Swanwick on the River Hamble

Found myself at Swanwick Marina today, one of several yacht havens on the River Hamble, and small wonder.
The river is well known as  mecca for yactsmen, being within easy reach of the sailing waters of the Solent, and with all the facilities on hand providing everything a boat owner might need from care and maintenance of your craft to a beer at the water’s edge.
Swanwick is on the upper reaches of the Hamble River and the marina here is one of the network of south coast marinas owned and operated by Premier Marinas.
It’s a few years since I was here last, and today there was the usual activity on the pontoons, and for the boat lover, plenty going on onshore as well.
But then, the river is internationally famous for its sailing and has been a yacht and boat building centre for centuries, and those old enough will recall the BBC Sunday night series of the Eighties, Howards’ Way was based on the river.
But sailing apart, the River is a fascinating place from an environmental viewpoint as well and some areas of the River are so highly regarded for their importance to nature conservation that they have been specially specially designated by both local and international laws.
 
 
But most visitors to the marina are boat lovers, if not boat owners, and the river and hosts a used Boat Show which runs concurrently with the Southampton show, in mid September and promises an interesting collection of quality pre-owned sail and powerboats in the water and ashore.