Whitterings - Advice Please

[Brig24]

Hi,

We have recently bought a Brig Eagle 650 and want to take the family round to the Whitterings to anchor and play on the beach. Has anyone got any good tips on the best place to anchor / come ashore?

Thanks

[WhiteShark]

I'd certainly be interested as we have avoided to date as it looks quite exposed compared to the North or East coast of the IOW (prevailing winds seem to be most often from the SW, so there's quite a fetch before hitting West Wittering). That said, we have anchored round the back of East Head before, which was pleasant.

[John Kennett]

Just inside Chichester Harbour at East Head is the anchorage that you want. It's a great spot, but does get busy. It's never as busy as the muggle beach at West Wittering though

[daveb47]

I can thoroughly recommend East Head as well. Its a very pleasant and sheltered beach without the crowds of Wittering. We also used to go to Bracklesham Bay as well, thats quieter than the Witterings.

[Brig24]

Thanks for the advice - is it possible to go ashore at East Head?

[John Kennett]

Yes, then it's about a ten minute walk to West Wittering for ice creams (although if you're really lucky the ice cream boat will come to East Head anyway)

[beerbelly]

Originally Posted by John Kennett

Yes, then it's about a ten minute walk to West Wittering for ice creams (although if you're really lucky the ice cream boat will come to East Head anyway)

ice cream boat we get nothing like that at hartlepool

[mikew4]

Wittering is a private beach so I doubt they will let you. It is also stupidly busy.

Go to East Head as already mentioned. Walk to Wittering if you must. Go up channel a bit more and nice pub by water at Itchenor.

[busybee]

You can beach or anchor at East Head, nice sandy beach.
Take care over Chichester Bar if windy though.

[mikew4]

Better still, avoid Chichester Bar at all times by not cutting the corner. Make sure you are south of West Pole on your approach to do so.

Chichester bar

Recently a RIB lost its gear box casing by cutting the corner....

Also, don't cut the corner on the approach to East Head from the Solent as you'll end up on the Winner Bank. Even for a shallow draft vessel, the Green channel markers are very close to unforgiving ground. One yacht on the Winner Bank last weekend (corner cutting), and another the week before (engine failure)