Favourite anchorages along the south coast?

Otter

Otter

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We have a six week cruise planned this summer in the school holidays but six weeks of marina fees would be about £1200 - ouch. Plus we love nights at anchor. We're used to the East Coast where there's a spot to anchor every few hundred yards but this years' trip takes us round the corner and down the coast, probably as far as Weymouth. We've got TC's channel pilot but personal recommendations are always best. Where have you found and what would you recommend? Equally what pilot book recommendations would you avoid like the plague? Including the Isle of Wight, are there any all wind direction anchorages that we can mark as refuges and safe havens?

Thanks!
 
You can anchor in Studland and Poole Harbour Swanage, Durdle Door, Worborrow Bay, Lulworth Cove, The Beaulieu. the Solent is not for the most parts very pretty.The further West you go the better it is. If it is calm you can pick up a bout off Ventnor (south East of the IOW).

Have fun.
 
I can't find the thread now, but somebody posed a similar question recently.

I'll add Osborne bay (IOW) and Chichester Harbour to Seven Spades seven anchorages.
 
There are a few 'nooks' at Keyhaven, if MemoryMap serves me.....;)


Keyhaven.jpg
 
Newtown and east of Hurst Spit (right hand of oldbilbo's chart) are good - the latter excellent for an early start out of North Channel to take the tide to Poole. Studland and several places inside Poole Harbour, Swanage and then in fine weather Chapmans Pool (not overnight) Worbarrow, Lulworth Cove.
 
Thanks for the replies so far. Do Studland and Lulworth get unbearably busy all week in the summer or is it just weekends?
 
I once counted over a hundred boats at anchor in Studland, but it's quite big and still didn't feel crowded. "Channel Havens" by Ken Endean is a good book if you want to find some less well known places to sling yer hook...
 
Chichester Harbour, Mill Rythe in the Emsworth channel (to the north of the HISC bouys) a much better anchorage than East Head.
Itchenor, just before the river moorings start, opposite the entrance to Bosham creek.
Entrance of Beaulieu river, although you have to pay.
Newtown river
In the right conditions there are places we have anchored between Newtown creek and Yarmouth, but check your charts carefully as there are reefs along there and if I remember a no anchor zone (cables)
Totland Bay (a firm favourite with us)
Studland is not too bad during the week, it gets busy when the Birmingham navy descends at the weekend in their sports boats and jet skis.
 
Lazy Kipper said:
Thanks for the replies so far. Do Studland and Lulworth get unbearably busy all week in the summer or is it just weekends?
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When I went in the week, Studland was very busy. Anchored yachts are no problem, but inconsiderate sods planing through the anchorage while we were loading a baby into the dinghy are best avoided. My least favourite anchorage.

Lulworth busier during the day than at night - lotos of MObo's whizz over from Weymouth, but go home for supper. Had a lovely time there, and explored starehole by dinghy.
 
Lazy Kipper said:
We have a six week cruise planned this summer in the school holidays but six weeks of marina fees would be about £1200 - ouch. Plus we love nights at anchor. We're used to the East Coast where there's a spot to anchor every few hundred yards but this years' trip takes us round the corner and down the coast, probably as far as Weymouth. We've got TC's channel pilot but personal recommendations are always best. Where have you found and what would you recommend? Equally what pilot book recommendations would you avoid like the plague? Including the Isle of Wight, are there any all wind direction anchorages that we can mark as refuges and safe havens?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

If you have six weeks, then start in the Solent by all means, but down to the West Country - Dartmouth, Salcombe, Newton Ferrers, Fowey, Falmouth / Truro River, Helford the Isles of Scillies - all better than anything within 10 miles of Bramble Bank.
 
If you are starting on the East Coast you could break your journey at Dover: the port authority will give you entry instructions through the Eastern breakwater entrance, and then if you proceed past the ferries there is a lovely shallow sandy anchorage off the beach: no-one asked us for anything. Then you can leave through the western entrance.
 
Between Cowes and Newtown. Up Southampton water
But really once at weymuff it's only a daylight motorsailing across Lyme bay and the options open out and then another day to Falmuff,.... Then you're only another .... From Scilly.
Donk it west ASAP IMO then leisurely wander east
And don't forget the French anchorages and whizzy helpful tides
Give that windlass a workout!
 
How much water is there in the Mill Rythe anchorage?


galadriel said:
Chichester Harbour, Mill Rythe in the Emsworth channel (to the north of the HISC bouys) a much better anchorage than East Head.
Itchenor, just before the river moorings start, opposite the entrance to Bosham creek.
Entrance of Beaulieu river, although you have to pay.
Newtown river
In the right conditions there are places we have anchored between Newtown creek and Yarmouth, but check your charts carefully as there are reefs along there and if I remember a no anchor zone (cables)
Totland Bay (a firm favourite with us)
Studland is not too bad during the week, it gets busy when the Birmingham navy descends at the weekend in their sports boats and jet skis.
Click to expand...
 
We started plotting these last night and working out whether the south west is viable. It's no distance for the boat but SWMBO is nervous about getting trapped there by bad weather, looking at Navionics is seems about 220nm from the Deben which at 5knts is four long days. I guess the trick is to take 10 days getting there in comfort and a month slowly working our way back, spending longer in the places that were marked as worth more time.
 
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