Bembridge Harbour is a pretty spot near the eastern tip of the Isle of Wight which makes it a popular excursion from mainland yachting centres such as Portsmouth and Chichester Harbour. For yachtsmen embarking on a Channel crossing it has the further attraction that it is about an hour closer to the continent than the mainland marinas at this end of the Solent.

The limiting factor is the shallow entrance channel. For a yacht drawing 1.5m you are probably looking at HW±2 unless you are familiar with the area, but depths alter so consult the tide gauge at the entrance. In our experience the markings on the gauge are fairly conservative. Once in the harbour proper there is no difficulty in staying afloat.

Approaching from the west, proceed through the Solent and having given Ryde Sand a proper berth head in to St Helen’s Road from No Man’s Land Fort on a bearing of about 175º. From the east, with the direction of buoyage against you, identify the rather small red and green buoys of Street and Boulder off Selsey Bill (never the easiest), allowing for the fact that you may be drifted out to sea by the tidal stream sweeping round the bay. Then having passed between them head on another ten miles almost due west (275º) towards the Isle of Wight. The entrance to Bembridge is about 2 1/2 miles to the north of the prominent white Culver Cliff, and as you get in close you will be able to see the low concrete flat-topped St Helen’s Fort. The tide gauge is on a pole with a cross on it just north of the fort.

Having ascertained that there is enough water to keep you afloat, proceed along the buoyed channel (preferably on a rising tide) making sure you follow the buoys in the correct order and follow any twists and turns. Visitor accommodation is at Duver Marina towards the end of the channel in the north west of the harbour where you can raft up to starboard against a single long pontoon. On a summer weekend boats may be six deep.

In this corner of the harbour you are a very long hike from Bembridge itself, though there is a water taxi. There is a small shop at the marina, otherwise the nearest are in St Helen’s, about 15 minutes away. Nearest restaurant is the Baywatch café restaurant (T +44 (0)1983 873259), a pleasant 5 minute amble over the dunes, which serves copious helpings of familiar standards before a lovely view. Book ahead, especially at weekends.

If Bembridge sounds too busy for you or you can’t afford to wait for the tide, Priory Bay just north of the entrance to the harbour is a feasible anchorage if the wind is in the west. Shelter is limited so it can be bumpy.

To the west there is a drying harbour at Ryde with a hard sandy bottom accessible to small craft down a marked channel HW±2. It lies about 2 cables to the east of Ryde pier. Further west again there is a little more water in Wootton Creek, the entrance to which is accessible down the dredged ferry channel to Fishbourne. Turning to starboard a little before the ferry terminal follow the line of moorings to find the best water. There are very few places where deep keel boats can stay afloat at LW, but smaller ones may stay more or less upright in soft mud.

© 2009 Yachtpilot