Swanage, The Beach

The Beach at Swanage, from the Banjo Pier.

The beach at Swanage is gently sloping sand and in summer can only be fished when the holidaymakers leave the beach. The beach from the Mowlem Theatre to the Banjo Pier is not fished much, most people concentrating on the beach from the Banjo to Ocean Bay. There is a small reef that runs out from the beach near the 'Third Shelter' ( in the photo above the shelter appears as a small white rectangle along past the blue kiosk and by a white van) The shelters are numbered from the town end of the beach, the one by the Banjo Pier being the second. The reef and rough ground are fish holding features but can cause some tackle loss. The section between the third shelter and the point where the road bears away from the seafront can be productive for bass and sole. There is a small freshwater stream that enters the sea near the Ocean Bay cafe, this area is a favourite for people looking to catch flatfish.
As the beach is used by small children and bathers please be very careful not to drop hooks or line on the beach and as always take your litter home.There are toilets across the road near the third shelter. The beach is very well lit from the street lights along the promenade with quite sufficient light for baiting hooks etc.