Permits

At Poole Harbour Commissioners, we are incredibly pleased to be able to give visitors the chance to take advantage of our harbour by taking part in a number of water sports. We welcome the following looking to partake in recreational activities:

• Surfers
• Jet Skiers
• Kite Surfers
• And More!

However, some of the activities we encourage visitors to take part in do require you to have a permit that is distributed by us. These permits are easy to obtain if you can provide the necessary information and will allow you to enjoy your time at Poole Harbour hassle-free. Have a read below to find out more about which activities require a permit.

Year upon year, many visitors bring a type of personal watercraft (PW) to Poole, whether it be a jet ski, water bike, or another similar vehicle. These fast and powerful crafts can prove dangerous if not restricted to specific areas of the harbour, or if they are handled recklessly. To ensure visitor safety, we insist that all who wish to use their PWs around the harbour apply for a permit.

Water skiing is a popular water sport that many people take part in and around Poole Harbour. We have a large designated area for those who want to enjoy this activity, but they will still require a permit to make sure it is carried out responsibly. Having a permit reassures vessel owners in the harbour that those water skiing do not pose a threat to them or their property.

Thanks to our dedicated kitesurfing area in Whitley Lake at Sandbanks, we have waves of people visit us to take part in the activity every year. As this water sport can be potentially dangerous at times though, both to those involved and passers-by, we ask that anyone planning to kitesurf gets a permit.

By ensuring that those taking part in extreme water sports have a permit, we improve the safety of both those taking part and those who are nearby. The harbour is always a busy place to be, and we want to make sure that everyone can enjoy themselves without having to worry about unnecessary safety risks.

If you’d like to know more about our permits and how you can apply for one, get in touch with us at Poole Harbour Commissioners today. Call us on 01202 440 200 or send us an email at pooleharbourcommissioners@phc.co.uk now.