Scratchell's Bay
| Scratchell's Bay | |
|---|---|
 View of Scratchell's Bay looking East | |
  Scratchell's Bay | |
| Coordinates | 50°39′42″N 1°35′01″W / 50.6616°N 1.5835°W |
| Ocean/sea sources | English Channel |
Scratchell's Bay is a bay on the south west coast of the Isle of Wight, England just to the south east of The Needles. It faces roughly south towards the English Channel, it is 250m in length and is straight. The name is thought to have come from one of the many names for the Devil. The bay itself is shallow, and the 2m contour is aproximately 250m from the cliff face.
The beach which is made up mostly of shingle can only, reasonably, be reached by boat. There is no path from the top of the cliff.[1] A small cave is located at the east end of the bay near Sun Corner. Approximately 50m south-west of the Easterly promontory is St.Anthony's Rock; It is a-wash at low tide and is a very-real hazard to boats.
The bay is best viewed from either the lookout point near the rocket launching facility or the Needles Old Battery National Trust property on the cliff top.
The iron-clad Irex was wrecked and sank in the bay in 1890 following a navigation error in storms on 24th January with the loss of six lives. [2] It lies within the bay.[3][4] and the floor of the bay is scattered with the remains of the ship and its iron pipe cargo presenting multiple significant fouling hazards.
References
- ^ "Alum Bay and The Needles - Scratchell's Bay". www.needles.shalfleet.net. Retrieved 5 February 2009.
- ^ *"IREX".
- ^ Pritchard, Martin; McDonald, Kendall (1987). Dive Wight and Hampshire. Underwater World Publications. p. 32. ISBN 0-946020-15-9.
- ^ Pritchard, Martin; McDonald, Kendall (1987). Dive Wight and Hampshire. Underwater World Publications. pp. 39–50. ISBN 0-946020-15-9.