Our first visit to Studland Bay was in early December 2023. After taking advantage of strong southwesterly winds to zip up the English Channel towards the Solent, our arrival timing was a bit off and we decided to spend the night in what looked like a bay that offered decent protection against the winds. What we found were depths that were too shallow to get close enough to land to cut down the wind chop, and we spent a very uncomfortable night at anchor, wind whistling in the rigging, rain pouring down, all while waves battered the side and stern of the boat.
What a difference a season makes. After an exceedingly pleasant overnight sail from Ipswich, the waters of Studland Bay were glassy-calm in the light westerly breeze of the early summer. Tall chalk cliffs that we couldn’t make out in the sea mist of winter rise from the golden sand beach, and the Old Harry Rocks stand proud guard over the entrance to the bay.
There’s a voluntary no-anchor zone near shore to protect eelgrass beds, so we found a spot outside the protected area, zipped ashore in the dinghy, and were promptly reminded of one of the reasons the south coast of the UK is such a good cruising area – everywhere we go, there are fantastic walking paths.
The cliffs above Studland are a perfect example, and we spent a couple nice days exploring the area.
