RYDE HARBOUR RYDE HARBOUR
50º43’.98N, 01º09’.31W (ENT)
Ryde Harbour is located on the northeast coast of the Isle of Wight and enjoys excellent views across the Solent towards Portsmouth. The well situated harbour is protected from adverse weather conditions from most directions.
Image: Tony Overbury
Known as ‘the gateway to the Island’ and a popular destination for families, Ryde Harbour lies next to long sandy beaches and is only minutes away from restaurants, a bowling alley, swimming pool, fun fair and a boating lake. Ryde Esplanade runs the full length of the seafront, followed by the promenade along the sea wall, which passes the Canoe Lake and reaches as far as Puckpool Park to the east. Connections to Portsmouth and Southsea are within easy walking distance. The harbour dries and is only accessible to vessels approximately 2 hours before and 2 hours after High Water Portsmouth for a boat with a one metre draught. Ryde Harbour Master can be contacted on VHF Ch. 80 Call Sign ‘Ryde Harbour’. Approaching Ryde Harbour from the east, beware of Ryde Sands (dries), either pass north of No Man’s Land Fort or use the inshore passage between the fort and Ryde Sands beacons (lit port hand markers). Three Starboard hand markers and three Port hand marker mark the drying demarcation channel at 197º across Ryde Sands; these are unlit buoys. Keep well clear of the hovercraft manoeuvring between Ryde Pier and the harbour, and the Wightlink high-speed ferries from and to Ryde Pier Head. The harbour entrance is lit after sunset by two fixed red lights (vertical) on the port side of the Harbour entrance, and one flashing green light on the starboard side of the harbour entrance. There is pontoon berthing for vessels for up to about 10 metres in length, there is the option for fin keel vessels to lay alongside the harbour wall. There are showers and toilets close by as well as a public slipway, there is water on all pontoons, waste and recycling facilities. Boats may be scrub in the berths alongside harbour walls. Mariners are advised that the harbour entrance suffers from a periodic build-up of sand and so before visiting should consult the latest navigational notices issued by QHM (Portsmouth). VHF Ch 80 Call Sign ‘Ryde Harbour’. Contact: Ryde Harbour, The Esplanade, Ryde, Isle of Wight, PO33 1JA. Tel: 01983 613879 or 07970 009 899. Email: ryde.harbour@iow.gov.uk
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