Quickfire round! Balaclava, Church Cope Bay or Portland?

[smallplasticboat]

I am (as of 1830 today Friday 28th) approaching Portland after a long singlehanded trip from St Vaast. Plan is to press on Westwards asap.

Question as I bob along on the boat ...where to anchor and sleep in these SW winds?

Church Cope Cove, Balaclava Bay (looks ideal) or well up inside Portland Harbour? I don't have the funds for Weymouth, and it adds another few miles.

I'll be hitting the anchor chain in 90 minutes or so ...and have only just been able to connect to the internet... So this is a shot in the twilight!

 

[Thistle]

Return to St Vaast and plan your trip, including alternative stopping points, before you set off again?

 

[smallplasticboat]

Return to St Vaast and plan your trip, including alternative stopping points, before you set off again?

Thanks Thistle! Appreciate the quick response and will take the humour on the chin despite being rather fatigued!

I have several fallbacks planned, as I'm sure you would have done as well. Don't feel the need to air them here as they are beside the point. Just felt it would be interesting to consult the sages of YBW on the two bays mentioned.

 

[KompetentKrew]

I've only anchored in Portland Harbour the once, but it was in quite a gale and the holding seemed excellent.

Marked on the chart on the west side of the harbour, the large anchorage is quite near to the local sailing club.

 

[smallplasticboat]

Thanks, KK. I've enjoyed the pleasures of anchoring in Portland Harbour too,
and it's definitely my fallback ... If nobody tells me good stories of one of the other two (which do look tempting on the chart!)

 

[billyfish]

Church ope cove won't be to restful, go into Portland

 

[smallplasticboat]

Thanks, Billyfish. I'm in Balaclava ... Not very restful either, but I cannot summon up the energy (or discontent) to move.

 

[MontyMariner]

None of the above. Either Newton's Cove (North of Binclives / South of the Nothe) or tucked in behind the North side of the harbour entrance wall.

 

[doug748]

At least you saved 20 quid.
They chase you for money before the anchor hits the bottom in Portland.

 

[billyfish]

I've never been charged to anchor in portland.

 

[Trident]

I've never been charged to anchor in portland.

Nor me, though I did get worked by the dolphin scratching his back on my chain

 

[ryanroberts]

They are on me 8am sharpish every time unless I do it online. Rather pricey now you can't moor anywhere semi pleasant like castle cove

 

[billyfish]

Castle cove is where i anchored last year. What's to stop you ?

 

[colhel]

None of the above. Either Newton's Cove (North of Binclives / South of the Nothe) or tucked in behind the North side of the harbour entrance wall.

This was yesterday

 

[Pete7]

For future reference since SPB has probably moved now, but tread carefully in the area from the shingle beach in Balaclava Bay and the harbour wall that goes east to the south harbour entrance (low cable blocks the entrance). There's a series of small wrecks, mainly barges and gantries along the wall stretching from the beach to at least half way to the South entrance. They extend perhaps 100m off shore and appear to be a past dumping ground for stuff no longer needed. Quite shallow about 5m tops and an interesting dive site we used to take novice divers for the first few dives off a rib. I don't think you will hit the debris with a yacht, but could easily foul an anchor and end up in a right pickle.

Are the small yellow buoys to the North of the Northern arm of the breakwater still there? Not sure why they were there but perhaps left over from the time the MOD then DERA and latterly another MOD contractor operated from the buildings now demolished, on the North end of the arm.

Castle Cove has a sea grass area and some sort of no anchoring area. Faint green outline visible on Navionics web viewer.

Anchoring off Weymouth beach whilst still having some protection from the harbour seems to be popular in the summer months.

 

[Stemar]

Anchoring off Weymouth beach whilst still having some protection from the harbour seems to be popular in the summer months.

I've done that several times - got chased off once because I was on the flight path for a Red Arrows display. I only had to move 100 yards, so we had the best view possible of the display, and they used us as a target for their starburst.

 

[SimonD]

Castle Cove has a sea grass area and some sort of no anchoring area. Faint green outline visible on Navionics web viewer.

You're right, there is a no anchoring area near castle cove, but it's not bound by the green outline - that marks the anchorage area. The seagrass area is marked by the red dashes and, ironically, overlays the anchorage area. The no anchoring area is voluntary as the NTM says we are advised not to anchor in the area (https://www.portland-port.co.uk/pub...LNTM/07-2021(T) CASTLE COVE SEAGRASS AREA.pdf)

 

[ryanroberts]

Castle cove is where i anchored last year. What's to stop you ?

The harbourmaster giving me a lecture about reading the notices to mariners at 7:30AM. I moved, scraping the weed off my anchor..

 

[billyfish]

The harbourmaster giving me a lecture about reading the notices to mariners at 7:30AM. I moved, scraping the weed off my anchor..