Sailing E from Chichester

[Bristolfashion]

We'll be sailing East from Chichester Harbour next Wednesday (or whenever weather suitable).

We can do all the usual analysis of bar crossings / tide etc, but you often come across a good time to cross the Chichester bar giving too much tide against you.

We are flexible on destination, possibly Newhaven, but wonder if locals have any tips / tricks / advice for optimising this journey.

Thanks in advance.

P.s we are a 29' sailing yacht using 5knts as our planning speed.

 

[bobgarrett]

Draft?

 

[sarabande]

I think you are being a bit optimistic with 5kts (or is that with tide ?), and that may have 'gate' consequences.

 

[Bristolfashion]

Thanks - draft is a modest 1.1m bilge keel.

5knts is our starting point speed (good winds & some positive tide) - we do then modify this to allow for conditions/tide etc and consider the impact on gates.

 

[BabySharkDooDooDooDooDoo]

Thanks - draft is a modest 1.1m bilge keel.

5knts is our starting point speed (good winds & some positive tide) - we do then modify this to allow for conditions/tide etc and consider the impact on gates.

Looking at the tide times for Wednesday I assume the passage plan will a reasonably early departure in order to get clear of the Looe channel before the tide becomes foul at around 11am.

Given your draft the usual complaint of silting at Brighton shouldn't be too much of an issue.

According to some reports Newhaven marina is now largely given over to boats servicing the wind farm so the availability of visitor spaces could be a challenge. We stopped there some years back when on passage from the Solent to the East coast and it wouldn't necessarily be my choice as destination

 

[ip485]

With your draft you should be able to cross at the bar and the channel pretty much any time, maybe avoiding dead LW or if there is a big swell.

Newhaven sadly is as previoulsy said. It is now very run down. I expect you can get a berth and its fine for a nights stop. Brighton is not much better (in my opinion). I am not sure the current silting issues but they have been bad. Worth checking with the marina office. Eastbouurne is pretty nice, and, if you are feeling a little more brave well worth going up to Rye. Sadly East from the Solent doesnt present either the most attractive places to visit, or the most attractive cruising.

 

[dom]

With your draft you should be able to cross at the bar and the channel pretty much any time, maybe avoiding dead LW or if there is a big swell.

......

I don't think this is good advice at all. In fact, I think it's dangerous.

According to the latest "Local Notice to Mariners", the depth was reported as 1.3m in May last year (link). It may very well have silted up more since then, quite possibly to less than 1m.
Follow this link to Bar Survey - it's worth a close look.
https://www.conservancy.co.uk/page/no03-2021

Next Wednesday is near enough springs, with a forecast low water of just 0.6m above datum and tidal estimates in Chichester aren't always accurate. Even a slight sea would risk a grounding at LW and it would be a serious grounding on sand in a seaway.

My advice, don't go near the bar with less than 1.2m-1.5m rise of tide.

As for where to head: the OP should easily to 5kts with a fair wind and a fair tide, whizz through the Looe Channel, and if he's a bit adventurous, the aforementioned ports to the East; well they're not St Tropez, but they're not all that bad. Newhaven is pretty seriously dismal though!

 

[Bristolfashion]

Without too much thread drift, we are starting a slow, relaxed, multi-year anti-clockwise circumnavigation. Those who don't care for the east so much have agreed that, if you go that way, the scenery gets better as you go. We also like the west to east winds / tides in the South. and felt that, particularly in this "staycation" year, the west country might be very busy.

 

[johnalison]

Nobody seems to have a good word for Newhaven, which is possibly why I have never been there. Brighton is a bit charmless but has its advantages. There are decent facilities at the marina including a big Asda, and the town is in walking distance, or there is a good bus service. Eastbourne is comfortable and again, a bus will get you to the town, or even Beachy Head.

 

[dom]

Without too much thread drift, we are starting a slow, relaxed, multi-year anti-clockwise circumnavigation. Those who don't care for the east so much have agreed that, if you go that way, the scenery gets better as you go. We also like the west to east winds / tides in the South. and felt that, particularly in this "staycation" year, the west country might be very busy.

Best get a move on then.

For before long Boris's levelling up will see Grimsby rivalling Cannes, Hartlepool Antibes, and Peterhead Monaco.

With prices to match

 

[Bristolfashion]

Best get a move on then.

For before long Boris's levelling up will see Grimsby rivalling Cannes, Hartlepool Antibes, and Peterhead Monaco.

With prices to match

Ah, the tropical paradise of Whitby to enjoy with the exotic fragrances mingling with the (delicious) smell of kippers!

 

[rotrax]

Just done it with our Island Packet SP Cruiser, 1.1 metre draught.

F6, SSW winds, big squirrely seas. Left the Emsworth pontoon 1 hour into the flood and tickled down to the entrance, another 45 minutes.

The bar depth was not an issue - it was neaps - and with the tide going our way we were alongside in Littlehampton after 4 hours. Went around the outer Owers. Arrived at slack water to assist berthing.

Littlehampton could be preferable as a stop to avoid a foul tide after clearing the Chichester Bar. Visitor pontoon and toilets now open, Freds or Osca's does first class fish and chips.

We certainly have our sea legs back now! ?

 

[FairweatherDave]

5 am low tide and looking at the forecast I reckon a nice day. Leave the harbour after 6 am and you will be fine unless there is some left over swell from the weekend. Progress will slow once you hit the tide the other side of Selsey and that is when the coastline gets a bit dull. Spot Butlins and dolphins, lobster pots and the wind farm. Don't rule out Shoreham as a good spot (unless bang on low tide.....unlikely since you are starting quite early). Normally takes 6 to 7 hours to Shoreham for me in our 29ft bilge keel. Good food and pubs in Shoreham centre but a bit of a leg stretch along the coast road (so scenic).

 

[ip485]

I don't think this is good advice at all. In fact, I think it's dangerous.

According to the latest "Local Notice to Mariners", the depth was reported as 1.3m in May last year (link). It may very well have silted up more since then, quite possibly to less than 1m.
Follow this link to Bar Survey - it's worth a close look.
https://www.conservancy.co.uk/page/no03-2021

Next Wednesday is near enough springs, with a forecast low water of just 0.6m above datum and tidal estimates in Chichester aren't always accurate. Even a slight sea would risk a grounding at LW and it would be a serious grounding on sand in a seaway.

My advice, don't go near the bar with less than 1.2m-1.5m rise of tide.

As for where to head: the OP should easily to 5kts with a fair wind and a fair tide, whizz through the Looe Channel, and if he's a bit adventurous, the aforementioned ports to the East; well they're not St Tropez, but they're not all that bad. Newhaven is pretty seriously dismal though!

Dom, yes a point very well made. I draw 1.6m and on normal tides and without a big swell have not had a problem recently. However, it can be a bit hit and miss. It is also worth knowing where the minimium depth is and the slight wiggle in the channel. I find either coming in or going out this gives you a very good heads up as to whether it is safe to proceed. I certainly should have made clear several hours either side of a normal tide and with little swell unless you are very certain is the least safety margin.

 

[ip485]

Nobody seems to have a good word for Newhaven, which is possibly why I have never been there. Brighton is a bit charmless but has its advantages. There are decent facilities at the marina including a big Asda, and the town is in walking distance, or there is a good bus service. Eastbourne is comfortable and again, a bus will get you to the town, or even Beachy Head.

Sadly Newhaven has got worse recently.

I know from landside visits.

The marina always had a certain charm in terms of a solid working port. The marina was perfectly fine, and although it has had periods when it hadnt been dredged, it has also had some work in relatively recent years. I reckon more than half now drys completely, which was never the case in the old days. There is also a large scrap metal exporter opposite with pretty much 24/7 operations, noisy and lots of dust. Finally they are more concerned with supporting the wind farm which is obviously the current money spinner. If you can get on the very outer mornings I would guess they are ok for a night or two. There is stuff to do in the area within walking distance, albeit Newhaven Town is also pretty depressed. It is a great shame, many years ago it had an active yacht club, racing in Seaford Bay and was well looked after. It is I guess 4 or 5 hours to Eastbourne so if you want a break I wouldnt be entirely put off, but have a chat with the office to make sure you can get in and will not end up on the mud.

Unfortunatley Seaford Bay and the Cuckmere Haven rarely suits anchoring BUT when it does (a northerly, or no wind), then both a beautiful for a night on the hook. Sadly count the days a year on very few hands, unless you are happy to accept a rolly night. Even then in Seaford Bay your night is guaranteed to be disturbed when the ferry comes in, in the earlier hours.

 

[DJE]

On two occasions in our bilge keel Sadler 29 we made it from Fareham Creek to Eastbourne Marina in 12 hours on a single tide. We were careful to be at the start of the East Looe Channel just as the tide turned east; then the tide turns later the further east you go giving you eight or nine hours of east-going tide. But on Wednesday this would mean being at Street and Boulder buoys about 04:00 BST so leaving Chichester at O God it's early hours.

IIRC one of our trips was an 02:00 departure to be at Street and Boulder at 05:00. I the did the whole leg from there to Beachy Head single handed in a SW F5 as the crew had gone back to bed. Arrived at Sovereign Harbour about 14:00 then they went exploring and I went to bed!

 

[LittleSister]

we are starting a slow, relaxed, multi-year anti-clockwise circumnavigation.

Nobody seems to have a good word for Newhaven, which is possibly why I have never been there.

Ah, the tropical paradise of Whitby to enjoy with the exotic fragrances mingling with the (delicious) smell of kippers!

Perhaps you could make it a theme of your circumnavigation to visit all those harbours everyone else tends to avoid!

Those who don't care for the east so much have agreed that, if you go that way, the scenery gets better as you go.

While that may be generally true, there are some lovely places on the southern East Coast, as well as a lot more shelter and rivers and other places to explore. I am sure you would receive a lot of suggestions, and a warm welcome, from the East Coast Forum.

 

[johnalison]

While that may be generally true, there are some lovely places on the southern East Coast, as well as a lot more shelter and rivers and other places to explore. I am sure you would receive a lot of suggestions, and a warm welcome, from the East Coast Forum.

There are interesting places such as Rye and Sandwich, neither of which I have sailed to, but even places like Dover have their attractions. The Dover Straits have an atmosphere of their own, especially on a fine day or after dark, with the Continent just over the horizon and ferries plying their trade. As a stop, Dover is a bit inconvenient, with an awkward trudge to the shops, but the castle is a must-see and walks on the Western Heights well worth doing. If you are lucky, you might even get the chance to visit the Grand Shaft which is only open one Sunday per month I believe. Everyone loves Ramsgate.

 

[Blueboatman]

The places where others don’t go are -sometimes-the friendliest and most memorably worthwhile ..

It’s great not having to rush at it too

Don’t forget the traditional passage anchorages of yore too. Or just heaving too and stemming ( or not quite) a foul tide on an offshore tack heading...

I once just drifted off the Normandy coast all night until the wind came back . I coulda motored in using my precious petrol reserve somewhere and out again ( with more petrol !)but it were lovely, quiet , warm and still ..

 

[ip485]

Rye is about the only place I would describe as lovely between the Looe and beyond Dover. Never been to Sandwich, it does get a lot better as you round the toe.