Royal Sovereign Light - inside or outside?

[mrming]

It will soon be decommissioned, but for now, what are the conditions where you might choose to go either outside or inside the light?

I went about 0.5nm inside it, going North, at night, earlier this year in a SW F5-6 and ended up doing some quite exciting surfing. The tide was with me.

Would I have had a less exciting ride had I left the light to port?

 

[DanTribe]

A few years ago on a night watch, I felt it necessary to tell an inexperienced helm not to go inside Beachy Head lighthouse.
I didn't sleep much on that trip.

 

[Major_Clanger]

Would I have had a less exciting ride had I left the light to port?

Perhaps, but not much in it..... Going inside would have given you a slight lee from the cliffs but with shallower water. Going outside the exact opposite so not much in it. Faster going outside though.

 

[johnalison]

The first time I approached Beachy Head was in the middle of the night, with only my son in our then Sadler 29. For an hour or more we were puzzled by the number of car headlights in the distance at that time of night. We were romping along in a fresh southerly at the time and clearly weren't thinking straight because it eventually became obvious that it was the beam of the lighthouse zooming across the white cliffs. As far as I can see, it can be rough anywhere around there in the wrong conditions. I have sailed from Eastbourne to Brighton in an F7 without too much difficulty, so a lot depends on which direction you are going and what you want to put up with. We have always sailed inside, both ways.

 

[Major_Clanger]

A few years ago on a night watch, I felt it necessary to tell an inexperienced helm not to go inside Beachy Head lighthouse.
I didn't sleep much on that trip.

Thank-you, that really made I larff!

 

[mrming]

Thanks all. I’m thinking that even the deeper bits (e.g. 15-20m) on the outside of the Royal Sovereign Shoals are likely to cause big waves when the wind is strong and from the SW, even with a fair tide. Do I have that right?

 

[Major_Clanger]

Thanks all. I’m thinking that even the deeper bits (e.g. 15-20m) on the outside of the Royal Sovereign Shoals are likely to cause big waves when the wind is strong and from the SW, even with a fair tide. Do I have that right?

Don't psyche yourself out! If you're in deep water it's no different to anywhere else, and if the wind is 'strong' from the SW you're hardly likely to be heading in close. Sure, it can be nasty but forewarned is forearmed and you shouldn't be overly concerned. Just be sensible, no special treatment is necessary IMO.

 

[forelle541]

A few years ago on a night watch, I felt it necessary to tell an inexperienced helm not to go inside Beachy Head lighthouse.
I didn't sleep much on that trip.

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