Bembridge I.O.W. to Brighton - Day 84

Bembridge, Isle of Wight to Brighton - Wednesday 3rd August 2011 - Day 84

The morning was spent on the beach taking photographs as we waited for the tide and most boats left at the earliest opportunity which was midday.  At the bends in the river you pass very close to the holiday makers on the beach and a friendly returned wave is most gratifying.  Passing the tidal guage showed 1.8 mtr outbound, so we were running even closer to the bottom than when we arrived.

Our course took us across the main shipping lane into Southampton/Portsmouth just north of the Nab tower.  There is an inside track round Selsey Bill marked by red and green buoys where the currents and overfalls are less severe and going through we were passed by a fleet of Dutch and Belgian yachts going the other way.  We had good sail under genoa only with a steady wind from the southwest.

Sunset over Selsey Bill

In these latitudes the sunsets around 21.00 and we were not at our destination.  The ability at night to pick out the flashing white light of a lighthouse/leading light or flashing green or red light of buoys and direction beacons becomes an art.  Especially with a large town's lights as a backdrop and the addition of a very large fair ground became a game, as we discussed what we were looking at, compared with what was on the chart.
We made it to the entrance of Brighton piers and began making preparations to enter.  The east going tide pushed us quickly away and we had to fight our way back rolling heavily until we got inside the piers, where we found some of the channel marks unlit.  We were allocated a berth and began swinging towards it when oops! we were aground.
We were fast on the mud, call to marina control, told us just to wait as the tide was rising, in the meantime we tried a few tricks to get us off. After about 10 minutes with Bill sitting on the front, the engine running slowing ahead and waggling the tiller, she freed herself and we moored alongside a motor cruiser 'Scirroco' with a Romanian owner.  It was 22.45 and had been a long adventurous day, the gin was most welcome.