Towards the close of the twentieth century and the start of the twenty-first, activity in the chines has diminished again. The shell of the lifeboat station at Brook remains as a reminder of the more active past of the chine. Cottages once housing lifeboatmen and fishermen are now prized country cottages and holiday lets. Smugglers have (probably) abandoned the chines in favour of easier ways of getting illicit goods into the country.
Human activity in the chines is now dominated by tourism and leisure. The Isle of Wight Pearl visitor attraction sits atop Chilton Chine, holiday parks perch precariously on the clifftops by other chines, Shanklin Chine has become a popular visitor attraction while Shippards Chine is a popular point for surfers to access the waves. Many of the chines have a quiet existence with the solitude only punctuated by walkers, fossil hunters and the occasional family in search of a real ‘away from it all’ beach experience.