What's the best way........

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nicho

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...to find out the actual, current weather at sea?? We are currently in Brighton where, as a result of warm moist air and a cold sea, it is very foggy. The fog horn on the breakwater is hooting away merrily, but how could I find out if it's just local, or more widespread?

I don't fancy the journey all the way back to Swanwick in such conditions if it's widespread, even though we have a comprehensive Radar/Plotter/Marpa set up and a "see me" Radar Reflector.

I've put the trip off until tomorow anyway, but does anyone know how I could find out the extent of the fog? It would be frustrating to find that half a mile out it was good viz/sunny. Does anyone know, for example, if Solent Coastguard would be worth a telephone call - do they get ongoing visibility reports?

Cheers all
 
Solent CG should be able to give you the weather on their station and can see for a good distance E and W. Also, there are a number of weather stations in the solent that give wind speed etc.

Chimet at Chichester is showing a 4knt wind from the west so that should be moving any fog there.

Bramblemet showing a 17knt wind (also from the W) so definitly no fog in the Solent.
Bramblemet also give Vis which currently is 18nm

Dont know if there are stations closer to you?
 
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I'd give ATC at Shoreham a quick phone call, I'm sure they wouldn't mind (esp as you're a potential customer anyway). Shout if you need the phone number.

Cheers
Jimmy
 
KevB said:
Hi Mike,

How about searching for south coast web cams. Should be a fair few between Brighton and Southampton.


Did you go on Monday?
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To Worthing? Yes we did, along with 500 others. Desperately sad for all concerned - very moving ceremony (for other forumites, Chi Marina lost a really good bertholder recently - one of the best, and untimely too at the tender age of 51)
 
jimmy_the_builder said:
I'd give ATC at Shoreham a quick phone call, I'm sure they wouldn't mind (esp as you're a potential customer anyway). Shout if you need the phone number.

Cheers
Jimmy
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Good thought JTB - why didn't I think of getting their Metar - age I guess!! Don't have my flying gear with me so a tower number would be helpful if you have it please - cheers
 
nicho said:
Good thought JTB - why didn't I think of getting their Metar - age I guess!! Don't have my flying gear with me so a tower number would be helpful if you have it please - cheers
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EGKA 01273 467373 (this is general enquiries, I don't have the tower number to hand, sorry).

Cheers
Jimmy
 
nicho said:
To Worthing? Yes we did, along with 500 others. Desperately sad for all concerned - very moving ceremony (for other forumites, Chi Marina lost a really good bertholder recently - one of the best, and untimely too at the tender age of 51)
Click to expand...


Yes we went too then on to the beach hotel. So many people no wonder I didn't see you. a Great send off to a very great man. Sad loss for all. So many people lost a very good friend. I'm still in denial that he's not around anymore.
I will miss him very much.
 
Whitelighter said:
Chimet at Chichester is showing a 4knt wind from the west so that should be moving any fog there.

Bramblemet showing a 17knt wind (also from the W) so definitly no fog in the Solent.
Click to expand...

From experience, wind does not necessarily mean no fog. Once set out from Falmouth for Brest in a Force 6 and had deep fog for about 4 hours of sailing and then it slowly cleared. As it cleared a tall ship appeared out of the murkiness like a ghost ship

DSC00348-1024_768.jpg


Happens in the solent as well where I've been in a real pea souper with 12 knots of wind.
 
Quick update. Last Thurs, 11am spoke to the skipper of a survey vessel that was in the marina. He said a colleague was "out there" in 20 metres of visibility!! We thought we would be there for the duration. However at 14.00 it suddenly cleared at the marina. I checked the Shoreham Airport weather, 5000 m viz, phoned the RNLI lifeboat station at Selsey Bill who confirmed similar reading in the looe Channel, and checked the Bramblemet station in the Solent which showed 5Km.....so we legged it!!

Flat calm seas, but a very eairy light, with no separation between the sky and the sea on the approx 5km viz. Still, we got out of Brighton and left the cold/fog behind for three glorious days back in home waters.

Cheers all

PS Sorry we missed you at the Beach hotel Kev - still a surreal feeling that he's gone
 
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