Welcome to Poole Harbour

• Keep to the speed limits and be particularly aware of the wash you are creating. This can easily cause injury or damage boats or property.

• Look out for large ferries and commercial ships. They are limited in their manoeuverability, so keep well clear and make your intentions known.

• Don’t pass too close to other boats, whether underway or moored.

• Be very careful in the Harbour entrance. It’s particularly hazardous in this area with great potential for an accident – don’t let it be you.

• Move slowly around the Town Quay area. Don’t create wash to damage other boats moored at the quayside.

• Before you sail, check the tide situation and ensure your craft is in good seaworthy condition.

• Anticipate the movement of sailing vessels, give them room to tack.

• Get to know the harbour, particularly the channels, the navigation marks and the areas designated for special use.

• Enjoy your leisure, but do it in the designated areas.

• Treat wildlife with care and consideration.

NAVIGATION HINTSSee Admiralty Chart 2611

APPROACH TO POOLEIf approaching from the Solent, the entranceis identifiable from the high cliffs of AnvilPoint. When nearer, the rocks of Old Harry(Handfast Point) are clearly visible. TheSwash Channel is clearly marked.

When leaving for, or approaching fromwest, beware of the race off Handfast Pointon the ebb tide.

The Harbour is accessible at all states ofthe tide and is only dangerous in very strongS and SE winds, particularly on the ebb tide.

The entrance channel “The Swash”passes between the Training Bank, on thewestern side, and Hook Sands to the east. Be careful of the Chain Ferry, just at the theentrance, as the ebb can run at 3 to 4 knots.

HARBOUR ENTRANCEThe Harbour entrance is a potentiallyhazardous area with strong tidal stream,particularly on the spring ebb. Small craft arerecommended to approach the entranceusing the Boat Channel to the west of theSwash Channel. The East Looe Channel, andpassing south of Hook Sands should only beattempted when weather and tidal conditionsare favourable. The East looe Channel ismarked by buoys.

The entrance becomes very congestedduring summer weekend afternoons andextra care is needed. Sailing vessels must usetheir engines if fitted.

SANDBANKS CHAIN FERRYThe chain ferry has right of way over othervessels, except those under compulsorypilotage. The Chain Ferry Byelaw and LocalNotice to Mariners 14/2005 refers. The safecourse of action is to keep well out of theway of the chain ferry, never cross ahead butremember the chains astern!

As a guide, ferry crossing times are on thehour, then 20 & 40 minutes past the hour,from the Haven Hotel (north side). FromStudland (south side) the normal crossings areat 10, 30 & 50 minutes past the hour. Theferry normally runs from 0700 to 2300.

These schedules may be varieddependent on traffic.

THE 10-POINT GUIDE FOR SAFETY

NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION

OVERALL 10 KNOTSPEED LIMIT

THROUGHOUTHARBOUR AND 6 KNOTS IN THE

RED HORIZONTALLYSTRIPED AREAS

4 KNOTS IN RIVER FROME

Arne PeninsularQUIET ZONE

ADVISORY 6 KNOTIN THE RED

HORIZONTALLYSTRIPED AREASPlease keep noise

to a minimum

Brownsea Island

RoundIsland

HavenChannelChain Ferry

North HavenPoint

R.M.Y.C.

East DorsetSailing Club

Saltern’sBoatyard& Marina

Lilliput Sailing Club

NorthHavenY.C.

BaiterSlipway

PooleQuayBoat

Haven ParkstoneYacht Club

PooleQuay

PooleYachtClub

Lake Yard

Rockley Boat ParkRockley Sailing SchoolHolton Point

Redclyffe Y.C. &Ridge Wharf

Yachting Centre

Harbour AuthorityWestern Limit

Red area ofRiver

Frome hasa 4 knot

speed limit

RiverPiddle

Patchin’sPoint

Wych Channel

North Channel

Small Boat Channel

Wareham Channel

PURBECK

SITES OF SPECIAL SCIENTIFIC INTEREST (SSSI)Virtually all of the intertidal mud areas are Sites of SpecialScientific Interest and Special Protection Areas for Birds

StudlandHeath

NewtonHeath

Studland

Harbour AuthorityLimit of Juristriction

StudlandBay

Boat Channel

Swash Channel

HOOKSANDS

SouthHook

Holes Bay6 knot speedlimit in HolesBay & Little

Channel

Hamworthy

Town Centre

Lychett Bay

RockleyPoint

NewQuay

Training Bank

Seawardlimit of 10

knotspeedlimit

RempstoneHeathWych

Heath

MiddleberePeninsular

WATERSKI A

REA

RNLI Beach StationsSlipwaysMarinasBoatyardsYacht ClubsPW AreaWaterski AreaWind & Kite SurfingFuelAnchorage Sensitive ZoneNo Personal WatercraftBird Sensitive Area

baldyjohngraphics 2011

Stakes

BellBuoy

Aunt Betty

Fuel Barge

Little Channel

Cobb’s QuayDavis’s Boatyard

LongIsland

FurzeyIsland

GreenIsland

South HavenPoint

CleavalPoint

NewtonBay

Jerry’sPoint

Shell BayMarine

No PWs Allowed

No PWsAllowed

Blood Alley

Poole lifting BridgeWill open: 07.30 Sat, Sun &

Bank Holidays only.09.30, 10.30, 12.30, 14.30,

16.30, 18.30 & 21.30 every day19.30 (May to Sept only)

23.45 (By request)

ParkstoneBay

©

River fromeGigger’s

Island

Wareham

Channel

WychLake

MiddlebereLake

BrandsBay

OwerBay Goathorn

Point

ShipstallPoint Upper Wych Channel

BrownseaLight

RedhornPoint

KeysworthPoint

SandbanksBoatyard

Middle Ship Channel

East LooeChannel

Spee

d Li

mit

of 8

kno

ts

within

200

m o

f bea

ch

Pottery Pier

Measured Half-Mile

PERSONALWATERCRAFT AREA

WhitleyLake

WINDSURFING

ZONE

Lim

it of

Bas

sN

urse

ry A

rea

Parkstone Bay MarinaLathams Boatyard

Port of PooleMarina

Ro-Ro BerthsTurning Basin

PooleBridges