The Solent gives you an embarrassment of harbour choices for a cruising ground of its size. Most can be reached in under three hours from any other point on the water. What follows are the ones worth prioritising, with honest notes on approach, facilities, and atmosphere.
Yarmouth, Isle of Wight
The best harbour on the Solent. Yarmouth Harbour is run by the Isle of Wight Harbour Authority (VHF 68) and is almost always worth a call ahead in summer. The visitors' pontoons fill quickly in settled weather; the harbour master is helpful and will generally find you a berth if you're flexible.
Approach: Straightforward from the west. From the east, give the shallows north of the pier a wide berth. Enter on the leading marks in the approach channel — the outer channel buoys are well-maintained. The harbour dries on the southern edge at very low water springs, so anchoring inside is best done after checking the tidal predictions.
Facilities: Fuel berth (diesel and petrol), water, shore power, showers, laundry, chandlery, supermarket (small Co-op), pubs, restaurants. The George Hotel is the standout for food.
Verdict: Worth planning your itinerary around. Combine with a walk to Fort Victoria or west along the Military Road.
Lymington
The mainland's premier Solent sailing town. Lymington has two marinas — the Town Quay (tidal, dries at low water) and Lymington Yacht Haven (non-tidal, excellent facilities). The high street running up from the quay has one of the best Saturday markets in Hampshire.
Approach: The Lymington River entrance is well-marked and straightforward in all conditions. Time your arrival for a rising tide if you draw more than 1.5m and are heading to the Town Quay. The river runs about 1.5 miles from the entrance to the marinas — take it slowly and watch for the passenger ferry.
Facilities: Full marina services, Waitrose in town, excellent chandleries (Lymington Chandlery, Berthon Boat Company). Fuel at the Town Quay pontoon.
Cowes, Isle of Wight
The spiritual home of British yacht racing and a genuinely interesting town. The harbour is split by the River Medina — East Cowes on one bank (mainly commercial), West Cowes on the other (the interesting bit). Visitor berths are available at the Cowes Yacht Haven visitors' pontoons or on the town pontoons run by the harbour authority (VHF 69).
Approach: The approach from the west is simple — follow the green buoys into the harbour entrance. The chain ferry has right of way; do not attempt to cross ahead of it. From the east, give the Shrape Mud bank time and space.
Warning: Cowes during Cowes Week (first full week of August) is an experience, but berths are extremely scarce and prices rise sharply. Book months in advance or anchor in the roads and take the ferry ashore.
Keyhaven
Not a harbour at all in the conventional sense — more a sheltered anchorage behind the Hurst Spit shingle bar. Keyhaven is shallow (less than 2m at MLWS across the entrance bar) and remote in feel despite being five minutes' sail from Yarmouth. No facilities ashore other than a pub in the village, half a mile inland.
Approach: The entrance is best attempted on a rising tide, with a dinghy rather than the main boat if you draw more than 1.4m. Keep strictly to the buoyed channel — the spit is extensive and unforgiving. Once inside, the lagoon is beautiful and usually uncrowded.
Verdict: Perfect for a night at anchor in settled conditions. The sunsets over the Needles from Keyhaven lagoon are worth the shallow-water anxiety.
Chichester Harbour
The most extensive natural harbour on the south coast. Chichester Harbour covers 17 square miles at high water and contains four main channels — Emsworth, Bosham, Thorney, and the main Chichester Channel — plus dozens of creeks and guts that are only navigable by dinghy at the top of the tide.
Approach: The bar entrance at East Head requires care — the sandbar shifts annually and the channel is dredged to approximately 1.5m at MLWS. Enter on a rising tide, keep to the buoyed channel, and expect some sea state if there is a southerly swell running against an ebb tide in the entrance.
Best anchorages inside: Bosham Creek (dries, use a tidal mooring or anchor near the entrance), Itchenor (visitors' moorings available, call the harbour master on VHF 14), Emsworth (further east, peaceful and uncommercial).
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I anchor in the Solent for free?
A: Yes, in several places — the Beaulieu River mouth, Newtown Creek, and parts of Chichester Harbour. Some anchorages charge a small harbour dues fee (Yarmouth roads, for example). Always check current notices to mariners for any restrictions.
Q: What's the best harbour for a crew's first night at sea?
A: Yarmouth. It's sheltered, well-managed, close to the charter base at Lymington, and has enough going on ashore to keep an anxious crew distracted. The approach is straightforward.