Lymington Harbour is a leading destination for yachtsmen in the UK and is also a commercial port for vehicle and passenger services to the Isle of Wight. It can be entered by day or night and at all states of the tide by vessels with draft up to about 2.5m metres.
Lymington River channel
The channel is marked by red piles with square top marks to port, green piles with triangular top marks to starboard.
- Approach to the river WPT 50° 44'.20N 01° 30'.28W.
- Leading lights 319 degrees, fixed red 12/17m 8M.
- First port hand mark: Jack in the Basket - post with barrel - Flashing red (2 seconds).
Navigate with caution
There is a constant flow of leisure traffic on passage to and from marinas and river moorings. The fairways, which extend from the southern-most Harbour Limit at Jack in the Basket beacon to the railway bridge at Town Quay and beyond, should be navigated with caution and due regard to other vessels.
All vessels are required to keep to the starboard side of the fairway when practicable. However, large commercial vessels can often only navigate in the centre of the fairway and smaller vessels must not impede their passage.
Lymington River hazards
The main hazards when approaching
Lymington Harbour are:
- Yacht racing starts in the vicinity of the entrance to the main navigation channel and the race starting platform.
- Vehicle and passenger ferries entering and leaving Lymington and particular when arriving or departing the ferry berth.
- Strong tidal streams running across the navigation channel from the entrance upstream to number 5 beacon.
- The shallow ground either side of the marked navigation channel.
- The rock breakwaters in Short Reach either side of the navigation channel.