Priory Bay ???? Is this an April Fool ?

[Badger]

Someone at my yacht Club has sent out a note about a future cruise in company suggesting we stop in Priory bay for lunch on the way back from Cowes to Chichester.

I have been sailing in the Solent for 20 years and have never heard of it and cannot find it mentioned in any of the usual reference sources.

So is this an April Fool or does it really exist ??

 

[Guest]

It is just round the corner from Seaview to the east. The Priory Bay Hotel overlooks and I think that the hotel has a sea-food cafe on the beach. It can be a bit roly-poly in certain weather conditions.

 

[oldharry]

A favourite stop over Badger, and not just on April 1st! A lovely spot, between Bembridge entrance and Seaview, with always on a fine weekend a number of boats anchored off. Open from N to a bit E of S, it offers fine shelter when the rest of the Solent is - er - lively in prevailing winds. Also offers a lovely sandy beach for the kids.

Going in keep your echo sounder going as it is shallow quite a long way out, and there is usually an offshore bank about a cable out which dries at LW (but not low neaps). If you have a really shoal draft boat (less than about .75m draft) it is possible to get in behind the bank up to around 2 hrs before LW. Head for the rocks at the NW end of the woods, and get as close in as you can before turning SE parallel to the beach. That way you avoid the worst of the steamer wash, and dry in safety at LWS without being thumped around.

Not a place for an overnight stop though, as if the wind goes east it puts you on a lee shore, and can rapidly get mighty uncomfortable as the tide makes, and the tide holds you braodside to every P&O ferry, naval unit and NedLloyd etc passing, all of which will tip you onto the floor from your bunk!

Also Bembridge being unlit is not easy as a 2.00am bolt hole when it all gets too much - as I discovered the hard way some years back!

 

[Badger]

Thanks for the replies NM

nm