Navigational tips and beauty spots around the north-west coast of the Isle of Wight.

Cowes to Gurnard Ledge

Don’t be fooled by people racing close to Cowes Green. Photo: Peter Bruce

During Cowes Week many yachts will sail spectacularly close to Cowes Green to stay in the shallows and cheat foul tide. However, just west of the Squadron are Lion Rocks and off Egypt Point, Grantham Rocks.

Photo: Graham Snook

Line up the semi-rampant lion and the structure of the Egypt Point light on 272M and you’ll leave them all to port (as above).

Photo: Peter Bruce
Photo: Graham Snook

Once past Egypt Point, there are reefs, believed to include the wreckage of a German bomber, that start off the U-shaped Briary Court and the twin-coned roofs of Hawkins House (above).

Photos: Peter Bruce and Graham Snook

The reefs extend further out once you’re past the single-storey gas reduction station. Don’t go further than 30m (200ft) inshore of the orange ball Citymain buoy.

  1. 1. Introduction
  2. 2. Royal Yacht Squadron, Cowes
  3. 3. Cowes to Gurnard Ledge
  4. 4. Gurnard Ledge in detail
  5. 5. Baxter's Ledge
  6. 6. Thorness Bay
  7. 7. Salt Mead Ledge
  8. 8. Hamstead Ledge
  9. 9. The Solent's oldest and youngest wrecks
  10. 10. Yarmouth Castle
  11. 11. Black Rock
  12. 12. Fort Victoria
  13. 13. Sconce Point to The Needles
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