Hi, does anyone have any more info on the "incident" that led to the ban on paddling across the harbour. Seems a bit weird to me. In years of surfing the harbour I don't remember seeing many ships of any size going in or out when surf was up. Either too rough for the small boats or too low water for the big ones. I'm not saying there's any mileage in arguing with the harbour master, but was it really a surfer? The ban includes dinghies etc.as well, so does that mean that the sailing club on the Shoreham side can't use the harbour either? Its a 7 mile drive from Carats to Soldiers....

I heard there was an incident but with a swimmer - swimming down the river. Also heard of a guy who turned his boat over and got stuck in the harbour, and was subsequently hit by a fishing boat heading out. The collision incident may have been some time ago. Either way I understand it's a health and safety issue and if people keep paddling across we'll lose access to soldiers, hollows and the other side which we really don't need.

When I was a small kid in the mid 70's, I remember seeing a decent sized ship hit the harbormaster hut at the end of the arm.

Funny as, he was shouting at the ship over the loud hailer, then came running out of the hut and along the pier towards the lifeboat station. Fully sh1tting himself.

If you want to make yout views known about this or other Port stuff theres a public meeting at 7pm at the Barn Theatre Southwick on Tuesday. http://www.shoreham-port.co.uk/Latest-N ... YOUR-VIEWS

Yeah I saw that public meeting date, and thanks for posting it, but to be honest I couldn't see the point of turning up and saying 'you don't understand how surfers use the harbour', as the point of their ban is that Surfers aren't visible to ships etc. which is true even if surfers aren't in the water when ships go in and out. Health and safety innit. But I'm properly gutted about this ban.

If it helps anyone I received this further info from the harbour people :


Thank you for your enquiry below regarding the use of kayaks and Stand Up Paddle Boards (SUPs).

Shoreham Port is a Port Maine Safety Code 2009 complainant Harbour Authority, as such we are required to formally assess and regulate where necessary all activities that take place within the Port, this is to ensure the safety of navigation is maintained for all users including small craft.

I can confirm that all vessel (including SUPs and kayaks) are required to navigate as per the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Regulations_for_Preventing_Collisions_at_Sea and to comply with the Shoreham Port General Directions 2010 (attached). Currently SUPs and kayaks are allowed to navigate the port (e.g. crossing the harbour entrance) as long as they do not obstruct other vessel using the fairway (General Direction 10). If serious incidents or near misses occur these activities will be re-assessed and further control measures may be put in place, examples of control measures include the Ports Personnel Watercraft Policy and No Surfing Zone.

Hiya, So basically are they saying that surfers are somehow less responsible that SUPers or Kayakers? What's the difference between me prone paddling a 9'6 longboard (bright blue and yellow!) steadily across the harbour and an SUPer paddling across the harbour (wobble wobble panic.... splash!)? or a novice kayaker out for the first time? What's the logic that these rules are being based on?
Gah!
Martin

I guess in general SUP and Kayak are faster and more visible but we do need the freedom to sensibly paddle across the harbour on our surfboards, I mean we are allowed to cross roads, maybe we should write a nice letter to the harbour people

Webbyji are you seriously suggesting that you would paddle across the harbour faster than an SUP ? you clearly rate yourself as an expert paddler but unless you are Laird Hamilton on a 14 foot paddle board, I somehow don't think so.

I don't imagine all SUP'ers are a case of wobble wobble panic.....splash, whilst oh so super cool longboarders glide effortlessly across the harbour at a smooth and steady pace.

hi, yeah, fair cop, I don't want this to get sidelined into some longboard versus SUP Vs anything else argument so I shouldn't have started it. Still don't think the rules of the harbour surfing ban have much logic to them though...
Cheers
Martin