Dorset Watersports Activities

Watersports Poole Harbour

The naturally formed Poole Harbour makes it excellent for all kinds of watersports including windsurfing, wakeboarding, canoeing and kayaking and kite surfing.

There are specific areas designated for different watersports within the harbour. Kitesurfing and windsurfing are permitted at Whitley Lake with certain restrictions as well as the launches at Hamworthy Park, Shore Road and at Evening Hill and on the northern side of the Sandbanks peninsula. The helpful booklet "Poole Harbour Guide" is available from Poole Welcome Centre or by contacting the Harbour Master on 01202 440233 and contains further information on facilities and locations.

Personal Water Craft like jetskis and waterbikes above the speed limit of 10 knots is allowed only in the designated area to the north of Brownsea Island and a Harbour Master s permit is required. Waterskiing is only permitted to take place in the area designated to the North of the Arne Peninsula or the launches at Rockley, Harbourside Park or Cobbs Quay. Again a Harbour Masters Permit is required. Parascending is only allowed inside the Harbour with the permission of the Harbour Master.

You'll find several places where you can book watersports tuition buy or hire equipment. Check the weblinks right for more information. Tuition providers should be licensed with the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority (AALA) or check that the instructors are qualified to the relevant standard as set out by the relevant governing body such as Royal Yachting Association (RYA), International Kitesurfing Organisation (IKO), British Kite Surfing Association (BKSA), British Water Ski Forum and the British Water Ski Federation (BWSF).

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Christchurch Harbour Watersports

Christchurch Harbour is a natural harbour fringed with marshes and reeds. It's a popular sailing destination with four square miles of race water in Christchurch Bay. There are several sailing clubs that base themselves here and organise regular competitions throughout the year. Highcliffe Sailing Club is the nominated training camp for the 2012 Olympic Games. Check the links right.

Avon Beach is popular for windsurfing and attracts windsurfers from all over the country. You can pick up windsurfing tuition as well as lessons in powerkiting, powerboating and scuba diving taught along the RYA/PADI guidelines. Check the links right for tuition providers.

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Swanage Pier Scuba Diving Schools Dorset

Swanage Pier was originally erected in 1859/60 to ship stone and opened by local businessman John Mowlem. It then became popular when steamers were introduced ferrying day-trippers between Swanage, Poole and Bournemouth. It fell into disrepair after the war but in the 1990s the Swanage Pier Trust took on the restoration work financed purely by charitable donations and funding from English Heritage and the National Lottery.

The Pier is now open to the public and a small charge is made for using the pier to help towards its upkeep.

Scuba diving in Swanage Bay is very popular from Swanage Pier. Dive clubs, diving schools and individuals regularly dive for views of the marine wildlife and wrecks in the area. Check the links right for more information on tuition and dive courses.

The Swanage Boat Charters weblink right has details of a variety of dive sites off Dorset's coast.

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Weymouth and Isle of Portland Watersports and Activities

Weymouth Bay and Portland Harbour, south of Weymouth - the deepest man-made harbour in the country - are great for all sorts of watersports. Sailing is hugely popular as is kitesurfing, windsurfing, water skiing and diving. Weymouth Bay has specifically designated areas for watersports so bathers can splash around in the sea without being disturbed.

Portland Harbour is regulated by the Portland Harbour Authority. Check the PHA link right for more information on using the Harbour for leisure. There is a downloadable leaflet showing designated areas for leisure craft. In fact Portland Harbour is the venue for the 2012 Olympic Sailing Trials. Overcombe Corner, east along Weymouth Beach, and Portland Harbour are the most popular locations for watersports.

If you haven't had a go at watersports before you'll find plenty of places where you can organise tuition or trips as well as pick up equipment or accessories. A popular guided trip is by kayak or power boat along the Jurassic Coast. Check the links right for more information on training, charters and activities.

Shore angling and sea fishing are both popular from Weymouth. You can bring your own boats to launch at several places around Weymouth or pick up one of the many sea fishing trips available from Weymouth Bay. Shore fishing is popular particularly at the lagoons behind Chesil Beach.

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Scuba Diving Dorset Lyme Bay West Bay Diving

Lyme Bay is an excellent area for diving. There are around sixty known wrecks (and is also known as "The Bay of a Thousand Wrecks"!) and numerous reef and drift dive sites where you can frequently see a diverse array of marine wildlife.

West Bay Diving offer dive boat trips on their fast, 10.5 Vigilante 33 hard boat. They also offer dive training. Contact Keith on 07768 100903 to check availability.

If you fancy learning how to navigate your own way around the seas, Lyme Bay Sea School offer powerboat training that follows the RYA National Powerboat Scheme. Check the link right for more information.

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Scuba Diving @ Hive Beach, Burton

Hive Beach at Burton Bradstock is a popular shore diving site. Even underwater you can see the Jurassic geology. The sea floor in front of the car park is a reef of boulders, in front of the cliffs it's a series of sandstone platforms; between the two is the fault that runs west from the beach.

While underwater you'll be able to see a wealth of marine wildlife. Regular sightings include pout, greater pipefish, butterfish, ballan and corking wrasse, velvet swimming crabs, edible, hermit crabs and spider crabs and cuttlefish.

Check the Burton Bradstock village link right for more information on diving at Hive Beach.

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