Studland - MMO Management protocols for the MCZ in place from 17th December

[bignick]

I’m not disagreeing with the fact that the MCZ and VNAZ are fatuous and the ‘science’ is significantly flawed. I agree with OldHarry, BORG and many other considered people on here who quite rightly state that the eelgrass beds are healthy and have expanded in recent years.
However… the fact that NE have seen fit to impose the MCZ and VNAZ means that they’re erring on the side of the environmentalists and listening to the flawed science provided by SHT et al.
I like Studland and we go there a lot. It makes no odds to me exactly where I go, so I typically check all the environmentally friendly moorings and when they’re invariably all taken, I head North to just N of the VNAZ. My view echoes that of others I’ve seen; if people routinely ignore the Voluntary NAZ then someone will set about trying to enforce it more rigorously and make it mandatory. If we can prevent that from happening by small changes to our habits then I believe we should.

 

[bignick]

I would like to know why the 'grass' has expanded over the last 40 years.
Easterly winds always create 'grass' moving with the tide, the amount being pulled up by anchors is negligible compared with the wind.

I know easterlies create more swell and chop in the bay, but you could equally argue that easterlies cause more drag and movement on any anchored boats, which would cause anchors and chains to do more damage and dislodge more eelgrass.

 

[oldharry]

In my experience, easterly winds are a cue for a mass exodus of boats from the bay which rapidly becomes untenable as the wind rises across the 12 miles of Poole Bay.

The large amount of floating eelgrass reported above is natural and normal, particularly late season. It gets washed up on the beaches too in large quantities, sometimes covering the sand entirely to 30cms or more. This happens whether or not boats anchor.

 

[Boathook]

I know easterlies create more swell and chop in the bay, but you could equally argue that easterlies cause more drag and movement on any anchored boats, which would cause anchors and chains to do more damage and dislodge more eelgrass.

Unless the easterlies are less than 10 knots very few boats anchor at Studland so chain damage to the seabed would be negligible.

 

[Robin]

I know easterlies create more swell and chop in the bay, but you could equally argue that easterlies cause more drag and movement on any anchored boats, which would cause anchors and chains to do more damage and dislodge more eelgrass.

Only twerps would anchor there in easterles and would probably never do it twice.

 

[bignick]

for the avoidance of doubt, it was Southerly and light (~ 4-6 kts) last weekend. No waves to dislodge the precious eelgrass.
Note: I accept OldHarry‘s point that large amounts of eelgrass floating free is common at this time of year and probably unrelated to whether there were boats anchored or not.

 

[doug748]

Many of us repeatedly suggested the use of zone marker buoys to indicate where not to go.

They have had plenty of notice to get it into Almanacs, electronic charting systems, paper charts and so on, they have clearly chosen to dawdle over the task I can only presume this is either deliberate or just plain incompetence.

Indeed.

I was in the area in July and failed to see any information about the matter in the marinas I visited. Has anyone seen anything in the Solent? Handout sheets, notices on walls or in marina receptions?
I saw zero but was not looking very hard, perhaps I missed it.

Following the other point, it is ludicrous to expect visitors from all points of the compass to have followed this debate and know what to do without marker buoys and on the water information. From my observations, over two visits and several days, most boats made and effort but I suspect many anchored outside the line of yellow swim buoys (I think).....thinking that they were doing the right thing but in fact were well inside the seagrass area.
More suspicious folk might think this lack of information was deliberate.

On the buoys themselves, they were great and I found a vacant one on both visits. they do really need to have many more for busy times. The 10 ton limit seems to put off larger boats which they would probably handle without problem. A couple of the buoys were hogged for days by local boats who could have easily anchored leaving them free at busy times for yachtsmen in genuine transit.

As mentioned, I also saw the RNLI up to something inside the zone, don't know what it was but it looked like drag testing anchors from the stern!

Finally, what a magnificent and vital anchorage it is. In strong SW winds it can be a day's work just getting out of the Solent and there is no other comparable sanctuary for lurking for the West Country or France.

.

 

[Jonny A]

Only twerps would anchor there in easterles and would probably never do it twice.

There seems to be a reasonable number of people who anchor in Studland no matter what, who are presumably bemused as to why it's rough on one day and calm on another. Casual observation suggests they tend to be on the more modern type of motor boat...

 

[Chiara’s slave]

I think those boats are so uncomfortable under way that anchoring off an exposed beach feels like a rest.

 

[Robin]

Studland can be rolly in no wind as boats will lie to the weak tidal flow and side on to any even slight swell entering the bay. Used to be the buzz boats out from Cobbs in between bridge lifts that never went any farther than Studland. any breeze that comes off the shore is to be preferred and from personal experience over many years it can actually be flat calm in gales from SW-W

 

[RogerJolly]

We stayed on the Eco's for 2 x 24 periods last week. Long dinghy ride to the beach and got quite rolley for a few hours at a certain tide state, but there was availability both times we turned up and and the crew slept better knowing they were not relying on our anchor. This was despite the anchor having worked faultlessly at Pottery Pier! On the friday day you would have struggled to find any sea grass through the carpet of boats anchored on it.

Do we know why the Ecos are so far out?

 

[oldharry]

Outside the VNAz zone. rather defeats the object, doesnt it?

 

[bignick]

Outside the VNAz zone. rather defeats the object, doesnt it?

Are you sure?
My interpretation of the map of the phase 2 VNAZ is that it extends to the shoreline and right out to a transit between the training wall and Old Harry. That would place the eco moorings well within it.

 

[stephen_h]

This is a screenshot from my phone of Navionics showing the VNAZ as a green dashed line and crossed out anchors -

 

[bignick]

That‘s really interesting.
i use Navionics on an iPad and the green dotted lines aren’t there; only the MCZ is shown.
if I can work out how to screenshot it and post it I will…

not that I’m sure that I would have spotted the green lines anyway, until you pointed them out. They are virtually invisible!!

 

[stephen_h]

May need to update your charts

 

[bignick]

The free moorings are visible, but the VNAZ is not ?!?!?

 

[bignick]

May need to update your charts

Will try that.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

I think they both do. Isnt the no anchor zone now hugely expanded? Draw a line from Old Harry to Poole entrance, pretty much

 

[bignick]

No, the Marine Conservation Zone covers the whole of Studland Bay, but the Volountary No Anchor Zone only covers the southern half, basically South of 50deg 39minutes North.
It is the bit outlined by the pale green dotted line in post #114.