Osborne Beach tannoy!!?

[thecommander]

Yesterday evening around 8-9pm I was pottering around in my dinghy very close to Osborne beach (inside the swim area) when all of sudden, "This is a private beach owned by the Crown, please keep away from the area immediately!!" rings out over a megaphone/tannoy system. In shock and being typically British, I quickly complied and headed back towards the anchorage. On reflection I wish I'd ignored the message. If the jobsworths of Osbourne House were not happy then they can come down to the beach and talk to me directly. Not shout over a tannoy system. Ridiculous!!

Is it really someones job to shout at people over a tannoy for coming too close? Or is there's some sort of motion/infrared sensor which if boats get too close plays a pre-recorded message over a tannoy system? Either way it's still very ridiculous.

I fully respect that landing is not permitted at Osbourne Beach (I guess to stop people getting into the grounds for free) but scaring people who have no intention of landing with a tannoy is a bit silly. As far I know our taxes go towards protecting Osbourne House, it's no longer the Royals private estate! Perhaps the good people at Osbourne House need to relax a little?

 

[Blue Sunray]

I don't think that our taxes go towards Osborne at all - it's run by English Heritage which is a charitable trust that runs at a surplus. I quite agree with you that this tannoy doesn't seem quite the done thing and I would have probably reacted in exactly the same way (and had the same thoughts on reflection. Though it's probably better than the approach that my father told me was taken when he was a national service Royal Marine at Browndown of putting a couple of rifle shots into the water near anyone that strayed too close.

 

[thecommander]

Definitely better than being shot lol.

I had another look today. They've got some high powered CCTV cameras on the beach pointed towards the anchorage lol. No doubt some pumped up security person is watching 24/7 in the event somebody gets too close. No more skinny dipping in the anchorage for me then

 

[Forty_Two]

About 20 years ago we rescued a small cuddy style motor boat in the solent with swamped outboards, took the kids & wife on board & headed for Osborne bay. They were a bit shaken up so we anchored & dingyed them ashore for a rest before heading over to the mainland towing their boat.

We were not at all well received, I had to be quite forecfull but they gave way. Not sure they would now!

Towed them back to near Gilkicker I think & got the inshore lifeboat to take over. All went well, even got thanked by the Coastguard.

Felt sorry for the captain, he was a navy man & wasn't best pleased to arrive back this way.

 

[jac]

There where several stories of this sort of behaviour a year or so ago. AIUI the RYA got involved in the end and wrote to English heritage about the jobsworth. Might be worth letting the RYA know if anyone has a problem and they can intervene again.

I think organisations like the RYA like to keep their successes as a success!

 

[[2068]]

The beach might be owned by the Crown, but the water is not.
In theory, you are quite entitled to float around in your tender, as close to the beach as you want, so long as you don't actually land.

Maybe we should organise a Tender Invasion Force one day, to make a point?

 

[rwoofer]

I usually make a point of going inside the bouys(slowly), whenever I pass Osborne Bay. My fear is that it is the thin end of wedge, so I don't want them to even think they can ban boats from water they don't own.

 

[Mr Googler]

If it keeps you grockles off the Isle of Wight I'm all for it

I shall email English heritage and suggest motion activated water cannons and such.

On second thoughts I don't live there anymore so crack on......grumpy caulkheads

 

[Blue Sunray]

The beach might be owned by the Crown,

I rather think that it (at least above the HWM) is not any longer - it's been transferred to a property trust. Sounds like the chap on the tannoy is not only obnoxious but also ignorant.

 

[benjenbav]

Shout back

 

[annageek]

Shout back

+1

And possibly equip your tender with one of these:

 

[thecommander]

I rather think that it (at least above the HWM) is not any longer - it's been transferred to a property trust..

Was the law reverted when Osborne House was transferred to English Heritage?

 

[mlines]

Based on a previous thread on here about the same subject.

The buoys are a requirement of planning permission which permits swimming from the beach. They are to warn boaters of the possible presence of swimmers. So if there were no swimmers in the water then there is nothing to warn you about so carry on!

http://forums.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?325737-Pictures-of-the-Osbourne-bay-bouys/page12

 

[Bridgeman]

I Though it's probably better than the approach that my father told me was taken when he was a national service Royal Marine at Browndown of putting a couple of rifle shots into the water near anyone that strayed too close.

Just brought back a memory. On a cargo ship in Gaeta Italy in the mid 60s myself and another young lad from Shetland had finished painting the ships side for the day. We decided to take the boat to do a bit of fishing with a net and light. We drifted near to some rocks in the bay totally oblivious. We looked up and two guards with rifles levelled at us a few feet away. No words spoken and we rowed furiously aware. Later told we had landed alongside a prison but not sure.
Neil

 

[johnwest]

It may well have been because of the parachutists that were due to land in Osbourne Bay during the celebrations for the end of the Squadron classic regatta.

j

 

[Jurgen]

The beach might be owned by the Crown, but the water is not.
In theory, you are quite entitled to float around in your tender, as close to the beach as you want, so long as you don't actually land.

Maybe we should organise a Tender Invasion Force one day, to make a point?

Might be some mileage in this idea!

 

[Elessar]

Shout back

Tried that and gave appropriate advice. The megaphone doesn't fit.

I anchor my boat inside the buoys on a matter of principle.