Poole harbour

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ianmkent

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I am planing on going to Poole harbour from the Solent on Wednesday, (weather dependant)
I intend to stop in Yarmouth overnight then leave 1 hour before HW, head to SW Shingles then 270 to the entrance to Poole harbour. I intend to anchor in Sudland Bay to wait for slack water. Depending on when I arrive.

When is the best time to enter the Harbour?
Is it possible to go by Dinghy to Poole town quay from Deep South?
I sail mostly in the Solent how much traffic in Poole bay can one expect?
Best place to land on BrownSea Island?
 
Hi Ian, there is not much traffic in Poole bay compared to the Solent. There is a small channel marked by buoys right to the north of the bay to get into the entrance. This may not be passable at low tide and you may have to use the main channel.
The entrance to the harbour is passable at most states of tide. The bouyage in the harbour is a bit confusing the first time you are there. A good place to stay is Poole yacht club, about 20 mins walk into town. To get onto Brownsea Island there is a landing stage used by the ferry, use it when the ferry has finished and the tourists have gone.
 
you might want to phone PYC ahead to see if they have room and let them know you are intending to come, if you want to anchor there is a nice spot off goathorn point, the main channel there is good for 1.5m / 5 ft but don't stray off the channel as you will soon find yourself in teh shallows!
 
ianmkent said:
I am planing on going to Poole harbour from the Solent on Wednesday, (weather dependant)
I intend to stop in Yarmouth overnight then leave 1 hour before HW, head to SW Shingles then 270 to the entrance to Poole harbour. I intend to anchor in Sudland Bay to wait for slack water. Depending on when I arrive.

When is the best time to enter the Harbour?
Is it possible to go by Dinghy to Poole town quay from Deep South?
I sail mostly in the Solent how much traffic in Poole bay can one expect?
Best place to land on BrownSea Island?
Click to expand...

Tides are springs and on Wednesday LW at the harbour entrance is roughly 6pm BST. You don't say what boat you have but if you leave Yarmouth before HW you will take roughly 3-4 hours to the harbour entrance if you go through the North Channel - no need to go the Needles channel in the light SE forecast. You will get maximum benefit of the west going tide and arrive at the Haven before the ebb starts through the entrance. Remember in Poole the ebb only flows significantly in the last couple of hours before low water. Suggest you don't bother with Studland, but use the East Looe Channel - well marked and plenty of water (I can get in at LW springs with 1.5m draft) and with the forecast wind you will make the course easily from Hurst.

There are several anchorages - South Deep, Pottery Pier (which is the landing point for Brownsea - NOT the pier at the castle end) and Shipstal Point the most popular. Not really practical to dinghy to the quay from any of those anchorages unless you have a fast RIB or similar. Best berth for the north side of the harbour and town is Poole Yacht Club. Quiet, sheltered and very civilised. 10 minutes walk from the quay normally, but as the bridge is out of action a rather longer walk now via the new bridge. Otherwise the Haven on the quay itself is the only practical place to moor.
 
I sailed to Poole from the Solent first time last year and loved it. With your draft you have nothing to fear but it certainly is shallow :). The thing I found funniest are the posts that resemble road signs, pointing the way accross the shallows north of Brownsea. Be up to speed about which side of markers you should be and don't cut corners (like what I did). I used the Needles channel because I wanted to see the Needles and was pleased I did. Can't wait to go again this summer. Conditions were calm when I anchored off just south of the Haven in order to dinghy ashore and collect family (there is a small fishermans slipway if you study google earth.) Very close to a Tescos Express for supplies.
 
Just looked at my chart. It's called Pottery Pier N50deg 41.57 W1deg 59.31 It can be approached via Wills Cut if the tide is high and you don't draw too much.
 
ianmkent said:
I will be single handed in a Snapdragon 23 triple keel draft 0.7 m
Click to expand...

In that case, North Channel is much better for exiting the Solent and entering though East Looe as you save a considerable distance at both ends and the course to steer is similar. The wind should be on the port quarter if the forecast is correct and ideal conditions for crossing the bay. Watch out for pots over Christchurch ledge and as you get close to the shore off Sandbanks.

With that size boat you could anchor off Baiter park to go ashore, but it is a lee shore and shallow, although daytime on springs there will be plenty of water. Would not anchor overnight there, though.
 
Do check the visitor berthing rate in PYC before you go. I went there a long time ago on a rally. Great and friendly place but the cost was rather a shock, perhaps due to the harbour dues being included. Things may have changed over the years. From their web page: "Call Sign: Pike, we listen on Channel M, 80 VHF"
 
You asked about how busy it is. Well from my single visit through the entrance I would say it can get very busy in the busy bits! I was amazed at the volume of motor boats in procession on the East side of Brownsea (but it was a relatively busy Bank Holiday weekend). And there were more boats than I expected at Studland at anchor. Then you do need to know about the chain ferry and the Condor? ferry that also passes up the East side........... but the West side is all tranquility.
 
LiftyK said:
Do check the visitor berthing rate in PYC before you go. I went there a long time ago on a rally. Great and friendly place but the cost was rather a shock, perhaps due to the harbour dues being included. Things may have changed over the years. From their web page: "Call Sign: Pike, we listen on Channel M, 80 VHF"
Click to expand...

The berthing rates are set at a similar rate to the other marinas. There is little point in undercutting them given the limited availability in the club as there are no dedicated visitors berths.
 
VicMallows said:
Just out of interest. Has anyone visiting Poole Harbour and staying on anchor, ever been charged harbour dues? (I certainly haven't).
Click to expand...

Not collected from boats at anchor only in the marinas, be they yacht club ones, private or harbour commissioners one, harbour or town Quay or haven, unless it has changed since we stupidly moved
 
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