| Anchor allowed | Mooring Buoys | Harbour Master | Services |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes — good holding in fine sand and mud | None | VHF Ch.14 (Chichester Harbour Patrol) / 01243 512301 | No facilities on site — no litter bins, take everything home |
East Head is one of the finest spots in Chichester Harbour and well worth the trip from the Solent. A low-lying sand-dune spit managed by the National Trust, it curves out into the mouth of the harbour creating a sheltered anchorage with a proper sandy beach just a dinghy ride away. On a clear summer's day it's genuinely hard to beat.
The anchorage is conveniently close to the harbour entrance, so you don't need to venture far up the channel to reach it. Head in through the harbour entrance and follow the buoyed channel; East Head opens up to starboard once you're clear of the Winner Shingle Bank. Deeper-keeled yachts will want to stay in the water to the north-east of the spit where the Chichester Channel runs through. If your boat can take the ground, you can tuck in closer to the beach and dry out on the sand at low water, which is a great option on a warm day.
Holding is good once the anchor sets through the top sandy layer into the firmer sand and mud beneath. The current here can be strong, so lay out at least four times the maximum depth with chain, or six times if using warp. Know your tide state before anchoring: it can be shallow at low water and catching the tide on the way in will save you a lot of bother.
The anchorage gets busy in summer, particularly at weekends. If East Head is packed out, push on past the South Cardinal at Camber and turn into the Thorney Channel. There's a quieter anchorage off Pilsey Island to port, though bear in mind that Thorney Island is MoD land so landing there isn't an option.
Don't have your own boat? East Head is easily reachable by RIB from several Solent launch points. Take a look at our Solent RIB hire guide for options.
East Head is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and one of the most naturally beautiful spots in Chichester Harbour. The sand-dune spit gives you a proper beach rather than just a scrubby shoreline, and the water in the harbour can be surprisingly clear on a calm day.
Landward of the dunes lies a salt marsh, one of the rarest habitats on the south coast. In winter it comes alive with migrant wildfowl: sanderling, redshank, godwits and oystercatchers are regulars. Keep an eye out for glasswort too. It looks a bit alien if you haven't seen it before, with fleshy green and red stems, but it has an interesting history: before modern industry, the ash from burning it was used in the glass-making process.
From March to September you can walk the circular East Head to Ellanore route, which takes in both the foreshore and the salt marsh. In winter the waymarked Winter Walk is a good alternative, and there is something genuinely satisfying about having the beach almost to yourself while watching a storm roll in from the north.
East Head has no facilities whatsoever: no litter bins, no cafe, no water. Come prepared. A good dry bag is essential for the dinghy ride to the beach, and a handheld VHF radio is strongly advisable when operating in Chichester Harbour. Pack your own food and water, and take all rubbish back to the boat with you.
The harbour channels are well marked and access is straightforward in most conditions, day or night, and at most states of the tide. That said, East Head is exposed to a large body of water to the north, and strong winds from the northwest through to the northeast will make the anchorage uncomfortable. Check the forecast carefully before committing.
Shelter rating: 4/5. Approaches rating: 4/5. Minimum depth: 3 metres.
Please note: this information is only provided as a rough guide, not for navigation purposes. Always use up-to-date charts and consult official sources before entering Chichester Harbour.