cool it would be to have a teeny weeny 12 metre...I was amazed many years later when I found out about the Illusion.

I suspect it also feels a lot faster than it actually is due to proximity to the water...
 
derekgillard said:
I disagree about the comments re the bus, we often take the bus to Sandown and walk back along the cliff path it takes a couple of hours and is lovely.
Click to expand...

Agree. Bus service on the Island is superb. All bus stops have the the times displayed. You nearly always need to travel via Newport where you can pick up the excellent free timetable. If you are not in the fortunate 'free bus pass' categories then they still have good value daily/weekly passes.

Sandown-Bembride coast path: is it passable again? .... it was apparently closed earlier this year due to erosion?
 
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