We had a lovely time in Chichester Harbour in the end, despite the officiousness. An anchorage off East Head proved to be a bit bouncy (strong wind over tide conditions, wind blowing on shore, meant we put the anchor alarm on a small radius, loads of anchor warp out and the keys poised ready to start the engine) but absolutely gorgeous and next to a massive and gorgeous unspoilt beach with white sand, dunes and wildlife (some of which Lunar met). While in Chichester we also had 2 nights on a visitor's pontoon near Emsworth - and as we left we went up and spent 20 mins on the Emsworth town jetty where a flock of school kids loved Lunar and gave me the vapours as we had to leave Isabella under their watch while we got some diesel and shopping from a nearby garage - but nothing went missing... I think.
Leaving Chichester went without hitch despite concerns of the shallow water. Rounding Selsey Bill was very easy as we had just light onshore winds, good for a slow beam reach, combined with an assisting tide - though we did have to motor the last hour to Littlehampton as we needed to get in around high water and the wind died completely.
In Littlehampton we met a chap who'd set off from London 2 weeks earlier to go around the UK clockwise (opposite to us obviously). The amazing thing was the boat he was doing it in! See pic below. What a fantastic adventure!! He's blogging his trip and raising money for Macmillan Cancer Care. Here's some links:
http://www.simonrenton.co.uk
http://www.justgiving.com/sailingsimon
After two nice days in Littlehampton, we set off early to get out before the tide was too low (Littlehampton exit dries to 1m+ at low water) to Brighton. Rose had developed a bit of gut rot the day before from something so I let her sleep and Lunar and I took us out single-handed. We were under full sail in a light offshore breeze for some time - not going very quick due to the current in the channel going the wrong way. Peaceful. Then, completely unforcasted, the wind picked up to 28 knots and then continued to be gusting from 10 to 24 knots for the remainder of the journey, unpredictably. Some people we'd met in Littlehampton were also making the same journey in a 38 footer and weren't that far ahead, so I was working the winches like a madman to keep the sails trimmed just right so we'd have a chance to catch them. I took a line much closer to land with the idea that there'd be less adverse current there, and we'd have less far to go north to Brighton Marina once we got off Brighton. All this high performance sailing under full sail, then a single reef in the main, meant we were heeled over quite considerably in the gusts. Rose was awake and on deck fairly soon, assisting with the mainsheet.
About an hour after our competitors arrived, we moored up next to them. I told them I was trying to beat them and the captain said, "oh we weren't bothered at all with faffing about, we just put up a bit of sail and left it - we made 10.23 knots at one point". Great - we'd maxed out at 6 knots. Oh well it was fun.
Brighton Marina is a major feat of civil engineering. There is no natural harbour here, just a pebble beach running straight east west ish along the coastline, so they built a seriously big wall, and stuck a marina in it. Biggest marina we've encountered. It has its own cinema, nightclub, restaurant and casino complex with a massive Asda on site!
We went ashore for a look about to find that the London to Brighton bike race was finishing. It was excellent madness. Also managed to catch a glimpse of "Spelbound", the winners of the Britain's Got Talent 2010 competition.
Will be staying for a week and I think the contrast between life mostly at anchor and this will make a nice change for a little bit, but a sign saying "strictly no barbeques in the marina" is giving me some concern.
Some stats:
Motored: 23 hours 40 mins
Sailed: 30 hours 35 mins
Mooring Fees: £451
Anchored: 23 nights
Marina'd: 2 nights
Other'd: 40 nights
Logged: 279 nautical miles
BBQs: 12
Here's some pics...
Rose and Lunar on the long walk to Bosham from Itchenor, Chichester Harbour
Isabella at anchor off East Head, Chichester Harbour
Rose on East Head beach
Lunar on East Head beach after convening with the local residents (rabbits)
Helming out past 'West Pole' off Chichester which is in the wrong place!
Rose at the helm, very strictly on transit, into Littlehampton
Isabella in Littlehampton
Simon Renton departs at 5am bound for Portsmouth on his round UK bid
Isabella in Brighton Marina - note the 'wall' which forms the man made harbour
Rose & Lunar at the end of the London to Brighton Bike Race
Brighton was like this all day - so so many bikes!!
