( Overview
/ Two Scilly Bullocks on a Boat
Up before dawn we were ready to go over the bar when there was enough water, and helped by Steve, the punk fan and night watchman, to refuel, we headed off into the mist and fine rain.
Southsea Marina. The pontoons on the left completely dry out at low tide.
By leaving at this time, we hoped to have as much of the tidal stream with us as possible.
Not the only sailors up early, this boat left at the same time.
And a group of lads were fishing off the ferry pier.
A fishing vessel followed us out.
In the distance the sky brightened, and we hoped visibility would improve.
Clouds reappeared, however, and it was a murky morning.
Rounding Selsey Bill, the westernmost point of the Sussex Coast, is a combination of finding the shortest route, and avoiding the varying depths which create rough seas. There is also The Mixen, a group of drying islands.
Visibility only improved, and the sea calmed as we started to make out the Rampion Wind Farm in the distance. We’re now travelling on seas we have sailed previously, albeit a few years ago. The last time we passed here the wind farm was under construction.
The wind farm was commissioned in 2018 and was the first offshore wind farm on the south coast of England.
The wind farm comprises 116 turbines on a 70 square kilometre site located between 13 and 20 kilometres off the Sussex coast.
Part of our route goes through some of the turbines; impressive giants with the aerodynamic blades rotating slowly.
A series of chalk cliffs, the Seven Sisters are a stretch of the sea-eroded section of the South Downs range of hills. The dips or swales separating each of the seven crests are remnants of dry valleys.
Reaching another headland, the sea started to become rougher again.
Beachy Head is the highest chalk sea cliff in Britain, rising to 531ft above sea level.
In 1831 construction began on the Belle Tout Lighthouse on the headland west of Beachy Head, but mist and low clouds cloud hide the light, and it was decommissioned in 1902 once Beachy Head Lighthouse was built.
Pleased we weren’t inland, and going in the opposite direction like this yacht.
The varying geology and types of headland around the UK is amazing.
Eastbourne.
When we last sailed here, Eastbourne Pier had suffered a fire in 2014, probably arson, which ripped through a large amount of the central domed building. In 2015 a local hotelier, Abid Gulzar bought the pier and it has been renovated and reopened.
The pier originally opened in June 1870 and paddle steamers ran trips to Boulogne between 1906 and 1939. During the war machine and anti-aircraft guns were installed, but the most damage was inflicted by a mine tied to stanchions by local police who were under the impression it had a safety device.
Sovereign Harbour is a development of beachland, opened in 1993 and formerly known as The Crumbles. It has five separate harbours, a retail park and housing. The tidal Outer Harbour is only used for entrance to the marina through twin sea locks, which are operated 24 hours a day.
All the harbours (Inner, South, West and North) are artificial and were dredged after 1991.
Pleased to be home, MVS East Sussex, a Maritime Volunteer Reserve boat went out on a one or two day trip, and because of the weather had been away 8 days! They offer practical experience and training afloat on a range of vessels within Sovereign harbour or at sea.
We radioed to ask which side to we should fender, and were told either. Having fendered and roped to port side, we were then told our berth would be starboard side to!
Some changing of ropes and lines whilst chatting to the skippers of MSV East Sussex in front of us, and a single handed sailor who had sailed from Dieppe in the same time it had taken us from Portsmouth - 9.5 hours.
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