Poole Harbour Guide 2011 - Poole Harbour Commissioners

Poole Harbour Guide ~ 2011
The Harbour is also within an area
recognised for its landscape value and part of
the Purbeck Heritage Coast and part of an
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The
AONB includes all the islands of the Harbour
as well as much of the water area.
Quiet Areas
The south side of the harbour is a Quiet
Area with an advisory six knot speed limit.
The small bays and inlets are areas where
birds feed, roost and breed and are
particularly sensitive to disturbance.
The quiet zone lies to the south of a line
from Patchins Point to South Haven Point.
This area allows yachtsman and other
recreationalists a quiet anchorage in which to
enjoy the beauty of the Harbour without the
bustle associated with the northern channels.
The provision of this quiet area has helped
to reduce adverse impacts on the flora and
fauna of the undeveloped mudflats and
shallow inlets which characterize much of
the southern shores.
Many of the redshank which nest in Poole
Harbour do so in the saltmarsh of this area.
The Quiet Area is a ‘safe haven’ for birds and
wildlife as well as for humans. It is intended
to maintain the current policy against
changes in land use and excessive
recreational activity. Personal Watercraft
have their own area exempt from the speed
limit and are not allowed in the quiet area.