Navigational tips and beauty spots around the north-east coast of the Isle of Wight.
The Debnigo
About 1.7km due north of Nettlestone Point is the northern end of a sandy shoal called The Debnigo, with a black-red-black isolated danger mark on its eastern extremity. A red post (L fl R 12s), known locally as the Radar Post because of the reflectors that used to cap it, marks The Debnigo’s northern extremity.
Between No Man’s Land Fort and Radar Post the chart notes ‘Foul Ground’, which has 2m soundings at CD so most boats of moderate draught should be able to cross and head for Ryde Sands (Fl R 10s), another red post that marks the northeastern extent of the eponymous bar.
Ryde Sands is a horseshoe-shaped bar, open to the east, that extends 2.5km from the shore. Keep the Ryde Sands mark to port and you’ll avoid entering the horseshoe. At high water you can sail over it but check your tides because you could be aground a long way from anywhere.