Solent Nautical College — Sail and Power Boat Training

Posted on previous Forum – Sept 2008

Getting into Bembridge at HW is a doddle once you have located the Tide Gauge next to St Helen's Fort and the entrance to the buoyed channel; some of the twists and turns are a bit squeaky, but it's fine in good visibility.

Coming out 2 1/2 hours later is not such a straightforward propositon; Reeds suggests that the harbour is accessible from HW +/-3hrs, but I think that probably only applies to surfboards! The marked channel – whilst only 25 yds or so wide – is very uneven, and after running aground next to a green marker buoy, we found that the “deep” water was not in the centre of the channel, but hard up against the red cans (which was odd, because there were mini-breakers there which I thought indicated shallows).

We motored out at tickover, with the depth sounder showing 0.0 for more than 10 minutes; once past the final pair of channel markers, head out towards a conspicuous orange/red buoy on about 010M, before making the turn westwards towards No Man's Land Fort. From the fort, steer 305M to keep clear of Ryde and this will take you in more or less a straight line past Sturbridge (N) Cardinal , another (S) Cardinal some way off to the S and then straight on to E Bramble Cardinal before finally aligning you perfectly with the big chimney at the west end of Calshot, neatly taking you straight down the North Channel and onto the Calshot N Cardinal . An absolute doddle.

Duver Marina costs £7.50 for a short-stay visitors' mooring on the walk-ashore pontoon and, if you can't be fluffed to walk the mile along the sea wall to get to the main Marina, the water taxi costs £1.50 a head. This sounds like a lot (NB not compared to the Folly Launch in Cowes it isn't!) but when you realise just that little bit too late that all your water is disappearing down the tidal plughole, it helps. A bit. If' you're quick. Or desperate.

Brading Haven Yacht Club (next to the “old” Marina) welcomes visitors in its bar and serves a damned fine lunch menu, but service is very very slow. This food is clearly not microwaved and tastes all the better for it.

After “The Great Escape” over the bar we had a great time sailing in fantastic weather, with the wind picking up to SW 11kts on the way home, which allowed us to sail pretty much all of the way from Ryde straight up to Warsash without tacking once.

Bembridge is a fun day out, but I won't be rushing back; it hasn't got the charm of Bucklers Hard or Newtown Creek, and once you're there the only other place to stop off at is Chichester-Langstone, which probably merits a visit all of its own anyhow.