What's the story here?

Sandown Bay is an expansive open bay that stretches along the largest part of the south-eastern coast of the Isle of Wight. It is located between Dunnose and Culver Cliff, five miles northeast, and shared by the seaside resort towns of Shanklin and Sandown. The former, Shanklin, lies 1½ miles northward of Dunnose, and Sandown is located in the centre of the bay. A pier with a pavilion at its head extends out 400 metres southeast from the shore at Sandown.





Sandown Bay is the best anchorage along the little-travelled southeast section of the island. Its waters gradually shoal and become shallow to about ¼ of a mile from the shore, where the 2-metre contour can be found. Beyond this, the 2 to 5-metre contour extends around 100 metres wide. This positions the anchoring area close offshore yet far from the current and well protected from the prevailing winds. This is significantly better than the nearby Whitecliff Bay, which is susceptible to a roll that wraps around the headland. Similarly, Ventnor is generally quite rolly and only suitable for small boats that can ground themselves inside the harbour, if space can be found.

How to get in?

The South Around the Isle Of Wight provides an east-west tidal counter and navigational guidance for the south side of the island.




Culver Down, featuring the prominent Yarmouth monument and the bright chalky Whitecliff facing Culver Cliff, marks the northeastern edge of Sandown Bay. This creates a clearly identifiable seamark for vessels approaching from all directions. Stay well away from the southern Culver Cliff at the end of the bay as the dangerous Whitecliff Ledge steps out from its foot. It extends nearly 350 metres from the base of Culver Cliff; the outer part dries at low tide.




The bay is clear of hazards beyond a ¼ of a mile from the shore, save for a pipeline that needs to be considered if anchoring in the middle of the bay. This well-charted outflow pipe runs south-eastward for 1½ miles from the shore at Yaverland at the bay's north end. It is marked by a yellow buoy Fl(5)Y.20s moored over the 10 metre contour.




The initial fix is set on the 10 metre contour, a ¼ of a mile southeast of the head of Sandown Pier. At night, two vertical fixed reds are exhibited from the head of pier 2F.R(vert)7m2M. From here, steer towards the pier on a course of about 265° T towards Sandown Pier.

Depths should gradually shoal from 10 metres in towards the beach. Break off at a comfortable depth to find an anchorage. A LAT depth of 1.8 metres will be found alongside the head of the pier.

Speed must be kept below 10 knots between 0900 and 1800 in the recreational area within 400 metres of the beach, marked in summer by yellow buoys. Look for a small yellow weather buoy with an aerial.




Vessels may anchor according to draft anywhere in Sandown Bay. Local advice suggests it is best to stay well clear of the pier to avoid any legacy objects that may surround it. Likewise, the section to the northeast of the pier is best avoided as it was, in the past, a mooring ground for fishing craft and is most likely foul.




A favourite spot for boatmen is about 600 metres south by southwest of the pier head, in about 4 metres of water. This provides good sand holding and weak tidal streams.





Land by tender on the beach.

Why visit here?

Sandown was first recorded in the Doomsday Book of 1086 as Sande. Later, in 1271, it was recorded as Sandham formed from the conjunction of 'sand & hamm' derived from 'sandy enclosure or river meadow'. It remained as 'Sandham' for hundreds of years, as it was a remote hinterland.




Only in the nineteenth century, after waves of Victorian holiday makers had transformed the bay into a seaside resort, did the name morph into 'Sandown'. This alteration may result from connecting its sandy beach with the magnificent Culver Down that overlooks it, the newcomer's familiarity with Surrey's 'Sandown Park', or a combination of both. Whatever the case, by the end of the nineteenth century, 'Sandham' was lost and 'Sandown' and 'Sandown Bay' prevailed as the place names.




Sandown Bay's significance before the arrival of the Victorian holidaymakers was its military exposure. In this regard, the protected bay, wide sandy beach and ease of access to the hinterland offered the perfect place to land an army and invade the island. Henry VIII built Sandham Castle in the centre of the bay as an early part of his chain of coastal defences to protect the island against a French or Spanish invasion. The castle was attacked and overwhelmed whilst undergoing construction during the large-scale invasion of the island in 1545. As it happened, the French force landed in Whitecliff Bay, on the opposite side of Culver Down, and fought skirmishes over the Down to attack Sandham Castle.




The castle fell, but the overall attack was driven off by the Captain of the Isle of Wight militia, Richard Worsley. The attack was a close-run thing and pointed to the importance of the defence measures to protect the island, which could provide the perfect toe hold to advance onto the mainland. To this day, the bay and Culver Cliff are dotted with the forts and barricades that provided protection against an invasion of Sandown Bay. In the fullness of time, none were to be attacked again save for the Sandham Fort that easily fought off a small assault from, most likely, French privateers in 1788.




Although Henry's Sandown Castle was to survive the 1545 French attack, it did not survive the annual battering Sandown Bay receives from the English Channel. The cliffs eroded out beneath it, and by 1631, when part of the castle had already collapsed, the decision was made to demolish what remained and build a new fort further in. It is said that the remains of the old castle's foundations can still be seen in the bay at low tide. The new defensive structure that replaced it was the aforementioned and formidable Sandham Fort. It was built slightly further up the coast using much of Sandham Castle's stone. Sandham Fort was one of the first forts to be built in England with arrow-headed bastions and an entrance in the northwest curtain. It quickly became known as the 'Diamond Fort' after its plan. By chance, the year of the last attack on the Fort was the year in which the first seed of what would be the bay's new destiny was to be sewn.




1788 was the year that the radical journalist and politician John Wilkes acquired one of the first non-military buildings in Sandown Bay. The house he purchased was called 'Sandham Cottage', which he later referred to as 'Villakin', and his use of it as a holiday home was largely responsible for putting Sandham on the map as a leisure destination. When the Victorian love of the seaside resort was ignited by the construction of the Royal Pavilion at Brighton and later focused on the island by Queen Victoria, building her Osborne House holiday home here, Sandown was set to be entirely transformed.





The bay's sandy beach, sheltered aspect from the prevailing winds and the Isle of Wight's comparatively sunny weather were to captivate the hearts of the Victorians. At first, it was only available to the rich, but the coming of the railway from Ryde in 1864, alongside excursion steamers, made such holidays more generally available. The masses soon thronged, and within a few decades, the thinly populated hinterland saw an explosion of investment and development. The bay's frontage was rapidly filled with large Victorian hotels and residences, and the first landmark, Sandown Pier, was constructed in 1879. Sandown was set to be one of the largest tourist destinations on the island.




Today, the promenade along Sandown Bay is still very pretty and far from being overwhelmed by development. Flanked by the striking 104-metre tall Chalk headland of Culver Cliff to the north, the long stretch of Sandown Bay hosts seafront and cliff-top communities in Yaverland, Sandown, Lake, Shanklin, and Luccombe. The bay's built environment is largely Victorian, showcasing the typical characteristics of a British seaside holiday resort, featuring esplanades, seafront and cliff-top hotels, beach huts, wide sandy beaches, and numerous seafront concessions and small businesses.




Its railway from Ryde Pier is the island's only remaining operational railway, while Sandown Pier is the Isle of Wight's sole amusement pier. All these factors have made Sandown's beach the most popular on the island.




Although the towns of Sandown and Shanklin have attracted a significant retirement community that has effectively unified them, they both continue to serve as important economic hubs that contribute to the island's financial prosperity. Much of this regional value is tied to the bay's tourism, with the seafront, promenade, and beaches providing essential features.




From a sailing perspective, Sandown Bay is the finest anchorage along the lesser-travelled southeast section of the island. The bay's stunning beach, which has delighted visitors for 150 years, makes it an ideal destination for family boating. It is sheltered from the prevailing winds, which makes it quite snug and facilitates a dignified dinghy landing for buckets, spades, and other essentials. If the weather is overcast, the Sandown esplanade and pier host a large amusement centre featuring arcade games and children's play areas typical of a seaside resort.




Even better, at the bay's northern end in Yaverland, you will find the Isle of Wight Zoo, also known as Sandown Zoo, alongside the excellent Dinosaur Isle geological museum. Additionally, there are Sandham Gardens, which offer a skate park, a children's play park, crazy golf, bowls, and a putting green. For older revellers, there is plenty of nightlife ashore for those wishing to enjoy an evening in Sandown.

What facilities are available?

Sandown offers excellent provisioning with supermarkets, a chemist, a post office, and all sorts of banks available on the high street. The pubs range from the more traditional offering a selection of local ales and ciders, to the more family-friendly 'gastro-pubs' with a wider menu. Restaurants in the town offer a varied cuisine and there are a variety of traditional tea rooms on the High Street.

As well as the Island Line Railway, Sandown is served by regular by Southern Vectis buses running on routes 2, 3 and 8. Destinations which can be directly reached include Bembridge, Newport, Ryde, Shanklin and Ventnor. Night buses are run on Fridays and Saturdays, along route 3. Sandown is also home to a small airport with a grass runway which receives regular visits from private aircraft.

Any security concerns?

Never an issue known to have occurred to a vessel anchored off Sandown.

With thanks to:

Tony Firth, Port Solent Yacht Club. Photography with thanks to Michael Harpur.