Navigation

Activities and the Physical Environment

1. Langstone Harbour is a large, multi-functional harbour supporting a busy trade in sea-dredged aggregates on vessels of up to 80 metres length with draughts up to 5 metres. The harbour is also used by small recreational craft and fishing vessels, normally less than 12 metres.

2. There are two principal navigation channels in the harbour. Langstone Channel branches in a NE’ly direction from the harbour entrance and Broom Channel runs in a N’ly direction from the harbour entrance. Almost 70% of the harbour dries at MLWS and the tidal rates in the harbour entrance are considerable.

3. Because of its exposed nature, Langstone Harbour offers little shelter to small craft in strong winds. The harbour is essentially an uninterrupted area of about 5,000 acres, enclosed by nearly 15 miles of shoreline.

4. The principal navigation channels are naturally scoured. Depths available in Langstone and Broom Channels increase toward the south part of the harbour where the tidal influences are greatest. The Bedhampton Approach Channel is an artificial channel, which is dredged periodically at the head of the channel.

5. Neither of the two commercial berths in the harbour are accessible at Low Water. For this reason, vessel arrivals and departures are scheduled around High Water. In general, vessels arrive in the window HW-2h to HW-1h and depart up to HW+3h.

6. A minor channel, Sinah Lake, with depths up to 4m (below CD) extends eastward for nearly a mile from the main channel at Ferry Point (Hayling Island). This channel is used exclusively by small recreational craft of less than 12m length.

7. Detailed information about Langstone Harbour and its approaches can be found in Admiralty Sailing Directions, NP27 (Channel Pilot), pages 229 - 231

Description of Principal Navigation Channels (Chart BA3418)

Harbour Entrance (The Run)
The entrance to the Harbour is approached from seaward from the Langstone Fairway Pile. Depths of up to 13m exist in the harbour entrance where tidal rates are especially strong. The entrance is marked with a QR light on the short sea outfall at Eastney Point and by 2FR on the jetty 1 cable north.

There are small craft moorings on each side of the main channel north of the Run. At Sword Point the Channel branches into Langstone Channel, running in a NE’ly direction, and Broom Channel, running in a N’ly direction. The depth and width of both channels are severely constrained at their northern end, where large vessels can only navigate between HW-2h and HW+3h.

The northern limit of the entrance channel is marked with two lit buoys. The west side of the navigable channel is marked with East Milton buoy, Fl(4)R.10s and the east side of the channel is marked with NW Sinah buoy, Fl.G.5s. South of these buoys navigable depths always exceed 4m BCD in the channel.

Langstone Channel
Langstone Channel is entered from the main entrance channel around NW Sinah buoy, marking the western extremity of Sinah Sands. The channel, which runs in a NE direction for approximately 1 mile and then in a northerly direction for about 0.75 miles, is bounded to the south by Sinah Sands and to the north by Sword Sands. These extensive areas of sand and mud are dry at low water. The limit of navigable depths of over 2m BCD is marked on the stbd side (with mainstream of flood tide) by lit, green, lateral buoys at intervals of approximately 5 cables as follows:

Name NW Sinah
Character Fl.G.5.s
Position South side of junction with entrance channel

Name Sinah
Character Fl(2)G.5s
Position North of Sinah Sands

Name Rod
Character Fl(3)G.10s
Position South side of channel where channel changes

Name Stoke
Character Fl.G.4s
Position East side of channel south of Oyster Beds

Langstone Channel is marked on the port side (with mainstream of flood tide) as follows:

Name Irishman
Character Iso.Danger, Unlit BRB
Position SE of Sword Point shoal area
Name Character Position

Name LHWSA raft
Character Unlit
Position Raft paired with “Sinah” marking navigable width of approximately 1 cable with min. depth 3m BCD

Name Alpha
Character Q.R
Position North side of channel where channel changes direction. Paired with Rod

Bedhampton Approach Channel
The north end of Langstone Channel narrows and gives access to the approach channel for Bedhampton Wharf, an aggregate wharf in the far north of the harbour. The channel is approached between lit piles at the southern extremity.

Bedhampton Approach Channel is an artificial channel with a least depth of 1.0m BCD. The direction of the southern part of the channel, which is marked by 6 piles approximately 800ft apart on the west side, is 343(T). A bend in the channel is marked with a lit pile (FL.R) and here the direction of the approach changes to 018o for approximately 3 cables to the turning basin at Bedhampton Wharf.

Two unlit transit markers with triangular topmarks are located north of the channel to mark the initial approach.

Name S. Lake
Character Fl.G.3s.3m2M
Position East side of Langstone Channel. Southernmost pile marking Bedhampton Channel

Name Binness
Character Fl.R.3s.3m2M
Position West side of Langstone Channel and southern limit of artificial channel

Name Piles C, D, E & F
Character Unlit
Position On west side of Bedhampton Channel

Name Pile G
Character Fl.R
Position Marking corner at north end of approach

Broom Channel

The Channel north of East Milton buoy and west of Sword Sands is known as Broom Channel. To the west, the intertidal foreshore dries to 3m OCD. To the east, the first leg of the channel is bounded by Sword Sands and the second leg of the channel (north of Salterns buoy) is bounded by Mallard Sands. These extensive areas of sand and mud dry to 4m OCD.

A small channel known as Russells Lake and used by small recreational craft branches NE from the south end of Mallard Sands at the corner of the main navigable channel. The south end of Mallard Sands is marked by an unlit South Cardinal mark.

The main channel, which has minimum depths of 3m BCD for most of its length, narrows considerably at Salterns buoy, VQ.R, where the direction of the channel changes from North to Northwest. Vessels approach from between East Milton buoy and NW Sinah buoy, leaving Sword Point buoy Fl(3)G.5s to starboard and passing between the lit green buoy Fl.G.3s and South Salterns buoy, Fl(2)R.5s. A bend in the channel is marked on the west side by Salterns buoy, VQ.R.

The north section of Broom Channel lies in an approximate direction 332(T). The channel is marked by lit red and green buoys

Name East Milton
Character Fl(4)R.10s
Position West side of channel adj. E.Milton Iso.Danger pile

Name NW Sinah
Character Fl.G.5.s
Position South side of entrance to Langstone Channel

Name Sword Point
Character Fl(3)G.5s
Position Sword Sands (SW)

Name Green buoy
Character Fl.G.3s
Position Sword Sands (W)

Name South Salterns
Character Fl(2)R.5s
Position West limit of navigable channel opposite Sword Point

Name Salterns
Character VQ.R
Position West side at bend in channel

Name S.Cardinal
Character Topmark only
Position South tip of Mallard Sands

Name Mallard South
Character Q.G
Position SW edge of Mallard Sands

Name Broom
Character Fl.R.4s
Position West side of navigable channel opp. Mallard Lake

Name POC buoy
Character Fl(2)R.10s
Position Close SE of Tudor SC slipway on W side of channel


Minor Channels

Several minor channels are marked by numerous small buoys and perches with lateral topmarks. These channels are navigable only by small craft with local knowledge