going inside Portland race

[Peter]

I recently took the course inside Portland race to fish the west side which was fine even thought the race was decidedly uncomfortable. Coming back on the start of the ebb round pulpit rock sea was starting to become lumpy. Is it always safe to travel round here or are there states of the tide to avoid?

[Mike Fox]

Hi Peter,

There's "safe" windows on both flood and ebb when the inshore passage is workable.

 

However, the wind can blow the race inshore, and the inshore passage can vanish if there's much South in the wind, and SE is particularly bad. Even moderate winds can and do move it, and can make the passage vanish.

 

I've had to stand off 6 miles in poor weather...and it's still lumpy beyond the charted position of the race, so there's no straightforward answer for small boats.

 

Check the tidal stream diagrams in the almanacs and charts to calculate the various "windows", and these are usually recorded as being offsets from High Water Dover.

 

It's not an area to mess with, unless you have absolute faith in your boat and engine(s).

 

Mike

[Peter]

Many Thanks Mike, Sounds like sound advice - There was indeed a brisk South Easterly when we came back in - guess the moral of the story is always have enough fuel to go the very long way round if necessary!

 

Thanks Peter