Safe to go south...

[castaway]

Of "No Mans Land Fort"... So its official.. Ive been going south of the Fort for years but have always had a slight feeling of relief once over the submerged barrier shown on the chart.

Just received info on the QHM email updates that I have signed up for, that it is officially not there anymore.

The QHM is the Queens Harbour master at Portsmouth and it was pointed out a few weeks back on thei site that it is possible to sign up fo Email updates on Nav warnings for the harbour area.. obviously it covers more that just the harbour its self and Im rather pleased with the more or less daily little bits of info that drop into my mail box.... A bit of a must have for those of us who sail the Eastern Solent.

Nick Halberdier "Fairweather"

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[tony_brighton]

Portsmouth Harbour officially covers all the E. Solent - same as Southampton (ABP) covers W.Solent. If you look on the chart you'd be surprised at how far the 'port' extends!

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[Aardee]

Hi Nick,

What's the www address for QHM Portsmouth??

Cheers,

Graham.

<hr width=100% size=1>"I am a bear of very little brain and long words bother me..."

 

[Twister_Ken]

Glad to hear QHM has caught up at last.

Peter Bruce in Solent Hazards has been telling us this for about 10 years.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again</A>

 

[castaway]

Well yes Ken .... But Im just happy that an organization like the QHM appears to be taking an interest in the leisure boat users.

I realise that its to their advantage to have us "well informed" but most commercial harbours appear to be happy to ignor us except to relieve us of our 'dues'.

I must say I have long been sailing to Peter Bruce's instructions

Nick

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[castaway]

Hi Graham

should find em on <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.qhmportsmouth.com/>http://www.qhmportsmouth.com/</A>

Regds Nick

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[VicS]

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.qhmportsmouth.com/>http://www.qhmportsmouth.com/</A>

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple>Ne te confundant illegitimi.</font color=purple>

 

[qhmportsmouth]

Actually Ken it was Peter Bruce who drew the issue of the submerged barrier to my attention almost two years ago. Since then we have been working hard to remove the not inconsiderable number of remaining obstructions, some only a metre below the surface.
We thought we had it clear last autumn but our "final" diver survey found some more obstacles which needed to be moved - these have now gone and another survey has been completed. I am sorry it has taken longer than I would have liked but there was more work to do than we originally anticipated.
Nonetheless I am certain it was work worth doing to allow greater separation between commercial and leisure traffic at one of the Solent's choke points.
All the best.
Tom Herman
QHM


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[castaway]

Ah.... so it would appear that I was correct to feel relieved at passing safely across the barrier. Goes to show that one has to take these sailing guides with a pinch of salt. Im going to reread that bit..maybe I got it wrong!


Very nice to see you on the forum Tom.

Nick Halberdier "Fairweather"



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[qhmportsmouth]

No problem. Big ocean................ small obstacle! Tom

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[Stemar]

What about north?

Going into Portsmouth Harbour, I'm more interested in the north barrier.

As a beginner of cowardly disposition, I've always religiously used the gap, but since I draw less than 3ft, I suspect that, apart fom the poles, it's not much of an obstruction to me. Can anyone confirm or correct my suspicion?

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[Peppermint]

West Solent is MCA just like open sea. ABP only do roughly from Calshot to Cowes.

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[VicS]

Re: What about north?

I have seen some substantial obstructions. Only once, but they looked pretty solid. Obviously with sufficient rise of tide one could pass over safely but I dont know what that would be. If you are heading into portsmouth from the east you will need to be that far out to clear all the shallow bits outside Langstone anyway.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple>Ne te confundant illegitimi.</font color=purple>

 

[brianhumber]

Re: What about north?

If you go through the Dolphin gap at low water Springs on a sunny day the concrete blocks can be seen just below the surface stretching both ways to the shore and fort. This tells me you could pass over at HWS but I've never done so.

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[Evadne]

Re: What about north?

I used to regularly pass over the barrier, at various point, at half tide or above (draft 4' 6") until I saw it at LW once, now I always use the gap. The chances of hitting something might be small, but you'd only need to do it once.

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[robp]

Re: What about north?

You can see the square concrete blocks at LWS. A Sunsail skipper told me that a charterer thought he had it worked out one day and then took the keel off one of their Jeanneaus! Don't know how literal that was but as David says, you only need to find out once.

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[qhmportsmouth]

For the area of the Dockyard Port of Portsmouth see the map on my website: http://www.qhmportsmouth.com/index.php?subject=map

All the best

Tom Herman, QHM

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[qhmportsmouth]

Re: What about north?

Dear Stemar - I really would strongly recommend that you only use the marked gaps in the northern barrier. I am aware of several instances where people have damaged their boats by not following this advice.
All the best
Tom Herman
QHM

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[VicMallows]

Re: What about north?

Not to mention all the other boats who will call one up trying to warn you away!. Good news about the southern barrier though ..... have been using it for years, but only to/from Priory so always above half-tide. Now we can be even more adventurous cutting across Ryde Sands!!.

Vic











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[Twister_Ken]

Round the Island race

Maybe ISC should drop No Man's as a mark of the course, and lay a buoy twixt Fort and Wight. With the wind in the SW there can be a lot of windshadow in the lee of the fort which is just where sails are being changed and courses altered and the tide is running strongest. All of which can result in the odd bit of gelcoat damage. A mark in clear water would be sensible, if not quite so much fun.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again</A>