Lymington to Alum Bay Cruise Guide

This guide is to provide basic information: it does not replace normal required OOD planning tasks.
Planning
• The cruise requires a low tide at lunchtime to get out and back through the tidal gate at Hurst Point. By launching from Lymington, there will be favorable tidal flows on both the outbound and return legs.
• The cruise is about 15 miles return. The sailing time will of course depend on wind but a launch time about 3hrs before low water is suggested.

Arrival / rigging / launch
• Entering Lymington, follow signposts for “Riverside Marinas”
• There is a pay and display car park adjacent to Lymington Town Sailing Club (LTSC) (Bath road, SO41 3SE)
The price is £8 per day for a car and a further £8 for a trailer for the day. (2015)
• Rig/derig in car park, but take care of mast raising as the carpark is usually full.
• We used to have permission to put trailers on the grassy area of LTSC in previous years, but this custom and practice is no longer tolerated. Ensure they are chained/locked together in the carpark. (Updated 2018)
• Launching is via the nearby slipway. The racing fleet sometimes commandeer the slipway for periods of up to 30 minutes during which time you have to wait. There is a daily launching fee, payable in the adjacent Harbour Office (sometimes there is someone from the office with a ticket machine collecting fees in the car park).The launch fee for a sailing dinghy is £6 (2015)
The cruise
• Stick to the right of the channel on departure from Lymington and be aware of the Isle of Wight Ferry (there are two and one of them is likely to be arriving or departing at any given time) as well as other craft.
• At departure (and return) time (i.e. around 3hrs before/after high water), best to stick to the channel as there are areas of shallow water adjacent to the channel (check the chart).
• It is suggested to rendezvous near the “Jack-in-the-Box” racing platform (at ‘B’, photo below).

• The objective is visible from the mouth of the river – The Needles are a very clear landmark.
• There are no particular navigation concerns as long as you stay away from the shore. If you pay attention to where the ebb is flowing you can arrive at Alum Bay 20 minutes before someone who gets caught in the back-eddy close to the IOW shore.
There are overfalls on the way there off Yarmouth which are rough with steep waves that are taxing but manageable.

• Ensure that you have a tripping line if you are planning to kedge onto the lee shore, because there are thick steel cables loose on the seabed and a tripping line is the only thing to allow you to recover your anchor if it becomes snagged.

Lunch can be taken under the chalk cliffs in the right angle of the beach. The water is generally clear and good for swimming in.

• On returning, the waters between Hurst Point and the IOW can be highly agitated as the flood tide is forced through the narrow entrance. As you approach Lymington, take care not to go too wide and risk having to sail back against the tide (especially if you then have to beat). Keep to the north of the channel close to Hurst Point and keep to the north shore to avoid being swept beyond Lymington.
• Hurst is a good place to stop at on the way back, if only because it’s a lovely place to be, and if the wind is westerly it’s a windward shore.