Littlehampton Sand Bar

[rads]

How careful do I have to be at the sandbar outside Littlehampton? On a reasonably neap tide, will a loaded rib be able to get over (even if we have to get out and push) at all states of tide, or does the bar fully dry?

I'm starting to plan a dive trip for next year, and the plan is dependent on the answer to the above!

TIA, and Merry Christmas!

David

[Andre]

Originally Posted by rads

How careful do I have to be at the sandbar outside Littlehampton? On a reasonably neap tide, will a loaded rib be able to get over (even if we have to get out and push) at all states of tide, or does the bar fully dry?

I'm starting to plan a dive trip for next year, and the plan is dependent on the answer to the above!

TIA, and Merry Christmas!

David

David, I keep my rib in the Littlehampton Marina and have used their facility for over 2 years now. The Arun river is as they say the fastest flowing river in the UK. at LW you are lucky to get 0.5 mtr on the approach. Only recently I was returning from a short blast with 3 persons on board . The depth sounder was showing between 0.4 and 0.5 mtr in the channel. with revs at 2000RPM my speed was 1 knot , just shows how fast the river flows out to sea, With the leg up as far as possible and my passengers on the bow I just managed to get into Littlehampton.
If you study the tides table and avoid the periods of LW you will be OK
checkout: www.pontoontalk.co.uk/forums this is the LAmpton Marina forum

Andre

[Phil Chitty]

David

I'll second Andre on this one. I keep my RIB at Littlehampton and have been caught out a couple of times.

If you know the river exit you will have seen the wall Littlehampton side which is only visible at the lower end of the tide. If this wall is visible on its seaward end then you have about 1 metre of water at the entrance.
Generally this will only be for about an hour on the bottom of a neap tide or for a couple of hours on a spring.

The Littlehampton Port web site will also be able to help you and they have a good seaward looking web cam so you can see the sea state before leaving home !!!
Its saved me a trip a few times !!!

Happy Ribbing !

http://littlehamptonport.co.uk/

[rads]

Thanks to both of you for the helpful replies.

Bar room gossip had suggested that "a RIB doesn't need to worry about the sand bar".

Nice to have first hand confirmation that is NOT the case, and we will plan dive times accordingly.

Out of interest, how do the RNLI cope if they get a shout at low water?

Thanks again.

David

[codprawn]

Remember the faster you go the less water you need!!!

[The Jackeens]

Also, arriving from the Solent it seems like an encouraging stretch of water to nip across and short cut but no...it's dangerously deceptive.

Us