For boats headed south….

[John_Silver]

There is good news and bad news at Brighton, if planning to use it on passage south this season.

The good news is that it is being dredged, particularly around the visitor pontoon.

The bad news is that this work is being carried out now, is expected to last all summer, and has resulted in the removal of the visitor pontoon and a number of residential berths.
Visitor’s are therefore not being accepted…..

This based on information from the team at Sovereign Harbour (where we are tonight) and, by phone, from the team at Brighton, whom I called a few moments ago.

A short hop to Newhaven or a ‘go for it’ hop straight round to Chi, seem to be the options. Favouring straight to Chi currently!

 

[Marmalade]

That is bad news - we were thinking of heading south then west at some point - typically we do Dover in a day (45m) and then Brighton (55m). sounds like a stop in Newhaven or Eastbourne, or perhaps Shoreham. Then on to the Solent - sailing just two up we don't really do 24hr passages so stopovers are needed

 

[Gargleblaster]

Lots of good anchorages going south:
Deal
East of Dungeness
Rye off fairway
Seaford
Bognor
Solent
Swanage
Lyme Regis
Start Bay
Plymouth

 

[Jokani]

You could add Selsey Bill to the above list, very handy if you miss the tide at Boulder.

 

[alandalus11]

Not bad news at all. Why would you want to stop at Brighton? We have always found them unfriendly with a no can do attitude. I remember a few years ago being penned into the visitors pontoons. We were staying 4 nights and when asked if we could have a berth somewhere quieter despite the marina having lots of spare capacity, they were not interested in helping.

Stop off at Eastbourne, much nicer and friendly staff always willing to help.

 

[John_Silver]

On the southbound anchorages front:
Newtown Creek was it’s usual summer self, but room, on a short scope, with creativity. By the way, there is a much larger population of seals, up in Clamerkin Lake, than when I last visited, 6-7 years ago. One of which likes to sing!
Studland is pretty quiet. 50 lunchtime boats max. Maybe 30 overnight.
Off, to try our luck, in the Dart, tomorrow.

 

[Marmalade]

Brighton not closed. Called them and, although capacity is reduced, they're still open to visitors

 

[John_Silver]

That's good to know. It is quite a good haul from Eastbourne to Chi, in a five knot boat. So good to have the option to break up the passage, if desired. Although, having to do it 'in a oner' did lead me to the discovery that it is quite possible to beat through Boulder Street against the tide - which I wouldn't ordinarily have attempted.

Maybe I just caught them at a bad / busy time. I was cheeky and did phone twice, to get different people, but got the same answer, both times. "There is a two week waiting list for a berth," from the first. "We have no visitor space, due to dredging," from the second.

If pressing on further, have found that, marinas have generally been "fully booked, " if calling the night before arrival, or on arrival. Whereas anchorages and mooring buoys have had good availability. Certainly the case when we were in the Dart, Helford, Falmouth and now Scilly.