Cobbs Quay Poole - what's it like?

stuartwineberg

stuartwineberg

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Looking around as usual this year for the best marina deal. Anyone here at or used Cobb's Quay - any comments +/- What's it like gettting from the marina into town of an evening?

Thanks
Stuart
 
we had a year in Cobb's quay a while back. The walk into town is a good half hour urban walk with little to recommend it and gets a bit tedious, but essential of an evening unless they have done anything with the marina bar/restaurant which was terrible. We used to walk in and get a taxi back.
If you are a RNLI member I strongly recommend the restaurant in the big RNLI building.
Facilities re boat work etc very good and security is better than most.
 
I agree about the facilities - and 'urban walk'; I'm notorious among chums as a fast walker, and reckon I'd be doing very well to keep it down to 30 mins.

The place seemed fine in itself, but that was a few years ago; I have since read comments on these forums mentioning lack of general maintenace of the place, and a problem with silting which I think was leading to the formation of a rather unimpressed residents association ?

Someone who is there now or was very recently is required for more info on this, of course.
 
I've only been there once and, as a visitor, I can only describe it as dreary. We were there in peak season and the bar/restaurant was deserted so we went into town. It's about two miles so it's further than I want to go regularly for a drink, particularly as it's along an unpleasant suburban main road.
Unless you are in a smallish Mobo, the bridge is a pain. I would hate to get back from a long trip only to have to wait for the bridge to open (every two hours? Someone local will know). When we were there even the queue to get to the bridge on the way out was a nightmare; boats everywhere jostling for position.

With the queue to get to the bridge, the wait for the bridge, then the trip to the mouth of the harbour it's a fair trip to get to open sea.

On the positive side the marina is well protected. Poole town and the harbour are great.



Oh, and by the way, if you go into town by taxi or bus (as we did) you can guarantee that that bridge is going to open and cause long traffic queues which means you miss your booking at the restaurant!
 
I have a small mobo at Cobbs at the moment, and find it a nice place to be, however, I only have experience of one other Marina. The main showers etc are clean and modern, there is a bar and restaurant, while not amazing it is fine for quick bite to eat and busy in the summer. The second bridge is now built, but opens in April 2012 and should improve the walk into town. I would drive it, or even better, as I do alot, moor up along the quay, have dinner etc and then wait for the bridge to open. Even better, fish and chips from the quay and go and find an empty mooring for a picnic as the harbour is very well sheltered. The bridge lifts every hour on the half hour apart from rush hour 8.30 am and 17.30pm. There is a bit of a treck to the open sea, but I actually enjoy the trip out, you can get out at all states of tide but don't cut any corners in the channel. I am sure there are nicer, but for the money I think it is good value and a pleasant place to spend your time.
 
I have been going there regularly over the last 3 years and find it a great place to visit and go out on a boat from. The people are friendly and welcoming, so too are the staff due to an excellent marina manager - Dave. The bar has a good atmosphere, the drinks and food good with a garden and BBQ in the summer. The facilities are clean and modern, what more could one want, you can always find somewhere cheaper, or more expensive but it does it for me. I would not bother going into town - that is dull, there are better places nearer but I will keep that to myself in fear of not getting to the bar from all you lot going there........
 
andyjcox1 said:
The bridge lifts every hour on the half hour apart from rush hour 8.30 am and 17.30pm.
Click to expand...

Are you sure about that? My (admitedly 2 year old) almanac says otherwise. The Poole website http://www.poolequay.com/nautical.html#bridge gives times as:


REGULAR LIFTING TIMES

09.30 - 10.30 - 12.30 - 14.30 - 16.30 - 18.30 - 21.30

(23.45 on request only) An additional lifting at 07.30 weekends & Bank Holidays

Also ad-hoc lifting for Commercial Vessels
 
How about the silting - up I remember so much angst about ? There were tales of boats unable to access their berths, and even mid-marina channels being almost unusable ?

Most positive replies do seem to be from shallow draught mobo's; or was it all either exaggerated in the first place or sorted...
 
Cobbs Quay Bridge times

Rigger Mortice said:
Are you sure about that? My (admitedly 2 year old) almanac says otherwise. The Poole website http://www.poolequay.com/nautical.html#bridge gives times as:


REGULAR LIFTING TIMES

09.30 - 10.30 - 12.30 - 14.30 - 16.30 - 18.30 - 21.30

(23.45 on request only) An additional lifting at 07.30 weekends & Bank Holidays

Also ad-hoc lifting for Commercial Vessels
Click to expand...

See PHC Notices to Mariners.

http://www.phc.co.uk/downloads/notices_mariners/2011-44-Bridge-lift-timetable.pdf

The second bridge will I believe add a minimum of 15 minutes for each way transit but the frequency of opening is now much better than it was so traffic may be less intense in the future.
 
For those that have only seen artists impressions of the new bridge, here's a photo I took three weeks ago (standing on the Sydenhams side of the old bridge) of how it's progressing, which should give a good idea of how it will look when complete......

pb.jpg
 
Twin Sails Bridge

Once in service this "Iconic" view will be seen for about 15 minutes every two hours and then mainly by sailors passing through so get your viewing in now.
 
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