Wareham

[trevor]

Can anyone point me in the right direction! or provide info on access to and mooring at Wareham.
I am trying to get this for a friend who is moving to Swanage so do not want to buy charts.
Is Wareham accessable at all tide states (less than 1M draft) are there any moorings available there?
Trevor

 

[hove2]

Yes, tell him to go by car then he can ask the way if he gets lost.

 

[Guest]

I don't know if you or your friend realise that there is no direct water access between Swanage and Wareham and its a bit of a drive from Swanage to Wareham particularly in the summer with all the grockels [visitors]. However there is a place called Ridge Wharf that has a small marina and trot moorings. I also think as a Purbeck resident one can apply for ones own mooring, but I am not too sure these days. At under 1m there should be no problem with access but a Poole Harbour chart is a must for a new comer as if you do not follow the right sequence of channel stakes as the river runs into the harbour you WILL run aground [or in the top end of the Wareham channel run amud]. Another [maybe better option] is to go down to the ferry end of the [private toll] road leading from Swanage [short trip] as there is a small boat yard with a good slip and moorings right by the harbour mouth.
It would be realy daft not to get a Poole Harbour chart and tide tables. Untill you know it well the harbour is tricky and full of sand and mud flats. There are some areas with 50/60ft of water BUT the 'average' depth of Poole at low water springs is only 9" YES that's not a typo, 9" . So you do need to know the channel edges, 3 or 4ft out and your stuck!!! As for the tides.... well there are four lows and four highs in 24 hrs and some time one of the lows can be higher than one of the highs...... Get a LOCAL tide table and good luck. PS e-mail me direct if you want more info'