Coastguard scare!

[nicho]

I helped a friend, who is VERY new to sailing, and indeed boating, move his new Bavaria from Hayling Island to Gosport yesterday. There was little wind (5/6 knots), and we were running very late, leaving Chichester Harbour near to low water (I was told by Opal Marine that it would be fine, as we were just off neaps), but as we gingerly exited, we only had 0.7 metres below the keel. Still we made it, and settled down on a beautifully sunny day for a pleasant trip. We set off on a bearing, to just clear the Winner Cardinal, entering the Solent between the Forts. My friend suddenly appeared from down below with a rather worried expression, to say that Solent Coastguard had called us to advise we were "sailing into danger". I could not for the life of me work out what I was doing wrong. I asked, him what they actually said. He told me they called a white Bavaria off "something" Sands!!. I called the CG, who advised that I was indeed "sailing into danger", and that I should alter course immediately. I asked exactly what the danger was, (perhaps something had changed in an area I do not frequent). "Sir, you are sailing directly into the Ryde Sands at low water" came the reply. I thanked them, and gave them my actual position. It was another Bavaria......!!

I could not even contemplate the consequence of running my friends brand new boat aground on it's maiden voyage. Phew!!

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[wooslehunter]

Good on them for spotting it. Anyone hear when happened to the guy that really was heading for Ryde?

Let's wait for the Easter bank hols especially if the weather's good. Low water's at 11ish so lets'see how many are "having lunch" or "admiring the sand". It's a great place to see grounding during the Round the Island race. I counted 19 at the same time a few years ago. We sat over the sands in a RIB and just watched them come in.

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[Twister_Ken]

What courageous friends...

...you have Nicho. Anyone who asked you on a delivery trip, after reading the account of your last one, must have taken a couple of brave pills!

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[castaway]

I would have thought that putting out a call for a white Bavaria in the Solent was akin to putting out a call on Capital Radio for Blue Mondeo on the M25!!

Have good day... Nick

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[nicho]

Re: What courageous friends...

Sssshh - he was one of the few that didn't know about that!! He's moving the boat further to it's permanant base in Falmouth in 4 weeks time, and he's asked me to go again. However, this time, he's employed the services of a professional skipper/sailing instructor to go with us. He claims it's to add 3 further days to the school time he's already had and get his day skipper ticket, but I wonder if he's been tipped off, or seen my inadequacies now, first hand??

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[nicho]

We did notice the SAR helicopter hovering around in the general direction of Ryde, so I guess the CG were tipped off by its crew.

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[kds]

"we sit over the sands and watch them come in"

Don't you also wave a parafin lamp back and forth ?

Ken

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[Becky]

Well, I was sailing off Ryde last Monday; I was down below trying to get the chart plotter to work, when my youngest son ran us aground on Ryde Sands- luckily on a rising tide. All he said was 'the I of W is just like an iceberg- there is an awful lot of it under water'.
Lovely trip, but as usual the wind was only from ahead, which ever way I tried to go.

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[Gunfleet]

<<I was down below trying to get the chart plotter to work, when my youngest son ran us aground >> How interesting. With me, it's usually the other way round! Still, he doesn't seem to mind.

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[Chris_Robb]

Spring Tides

I think Easter is spring tides - usually full moon on Good Friday - ancient Pagan festival! Therefore unless you are in Falmouth high tide is mid day or thereabouts.

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[zefender]

Re: Spring Tides

Unless I'm going bonkers, Good Friday is just off Springs (this year) with HW Portsmouth about 15:00ish

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[Twister_Ken]

Ain\'t electronics wunnerful!

So, if you hadn't have had a chartplotter, you wouldn't have ended up parked on the IOW?

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[Chris_Robb]

Re: Spring Tides

Your not - just that low water is not at 11! But is if you are in Falmouth

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[tony_brighton]

What time of day was that? We came through the forts late morning to 25+kts.

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[nicho]

We left Sparkes at 15.00, through the forts at about 16.00. Wind, all the way, was around 6/7 knots, (Friday, 2nd)

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