Seaview

Seaview is a small town on the North Eastern corner of the Island, easily reached from Ryde. Its a popular spot and in the summer the waters off Seaview are filled with moored boats, the local sailing club runs a popular regatta in August. There are two areas of beach, one on the Seaview Duver is a long flat sandy stretch of beach and the other in front of the Hotels and Houses on the seafront is a rocky affair with a curving slipway. The location works through out the year for sunrise and in the summer can be a good sunset location as well as the sun sets in the North West down the Solent.

Getting there:

Seaview is right next door to Ryde and is easily reached. Either via a short walk along the promenade from Ryde / Appley or by a short drive.

If driving from the esplanade take the A3055 (East Hill Road). At the top of the hill there is a mini roundabout. the the second exit (straight ahead) onto the B3330. After the playing field on the left hand side turn left down Puckpool Hill. This brings you to the seafront on the Seaview Duver. There is parking here both free on road parking or a section of pay and display parking opposite the Hersey Nature Reserve.

The parking area is right on the main beach and a short walk along the beach away from Ryde brings you to the Village centre and past the sailing club you will find the second more rocky section of beach.

What to Shoot:

The section of beach by the village centre provides the more interesting options with the Seaview Lone tree standing proud on the sea wall making for an interesting subject. At low tide there are large sections of rocks and these can create interesting foreground subjects and leading lines. In winter the mooring blocks are all placed high on the beach and in summer the water off this section of beach is filled with moored boats. Including the small wooden sailing boats of the Seaview Sailing club. These can be interesting subjects, particularly at low tide when it is possible to walk close to some of the boats.

At High tide the rocks are mainly covered but there is still interest if you go past the tree and shoot back towards the village centre. This is a particularly good option on a summers evening as the sun sets behind the village.

The Beach on the Seaview Duver is a long flat expanse of beach and at low tide can be quite a messy area with little to form an image around. The view across the Solent to the Portsmouth Skyline can be an interesting option with a telephoto lens. At high tide the rocks and breakwaters of the sea defences come more into play and there can be interesting compositions along the high tide mark with the Seaview Sailing Club in the distance or the classic breakwater out into the sea view with Portsmouth beyond.

Other Options:

Behind the Seaview Duver is the Hersey Nature Reserve and its lagoon can provide interesting compositions. Particularly with a light mist on the waters surface which can happen quite often in late summer. Its also a great spot for wildlife photography with a hide and several locations where it is possible to get close to the lagoon.

Further round the coast from Seaview you reach Seagrove Bay which has a range of sea defences in a small bay which can be used for interesting images, in addition the walkway round to Priory Bay from the end of the esplanade is an interesting feature for an image.