Cowes Fire Works..

onesea

onesea

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Ok I Was going to investigate the fireworks on Friday at Cowes, with or without crew..

Now yet again X wife has changed my daughters, access she would love to see them. Where would you moor for the night to see them?

Having never seen them, how busy dose sit get out there? I have heard some horror stories...

I will have me and 6 year old maybe another crew.

I would rather not go with daughter if it is going to be any more that low to no stress, but having never seen them I want to see them...
 
It gets busy....

Last time I did it we had 5 commercial skippers on board, and we were all busy calling traffic on the way back in. All sorts of stuff out there.

If you are just you and a six year old, I'd moor in Ocean Village / town quay and take the redjet. Get there early and head for the parade. If you must be waterbourne, consider being the other side of the solent, still get most of the effect without the scramble.
 
Definitely high stress - and I'm talking at least 10 years ago - probably much worse now.

Finding somewhere to moor/anchor is a nightmare, handing off other poorly anchored boats is a trial, watching the fireworks is no fun 'cos you've always got an eye elsewhere for the roaming idiot and getting home afterwards is a Darwinian episode in which survival often goes to the fleetest. In fact, we used to remain at anchor for a good half an hour after the end while the alcohol-fuelled ribs and sportsboats hared off across the Solent sans lights.

Down in Plymouth we have the annual International Fireworks Championships over three days in mid-August. It puts Cowes into the shade and there's so much room in the Sound there is never a problem finding space or getting home safely.
 
The only place you can "moor for the night" and see them is inside the Beaulieu river. If you want to just moor up for the fireworks, my advice would be don't, it is chaos and bumpy and will be stressful. Get the ferry over and see them from the shore or look at one of the pleasure cruises that come over to see them Google "cowes fireworks cruise", they depart from various places round the Solent.
 
l'escargot said:
The only place you can "moor for the night" and see them is inside the Beaulieu river. If you want to just moor up for the fireworks, my advice would be don't, it is chaos and bumpy and will be stressful. Get the ferry over and see them from the shore or look at one of the pleasure cruises that come over to see them Google "cowes fireworks cruise", they depart from various places round the Solent.
Click to expand...

Must admit the Beaulieu Option had been my thought... Any experience on how busy that gets? Winds look good for quite night at anchor there...

If it was not for daughter me my plan had been to heave two some where near the fire works then sail to the hook in Osbourne or Hurst...
 
My experience is that you can see the vast majority of the display from the moorings south of the Royal Southampton YC Annex on the Beaulieu River. Pick up a vacant mooring and relax. Th HM may charge you in the morning but maybe not. If you go over to Cowes it is a mad scramble with hundreds of boats and very roll polly because of MOBO wash.
 
We've watched from Calshot beach and anchored 20yds to the west of the Medina about 100yds or so from the barge. no contest, watching the fireworks from the water was not only memorable in itself but also being in the midst of all the boats sounding out their horns after the event made it special too. a risk of knit one pearl one wrt to anchor rodes but so long as you're careful when anchoring (pretty deep a short distance out) and let most everyone else set off before you do, it's absolutely fab being there, watching from afar was an anti climax in comparison.
 
onesea said:
Must admit the Beaulieu Option had been my thought... Any experience on how busy that gets? Winds look good for quite night at anchor there...

If it was not for daughter me my plan had been to heave two some where near the fire works then sail to the hook in Osbourne or Hurst...
Click to expand...

I wouldn't heave to or sail within a couple of miles of Cowes on firework night. If you really want to get near, anchor up outside the exclusion zone http://www.cowesharbourcommission.co.uk/news?id=33317 by tea time and stay there for at least an hour after the display finishes for things to die down. I've no personal experience of Beaulieu but I don't think it gets silly busy.
 
ninky said:
There will always be another fireworks display, but daughters grow up fast and you can't ever replace a weekend spent with her.
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Tell me about it shes 6 and I have not had a Christmas with her yet...

Thanks for all the reply's, will see what she wants to do tomorrow.
 
ninky said:
There will always be another fireworks display, but daughters grow up fast and you can't ever replace a weekend spent with her.
Click to expand...

Of course - but it's not a choice of daughter or fireworks! He's trying to experience the fireworks with her, because she would love to see them. He's also said that if it will be difficult or stressful, which she wouldn't enjoy, then they will do something else instead.

Pete
 
We have watched from Calshot in the past (on dry land) and they were pretty good from there - I agree not as spectacular as being on the water, but a good view and a lot less stressful. I cannot recall what time they are, but would be reluctant to take my 6 year old out on the water at that time - depends what time they are used to going to bed.

My only experience of being on the water around then was the year I had to leave Cowes on the red funnel straight after the fireworks - fog came in just by Calshot and it was chaos as the ferry tried to pick its way through
 
I did my YM exam at the end of Cowes week a few years ago. The examiner, bless him, had me plot a course out of Hamble to West Ryde Middle cardinal via an unlit mark to arrive in time for the start, wait there so we could see the fireworks (spectacular!) and then anchor in Osbourne bay. Hundreds of boats crossing right to left. It was an interesting exercise.
 
Ok, looks like we're doing this now - me and a mate and his young nephew. None of us has been before, but warnings above duly noted.

Due to having to get off the berth while there's still some water, we'll probably be there rather early - maybe half six. I guess we'll anchor up and have tea while we're waiting (a mooring might be nice to avoid playing silly-buggers in the anchorage, but I assume this is a ridiculous thing to hope for during Cowes Week) - presumably anywhere north of the moorings, east of Snowdon, and south of Prince Consort will suit, straggling out east depending on crowds? Alternatively we could go west of the fairway, but since my plan afterwards is to make a short transfer with the wind and tide round to Osborne Bay for the night, it seems sensible to be on the corresponding side of the scrum.

Any tips on picking a spot? In particular I'm concerned about small motorboats etc anchoring in deeper water than they're properly equipped for, and dragging down on us. So I guess the further uptide the better, though they'll probably dash in amongst us and pitch up wherever anyway.

Also, if anyone could suggest how big an area the anchored boats tend to cover, it would be useful. Do they spill over into the ship channel north of Prince Consort? Trail round the corner towards Osborne? Would you actually find yourself still among the outskirts if you anchored on the southern slopes of the Brambles? I really have no idea, having always been elsewhere for the whole of Cowes Week before.

I'll do my best (given the short notice and I have to work tomorrow) to light the boat up like a Christmas tree so it's visible to idiot RIB drivers. In any case I don't plan to move for some time after the end of the display - we'll get the lad put to bed and wait for the fast boats to disappear before we get under way.

Any specific advice (we've already had the general advice - "it's busy", "**** drivers in fast boats", etc) is very welcome.

Cheers,

Pete
 
We go most years and invariably manage to find a spot to anchor close to the edge of the Shrape. Low water will be about 7 o'clock tomorrow (1.0m) so you can virtually creep in until you touch knowing that there won't be any less water than you've got at that time. Depends how much you draw of course. Definitely stay where you are for at least half hour after the fireworks end.
It's well worth the effort for the atmosphere and we've never had any problems or stress.
 
alahol2 said:
We go most years and invariably manage to find a spot to anchor close to the edge of the Shrape.
Click to expand...

Hmm, ok. I thought all that area was "no anchoring" due to the tackle for the dayboat moorings?

alahol2 said:
It's well worth the effort for the atmosphere and we've never had any problems or stress.
Click to expand...

Thanks, that's reassuring given all the predictions of doom upthread :)

Pete
 
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