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The Herm Harbour is accessible three hours either side of high water.
The harbour dries about four metres above chart datum on flat sand and mud and there are several choices for boat owners wishing to dry out. There are white and pink visitor buoys attached to chain on the beach in the harbour area and just outside the harbour entrance. Some of these buoys have rocks beneath them and are not necessarily suitable for boats wishing to dry-out. Those with rocks under are clearly marked with a 'tag' attached to the buoy itself.
The harbour dries about four metres above chart datum on flat sand and mud and there are several choices for boat owners wishing to dry out. There are white and pink visitor buoys attached to chain on the beach in the harbour area and just outside the harbour entrance. Some of these buoys have rocks beneath them and are not necessarily suitable for boats wishing to dry-out. Those with rocks under are clearly marked with a 'tag' attached to the buoy itself.
Further up the beach are ground chains that run across the sandy bottom, with space for about 30 boats. Many boats tie to these 'fore & aft' once they have dried out. Bilge-keelers are easily able to take the ground in the harbour while fin-keels are able to lie alongside the walls. The 'inner harbour' has a sandy bottom and will take about 8 boats moored fore & aft. Please note the inner harbour is not really suitable for large boats.
Commercial boats regularly enter the harbour on a daily basis and it is important that boats do not moor where they are likely to become a hazard. If there are any doubts please consult signs in the harbour area or contact a member of the Herm staff in the administration office.
For more information regarding alternative anchorages. Visit the Herm Island website.
Herm Navigation
Having made it as far as Guernsey a cruising holiday isnot complete without a visit to Herm Island. The navigation into Herm is relatively straightforward and well documented, both for daytime and eveningjourneys. Most boaters find the easiest time to visit Herm is within three hours either side of high water. At this time the Herm harbour is fully accessible to most boats and italso coincides with the opening of the marina gates on Guernsey. For the three hours either side of low water boats are restricted to using the Rosaire landing which uses a different approach that is not detailed on these pages. Please consult local guidebooks for further information. The information in these sections is meant as a guide only and is not a subsitute for proper passage planning. It is advised that anyone choosing to come to Herm in their own boat should first consult detailed navigational texts and charts.