Peaceful anchorages in Portsmouth Harbour

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BelleSerene

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For a night at anchor in Portsmouth Harbour, away from the noise and bustle of marinas, where would you go please?

The chart shows plenty of marked anchorage part of the way up Portchester Lake and part of the way up Fareham Lake. I can't see why anchoring in the shallows up one of the NE-erly basins off Fareham Lake isn't possible. I do read that anchoring isn't permitted in Portsmouth Harbour, but surely given the chart markings this must refer just to the main harbour, S of the split to Portchester and Fareham?

Grateful for local knowledge.
 
han34 said:
There is room to anchor in Portchester Lake and there are always a number of empty morings. We do this regularly.
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My only night in Portsmouth was there. As a bilge keel I had no worries about drying out and the view of Portchester Castle is quite impressive if that appeals. It felt very quiet. I don't know about road noise and whether it is worse up Fareham way, it will depend on wind direction. But I liked Portchester lake, and there were plenty of free moorings.
 
Portchester can be a very pleasant place to spend an evening. On the western side of the harbour most of the 'lakes' can be quiet spots. Just about everywhere it is possible to lay a mooring either there will be one, or there will have been one, in the past. I don't think I would risk anchoring in Portsmouth for fear of losing the anchor. There are a surprising number of empty moorings around which I reckon are fine to use as long as you are on board.
Although we are residents of a Portchester mooring we occasionally spend a night 'just round the corner' on a borrowed mooring.
 
Why not tie-up to the Hardway pontoon (£10/night) and have dinner in the club (steak & chips for £7.95, and beer at £2.40).
 
Spider Lake ( actually a wide creek, shallow at the edges but only soft mud ) should have the odd spare mooring, in the middle of nowhere.

However if you wish to eat ashore and be guests at a friendly club, call Hardway SC.

Same goes for Portchester SC but maybe best for shallow draft / twin or lift keelers.
 
Just past Wicor on the port hand side there is a longish pontoon which can only be reached from shore by tender. I used to use it when waiting or having missing a tide on my way up harbour to Fareham. I believe it belongs to an ex forces or civil service organisation. There's rarely boats on it or if so never crowded and no-one has ever challenged me.

I would also recommend Hardway and Porchester clubs and there is another up at Fareham which has a visitors pontoon with access to the club.

Check your mast height going up to Fareham and beneath the power cables.
 
Portchester sailing club have a tiny visitors in the channel opposite their clubhouse which would be fine on most tides. Many of the moorings on the west side of the harbour belong to Gosport Boat Yard who have a water taxi service, although I don't know if that would be available to visitors.
 
Don't anchor, borrow a mooring for the night.

We're at Wicor and often spend peaceful evenings onboard enjoying the sights. Could suggest you overnight at the pontoon on the left after you pass Wicormarine or if you want to eat ashore, go for the Hardway pontoon. Their welcome is legendary and food/beer likewise.
 
ripvan1 said:
Just past Wicor on the port hand side there is a longish pontoon which can only be reached from shore by tender. I used to use it when waiting or having missing a tide on my way up harbour to Fareham. I believe it belongs to an ex forces or civil service organisation. There's rarely boats on it or if so never crowded and no-one has ever challenged me.

I would also recommend Hardway and Porchester clubs and there is another up at Fareham which has a visitors pontoon with access to the club.

Check your mast height going up to Fareham and beneath the power cables.
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That would be the RNSA pontoon, not sure that they would be happy for lots of random visitors because the pontoon provides permanent berths for members. Same goes for the CSSA pontoons on the opposite (North) side - not really for visitors.

I have seen boats anchor between the WicorMarine pontoons and the RNSA/CSSA Pontoons.

Would second (or third) the suggestion of visiting Hardway SC for a lunchtime or evening stop inc dinner. welcoming club (I'm a member) but the pontoon partly dries at low water.
 
Sailsouth, agree but no one's suggesting hordes of people using their pontoons ad lib but no different really than picking up a mooring. On my many trips up and down I've never seen it busy and if it was then I wouldn't use it. Probably good that people know who it belongs to so as to treat it with the respect we should treat it with.
 
mainsail1 said:
A peaceful anchorage in Portsmouth Harbour? You must be 'aving a larf'.
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Lots of it is pretty quiet, most of the time.
You might have commercial or military traffic, or yachts from Port Solent going by, but it can be a lot more peaceful than Saturday night in Newtown.
Anchoring might be a challenge as it's roughly divided into moorings, channels where you're not expected to anchor, and mud.
Talk to the local clubs or Gosport Boat Yard, or just take a chance on a vacant mooring if staying aboard.

For a peaceful anchorage, Langstone is more like it?
 
han34 said:
Portchester sailing club have a tiny visitors in the channel opposite their clubhouse which would be fine on most tides. Many of the moorings on the west side of the harbour belong to Gosport Boat Yard who have a water taxi service, although I don't know if that would be available to visitors.
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We did that years ago. Phoned them and used their pontoon while we visited the castle.
BTW Portchester castle is amazing. Must be the most complete Roman building in the UK.
 
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