Salt Mead Ledge is located off the south coast of England within the Western Solent, on the northwestern shore of the Isle of Wight. This is a well-known tide-wait location utilised by local boaters to evade the formidable ebb tides of the western Solent.
Salt Mead Ledge is located off the south coast of England within the Western Solent, on the northwestern shore of the Isle of Wight. This is a well-known tide-wait location utilised by local boaters to evade the formidable ebb tides of the western Solent.
This is a tolerable anchorage in settled conditions, just out of the full run of the current but still tide-affected. Careful daylight navigation is necessary for access to avoid the ledge that provides its protection.
This tool can be used to estimate future costal tidal streams for this area. All that is required are two simple steps:
Step 1: What is the Dover High Water for the target date?
Use a current Dover Tide Table to find Dover High Water for the target date. The National Oceanography Centre offers online tidal predictions for up to 28 days from today. Click here to open their tide table for Dover
Step 2: Input the target date's Dover High Water
Hour:
Minute:
Taking a mean tidal offset from Dover's tide, we expect your targetted date's associated local tide at Salt Mead Ledge to be:
High waters: Low waters:
Data based on an average tide is only accurate to within one hour, if you more precise times are required use the ISA tidal predictions, with Yarmouth offset -01:00.
Tidal Hour:
()
For planning purposes only, not for navigation. Please see our terms and conditions.
What are the key points of the approach?
Refer to Western Approaches to the Solent for appropriate navigational guidance to the Salt Mead starboard can buoy Fl(G)10s, situated ½ out from the shoreline.
Not what you need?
Click the 'Next' and 'Previous' buttons to progress through neighbouring havens in a coastal 'clockwise' or 'anti-clockwise' sequence. Below are the ten nearest havens to Salt Mead Ledge for your convenience.
Ten nearest havens by straight line charted distance and bearing:
Yacht anchored behind Salt Mead Ledge and beneath Burnt Wood Image: Michael Harpur
The Salt Mead Ledge is situated in a rural area on the northwestern shore of the Isle of Wight. It lies just east of the entrance to the Newtown River and is characterised by low cliffs, a narrow, shaded sand and pebble beach, and a valley floor that ascends into rural forestry and farmland. This privately owned inshore area grants access only to the beach and requires visitors to remain below the high-water mark.
Yacht anchored behind the Salt Mead Ledge Image: Michael Harpur
The Salt Mead Ledge offers an open rural anchorage best suited for experienced mariners looking to escape a strong ebb tide in fair weather. With currents potentially reaching up to 3.5 knots on a spring ebb tide, it is a practical anchorage to avoid ploughing into the full run of it when eastward progress becomes frustratingly slow.
The anchoring area is located just west of the easternmost Salt Mead Ledge, which extends a ¼ of a mile from the shore. It features depths of 2 to 3 metres and can easily accommodate fin keel vessels at low water. Shallow draft vessels can proceed closer to the shore, where 0.5 metres can be found between the two ledges. Taking shelter behind this ridge during the ebb tide provides some protection from the full force of the tide, but also necessitates careful navigation to avoid the ledge itself.
Mariners planning to anchor there should have detailed nautical charts and up-to-date information on weather and tidal streams.
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The Salt Mead Ledge buoy and the western edge of Burnt Wood help to positively identify the area Image: Michael Harpur
Guidance and a tidal timer for a Western approach can be found in Western Approaches to The Solent and the run-up to Southampton . Salt Mead Ledges is about midway between Hampstead and Gurnard Ledges, off the eastern edge of a patch of darker conifers of Burnt Wood. The Salt Mead starboard can buoy Fl(G)10s, situated ½ out from the shoreline, positively identifies the location.
Be aware that the area from the western perimeter of Burnt Wood, extending as far west as Newtown Creek, is the SERFCA Newtown firing range. It features a 300-metre gallery and 25-metre pistol ranges. The safety protocols used during live firing include flag signals and a sentry posted on the crest of the 40-metre-high Shepherd's Hill, immediately adjacent to Hummer Wood on the hill's eastern flank. This is immediately west of the anchoring area, and a notice indicating its eastern extremity can be seen on a shoreline tree.
The western perimeter of Burnt Wood marks the SERFCA Newtown firing range Image: Michael Harpur
From the initial fix, situated 200 metres south of the Salt Meads Buoy, proceed in over the 5 metre contour and feel your way in, ideally crabbing in against the ebb tide. The eastern drying ledge is inclined toward Cowes, and its outer end is roughly midway between the buoy and the shore, near the Burnt Wood tree plantation.
It dries at low tide and poses a significant hazard for vessels cutting inshore. Shallow water extends from it, with less than a metre of depth over its outer extremity, then abruptly drops off to 10 metres and more beyond. This abrupt cut-off and funnelling effect of the ledge often causes a patch of turbulent water in this area just outside Salt Mead Ledge, which is over the deep water area, so don't be surprised if it is encountered.
Shallower draft vessels will have the best of it by tucking in behind the inner Salt Mead Ledge Image: Michael Harpur
Anchor according to conditions, getting the anchor well dug in and, ideally, being prepared for strong tidal swings. The best anchoring spot is west of the eastern ledge, approximately 400 metres from the shoreline. Shallow draft vessels can make the most of it by proceeding closer to the shore behind the inner drying ledge, where depths of 0.5 metres LAT are available.
The clay, sand, and shingle seabed provides good holding, but make sure the anchor is well dug in. Access the shore by tender. The remote area offers only a narrow beach below the high water mark.
Why visit here?
There is no direct evidence of a usage, specific historical event, or individual associated with the naming of Salt Mead Ledge. It appears to be a descriptive term rooted in the area's natural characteristics: salt meadows along the coast and the hazardous ledge offshore.
There is a narrow beach where it is possible to land Image: Michael Harpur
'Mead', in Old English, referred to a meadow or a low-lying field, often with a water presence such as salt marshes or meadows. The 'salt' referred to the proximity of a ledge in the sea and the presence of saltwater. This name suggests that the area behind the ledge may have historically been a flat, grassy area close to the shore or possibly a marshy area akin to the Newtown River estuary.
The alternate tide bolthole is outside the Newtown River (in the backdrop) Image: Michael Harpur
From a boating point of view, it provides a bolthole from those punching into the western Solent's ebb tides. The ebb streams can exceed 3.5 knots during a Spring ebb between Cowes and Yarmouth, allowing the ledge to provide some much-needed relief along the island shore. It is one of two Western Solent coastal anchorages with minimal tidal influence; the other is located just off the entrance to Newtown River to the west, which is the more sheltered of the two.
What facilities are available?
There are no direct amenities or services at the anchorage itself. The shoreline is rural, privately owned, and characterised by farmland and forestry. Nearby Newtown Creek has very little, but it is available via tender with a good outboard motor.
Never an issue known to have occurred to a vessel anchored here.
With thanks to:
eOceanic Research.
About Salt Mead Ledge
There is no direct evidence of a usage, specific historical event, or individual associated with the naming of Salt Mead Ledge. It appears to be a descriptive term rooted in the area's natural characteristics: salt meadows along the coast and the hazardous ledge offshore.
There is a narrow beach where it is possible to land Image: Michael Harpur
'Mead', in Old English, referred to a meadow or a low-lying field, often with a water presence such as salt marshes or meadows. The 'salt' referred to the proximity of a ledge in the sea and the presence of saltwater. This name suggests that the area behind the ledge may have historically been a flat, grassy area close to the shore or possibly a marshy area akin to the Newtown River estuary.
The alternate tide bolthole is outside the Newtown River (in the backdrop) Image: Michael Harpur
From a boating point of view, it provides a bolthole from those punching into the western Solent's ebb tides. The ebb streams can exceed 3.5 knots during a Spring ebb between Cowes and Yarmouth, allowing the ledge to provide some much-needed relief along the island shore. It is one of two Western Solent coastal anchorages with minimal tidal influence; the other is located just off the entrance to Newtown River to the west, which is the more sheltered of the two.
Other options in this area
Click the 'Next' and 'Previous' buttons to progress through neighbouring havens in a coastal 'clockwise' or 'anti-clockwise' sequence. Alternatively here are the ten nearest havens available in picture view:
A photograph is worth a thousand words. We are always looking for bright sunny photographs that show this haven and its identifiable features at its best. If you have some images that we could use please upload them here. All we need to know is how you would like to be credited for your work and a brief description of the image if it is not readily apparent. If you would like us to add a hyperlink from the image that goes back to your site please include the desired link and we will be delighted to that for you.
Please note eOceanic makes no guarantee of the validity of this information, we have not visited this haven and do not have first-hand experience to qualify the data. Although the contributors are vetted by peer review as practised authorities, they are in no way, whatsoever, responsible for the accuracy of their contributions. It is essential that you thoroughly check the accuracy and suitability for your vessel of any waypoints offered in any context plus the precision of your GPS. Any data provided on this page is entirely used at your own risk and you must read our legal page if you view data on this site.
provides shoreline guidance and a tidal timer. 
50° 44.235' N, 001° 22.825' W
50° 44.400' N, 001° 23.070' W 
From the initial fix, situated 200 metres south of the Salt Meads Buoy, proceed in over the 5 metre contour and feel your way in, ideally crabbing in against the ebb tide. The eastern drying ledge is inclined toward Cowes, and its outer end is roughly midway between the buoy and the shore, near the Burnt Wood tree plantation. 
There is a narrow beach where it is possible to land
The alternate tide bolthole is outside the Newtown River (in the backdrop)
A photograph is worth a thousand words. We are always looking for bright sunny photographs that show this haven and its identifiable features at its best. If you have some images that we could use please upload them here. All we need to know is how you would like to be credited for your work and a brief description of the image if it is not readily apparent. If you would like us to add a hyperlink from the image that goes back to your site please include the desired link and we will be delighted to that for you.