As a first step to planning our epic trip this Easter (Chichester Marina to Chatham Maritime Marina), I thought I’d take a look at the places we can stay along the way.
We’re starting off from Chichester – where Mouflon’s been berthed the last 12 months. It’s one of the “Premier Marinas” chain. Facilities are very good, with nice clean showers, a pub, a chandlers. The pub isn’t particularly atmospheric, but there is a small kiddie area and some very nice seating outside. People are very friendly, and there’s plenty of free parking.
One thing to watch is entry and exit – at about LW Springs +/-2.5h, there’s not enough water over the lock to let Mouflon get out and in. Helpfully, the marina post tide information online (pdf).
We’d like to leave the morning of Thursday 1 April; it’s Springs. Low water is a bit awkward at 7:04, so we’ll have to wait till about 9:30am.
Littlehampton Marina
Looks like a “power boats only destination”. Don’t think we can stop there.
Brighton Marina
Summary: Fall-back option if we can’t make it to Eastbourne.
Distance from Chichester Marina: 42NM.
Also a Premier Marina. 24h access. It’s the “UK’s largest marina” apparently so we should have no problem finding a visitor berth.
All the attractions of Brighton are nearby, though we may not have a lot of time for sightseeing, early in our trip.
Sovereign Harbour, Eastbourne
Summary: Possible destination for Thursday 1st.
Distance from Chichester: 63NM
Distance from Brighton: 23NM
Yet another Premier. 24h access. Might be too ambitious for our first day, unless the weather is perfect and we can power-sail the whole way. (Best case, at 8kts, it would take us 8-9 hours.)
For our second day, it’s an option as a “plan B” – if the weather turns nasty.
Rye Harbour
Summary: Fallback option if we can’t make it to Dover on Friday 2nd
Distance from Brighton: 40NM
Haven’t been able to get definitive info online about whether or not this is a reasonable stop-over. Magdalena will call them tomorrow (Friday 19th) to check.
This blog post suggests it might be a reasonable place to stop-over.
There’s tide information here, and this PDF link gives good information on what’s on offer here.
The Port of Rye dries completely and vessels should not approach the port more than two hours before high water and more than three hours after high water. (i.e. entry should only be attempted between H.W. –2 hours and H.W. + 3 hours).
Vessels, without good local knowledge, wishing to berth in the soft mud in or near the town of Rye should time their arrival at the entrance for not later than one hour after high water. (i.e. H.W. +1hour). The moorings near the Harbour Master’s office are on hard ground.
So we’ll need to be careful.
Dover Marina
Summary: best-case, our destination for Friday 2nd, latest Saturday 3rd.
Distance from Eastbourne: 40NM
Distance from Rye: 28NM
24h access. Plenty of facilities – a useful stop if we can’t make it to Ramsgate, or if we decide to skip Rye when coming from Eastbourne.
Alex Saul warned he’s been into both Dover and Eastbourne – and both are pretty narrow entries. Will definitely catch up with him for some more advise before we set sail.
Ramsgate Royal Harbour Marina
Summary: destination for Saturday 3rd, latest Sunday 4th.
Distance from Rye: 43NM
Distance from Brighton: 15NM
Looks like a large marina – 700 berths. If we can’t make the whole trip, this is an alternative destination – we can complete the final leg the following weekend.
I actually stayed in Ramsgate once before – but it was nearly 30 years ago. We stayed on a cabin cruiser belonging to a friend of my father’s. Dare say it’s changed – and I can barely remember it – but it will be nice to go back after all this time.
There was a classic moment on that trip when my sister was getting out of our rubber dinghy. I cut the dinghy engine but hadn’t tied up. She had one leg on dinghy the other on the shore. As the dinghy edged away, she stretched further and further till her little legs could stretch no more and she went for a swim. It was April, and the “screaming little Scotch girl” caused quite an audience along the Ramsgate harbour wall. (She was about 8.)
Chatham Maritime Marina
Summary: Our final destination.
Distance from Ramsgate: 42NM
Tracie from Chatham Marina confirmed the lowest water over the lock is 1.4m. Looking at the LW tidal charts, that equates to about 0.6m over Chart Datum.
At LW on Monday 5th, there is 1.2m , so we should be OK pretty much any time after 1pm and before 10:30pm (LW is 11:40pm).
Sounds like fun times Colin. What are the dates again? Paula and I have agreed on when I've got the boys so can hopefully plan to do a leg with you. Ideally I'd like one that involves a night out in Brighton
Great, Mark. Would love to see you come along – that'd be ace. Of course, if Felix would like to come along, that would be super too – there should be plenty of space.
Dates are Thursday 1st to Monday 5th of April. Terry, Sean and I are setting off for either Brighton or Eastbourne on Thursday morning, so if you want Brighton, the only chance would be Thursday night onwards. However, that's actually "plan B" – I'd really like to push for Eastbourne on the first night to give us a good chance to make it all the way.
Could you settle for a night out in Eastbourne instead?
Er, slight minor correction on the plenty of space note. Terry has found another crew member – Amy – who's coming.
We're filling up. Of course, would still be wonderful to see Felix – just might be a bit more of a squeeze than I originally thought.
Amy's not a definite just yet, I should hear tomorrow and am very much looking forward to it. I have never had a night out in Eastbourne I am on the case to see what the nightlife of Eastbourne has to offer!
Hey, just been looking at logistics – travel logistics. Trying to work it out so that I can get down for the Friday morning – but not sure what time you are thinking of setting off – do I need to get down for the Thursday night instead?
Also, anyone going all the way and will be travelling back to Guildford?
Hi Alex, Friday morning should be OK but we will probably want to be leaving pretty early. How early depends on where we are and we go next.
Unless the weather is very bad Thursday (and we don't set out from Chichester at all), we should be in either Brighton or Eastbourne Thursday night. Where we go next depends on whether or not we can stay over in Rye. I'm finding it very difficult to call during the week so Magdalena is being lovely and will call the Rye harbourmaster for us tomorrow.
So if we are in Brighton and can stay in Rye, we might set off about 9am. If we are in Brighton and Rye isn't an option Eastbourne will be pretty much the only option, in which case we could set off later.
If we are in Eastbourne (my preferred option) and the weather is fine, I would like to skip Rye either way and go the whole way to Dover. In which case, we'll probably set off early – casting off by 8:30am