Emsworth Harbour visitors pontoon

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mixmaster

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Thinking of sailing to Chichester this weekend and have never visited Emsworth by boat. The chichester harbour web page and my almanac mention a visitors pontoon. Does it exist? What are the depths?

Thank you.
 
mixmaster said:
Thinking of sailing to Chichester this weekend and have never visited Emsworth by boat. The chichester harbour web page and my almanac mention a visitors pontoon. Does it exist? What are the depths?

Thank you.
Click to expand...

Hi, The visitors pontoon is some way from the town which may not be accesible at low water by dinghy. The pontoon can take vessels with resonable draught from the ones I have seen using it. The marina charges are reasonable but access is limited by the cills to a few hours before and after high water-depending on the boat. Nice town,good chandlers and Nick Gates RTI old gaffer class winning lugger Ocean Pearl to look at in the marina. Providing Nick is not out for a sail of course!
 
mixmaster said:
Thinking of sailing to Chichester this weekend and have never visited Emsworth by boat. The chichester harbour web page and my almanac mention a visitors pontoon. Does it exist? What are the depths?

Thank you.
Click to expand...

Have you considered visiting Emsworth Yacht Harbour? A pleasant little marina located within easy walking distance of the town.

Not accessible at all staes of the tide but there is information about this on the website.
 
Thank you. Maybe I should rephrase the question. We draw 2.2 meters. With low water of around 1.3m on Saturday night, is there anywhere we can stay? I don't think we can squeeze into the marina.
 
You may be able to pick up a empty buoy before you get to the visitors pontoon, but as others have said you can't get all the way to the top of the harbour at low water even in a dinghy
 
mixmaster said:
Sorry Parsifal, you posted while I was typing. I believe the marina is only dredged to 1.5m or so.
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Yes but that is the minimum depth and is maintained at, or above that, by a cill. If there is enough tide to get in you could probably settle into the soft mud.

But the safest thing would be to give the marina office a ring and get advice.
 
The visitors pontoon is just ESE of Fowley Island on the port hand side of the channel. I have never actually checked the depth but I've never touched bottom at about 1.8 metres (board down). As others have said, you need to time your visit to town to avoid low water.
 
The visitors pontoon is surrounded by deep water moorings occupied by vessels with your sort of draft in the main Emsworth channel. You could safely assume that if they took the ground regularly the owners would not pay the harbour conservancy the £1300 a year they charge! That and the fact that it's near neaps this weekend I'd say you'll be fine.

As others have said getting up to the town by dinghy is not possible at all states of the tide but this weekend apart from dead LW you should be able to get to the service jetty a bit further up the channel and then walk into town. We can get there HW+/-3 in a yacht that draws 1.5m so a flubber would be a breeze.

Don't even think about Emsworth Yacht Harbour. I wouldn't even risk going in there myself this weekend with neaps coming! The cill is 2.4 above CD so you'd need a big spring to even get in and out on the same tide. I'm guessing you weren't planning on staying for a week! :D

The picture below shows the relationship between the visitors pontoon and the service jetty and the short walk around the millpond (promenade) into town.

May see you about if you make it. You'll love Emsworth, well worth the trip.:cool:
 
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Another FYI, the cardinal (I forget the name but think it may actually be Emsworth?) before the moorings and where the water splits off for Emsworth and Northney has depth above CD marked on it, the red mark opposite town quay has actual depth markings. These can be very useful to work out how far in you can get.
Cheers
Dave
 
The Bluebell just down towards the harbour for me; beware it's quite small and booking is required at busy times; not cheap.

At the other extreme, possibly the best fish & chip shop on the planet is just beyond the roundabout, heading for the rail station.

Lots of restaurants of all kinds & prices - I found the Indian in the town square good, and 2 top cafe's close by there serving breakfasts.
 
At the other extreme, possibly the best fish & chip shop on the planet is just beyond the roundabout, heading for the rail station.
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The one in Westbourne, Whistlers is better but a tad too far to walk from the harbour


"36 On the Quay" is the best restaurant.

Expensive but not far to walk!
 
Ended booking the Bluebell. Would like to say it was after much deliberation but actually it was the only one not fully booked!
 
I hope that doesn't mean a downhill trend, the Bluebell has always had a good reputation ( no connection ).

Anyway what sort of yottie ignores a top chippie ?! Keep it as Plan D then, and note the cafe's breakfasts, I had a great one in Heidi's - and naughty cream cakes to take away - but the other place looks good too.
 
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