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Chichester Harbour - an introduction by Roger Palmer Points to watch out for when planning a passage from Hayling Island Sailing Club in dinghy, keelboat or cruising vessel. North to Emsworth and Langstone When sailing North towards Emsworth the area to sail in is well marked by green buoys (leave to starboard) North West Pilsey and North Pilsey and posts with red cans on top (leave to port). Emsworth Channel is a wide straight channel shallower on the Thorney (eastern) side. When avoiding the tidal current the eastern side has more gentle shelving areas for small boats than the western side. Going east towards EastHead, Thorney, Itchenor, Bosham and Dell Quay Leaving Hayling, Fishery buoy, a south cardinal mark, marks the southernmost extent of Pilsey Sands and should be passed to the south. This area is called the Stocker Lake and its continuation is marked by North Winner and Mid Winner green buoys to the south and Stocker and Copyhold red buoys to the north. The area to the south and East of the green Winner buoys should be avoided. The Winner bank is the hardest and most treacherous shoals in Chichester Harbour. The bank catches many cruising (and racing) yachts on its shoals as the tide ebbs. The penalty, though, is generally no more than several hours waiting for the tide to return. The north side of this channel is sandy and shelves gradually. At half tide there is also a small boat channel to the north of the Stocker Bank on a line from Runway to Johns' Folly towards Thorney mark. If using this channel be aware of the rocky spit that extends some 100m from the south of Pilsey Island. If turning north at Pilsey Island to enter the Thorney Channel observe the beacon to Port and pass through the "goalposts" some 300m to the north. Leaving the Harbour The strongest tidal flows are in the entrance just to the south of the Sailing Club. Care is needed to stay reasonably close to the Hayling shore to avoid the Winner Bank q. v., which is marked by NW Winner and the large post opposite to the Inshore Lifeboat Station. Leaving these to port approach the Bar on a line leaving both Chichester Beacon and the Post to starboard before voyaging to the Isle of Wight, France or more distant lands. |
