by L.A. Gill

Chichester Harbour, which boasts of 50 odd square miles of tidal water, many mud flats, a few islands and the habitat of a variety of wild life, is in reality a series of creeks and channels — similar but different.

Stretch our your left hand, palm down, fingers apart; you have before you a graphic representation of Chichester Harbour. The entrance is at your wrist, your thumb points the way to Dell Quay, the first finger to Bosham, your second finger to the Thorney Channel, the ring finger points to the Emsworth Channel and the little digit to the small creek of Mengham Rithe. There are two sea ways into the harbour, and two (recommended) trailer ways.

When approaching from the sea, seek out and sail close to the Chichester Harbour buoy, which is moored close to the one fathom line, some 1½ miles from the entrance. Leading marks from this buoy are situated on the port side of the entrance — consisting of a black and white beacon, to be left in line with a similar ‘beacon’ painted on the side of a brick building. Every year someone falls foul of the hard sand which lies just below the surface either side of the entrance channel. At low water springs there is less than two feet of water close to the bar, which is not now marked. I strongly advise a look at a chart, in case you arrive around low water. Once past the leading marks, the deep water channel runs close to the port side, until the Hayling Island Sailing Club is reached. This you cannot miss. Nearly all the tidal water of the harbour runs out through this channel in five hours. The flood, of course, runs seven hours.

Before you now lie many creeks and channels — space does not permit a detailed pilot, but you will find the main channels well buoyed, and the creeks you will wish to discover yourself.

The harbour offers a variety of interest and entertainment, many clubs race a variety of classes most weekends, yet the backwaters are peaceful and lonely.

Mengham Rithe Around behind H.I.S.C. lies the entrance to Mengham Rithe. The starboard channel leads up to Mengham and the Mengham Rithe Sailing Club. This channel is crowded with moorings, and dries out to a mud bottom at low water. The members of both clubs will willingly advise you about mooring or an anchorage.

Chichester Channel The main channel to Chichester turns sharply east opposite H.I.S.C., where port and starboard buoys lead close to a steep sandy beach, overlooked by grassy sand dunes. This is East Head, about the most popular rendezvous in all the harbour. Here among the grassy dunes is a free sheltered camping ground, or if you sleep on board, shelter from the prevailing south-westerlies behind the dunes. Part of the beach is steep-to where one can step ashore with dry feet. Two hundred or more vessels may be seen here most weekends, a variety of yachts, with an equally interesting variety of crew — and ‘crewesses’ — and often the humorous incident.

The snag is the distance of the local “The Old House at Home” at West Wittering, a mile and a half walk around the mud and water which creep in around behind the Head, making it a peninsula. Fresh water is obtainable from stand pipes close to the car-park opposite the seaward beach — about ½ mile away. At night camp fires, barbecues, the sound of the sea, many twinkling lights off the beach, will long linger in your memory.

If daybreak coincides with low water, seals may be seen on the sand bars which are uncovered by the tide, to the north of the Winner. From East Head the Chichester channel runs north. A mid-channel buoy named ‘Camber’ points the way to the Thorney Channel, branching off to port. Thorney Island is almost all occupied by the R.A.F. Based here is the 22nd sqd. R.A.F. Helicopter Air—sea Rescue Service. These yellow choppers make frequent patrols around the harbour and the local coastline. When you see one, refrain from waving. The breeze from the rotors as they skim close by will capsize a dinghy if the skipper is taken unawares.

To the south of Thorney Island is the small mound of mud and saltiness named Pilsey Island. A favourite nocturnal anchorage lies just past the first Jack-in-a-basket, popular spot with line fishermen. On up the Chichester channel, turning ENE at the Wear buoy and then SE at the Fairway buoy, both black conicals, the channel becomes beset with moorings and moored craft.

Itchenor, easily distinguishable on the starboard side, has only one street, one pub, a yacht yard, one Post Office, the harbour master and a yacht club. Here enquiries regarding the corporation moorings which are laid in the Chichester Channel can be made at the H.M. office on the hard. The one and only road terminates on the edge of the hard. Here, then, is one recommended trailer way. If you wish to keep your trailer dry, launching trolleys may be hired. Parking is a bit of a problem in the season. Sailing beyond Itchenor, the channel turns approx. NE from the black can buoy marked ‘Longmere’ . The next buoy, a red and white mid channel buoy, directs the way to Birdham Pool, a locked pool containing a variety of keel craft which can be seen on the starboard side of the channel. Proceeding on up towards Chichester, the ‘Copperas’ buoy marks the approximate end of the deep channel. From here to Dell Quay and beyond, dries out at low water. At Dell Quay, sufficient water for a dinghy may be found at approximately 3½ hours either side of H.W. There are no shops here, but an active sailing club and a pleasant pub. It is possible to sail on past Dell Quay to Fishbourne, with some local knowledge. This is about as near as one can get to Chichester in a boat, the city being about one mile away.

Bosham From the Fairway buoy (west of Itchenor) runs the Bosham channel, another channel crowded with moorings. Bosham church steeple, a distinctive landmark, can be seen projecting upwards behind the Quay. Like Dell Quay, Bosham quay dries out at low water, the deep water channel ending just before the quay is reached. Facilities at Bosham are quite good, although it lacks a good camping site. Bosham Sailing Club welcomes all who arrive by water. Also close to the quay are a provision store, a post office, a garage, two boat yards, a sailmaker’s, a very ancient church, and “The Anchor Bleu”. The main road into the village joins a road which runs around Bosham Pool, a back water off the Bosham channel. This road is flooded at high water, making the spot an ideal place to launch a boat from a trailer. There is also adequate parking space in Bosham. Beyond the quay in the Bosham channel, are a number of moorings, all of which dry out at low water onto a deep mud bottom. Past these moorings the channel bifurcates, the port-hand channel being marked by perches. It is possible to sail right up to the Chichester/Portsmouth road around high water. From here buses run every 15 minutes to both these cities. Permission to pitch a tent in a nearby field can be obtained from the house next to the garage.

Emsworth Channel This runs north from the harbour entrance. At high water, looking north from the Hayling Island Sailing Club, it looks like a lake. It is best sailed through when the banks are uncovered.

About a mile from the H.I.S.C. up the Emsworth Channel is a black and white spherical buoy, which marks the entrance to Mill Rithe. This, the third creek on the north side of the Hemsworth channel leads up to a yacht yard — and a holiday camp.

The next black and white buoy is off Thorney Island’s Merchant Point. About ½ mile further on another black and white buoy with vertical stripes is moored at the junction of Sweare Deep, which leads to Langstone, and the main channel to Emsworth. From this point the main channel begins to get shallow. Fowley Island seen on the port side is similar to Pilsey.

A little further on the channel divides into three. To port is Emsworth Sailing Club, to starboard a channel not now used. Straight on leads to the hard, which dries out at low water. Emsworth has many shops, and two or more yacht yards. The “Crown Hotel” is to be recommended.

Through Sweare Deep, which runs roughly NW there is plenty of water until the Church buoy is reached. Here the channel bifurcates, the northerly channel leading to the village of Langstone, the other to Langstone Harbour. Around this spot dries out at low water, but as the tide makes, progress towards the Hayling road and rail bridges can be made. The watershed is just the Chichester side of the bridge. Here is another way into Chichester harbour, from Langstone Harbour.

Clearance under the bridges is only about 14’ when there is just enough water to float a dinghy. It is easier to wait until there is a few feet under your keel, then to pull through the bridge with mast lowered.

Chichester Harbour is well worth a visit. If you camp ashore I would recommend East Head and day sailing around the harbour from there. If you sleep on board, you will discover plenty of good anchorages.

And if you fly your burgee I hope to have the pleasure of meeting you.