Chichester Bar Depth Question

[chriscallender]

Hi,

Due to a mad schedule this week, I have to take the boat round to Chichester Harbour from Portsmouth on Wednesday evening/night and bring her back Thursday. (As well as fitting in 2 days in Dublin and 2 in London!).

Normally I would be cautous and enter Chichester reasonably close to HW, but as thats at a rather unsocial hour, I was wondering how early I could safely get in with a draft of 2'9"(keel up)?

Looking at the Chichester harbour web site it says the entrance is dredged to 1.5 m below chart datum, but that after gales it can be reduced by 0.75m. There is the same information on a note on the chart.

So does anyone know what the real situation is there? If its as the chart and web site say then that would suggest to me that I could easily go in 2 hours after low water provided that the weather is fairly calm, even if I assume a depth of only 0.75 below CD. That would get me in at about half past ten which sounds mighty civilsed, then I'd be able to get up to Northney on the flood in no time.

However I have a nagging worry about whether the information about the depth on the bar is correct. Does anyone with local knowledge know the real situation? Obviously if there is any question about the weather I'll replan, and go in with more tide or not at all (I've seen the depression heading our way but the forecasts still seem OK).

Thanks for any local knowledge, either to put my mind at ease or tell me that my worries are founded.

Chris

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Viking]

In my days of entering Chic. I would not do it at Low springs or low neaps with a sea running. I dont know if there is a tide height gauge on the new beacon there was on the old inner one?

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[tome]

I came in yesterday at 1730 when there was 1.04m depth on the bar (looked it up on the website <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.chimet.co.uk>http://www.chimet.co.uk</A>). Low water was 1810 (0.85m). We draw 1.7m and didn't touch although the depth was reading 0.0.

Keep close to the W Pole and same with the bar beacon. The depth then increases before decreasing again towards the entrance.

We were fine all the way up to Sweare Deep when, approaching the moorings outside Northney we eventually ground to a halt in the putty at LW. By the time we'd tidied the boat we were under way again before grounding again just by the last red post before turning into Northney. We finally grounded one more time in the entrance, but were tied up at 1915 or 1 hour after LW.

Tides are falling away now so you'll have no problems with your draft at any state of the tide Wednesday/Thursday.

Regards
Tom

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Evadne]

I have a mooring in Mill Rythe so I normally only get in and out around HW +/- 3.5hrs due to our own bar across the creek entrance, but (at 4'2" draught) I'd have no qualms about getting in or out of the harbour at HW - 4 to 4.5hrs, having done it several times, although I'd stick to the channel and go around the outer pole at less than half tide, rather than cutting inside the beacon as I normally do at HW.
I notice that LW on Saturday morning is 1.5m, so it sounds like you should be ok. There was a survey published in this year's harbour guide, if I remember correctly, you can (apparently) phone the harbour office and get them to send you a copy.
yours,
Dave


<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[chriscallender]

Thanks TomE and Viking - seems perfectly feasible to get some decent sleep on Wed and Thu nights then provided that the sea state is OK. Good news!

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[chriscallender]

Thanks for the info Dave, by the way I just managed to find the survey picture online at

http://www.conservancy.co.uk/water/hydro_survey.htm

Cheers

Chris

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[oldharry]

I draw the same as you - 2'9" and find the bar no problem at any state of the tide in calm conditions as long as you stay within half a cable east of the beacons where its been dredged. I logged no less then 9 feet of water at LW last thursday. Further east its very much shallower. Head well South of the West Pole beacon before turning west, as the bank is continuing to build seawards this year.

But if the sea is running and there is a swell on the bar, it can get unsafe very quickly, and several boats have been lost dropping off waves onto hard sand out there near LW even if the seas are not breaking.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[tome]

How did you get on?

<hr width=100% size=1>