channel crossing - Portsmouth to Le Touquet

[bluey]

I'm contemplating a channel crossing from Portsmouth to le Touquet, rather than the normal north-south passage, on August 4th. Departure would be three hours before Dover low water. I assume I'd hug the English south coast, sailing into the ebbing tide, until about Hastings and then sail south east across the tide and the traffic separation scheme. Is this right? Is it still a twelve hour passage? Or am I making a rod for my own back by attempting this, and should I just settle for something like St Vaast as the destination?

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[AndrewB]

I assume you are aiming for the little shallow marina at Etaples on the north side of Le Touquet. If so, your arrival has to be timed carefully, because it's a tricky drying entrance with strong currents. Best time is about HW-1 Dover, and not later than HW+½ Dover. From my experience I would strongly recommend entering in the daylight first time, and do not attempt it in strong winds beween SW and N, its a mass of breaking water then. But Boulogne is always an option not far away.

The total distance is about 110 miles and to do that in 12 hours is out the question for the sort of sailing boat that can get into Etaples. So I assume you have a fast displacement motor-boat that can take the ground. Obviously to arrive at Etaples around HW after 12 hours you would leave Portsmouth at HW Dover, which is close to HW Portsmouth.

I think your route is the correct one but to cross the TSS at right angles you need to strike out from nearer Dungeness than Hastings.

There are some important tidal considerations which complicate this passage. Perhaps at 9 knots these are not so important as for a yacht going at 5 knots, which is what I am used to planning for. The strongest currents occur off Selsey Bill, either through the Looe Channel or at the Owers, so ideally you want the tide with you here. There is something called the 'gravy train' tide ride up the Channel that may help you. If you start from Brighton at about Dover HW+6, you get about 10 hours of fair tide up the channel.

It sounds to me that at 9 knots, you might best do this in two stages. Leave Portsmouth at HW+5 Dover (about low water Portsmouth), cover the 50 miles to Brighton in 5 hours arriving at HW. Wait there 5 hours then leave at HW+5, do the remaining 65 miles in 6½ hours to arrive at HW-1 Dover. Then you will have the tide with you pretty much all the way.

 

[bluey]

I was aiming for Etaples, and I am sailing. Obviously, that's overly ambitious. I'll just do the north-south passage, but thanks for the advice. I'd like to try that gravy train just once!

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