Studland’s valuable anchorage is now a no-anchor zone, so Ken Endean looks at alternatives for the cruising sailor
Studland’s voluntary no-anchor zone, enforced by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO), has been designated to protect the seagrass growing in the southern part of the bay.
The new restriction will have an obvious impact on both inshore recreation in the bay, which has traditionally been Poole’s playground, and coastal cruising, for which Studland has always been a valuable refuge in strong westerly winds.
The rule is voluntary, but boat owners are threatened with compulsion should they not comply. The MMO has stated that there will be no prohibition on emergency use; it is not clear whether this would include sheltering from a gale, although an exact definition of ‘emergency’ is not critical while the rule remains voluntary.
Do the boundaries of the spheres of influence seem clear?
We visited Studland on August 20, 2022. About a dozen boat were anchored within the new zone. Such behaviour could serve as an argument for a mandatory anchoring ban. The majority of boats were motorboats, but four yachts anchored off Redend Point. Some reports described the area as being…
