Portsmouth Harbour - Inner Swashway

[penultimate]

Another post (QHM Volunteer Patrols) reminded me of my experience last weekend entering Portsmouth Harbour. (The other post suggested that large arrows on the Ballast pile would be more effective than the written notice.)
The same applies to the piles outside the harbour.
I was a West Country visitor approaching the harbour via the Inner Swashway and confronted by two red piles. In dense traffic, including two vessels being driven at immoderate speed sufficient to swamp the foredeck of my 22 footer, I erroneously left both piles to starboard. It was only on leaving the harbour in quieter conditions that I had an opportunity to read the notice which requires both in and outgoing traffic to leave the innermost pile to port.

 

[boatmike]

If I understand you correctly you came in by the inner swashway close to shore and went INSIDE the final red port hand pile between the shore and the pile having it on your starboard side. Did it not dawn on you that aproaching a busy entrance where you can't see what is coming and no one can see you this close in at right angles to the main channel is somewhat doubtful seamanship? If I visit strange harbours for the first time I read my almanac not look for road signs! The piles, bouys, etc are to mark the main channel not the swashway and the idea of turning sharp left on the way out IF AND ONLY IF using the swashway is to avoid cutting across the path of sensible yachties joining the main channel inbound in a position where they can see what's coming. These signs are there to remind us all of good pilotage practice in case we forget and should not really be necessary at all.

 

[l'escargot]

[ QUOTE ]
...The piles, bouys, etc are to mark the main channel not the swashway...

[/ QUOTE ]
Not the outer pile - that is to mark the turning point for the inner swashway and it's only purpose. Vessels <u>using the inner swashway</u> should leave it to port in both directions.

 

[penultimate]

Passing close to the inner pile is not passing close to the shore in a 22 footer doing all of 3 knots. Any bad seamanship was on the part of the vessels coming out round a blind corner at 10's of knots.
There is no mention in the Small Craft Almanac of harbour entrance procedures and my vessel is not large enough to accommodate the Reeds OKI Nautical Almanac, which incidentally says that "craft may enter/exit the small boat channel anywhere on its W side". There is no reference to the written notice on the inner pile.
The point of my post was to reinforce the argument for having highly visible directional arrows on the inner pile, rather than a written notice that is only visible when abreast the pile.

 

[boatmike]

So why is it painted red? And coming into harbour from any direction which side should you pass it because its red?
The only thing "special" about this pile is that coming out you pass it on the "wrong" side if using the swashway which is of course NOT the main channel and should only be used by vessels who have sufficient local knowledge. Those who don't or whose draught does not permit should continue down the main channel passing it to starb'd.

 

[l'escargot]

[ QUOTE ]
So why is it painted red? And coming into harbour from any direction which side should you pass it because its red?

[/ QUOTE ]
Good question. It isn't painted red because it is a Port side marker, which was the cause of some confusion when it was put there - and it would seem the confusion persists - otherwise you would expct to leave it to starboard when leaving through the inner swashway, which you don't.

 

[Goldie]

Would a Preferred Channel Marker make things easier?