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

[Tranona]

There are many locations and angles with lovely views in this area …… but this angle clearly never was one of them.

Even then, certainly the buoys don’t “totally destroy the view” in this example - perhaps “marginally detract from” would be a more balanced perspective.
But surely moorings, marinas and other boating facilities have much bigger visual impacts in much of the rest of the Poole and Solent areas.
There are a lot of issues about the Studland stuff - which oldharry makes an excellent case about, including the apparent lack of any scientific basis for the assertions on the seagrass growth and impacts of anchoring. But the visual impact of a few moorings (when the South coast has these almost everywhere else) seems to be missing the real issue.

Most years the bay is empty for maybe 250 days and enjoyed year round by a wide range of people obviously mainly from land. From the beach the view is from Old Harry rocks to the Needles and the whole of Bournemouth bay. Now the foreground is spoiled by a raft of unused buoy directly in line with the Needless. Even in the best summer months mid week there are often only 20 or 30 boats anchored or on buoys.

 

[oldharry]

As I said, the level of intrusion is a matter of personal opinion. For those of us who loved the feeling of remoteness Studland used to have, the rash of buoys remains an eyesore. Beautiful it is, wilderness it is not any more. Some (many?) valued that sense of remoteness the bay gave, specially on the overcrowded and busy South Coast. (away from bank Holiday weekends!).

 

[Tranona]

There are still parts of the harbour that feel remote. I can go for a gentle day sail mid week from Poole Yacht Club down to south Deep. Anchor there for lunch, look north to see both the club and where my house is on the top of Corfe Hill behind - less than 6 miles as the crow flies but a different world. Classic Griffiths stuff, but worked just the same with my Bavarias as with my 2 Griffiths boats.

 

[oldharry]

There are still parts of the harbour that feel remote. I can go for a gentle day sail mid week from Poole Yacht Club down to south Deep. Anchor there for lunch, look north to see both the club and where my house is on the top of Corfe Hill behind - less than 6 miles as the crow flies but a different world. Classic Griffiths stuff, but worked just the same with my Bavarias as with my 2 Griffiths boats.

Another favourite place in Poole is Shipstall Point, alongside the Arne Nature Reserve. I have spent many happy nights there., and watching the Deer on the saltings over breakfast.

 

[alahol2]

Another favourite place in Poole is Shipstall Point, alongside the Arne Nature Reserve. I have spent many happy nights there., and watching the Deer on the saltings over breakfast.

Whiteground Lake between Brownsea and Furzey Islands is one of our favourites, much of Poole town is hidden, very few shore lights to be seen, frequently nobody else around.

 

[Boathook]

Everyone is giving away all the good spots. At least they are all shallow which a lot of can't visit.

 

[Tranona]

Another favourite place in Poole is Shipstall Point, alongside the Arne Nature Reserve. I have spent many happy nights there., and watching the Deer on the saltings over breakfast.

Yes. That is where I first saw Tranona my Eventide 26 in 1978. Bought her in 1980 with my redundancy from Seagull and kept her until 2019. Half of me (the younger and more flexible half!) wishes I still had her. We often used to take the children and grandchildren to Arne with the dogs . both sorts of pets loved it, particularly the muddy walks through the salt marshes.

 

[Seven Spades]

I’m rather conflicted about the moorings tbh, clearly they (and the associated VNAZ) have been set up under a false pretence but I find them rather useful and they are about half the cost of, say, Yarmouth outer buoys.

They are a blot on the landscape. for about 8 months of the year hey are unused. Not only that they are so limited in their capacity they have totally ruined it for many of us who are forced out of the most protected areas.

 

[Boathook]

They are a blot on the landscape. for about 8 months of the year hey are unused. Not only that they are so limited in their capacity they have totally ruined it for many of us who are forced out of the most protected areas.

I believe that the majority of them are removed for the winter.

 

[Lucky Duck]

Indeed

In any case I assume that the scheme is still running at a significant loss so they will either have to up their game in terms of collecting fees or simply give up

 

[oldharry]

According to Studland Bay Marine Partnership in March this year, the Project cost for the previous year(? not clear what period they are talking about) was £262,000, aided bya grant from MMO's Fisheries and Seafood Scheme of £186,000.

There has been talk of sponsorship too, but not mentioned in this report. What is very clear is that this will always need independent funding, and can never be made viable financially.

 

[Baboon]

Is there a complaints department for this?
The buoys are actually just dangerous for boats. I think any mariner would agree.

- The maximum tonnage of the buoys is only 10tonnes so they sit in the way, in the only shelter of any boat over 10tonnes needing shelter.
- Trying to maneuver through them in any significant wind is a challenge because they are so many and they are so close together. I have seen numerous boats struggle, including myself. when in the old days we could just anchor in a nice sheltered spot without issue. They are underwater hazards, and it just turns people away to Poole marinas, which I guess is the point.
- Calling it a 'voluntary no anchor zone', when they take up the whole sheltered anchor area is a misnomer.

Surely it's all a money grab for whomever got the contract to lay them: friend of MMO management?

 

[dunedin]

Is there a complaints department for this?
The buoys are actually just dangerous for boats. I think any mariner would agree.

- The maximum tonnage of the buoys is only 10tonnes so they sit in the way, in the only shelter of any boat over 10tonnes needing shelter.
- Trying to maneuver through them in any significant wind is a challenge because they are so many and they are so close together. I have seen numerous boats struggle, including myself. when in the old days we could just anchor in a nice sheltered spot without issue. They are underwater hazards, and it just turns people away to Poole marinas, which I guess is the point.
- Calling it a 'voluntary no anchor zone', when they take up the whole sheltered anchor area is a misnomer.

Surely it's all a money grab for whomever got the contract to lay them: friend of MMO management?

Whilst many have concerns about the basis for all the Studland stuff, I don’t believe that “any mariner would agree” that the buoys are “dangerous for yachts”. That seems to be your personal opinion.

There are hundreds of locations with mooring buoys around the UK, many closer together than at Studland, Manoevering safely through moorings, or going around their perimeter, is a skill that “any mariner” should surely have.

And all moorings need to have a weight limit. 10 tons is a widely used limit that suits the majority of UK pleasure craft. As ever, the bigger the boat the more this limits choices for places to dock/moor, but bigger boats should be able to anchor further out as tend to have electric windlasses, bigger tenders etc. A trade offf made when choosing a large boat.

 

[Baboon]

Whilst many have concerns about the basis for all the Studland stuff, I don’t believe that “any mariner would agree” that the buoys are “dangerous for yachts”. That seems to be your personal opinion.

There are hundreds of locations with mooring buoys around the UK, many closer together than at Studland, Manoevering safely through moorings, or going around their perimeter, is a skill that “any mariner” should surely have.

And all moorings need to have a weight limit. 10 tons is a widely used limit that suits the majority of UK pleasure craft. As ever, the bigger the boat the more this limits choices for places to dock/moor, but bigger boats should be able to anchor further out as tend to have electric windlasses, bigger tenders etc. A trade offf made when choosing a large boat.

Maneuvering around them is less the issue, but is still an issue in high winds. More the issue is that they block almost entirely the chance of anchoring when in high winds and needing shelter.

Anchoring further out than the voluntary zone, there is essentially no wind shelter.
Most sailboats of all sizes have electric windlasses, in fact i think most boats do these days.

From your comment, I know you haven't been in a boat, especially a sailing yacht, around the buoys in Studland in 25+ knot gusts.
I don’t think you are a mariner and I don't think you know what you are talking about.

 

[Boathook]

Maneuvering around them is less the issue, but is still an issue in high winds. More the issue is that they block almost entirely the chance of anchoring when in high winds and needing shelter.

Anchoring further out than the voluntary zone, there is essentially no wind shelter.
Most sailboats of all sizes have electric windlasses, in fact i think most boats do these days.

From your comment, I know you haven't been in a boat, especially a sailing yacht, around the buoys in Studland in 25+ knot gusts.
I don’t think you are a mariner and I don't think you know what you are talking about.

You can always anchor north of the buoys.

 

[Baboon]

The high points (hills) are in the south and the west, which shelter from the south and the west. The further you go away from that, the less shelter you have. There is essentially no shelter from southerlies (and westerlies because of flat terrain in the west) if anchoring north of the buoys. The prevailing winds are SW...

Hence possibly why the seagrass established itself where the buoys are.

Why not put your buoys in the north? An equally valid argument?

I am not claiming to be an expert on the seagrass or the seahorses but I am a liveaboard and I have anchored in Studland overnight, probably more than 180 nights. My knowledge and opinion on whether it's suitable for boats is more valid than most peoples, sorry.

The sheer quantity of buoys are objectively a negative for mariners when the wind is gusting, which is probably half of the year. If there were less buoys, and still room to anchor, ok. But they purposefully take up the whole sheltered area, unless anchoring very close to the beach, where most boats will sit at low tide.

 

[Lucky Duck]

I would be interested to know whether visitor numbers have decreased or not but I doubt there is any reliable evidence to prove it either way

 

[Baboon]

I would be interested to know whether visitor numbers have decreased or not but I doubt there is any reliable evidence to prove it either way

The vast majority of vistors fill the bay in good weather, in summer, so the buoys don't effect that. Because anchoring anywhere in low wind, isn’t an issue then. Therefore i imagine visitor numbers to be similar.

In winter I would bet there are less vistors because of the buoys. I see sailboats struggle to pick up a buoy in strong winds, and sail away, but they are the minority.

I guess I am in a niche where I shelter here in strong winds, and my boat is heavier than 10 tonnes.

And seahorses and seagrass are more important, or more likely the profits from placing the buoys is more important, than shelter for the minority in dangerous weather.

By the way, Studland (specifically where some buoys are) is relatively more sheltered from strong south westerlies than everywhere in Poole Harbour (with exception of the marinas or past the twin sails bridges), so saying just go anchor elsewhere or go elsewhere isn’t really an argument. I might as well sail to the solent.

 

[Boathook]

The high points (hills) are in the south and the west, which shelter from the south and the west. The further you go away from that, the less shelter you have. There is essentially no shelter from southerlies (and westerlies because of flat terrain in the west) if anchoring north of the buoys. The prevailing winds are SW...

Hence possibly why the seagrass established itself where the buoys are.

Why not put your buoys in the north? An equally valid argument?

I am not claiming to be an expert on the seagrass or the seahorses but I am a liveaboard and I have anchored in Studland overnight, probably more than 180 nights. My knowledge and opinion on whether it's suitable for boats is more valid than most peoples, sorry.

The sheer quantity of buoys are objectively a negative for mariners when the wind is gusting, which is probably half of the year. If there were less buoys, and still room to anchor, ok. But they purposefully take up the whole sheltered area, unless anchoring very close to the beach, where most boats will sit at low tide.

Possibly the same or more number of nights over the years, since the early 1980's. I've never had a problem when manourvering and the wind is gusty between the buoys.

Buoys are placed so boats use them rather than anchor, to allegedly protect the seagrass and aid carbon capture. They are a blight on the seascape.

 

[Lucky Duck]

The vast majority of vistors fill the bay in good weather, in summer, so the buoys don't effect that. Because anchoring anywhere in low wind, isn’t an issue then. Therefore i imagine visitor numbers to be similar.

In winter I would bet there are less vistors because of the buoys. I see sailboats struggle to pick up a buoy in strong winds, and sail away, but they are the minority.

I guess I am in a niche where I shelter here in strong winds, and my boat is heavier than 10 tonnes.

And seahorses and seagrass are more important, or more likely the profits from placing the buoys is more important, than shelter for the minority in dangerous weather.

By the way, Studland (specifically where some buoys are) is relatively more sheltered from strong south westerlies than everywhere in Poole Harbour (with exception of the marinas or past the twin sails bridges), so saying just go anchor elsewhere or go elsewhere isn’t really an argument. I might as well sail to the solent.

As upthread, the majority of the buoys are removed during the winter?

I’m generally able to sail off the moorings which suggests to me they aren’t unduly close