I love the Solent

Otter

Otter

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We're East Coast sailors, love the landscape and the people, it's home. But two weeks in the Solent area and I totally get why people love it so much. The water is crystal clear; there are beaches everywhere; lots of interesting creeks and rivers to explore; a half day sail takes you from somewhere like Lymington town key to the drop dead gorgeous Studland Bay; the Isle of Wight needs a month just to explore the main bits; there are sheltered anchorages all over the place; because the place isn't perpetually silting up or changing shape, most channels are extremely well marked. We've only got another three weeks here and that's no way near enough time. No wonder so many people keep their boats here, it's brilliant.
 
Don't tell everyone, they'll turn up.

Just because a place is easy to reach by road, rail and air meaning more time on boat and less travelling doesn't Mae it good.

As for the history of the place, the variety in types of harbour, the easy or challenging pilotage. The numbers of interesting vessels, the superb array of marine businesses meaning you can get anything done on a boat you might want. Add in the range of destinations involving sails from an hour or two to cross channel. All of these are really bad reasons to keep a boat here.

Much better to be on a desolate buoy, miles from anywhere with nowhere to go, nothing to see and no-one around.
 
Glad you like it here!

It's a great place if you ask me.

Another point I'd add is that most of the places you end up visiting have decent public transport - really handy for expanding your shoreside explorations.
 
Lazy Kipper,

yes it's lovely, though I might chat with you over a pint re ' well marked ' in the Western side of Chichester ! ( Not strictly in the Solent but good enough for the likes of me ):)
 
Seajet said:
Lazy Kipper,

yes it's lovely, though I might chat with you over a pint re ' well marked ' in the Western side of Chichester ! ( Not strictly in the Solent but good enough for the likes of me ):)
Click to expand...

Over a pint I'll show you the 'chart' for the Deben river, two unlit buoys for the entire entrance, strung out on a line about 1/4 mile long, you have to guess if you're keeping them in line! We came up to the Chichester bar at midnight, a welcoming line if fixed and well lit posts, then a string of lit buoys. The Chichester harbour guys were great, £4 to anchor but no buzzing PWC's off East Head, everything well buoyed.
 
Lets say we've learned to live with them. Since you heroically hung upside down in the bowls of the Kipper the stern gland leak is pretty much controlled by the grease when we're stopped - thanks again for coming to our rescue. SWMBO replaced the gearbox oil cooler and the steaming is a good deal better.
 
Last year we set out to cross the river to France, a mechanical failure stopped us doing so. we then lost several days waiting for spares, then poor weather. Anyway, we finished up enjoying the last 10 days of our holiday around the Solent. As 'locals' we thought we were being short changed, but at the end of the holiday, we agreed it had been lovely, from Lymington to Totland bay to Yarmouth to Cowes and home to Chichester Harbour, it was lovely. Must go again some time.
 
My only criticism of the Solent would be some of the charges for mooring. However I was happily surprised at being only charged 13 quid for a pontoon berth at the Folly last week. Other than that I'll agree, it's a great sailing ground that's only rivaled by the west country for variety.
 
It's a safe place to sail also, 2-3 hours or less can get you from one port to another if big open seas scare you or crew get sea sick. I have spoken to so many people that have sailed in "the Solent" for years e.g. Yarmouth to Portsmouth as most seem to think of it but never further afield to Poole or even around the OIW. I think a lot just use it as a big camping ground with short hops in between and nothing wrong with that.
 
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