epervier
Active member
Skip and I are thinking of doing a weekend out of Lake Solent and going up to Wareham on the Frome, having never been there any experiences, local knowledge appreciated.
Wareham, Who's Been There, By Boat
- Thread starter epervier
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lanason
Active member
I spent many hours as a kid moored at the quay - Dad's boat was at Redcliffe about a mile or so downstream. So we often went up to the Quay on a Friday night. I played Pacman and Asteroids in the Quay Inn (was the New Inn in my days). I took the inflatable under the bridge and way upstream, cut the engine and drifted back down - happy days
I was on the boat at the Quayside when we heard the news about Lord Mountbattens death.
Dunno about now, but watch the channel as Poole Harbour joins the river - follow the stakes exactly. We saw many a boat "high and dry" on the mud.
Others may say if its still possible to tie up on the Quay, if so get their mid afternoon and have a meal at the "Old Granary". Was really good, maybe it still is
I was on the boat at the Quayside when we heard the news about Lord Mountbattens death.
Dunno about now, but watch the channel as Poole Harbour joins the river - follow the stakes exactly. We saw many a boat "high and dry" on the mud.
Others may say if its still possible to tie up on the Quay, if so get their mid afternoon and have a meal at the "Old Granary". Was really good, maybe it still is
BrendanS
Well-known member
There have been quite a few forum meets there some years ago, and some amusing stories of people going back in the dark after a few bevvies! (Duncan springs to mind).
It's not too difficult. There are withies marking both the entrance and some of the route. You start by entering what seems to be a large reed bed, don't be put off, further up you realise there are lots of boats actually moored up there permanently, and it's not just a little backwater.
Up near the quay, the water can get quite shallow, so you do need to be arriving and leaving at near high tide. There is one particularly shallow spot, just before you get to the quay (and the bridge) - there is a large building just off to starboard, but can't remember what it is. There will be locals along to give more upto date info I'm sure.
PhilipF
New member
Yes, we've been up there, tied up on the quay, walked up the main street, and had time for a pot of tea.
OAF
New member
Went up there last year in our 42ft princess, really enjoyed the trip right to the head of navigation, was easy to navigate, a bit shallow in places and narrow but worth the. Trip.
Red
Member
Great place to visit, last year we had a slight problem because the bank opposite the town has had the bank filled in with large rocks.We caught our rudder in one of the rocks and the situation became quite desperate. Had we not been able to free ourselves up it would have been really bad. High water does not last long here so make sure you have a quick exit - and not just from the pub...
epervier
Active member
Just to add another q
is it possible to dry out at the quay and stay overnight? mud or hard?
is it possible to dry out at the quay and stay overnight? mud or hard?
hlb
RIP
We met a guy and his wife in a yacht on Pool quay. He could not park, so I said he's be safer tieing along side us. Anyway we became quite friendly and it turned out that he was a news presenter for Middlands TV. Also that he was a yacht master. He asked if we wanted to go to Wareham tomorrow, so we agreed.
I think he must have hit every sand bank there was, but each time we'd drag him off.
Wareham was a nice little place, only spoiled, by him inviting some media type puff bloke along for the meal in the pub.
On the way back I took the route that we came up on, and I knew was clear.
He took the other side of the moored boats, that were in the middle of the river.
Sure enough he got stuck again, meaning that I had to back up maybe about a hundred yards, till I could find a gap and get over to his side of the river.
I pulled up behind him and threw him a rope. Cant remember quite how, but his wife was on our boat.
Just as I dragged him off, his phone rang. It was his daughter. So he started wandering round the boat talking to her, no concern that he had left the tiller and his engine flat out in reverse. Why he thought he needed to use his punny engine with 400 HP pulling him off, I'll never know.
Anyway, I'm going faster and faster backwards down the river, with the yacht catching up. His wife was on our bows, yelling at him to put the phone down.
Luckily I found a gap in the moored boats and backed in, just before the yacht zoomed past, till it came to a sudden halt when the rope became tight, causing him to go head over tit.
Nice couple, but I've never had a lot of faith in yachtmasters since then.
I think he must have hit every sand bank there was, but each time we'd drag him off.
Wareham was a nice little place, only spoiled, by him inviting some media type puff bloke along for the meal in the pub.
On the way back I took the route that we came up on, and I knew was clear.
He took the other side of the moored boats, that were in the middle of the river.
Sure enough he got stuck again, meaning that I had to back up maybe about a hundred yards, till I could find a gap and get over to his side of the river.
I pulled up behind him and threw him a rope. Cant remember quite how, but his wife was on our boat.
Just as I dragged him off, his phone rang. It was his daughter. So he started wandering round the boat talking to her, no concern that he had left the tiller and his engine flat out in reverse. Why he thought he needed to use his punny engine with 400 HP pulling him off, I'll never know.
Anyway, I'm going faster and faster backwards down the river, with the yacht catching up. His wife was on our bows, yelling at him to put the phone down.
Luckily I found a gap in the moored boats and backed in, just before the yacht zoomed past, till it came to a sudden halt when the rope became tight, causing him to go head over tit.
Nice couple, but I've never had a lot of faith in yachtmasters since then.
dpb
Well-known member
Finding the channel in is easy now as it is well marked with withies on either side.
On an average tide we reckon on getting in from about 2hrs before the first high and out by the corresponding level on the falling tide. Our boat takes about 4ft draft.
Should get a good four hours along side the quay.
Wether it dries out or not depends on springs or neaps, but when it does dry, it doesn't do so for long goes and comes very fast.
The bottom is mud.
Great place to stop but the main issue is that there is very limited mooring space. Most of the quay is kept clear for trip boats leaving only two or three boat lengths available.
Often find sub 25ft boats rafted five deep.
Best tactic is to scrape the bottom on the first rising tide of the weekend to have a chance of getting in first.
We usually go expecting it to be full so are pleasantly supreised if we can get in.
There may be the option of a mooring at the yacht club / marina situated a few hundred meters downstream and using the dinghy to get to town but we havn't investigated this. Would be interesting to know if this is possible.
Once in the river it gets deeper than the entrance but the shallow spots to watch are on the bend immediately opposite and upstream of the campsite slipway, and the final stretch between the yacht club and the first building of the town.
Hope this helps.
On an average tide we reckon on getting in from about 2hrs before the first high and out by the corresponding level on the falling tide. Our boat takes about 4ft draft.
Should get a good four hours along side the quay.
Wether it dries out or not depends on springs or neaps, but when it does dry, it doesn't do so for long goes and comes very fast.
The bottom is mud.
Great place to stop but the main issue is that there is very limited mooring space. Most of the quay is kept clear for trip boats leaving only two or three boat lengths available.
Often find sub 25ft boats rafted five deep.
Best tactic is to scrape the bottom on the first rising tide of the weekend to have a chance of getting in first.
We usually go expecting it to be full so are pleasantly supreised if we can get in.
There may be the option of a mooring at the yacht club / marina situated a few hundred meters downstream and using the dinghy to get to town but we havn't investigated this. Would be interesting to know if this is possible.
Once in the river it gets deeper than the entrance but the shallow spots to watch are on the bend immediately opposite and upstream of the campsite slipway, and the final stretch between the yacht club and the first building of the town.
Hope this helps.
cem
New member
nice place as others have said, we have been twice this year, first time was a dream, although shallow water in places, rafted up to a very nice bloke in a small yacht and went for a pint, by the time we got back there were a further 2 rafted to us which made for an interesting exit as their lines were not long enough to go past us to the yacht
second time not so good..... be very wary of the most upstream space on the quay wall, current caught us and took us into the wall and a graze on the boat (all sorted, fantastic job thanks to Tom at poole yacht repairs) when we escaped from there and turned down stream i looked around to see another boat do exactly the same as us and no doubt need a similar or more extensive repair (based on the noise)
so other than the quay wall a very pleasant place to visit
second time not so good..... be very wary of the most upstream space on the quay wall, current caught us and took us into the wall and a graze on the boat (all sorted, fantastic job thanks to Tom at poole yacht repairs) when we escaped from there and turned down stream i looked around to see another boat do exactly the same as us and no doubt need a similar or more extensive repair (based on the noise)
so other than the quay wall a very pleasant place to visit
robyonfrome
New member
My mooring is about 100yard from the bridge which is as far as you will get your boat but if you have a tender you can have a lovely trip up the river for about another mile. I have recently had a sealine 29 ambassador now a Jeanneau lift keel and I have to be back on my mooring or leave it 2 hours before low tide. As mentioned you must not stray outside the stakes as its only about 18" deep on the approach getting nearer to the river. On some springs you can walk the last couple of hundred yards to the quay as its ankle deep in places so get your tide book out. Mooring on the quay can be a problem as mentioned there is an area reserved for trip boats which after about 9 pm when the trip boats have gone back to Poole, people move their boats onto that space for the night, The other half of the quay is available and boats raft off it 3/4 deep. Don’t be put off it’s a fabulous place to visit, I sometimes wish I didn’t live here so I could come and visit, if you get my drift. Nice to be able to contribute for a change as I have learned so much from this forum.
neale
Active member
We met a guy and his wife in a yacht on Pool quay. He could not park, so I said he's be safer tieing along side us. Anyway we became quite friendly and it turned out that he was a news presenter for Middlands TV. Also that he was a yacht master. He asked if we wanted to go to Wareham tomorrow, so we agreed.
I think he must have hit every sand bank there was, but each time we'd drag him off.
Wareham was a nice little place, only spoiled, by him inviting some media type puff bloke along for the meal in the pub.
On the way back I took the route that we came up on, and I knew was clear.
He took the other side of the moored boats, that were in the middle of the river.
Sure enough he got stuck again, meaning that I had to back up maybe about a hundred yards, till I could find a gap and get over to his side of the river.
I pulled up behind him and threw him a rope. Cant remember quite how, but his wife was on our boat.
Just as I dragged him off, his phone rang. It was his daughter. So he started wandering round the boat talking to her, no concern that he had left the tiller and his engine flat out in reverse. Why he thought he needed to use his punny engine with 400 HP pulling him off, I'll never know.
Anyway, I'm going faster and faster backwards down the river, with the yacht catching up. His wife was on our bows, yelling at him to put the phone down.
Luckily I found a gap in the moored boats and backed in, just before the yacht zoomed past, till it came to a sudden halt when the rope became tight, causing him to go head over tit.
Nice couple, but I've never had a lot of faith in yachtmasters since then.
The trouble is that some people do the YM theory and then call themselves yachtmasters. I very much doubt he would have got through a pretty tough 8 hour practical assessment if he was as incompetent as you say.
Quest
New member
I've done this trip on a few occasions and 3 times have caught sight of a Kingfisher on the starboard side about half way up near a small concrete culvert. Near the same spot each time. Keep a lookout for it...
