The Bramble Bank, otherwise known simply as "The
Brambles" is an arrowhead-shaped sandbar in the central Solent which is
uncovered at low water spring tides. At other times it presents either a
significant navigational hazard or a useful escape from the strong Solent
tides. The bank is moving very slowly westward. It is marked at its
southeastern limit by the Brambles post sea mark and on its western limit by
the West Knoll buoy.
The Brambles post has comprehensive weather and sea state
monitoring equipment which is relayed in realtime to a website.The Bramble Bank
is renowned as being the location of an annual cricket match between the Royal
Southern Yacht Club and the Island Sailing Club. The match takes place when the
bank is exposed but never lasts very long before the tide returns. The
undulating surface with large puddles ensures it is more a social occasion than
a serious cricket match. The ultimate example of this is the scoring - the
victor of the game is pre-determined as the two clubs simply take it in turns
to "win" the match, regardless of how the match progresses. The event
was last held at about 0630 hrs on 14 August 2010.
An interesting reference to this practice is found in
Hansard, the British parliamentary record, during the debate on the Licensing
Bill (Lords) in Standing Committee D, on 8 May 2003. In this debate the
Island's MP, Andrew Turner, is discussing the problems of licensing when the
event to be licensed falls between two authorities, and in a light-hearted way
cites the example of the Bramble Bank cricket match.On Tuesday 11 November
2008, on approaching Southampton Docks for her last visit prior to retirement,
the Cunard liner Queen Elizabeth 2 ran aground on the Bramble Bank at
approximately 0530 hrs. She required 4 tugs to pull her clear on the rising
tide and arrived in Southampton approximately 90 minutes late.
