Is the Portsmouth Swashway becoming shallow?

J

jonjo

Joined
27 May 2002
Messages
11,172
Visit site
Yesterday coming into Portsmouth at low tide I was surprised to see the Wightlink ferries diverting around Spitsand Fort.

Is this usual low tide procedure for them or are the sands around the Swashway changing?
 
[ QUOTE ]
I am obviously having a bad spelling day.

[/ QUOTE ]
Just pour yourself another G & T! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif


Or as Sixpence would say:

"He336 atey, 14st en16y y64rse3f" /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Several of them were calling QHM and asking for gauge readings presumably to find out when it was deep enough to go back to the Swashway.
 
. . . presumably to find out when it was deep enough to go back to the Swashway."

So what's the drying height/least depth?
 
The ferries draw 2.5m fully loaded and the Swashway is only a tad deeper than that at LAT. They also have to operate on a minimum depth below the keel hence the odd "diversion" south of Spit Sand Fort or OSB at low springs.
 
I see that the Commercial Port's Safety Code states that "the limiting depth is 2.1m" (a strangely imprecise term) so plenty to spare for yotties in calm weather. That's the Outer Swashway of course, on the transit War memorial/RH of block of flats. The Inner Swash cutting inside the Hamilton Bank is no longer marked but it does exist, and that is very much shallower!
 
Portsmouth ( Inner Swashway )

I've always been nervous of using the inner swashway so thanks for the 0.5m info. It is the " numerous obstructions " bit that has always put me off using the route other than when close to HW. Is there a useful transit ?
 
inner swahway

Hi DJE Thanks for your last comment, I have always ben wary of using inner swashway, that bit that says 'numerous obstructions' gives me the willies ! Is there a useful transit for use by the faint hearted ?
 
Leoboat said:
I've always been nervous of using the inner swashway... Is there a useful transit ?
Click to expand...
My draft is 2.2m but I use the inner swashway during the top third of the tidal cycle.

Here is my route. At the entrance turn right mid way between the shore wall and the red pole. After 200 meters ease further away from the shore by say another 50%. Near the end before the radar at Gilkicker give a wide berth to the shallow area. You will see yachts taking a detour around a yellow? buoy.
 
Rule of thumb that Sunsail skippers use. If there is water over the pilings as you pass through the entrance, there is plenty of water for a Sunfast 37 in the inner swashway, and indeed to race all over that area. I've never heard of any sunsail boat hitting any of the numerous obstructions.
Sunfast 37s draw 2.2m.

Coming the other way you have to be slightly more cautious, I use half tide as a simple yes/no when I'm too busy babysitting corporate guests to do any propper calculations, and I've not yet hit the bricks around there.
 
Ruffles said:
Surely the tide guage by the entrance tells you how much water there is in the inner swashway? That's always been my assumption.
Click to expand...

Yes it does ... by default.

It actually gives you the current height of tide.

The inner swashway has areas of 0.1 above cd so if the height on the guage is 2 metres the depth in the swashway is 2.1.

If the tide is lowish I head for the yellow racing buoys and have never has a nervous moment.

:eek:
 
Last edited:
Never mind the entrance at Bembridge: we ended up in the mud tied to the pontoon! (would have been nice to know in advance, as I would have raised the outdrives and probably NOT tried to flush the toilet :eek:)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top