Salcombe Estuary ยท South Devon

โ›ต Sailing & Powerboats

Salcombe Estuary • Harbour • Offshore South Devon

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Fetching live weather and marine dataโ€ฆ

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Wind & Weather

Salcombe โ€” 26 Feb 2026
โณ Loadingโ€ฆFetching live data from Open-Meteo
Beaufort Scale: F3-4 avg with gusts to F8. Gusts at F8 are "Fresh Gale" โ€” significant for open water. Inside the estuary you'll be sheltered from the worst of it.
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Salcombe Tides

26 Feb 2026 โ€” Near Spring Tides
๐Ÿ“… Add a free WorldTides API key in conditions.js for live tides  |  Salcombe tides โ†—  |  Tides4Fishing โ†—
๐Ÿ“ Tidal Range~3.0m (near springs)
๐Ÿ”ƒ Tidal State NowFlooding from 03:58 low
โšก Bar Current (ebb)Up to 3-4 knots โ€” caution
โฐ Slack Waterยฑ30 mins of HW/LW
๐Ÿ“… Next Springs~28 Feb โ€” increasing range through the week
โš ๏ธ The Salcombe Bar can be dangerous on the ebb in strong ENE winds โ€” opposing tide and wind creates steep, breaking seas. Cross the bar on the flood or near slack water today.
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5-Day Wind & Sailing Outlook

Salcombe area
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Fetching forecast
Fri 27 Feb
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9ยฐC
SW 12 mph, gusts 25
Good
Sat 28 Feb
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10ยฐC
SW 18 mph, gusts 35
Fair
Sun 1 Mar
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9ยฐC
W 10 mph, gusts 18
Good
Mon 2 Mar
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8ยฐC
NW 8 mph, calm
Ideal
Weekend looks better โ€” SW winds Friday easing through the weekend. Sunday/Monday looking like the best sailing window this week with lighter NW/W.
Reference & Local Info
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Salcombe Harbour & Estuary

Practical information
๐Ÿ“ž Harbour Master01548 843791
๐Ÿ“ป VHF WorkingChannel 14
๐Ÿ“ป VHF DistressChannel 16
๐Ÿ• Harbour Office Hours08:00โ€“18:00 daily
โ›ฝ Fuel (diesel)Whitestrand Pontoon, Salcombe
โ›ฝ Fuel (petrol)East Portlemouth ferry landing
๐Ÿ›ฅ๏ธ Speed Limit (estuary)8 knots max
๐Ÿงญ Bar Lat/Long50ยฐ13'N 003ยฐ47'W
๐Ÿ“ Harbour Master OfficeIsland Street, Salcombe TQ8 8DP
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Launch Sites & Pontoons

Salcombe & nearby
SiteTypeTidal AccessNotes
Whitestrand, SalcombeSlipway + pontoonAll statesMain town slipway, busy in summer
Batson CreekSlipwayHW ยฑ3hrsQuieter, good for trailered boats
KingsbridgeSlipwayHW ยฑ2hrsSheltered upper estuary
BanthamBeach launchAll statesGood for RIBs & small powerboats
Hope CoveBeach/slipwayHW ยฑ2hrsSheltered from SW, good for RIBS
Torr Quarry (Beesands)SlipwayHW ยฑ2hrsGood fishing access, rocky coast
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Local Anchorages

South Devon โ€” sheltered options
AnchorageShelter FromDepth (approx)Notes
Salcombe EstuaryAll except SE1โ€“4m (variable)Crowded in summer, plenty of swinging room in winter. Check with HM.
Kingsbridge Upper EstuaryAll0.5โ€“2mVery sheltered, shallow draft only, peaceful
Hope CoveN, NE, E3โ€“6mGood in N/NE winds, open to SW
Bigbury BayN, NE4โ€“8mExposed to S/SW, fair weather only
Bolt HeadN, NW5โ€“10mDramatic, open to SE. Good day stop only.
River Avon (Bantham)All0.5โ€“2mNarrow approach, shallows โ€” dinghy/shoal draft. Sand bar shifts.
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Local Hazards & Notes

Salcombe Bar & coastal features
๐ŸŒŠ Salcombe BarBreaking seas in strong onshore winds on the ebb โ€” most dangerous hazard locally
๐Ÿชจ Wolf Rock0.5nm SSE of Bolt Head โ€” marked on charts, awash at LW
๐Ÿชจ Mewstone RockW of Salcombe entrance โ€” give a wide berth
๐ŸŒŠ Prawle PointStrong tidal streams โ€” can be rough in wind-against-tide conditions
๐Ÿ›ฅ๏ธ FerriesEast Portlemouth passenger ferry crosses regularly โ€” give way
๐Ÿ–๏ธ SwimmersWatch for swimmers off Bigbury Island (Burgh Island causeway) at all states of tide
๐Ÿšจ The Salcombe Bar has claimed several vessels. Never cross on the ebb in strong onshore winds. When in doubt, stay in โ€” or call the Harbour Master on Ch 14 for advice.
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Shipping Forecast โ€” Plymouth Area

BBC Radio 4 on 198 LW
๐Ÿ“ก AreaPlymouth โ€” covers SW approaches and South Devon coast
๐Ÿ“ป Radio 4 LW198 kHz โ€” 0048, 0520, 1201, 1754
๐Ÿ“ฑ Navtext518 kHz โ€” Ch 0
๐ŸŒ Met OfficeInshore Waters Forecast online
๐Ÿ“Š Today's SynopsisHigh pressure to the N, frontal system to the W approaching. ENE winds locally backing SW by weekend.
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Salcombe Yacht Club

Local knowledge & racing calendar
๐Ÿ“ž SYC Phone01548 842593
๐Ÿ“ง Emailoffice@salcombeyc.org.uk
๐ŸŒ Weather & Camsalcombeyc.org.uk
๐Ÿ Winter SeriesSundays โ€” check SYC website for programme
๐Ÿ“ LocationCliff Road, Salcombe TQ8 8JQ โ€” overlooking the harbour
๐Ÿ“น Salcombe YC Live Webcam & Weather โ†’
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What to Wear & Safety Kit

February โ€” cold water season
๐Ÿงฅ Base LayerThermal underlayer essential
๐ŸŒŠ Dinghy/KayakWetsuit or drysuit โ€” 5mm minimum
๐Ÿšค PowerboatWaterproof trousers + fleece + jacket
โ›ต SailingFull offshore gear recommended
๐Ÿฆบ Lifejacket150N min โ€” always clip on offshore
๐Ÿงค Gloves & HatEssential at 9.5ยฐC water temp
Cold water shock at 9.5ยฐC can incapacitate in under a minute. Always wear a lifejacket and carry a means of calling for help (VHF, PLB or 999).
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Post-Sail Pit Stop

Best spots for a pint and some grub
VenueWhereWhy Go
The Ferry InnFerry Steps, SalcombeRight on the water, great views, proper pub grub
The Victoria InnFore St, SalcombeClassic pub, good ales, dog friendly
Salcombe Brewery BarBatson, SalcombeBrewery tap room โ€” try the Seahorse or Lifesaver
The Fortescue InnEast PortlemouthReachable by ferry, stunning estuary views
The Pilchard InnBurgh IslandIconic island pub โ€” tide-dependant access
Millbrook InnSouth PoolTiny village pub up the creek โ€” worth the dinghy trip
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Emergency Contacts

๐Ÿ†˜ Emergency at Sea999 โ€” ask Coastguard
๐Ÿ“ป VHF DistressChannel 16
๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ Falmouth Coastguard01326 317575
๐Ÿšค Salcombe Harbour01548 843791 / Ch 14
๐Ÿ„ RNLI Salcombe01548 842982
๐Ÿ“ก PLB RegistrationRegister at beacons.gov.uk
Always file a float plan with a shore contact before heading offshore. Check in when you return. In doubt, don't go out.

Data Sources