Chichester bar spring tide

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arfa

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Having mentioned on another post about yesterday's spring tide, your truly was going backwards at one point trying to get back into the harbour with the tide running well in excess of 5 knots at HW +3.....
I was not alone as a number of other yachts were struggling to make headway and thank goodness the wind didn't pick up as a wind over tide situation would have made the bar impassable.
I think I'll show the entrance a little more respect next time !
 
Chichester harbour and bar is an easy entrance, but you must respect the pilotage notes, weather and tidal conditions. If there had been a strong S or even a SW yesterday you may well have not got in with a big spring ebb at HW +3.
 
Agreed - I would not have even gone out if the wind forecast had any strength in it.
I even retired early from my race to try and beat the full ebb but got my timings wrong.
Given another big tide today, anyone trying to get in around 4pm is likely to have an interesting time
 
During the floods in 1994ish, there was only a couple of knots flood, but the ebb was running at over 7kts with the flood water behind it.

Most of the time its a pussycat, but given the right (wrong?) conditions, it can and has been a killer.
 
we had no problems to get in last sunday (20 sep 2k9) late afternoon, still had 2.7 meters of water around the bar.

we only needed to wait about 1 hour to get in the chichester marina. as the channel leading to the chichester marina had only 0.50 meters (after chatting with the lock keeper on vhf 80) of water and we need 1.20 meters. but on a temp mooring buoy this gives us plenty time to clean the boat.

but where i come from we have much more tidal issues ;)
 
The tide coming out of Portsmouth yesterday (Sunday) afternoon was amazing. It must have taken me 15 minutes to get from the swash channel dolphin to the tideguage which is biscuit throwing distance. There was a visible difference in water level between the channel and Gosport/Haslar.

Lots of weed in the water after these big tides. Worth checking your raw water filter.
 
Well perhaps yesterday was not the best day to attempt the cicumnavigation of Hayling Island in Wayfarers.

Our plan was for eight boats to sail from HISC to the Ship at Langstone for lunch just before high tide, cross over or under the road bridge, sail down Langstone Harbour on the start of the ebb, out of the entrance, across Hayling seafront, across the bar and then sail into Chi Harbour over the Winner Bank.

All went very well to plan until we started down Langstone Harbour when the expected ebb flow failed to materialise and the wind died to well below five knots. It took us over two hours (after HW) to sail to langstone entrance where the ebb current was still not at full strength. With no wind to speak of and with no other means of propulsion other than sail or paddle we called on our prearranged back-up of the rescue RIBs from the club to tow us back. Thank goodness that we did. By the time we got to Chi Bar Beacon the ebb was flowing with full force, estimate 5-6 knots and crossing that under sail would have been very difficult. Some yachts were struggling to make headway over the ground.
 
arfa said:
Having mentioned on another post about yesterday's spring tide, your truly was going backwards at one point trying to get back into the harbour with the tide running well in excess of 5 knots at HW +3.....
I was not alone as a number of other yachts were struggling to make headway and thank goodness the wind didn't pick up as a wind over tide situation would have made the bar impassable.
I think I'll show the entrance a little more respect next time !
Click to expand...

That's pure luxury.

I got 9 knots in the Swellies yesterday, stood still next to the perch. Couldn't get my camera out, but the bow wave from the tower was amazing.

Luckily there weren't any yotties around as they would have been complaining about the wash. :o
 
Major Catastrophe said:
That's pure luxury.

I got 9 knots in the Swellies yesterday, stood still next to the perch. Couldn't get my camera out, but the bow wave from the tower was amazing.

Luckily there weren't any yotties around as they would have been complaining about the wash. :o
Click to expand...
That's 'cos yotties ave better things to do than run on the spot, like a sweaty guy in a gym.:D
 
benjenbav said:
Pure luxury, you say. Aye well, when I say the ebb were flowing at 5-6 knots, that were in the eddies. :D
Click to expand...

Young'ans don't know they have been born.

Want to see eddies, again....try the Swellies and the nice bit heading north through the suspension bridge where at some states of the tide you have to go uphill.

Aye lad, to navigate that we have to get up before we go to bed.
 
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