Public and private slipways Hayling Bridge The Ship car park

[FairweatherDave]

There are two slipways on the East side of the bridge on the Langstone village North side of the bridge. I am guessing the Southern-most of these has slightly more tidal access than the one right next to the Ship car park. Does anyone here have knowledge of when the bottom of the slipways become impossible/possible in a rowed inflatable with wellies for muddy shingle? I believe the southern most one is owned by Langstone sailing club. I am only asking as a plan B or C scenario if I have messed up the return to our new mooring nearby, and I know Northney Marina has all tide access.
Thanks for any info.

 

[Lucky Duck]

There is a 'causeway' which will leads up to a point near the Royal Oak pub.

I think it originally crossed the harbour there so should be usable at pretty much all states of tide.

 

[FairweatherDave]

Yes I have read about that, but not sure how easy it would be to locate from the water without having explored on foot at low tide. I have "walked" our Wayfarer under the bridge at low water but I wasn't thinking about slipways at the time .

 

[Lucky Duck]

Its obvious enough from the shore so I suspect the same would apply from a dinghy.

IIRC the slip by the Ship becomes quite muddy soon after high water.

 

[FairweatherDave]

Update. Had a great paddle in my kayak just under two hours before low water returning an hour after low water. Launched from the slipway closest to the bridge (southern-most one). Not much water when I launched but the bottom of the slipway turns to gravelly mud which was firm enough to walk on. Which is what I had to do on my return. I would say it was low water nearly neaps.......... Satisfying to know it can be done and a lovely day to try. The Causeway was fascinating and would be even easier were it not for the distance to carry the kayak. Totally solid clumpy stone/rock underfoot but a long walk if you "needed" to use it. On my return to the slipway I was repeatedly grounding and this would be no place for an outboard at that state of tide. My estimate would be the time I returned was 1.6m above CD.

 

[Seajet]

The slip on the Langstone side ends rather abruptly, so beware stepping off into deep water; there is a large shallow ramp area to the side which is technically Langstone Sailing Club's but you wouldn't get shot for using it.

On the east - Chichester side, the long slip has WAY more water , for an inflatable I'd say a good 4 hours either side of HW.

The slip by the Ship car park has much less water, even in an inflatable I'd be thinking 2, maybe2.5 hours either side.

If leaving it too late even for the long slip, go under the bridge - there are red and green marks three pillars wide for the deepest bit - then if you turn towards the club and the line of big square posts you'll find the bottom is solid but uneven to the east of the posts, the remains of previous bridges.

At low states of tide you can walk under the bridge from one side to the other.

Edit to add; beware at mid tide -ish ebb by the end of the long slip on the east side of the bridge, there is a strong tide setting through the bridge; in a rowing inflatable best to go up towards the pub direction then approach the slip at 90 degrees, when the tide is going it really moves, off the end it would be hard to row against.

There are steel eyes set into the sides of the long slip, if you take a long painter.

Sadly, don't leave oars or anything in a dinghy there.

If you'd like aerial photo's showing the slips at high and low waters, feel free to PM me with an e-address, sorry the quick photo system doesn't seem to work any more.

 

[Seajet]

There is a 'causeway' which will leads up to a point near the Royal Oak pub.

I think it originally crossed the harbour there so should be usable at pretty much all states of tide.

That's a 4000 yr old prehistoric wadeway; it has gaps and no way of tying a dinghy securely, and at the Royal Oak end is now very muddy .

For the inflatable you'd have about 4.5 hours either side of low water, but it's a welly job and as I say no means of securing the dinghy.

Conversely at say 1.5 hours either side of HW the path between the Ship and the Royal Oak is underwater; there is a gap in the wall and a path around between houses, or go the long way round via the top of Langstone HighStreet - again if you'd like aerial pics PM me.

 

[FairweatherDave]

Thanks Seajet. That's more good info, I'd been waiting for you! Point well made about the tide ripping under the bridge at certain times. There was a bloke wandering pretty close to the waters edge on the causeway near low tide but google earth shows where you mean about the muddy stretch near the top by the Royal Oak. Personally I'm only really interested in low water as we normally launch from Nore Barn.
PS How do you pronounce Sweare Deep??!!
Ear or Ware?!

 

[Lucky Duck]

The OH and the future mother in law have walked down to the low water line from near the Royal Oak in normal walking shoes do I don't think it is particularly muddy

 

[langstonelayabout]

The OH and the future mother in law have walked down to the low water line from near the Royal Oak in normal walking shoes do I don't think it is particularly muddy

Rather they than I. The water goes out a long way and reveals plenty of mud. Some shallow, some a little deeper. The causeway is, as Seajet rightfully posted, rather muddy at the start these days. If you really want to get out to the middle of the top of the harbour without getting too muddy, go for a walk in the centre of the stream running between the Royal Oak and Langstone Mill at MLWS. You will get out a long way by the time the mud gets over the top of your shoes, but the water will be up to your 'nads.

And as it mentions in the Art of Coarse Cruising; the mud is usually fairly warm once it comes up to your thighs...

 

[Seajet]

Langstonelayabout,

thanks, I have aerial photo's covering that too.

Seriously, unless you have hover-sandals, the wadeway from the Oak can be seriously muddy to the point of dangerous.

If one ends up HAVING to walk on the mud around there - I have known experienced very clued up people require helicopter rescue - walk on the little steams running through the mud, the bottom of these is usually firm - or the green weed covered bits - but Do Not try going inbetween.

Incidentally I was given a history book I must still have somewhere; Henry VIII made a decree that a hermit who lived at the Royal Oak end of the wadeway and guided people across ( Monty Python style ) ' should be paid the whole proceeds from the day of a local fayre '.

One of my favourite moments;

years ago before the Audi Quatro when ' four wheel drive ' was rare, the ' All Wheel Drive Club ' turned up at the Royal Oak end of the wadeway ( a listed Ancient Monument BTW ) with their ' Fast Show ' style Landrovers, Union Flags flying from whip aerials.

I and others on our boats on our moorings watched with interest as they stormed along the Wadeway - it was a lot more intact even 40 years ago, probably thanks to people like these but mainly bait diggers ( after 4,000 years spiffing )...

Apparently Ordnance Survey maps showed it as a complete route, without the ' West Cut ' from 1860 for the barges to the mill...

We couldn't have warned them if we'd wanted to, so the lead Landie disappeared with a mighty splash.

Lucky for him, his mate behind had a - probably never used before - winch on the front, so they dragged it out and retired backwards at a rather slower pace.