Six of the best drying anchorages in the UK

Ken Endean is a hugely experienced pilotage enthusiast who cruises a twin-keeled Sabre 27. Here he gives his guide to the best drying anchorages in the UK

A yacht that is designed or equipped to sit on the bottom gives her crew a wider choice of cruising destinations. For instance, most of the harbours and inlets on Britain’s eastern flank, and the north coast of Cornwall and Devon, are fascinating places to visit by sea but dry at low tide.

In good weather, a boat that can stand on her own feet and dry out at anchorage will enable her crew to explore them properly, rather than merely sail on past, heading for the next big harbour. Here I’ve picked a few of my drying anchorages in the UK.

The best drying anchorages in the UK

Burnham Harbour

The sand spit harbours of Norfolk’s northern coast are mostly dry at low tide.

At Wells a dredged berthing area near the town has been funded by income from wind farm support boats but the traditional ‘deep’ anchoring spots in Blakeney and Brancaster harbours have been gradually filling.

Burnham Harbour is the least-visited inlet, probably because its entrance frequently shifts, but it makes a very enjoyable diversion. Immediately inside the entrance there is a deep hole with room for a couple of anchored yachts but on our last visit we took London Apprentice up the channel, to anchor and ground near the village.

We used two anchors to keep us clear of local moorings and the channel bed is sandy.

Holy Island

Further up the East Coast, there are many potential coastal anchorages that are sheltered from SW winds but often experience a persistent swell from the north, and after the Humber’s Spurn Head the next good natural wave break is Holy Island.

The deep-water roadstead on its southern side can be uncomfortable in strong westerlies, when wind screams across a couple of miles of open water. The Ooze then offers a quieter berth, a drying bay sheltered by a headland and a small jetty. The bed is firm, level sand – not at all oozy except where seaweed collects near the shoreline.

If a yacht is weather-bound there for a few days there are two pubs, several cafés and a small post office store for basic provisions. Onshore entertainment includes the ancient castle, managed by the National Trust.

St Aubin Fort

Jersey’s principal port and yacht harbour is St Helier, but in high summer it is very busy and crews looking for a more peaceful berth may find it at St Aubin, three miles to the west.

This is a relaxed kind of town with a small supermarket and several eateries, and is also the headquarters of the Royal Channel Islands YC. The harbour dries by 6.8m and the usual visitor berth is alongside the quay.

For skippers who prefer to anchor off, the wide beaches mean that deep water is well offshore, but drying areas are usually vulnerable to swell or ferry wash. However, the drying zone north of the fort gives excellent protection. At low tide, crews can walk into town, along the causeway.

Isles of Scilly

If strong winds are forecast, a lot of published pilotage advice recommends leaving Scilly and returning to the mainland. This is regarded with puzzlement by Scilly regulars, who see little point in rushing back to an overcrowded Newlyn Harbour or racing for the Lizard while pursued by a rising gale.

They prefer to find a cosy corner between the islands and hunker down until the trouble is past, and many of them expect to take the ground. Visitor moorings off New Grimsby and Old Grimsby are usually occupied early, in response to the first bad forecast, and those at Hugh Town Harbour are notorious for being exposed to the west.

In westerly winds, the most popular spot is Bryher’s Green Bay. If a strong blow begins from the SE, this is exposed until the wind veers, although boats close to the HW mark can find protection under the southern shore.

If the wind is expected to veer from SW to N, it is possible to anchor off Old Grimsby then shift to Pentle Bay. Winds from the NE quadrant are common in fine weather, sometimes stiff enough to cause discomfort. Snug shelter is then available at Tean, Higher Town Bay and Appletree Bay.

The Back Lanes of Bréhat

Like Scilly, Bréhat offers plenty of potentially sheltered anchorages, but a lot depends on the forecast. For really angry weather from the west, the upper reaches of La Chambre may look like a dead end but actually lead between rocky islets to a wide, drying area close to the central village of Le Bourg. The eastern rocks extend the protected arc to almost 360º in moderate winds.

Corréjou

This a very useful Breton anchorage, a few miles east of L’Aber Wrac’h and ideal for a stopover when a yacht is working west, towards the Chénal du Four. The deep-water area is fairly sheltered from the west and the inner, drying area is almost bombproof. Entry and exit entails passing between exposed reefs but is easier than it looks, owing to a combination of two buoys, two pole beacons and prominent, natural granite ‘beacon towers’.

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