You are here: Home / Countries / United Kingdom / Chichester Harbour

Chichester Harbour - Profile

Location

This is a large, but generally shallow, harbour just to the east of Portsmouth and The Solent. It is home to a large number of sailing boats as well as their associated industries and services.

The harbour and its surrounding wetlands is also a refuge for a wide variety of wildlife and rare waterfowl.

Position 50° 46.5'N, 00° 55.82'W (harbour entrance)

Docking

The entrance is relatively narrow for such an extensive area of water, but it does have a bar and care should be taken to cross this at the right time. In strong winds over tide it can be extremely dangerous. The ebb tide can reach up to 6 knots through the entrance. It is not easy to identify the channel at night.
Chichester Bar is periodically dredged to 1.5m below CD. The HM advises that after severe gales at least depth of 0.5m below CD should be assumed.

There are five channels feeding into the harbour, some have marinas and most have moorings.

There are several marinas and yacht clubs which welcome visitors.

Anchoring is only permitted in designated areas. These being East Head, Pilsey Island and the western end of Itchenor Reach.

Chichester Channel runs up to Itchenor Reach and Bosham Channel. From East Head SHM buoy pass between Snowhill SHM buy and Sandhead PHM buoy then head about 030deg for 1m to leave Chaldock NCM Bn to starboard. The transit shown on AC 3418 need not be identified nor followed exactly. 6 ca E of Chaldock Bn the channel divides. Turn N into Bosham Channel or continue ESE into Itchenor Reach for Birdham Pool and Chichester Marina beyond which is the drying Fishbourne Channel to Dell Quay.

Anchoring is prohibited in Itchenor Reach and Bosham Channel. Note: Following the bed levelling work, the least depth on Sandhead bank is now 1.9 below CD. Buoys in the area have been moved accordingly.

Chichester Harbourmaster
Harbour Office, Itchenor , Chichester , West Sussex PO20 7AW
Tel:+44 (0)23 4351 2301
Fax:+44(0)1243 513026
VHF Channel 14,16
Opening hours: Weekdays: 08:30 - 17:00 Saturdays: 09:00 - 13:00 (April - September)

Emsworth Harbour Office
Tel:+44 (0)243 376 422

Last updated February 2017.

Birdham Pool Marina

Birdham Pool , Chichester, Sussex

Tel:+44(0)1243 512 310 ,VHF Channel 80

http://www.birdhampool.co.uk , info@birdhampool.co.uk

Opening hours: Mon-Fri, 08:00 to 17:00. April to September open Saturdays from 08:00 to 12:00.

265 berths (up to 16.5m) in idyllic surroundings. Only accessible three hours either side of HW via a lock. Enter the channel at the Birdham SHM beacon, the channel is marked by green piles that should be left no more than 3m to starboard. Fully equipped boatyard with wide range of marine facilities on hand including small chandlery (open 6 days a week).
Water, electricity, showers, toilets, new laundry, WiFi, petrol and diesel and waste recycling.

Emsworth Yacht Harbour

Thorney Road , Emsworth , Hants PO10 8BP

Tel:+44(0)1243 377 727 Fax:+44(0)1243 373432 ,VHF Channel 80

http://www.emsworth-marina.co.uk , info@emsworth-marina.co.uk

A sheltered site only accessible one and a half to two hours either side of HW. Visitors berth at head on pontoon A.
All facilities, fuel, laundry, chandlery, WiFi, calor gas, cafe.
Boatyard with 50 ton travel hoist and a mast crane,. scrubbing grid, shore storage. Repair services. Good facilities for yachts. Family run marina.

[Show additional 6 entries for this category]