Solent Crossing

Gosport to Ryde / Wootton Creek

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Grid ref
Stokes Bay (GAFIRS) SZ 599 979
Ryde Pier SZ 592 936
Wootton Creek Entrance SZ 557 932

This route across the Solent is from Stokes Bay (Gosport) to Ryde, Isle of Wight and then along the coast to Wootton Creek, with the return passage to Stokes Bay

Stokes Bay
Stokes Bay is a wide shingle beach extending for about a mile between Browndown Point and Gilkicker Point. I selected a starting point at GAFIRS car park - Gosport And Fareham Inshore Rescue. There are several pay & display car parks along Stokes Bay and any would do. All are 60 pence per hour, or £3.60 for the day. The beach is quite steeply shelving and this needs to be considered if the wind has any south in it - waves break dramatically at times.

The Route

The route (about 3.5 miles)crosses both the north and south (main) shipping lanes from the eastern Solent to Southampton. It also crossed the path of the Wight Link car ferry that travels from Portsmouth to Wootton Creek (Fishbourne). The north channel is fairly minor and only used by smaller cargo ships. The main channel on the southern side of the Solent carries the largest ships in the Solent. This route does not cross the paths of either the high speed passenger ferry to Ryde or the hovercraft. Ryde lies almost due south of Stokes Bay, but an allowance must be made for the tide which generally sets at ninety degrees to the route, east or west depending on the tide flow at the time. At a typical gentle speed of three miles per hour, allow for one hour of tide. The crossing should take an hour or less in good conditions and the same for the return leg. There are no navigation marks on the route, although the return leg will pass near to the Mother Bank buoy on the southern side of the main channel. There is a period of slack water here about two hours before high water at Portsmouth.

The Isle of Wight Coast


The part of the coast visited on this route includes large expanses of sand bank, tree lined beaches (possibly private) and rocky outcrops. Ryde Pier marks your arrival on the Isle of Wight. The pier was extended through the 1800s to 681m. Staying west of it avoids the ferry and hovercraft. The flat expanse of sand is quickly covered by the tide so it is worth pulling kayaks well clear of the water edge on a flooding tide.

The coast between Ryde and Wootton Creek appears to be privately owned, but a very pretty tree lined beach greets the eye. A few rocky outcrops separate you from Wootton Creek, about 1.5 miles west of Ryde.

Wootton Creek is home to the car ferry and this needs to be avoided, although the channel is plainly seen. Inside the mouth lies a tidal pond stretching in land about half a mile to Wootton itself, offering a waterside pub and shop facilities.


Access / Put-ins:
Stokes Bay access is described above.

On the Isle of Wight, access can be had at Ryde or Wootton Creek, though it will involved a significant portage from public car parks on nearby roads.

Nature:
In the summer months, dolphins may be sighted, as a schooling mackerel.

History:
Ryde Pier has a history all of its own.

Waterside Pubs:
Waterside cafes at Stokes Bay and a pub at the top of Wootton Creek.

Hazards:
Wind and tide can make the Solent an unforgiving place. The sheer volume of water craft doubles the danger. A good look out needs to be maintained. It is advisable to carry a GPS to assist as a mist or haze is usually present in the summer months. Ryde can be easily identified by the to spires visible on the hill behind the town, but on the northern side of the Solent, the coast appears bland to the eye and it is difficult to identify any land marks.