Heading round Selsey Bill

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WayneS

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We are planning to head to Eastbourne from Gosport on Friday night, returning Sunday.

Having never been round the bill, and no almanac to hand, I wonder if someone has any advice for heading round Selsey.

Searches on the forums bring up loads of posts regarding pot markers and drift lines en-mass. Also, looking at some (dated) electronic charts, it looks like The Looe is somewhat shallow and showing a few obstructions.

My current thought would be to go round Owers buoy.

Anyone got any advice for me? Current forcast would suggest that the iron donkey will be sailing us...

Thanks is advance.

Wayne
 
East of Selsey Bill?








EAST of Selsey Bill!

Wayne? Do you not know that there be dragons East of Selsey Bill?


Solent Yachties do not go East of Selsey Bill!
 
go down to double cardinals and head around 90 degrees and head for the loo channel, boulder and street are the buoys, just be warned can be a bit lump the side the tide is coming from, long haul and as jimi says not a lot to see, but eastbourn is nice.
 
My very first voyage as skipper on my very first boat (with only two weeks of sailing experience doing RYA "Comp. crew" and "Day skipper" courses) was from Brighton to Cowes, going through the Looe Channel on the way. With just my partner for crew (who had exactly the same experience as me) along as crew, that didn't seem boring at the time. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Still, it was 17 years ago, and though I still have the same boat, my memory's not what it was.
 
We did Gosport to Eastbourne after SIBS, it was a nice trip but as has been noted you will want to check the tides with care. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

The channel is fine, so long as you can see for miles and the wind and tide are not throwing breakers at you.
 
Been through The Looe a couple times in both directions in neaps (boring) and springs (interesting). As you approach from the West there looks like a waterfall in from of you with a wee calm bit, where the bouys are. From memory the first time we went through it looked scary enough for me to ask the crew to get back into the cockpit as we approached. As ever, once we got close the danger evapourated....
 
It's an evening High tide so you'll be pushing the Ebb although not a Spring but on a clear night and decent viz, Looe's the way to go.
 
Been round Selsey Bill loads of times always used the Looe Chanl. The Channel markers are lit (from memory) and the Mixon beacon marks the Northern drying areas as you go East. Normally gets a bit choppy either end depending on the tide direction,but if you get there as the tides turns eastward it won't be too bad and it doesnt last for long anyway assuming a seaworthy craft. Saves a long dull slog round the outside. As others have said it's a bit boring from there to Beachy Head as the coast recedes away north quite quickly after the Bill (but not as boring as going further on round Dungeness). Watch out for lobster pots around the Looe Channnel (why do they put them right on the rhumb line from Selsey Bill to Beachy Hd).
 
We did it two weeks ago in a 24 ft Eygthene. Brighton to Portsmouth in a day is enough in a small boat at this time of year, so left Brighton early and ignored the tides. Motored against the tide through the Looe channel, took a long time but we got there OK. About half way springs - neaps. No wind to speak of.
 
Re: Heading Past Selsey Bill -

Once your north of and abeam of the yellow Nab channel bouys id the street and boulder bouys. Green one is much easier to see by eyeball and on radar. It is not necessary to actually use the passage, plenty of water to either side unless you are really north when you will literally run up the smalls. Coasters generally do not bother with the Street and Boulder as its usually congested with Mobos and Wafis .At night just go East straight to East Boulder Head East Cardinal. Main danger is pots, pots and er did I mention them pots . Tide runs mainly East /West in the Looe whereas down by the Owers you can easily be swept across several sandbanks, some drying, and through the now unbouyed swashways in NE/SW direction . If you get caught in these it will get your heart pumping.
I never go via Owers, its always much easier even if a little rough wind against springs via the Looe. As normal Pilot books would have you believe its a witchs brew of rough water, which is total piffle.
On a fine day at high water with water up the Mixon pole you can go inshore past the Bill groynes bikini watching - more interesting.
 
The Looe can be attemtped in most conditions. The two buoys are only about 100+ meters apart and quite small - you must have vis to pass safely. Expect water to drop to 4 meters or so under the keel - a generous amount of moisture for us east coasters!


PWG
 
FOUR metres? Blimey I get vertigo! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Never understood the big deal about the Looe anyway, been through several times incl at night, although admittedly I've not been that way in a blow.
And what's all the stuff on this thread about being bored? How can anyone be bored on a boat?? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Never understood the big deal about the Looe anyway,

[/ QUOTE ] Exactly, we and a few other clubs dive the Mixon regularly. You see it's full of lobsters from July onwards /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif hence all the pots
 
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