Chichester Harbour

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Various boats in Chichester Harbour, looking towards the beach at West Wittering

Chichester Harbour is a large natural harbour to the south west of the city of Chichester on the Solent. It straddles the boundary of West Sussex and Hampshire. Geographically it is a ria. It is one of four natural harbours in that area of the coastline, the others being Portsmouth Harbour, Langstone Harbour and Pagham Harbour. The harbour and surrounding land is managed by Chichester Harbour Conservancy .

Description

Chichester Harbour is one of the few remaining undeveloped coastal areas in Southern England and remains relatively wild. Its wide expanses and intricate creeks are at the same time a major wildlife haven and among some of Britain's most popular boating waters.

The massive stretch of tidal flats and saltings are of outstanding ecological significance. Very large populations of wildfowl and waders use the mudflats feeding on the rich plant life and the huge populations of intertidal invertebrates. More than 7,500 Brent geese overwinter on the intertidal mud-land and adjacent farmland and more than 50,000 birds reside in or visit the Harbour throughout the year.

The harbourside villages are: West Wittering, West Itchenor, Birdham, Dell Quay, Fishbourne, Chidham, Prinsted, Thorney Island, Emsworth, Langstone and Northney. The nearest towns are Havant, Chichester and Hayling Island. The harbour lowlands contain high quality arable farmland and boatyards, marinas and commercial fishing are important elements of the local economy.

This is one of the south coast's most popular sailing waters with as many as 12,500 craft regularly using the harbour, with competitive racing taking place among the 14 sailing clubs of the Chichester Harbour Federation. The villages, sea walls and footpaths are a popular leisure area for residents and tourists alike.

Set up by Act of Parliament in 1971, Chichester Harbour Conservancy has the duty to conserve, maintain and improve the harbour and amenity area for recreation, natural conservation and natural beauty. As well as being the statutory harbour authority, the Conservancy manages the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

To the south west of the entrance to Chichester Harbour is Chichester Bar, a shallow spit which can present a significant navigation hazard at all states of the tide. The entrance to the harbour is deep with a fast tidal stream and to the east of the main harbour entrance channel is a gravel bank known as The Winner.

The east side of the harbour entrance is an area of geographical, recreational and conservation interest known as East Head. It is a large sand dune linked to land by a narrow area known as The Hinge. In recent years The Hinge has been breached by several storms and then repaired. There is much debate about whether and how it should continue to be repaired.

The western boundary with Langstone Harbour is defined by a historic causeway known as the wade way, once the principle access from Hayling Island to the mainland, but since bisected by a deep channel for the Portsmouth and Chichester Canal in the 1820s, and no longer safely traversable.

Chichester Harbour has three main channels. The Emsworth Channel, the Thorney Channel and the Chichester Channel, which also branches off into the Bosham Lake and Itchenor Reach.

Conservation

Chichester Harbour
Site of Special Scientific Interest
Shown within West Sussex
Area of Search	Hampshire & West Sussex
Grid reference	SU760000
Coordinates	50°47′40″N 0°55′15″W / 50.794455°N 0.920842°W / 50.794455; -0.920842Coordinates: 50°47′40″N 0°55′15″W / 50.794455°N 0.920842°W / 50.794455; -0.920842
Interest	Biological & Geological
Area	3,695 ha (9,130 acres)
Notification	1970 (1970)
Natural England website

Chichester Harbour is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The harbour is of national and international importance for nature conservation. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest,^[1] a wetland of international importance,a Special Protection Area for wild birds and a Special Area of Conservation. The harbour is of particular importance for wintering wildfowl and waders of which five species reach numbers which are internationally important.

There are a number of habitats including a large area of salt marsh habitat and mudflats which are exposed at low tide. These areas are particularly important for wintering birds. Chichester Harbour is a designated Bass Nursery Area.

Recreation

Chichester Harbour is used for a wide variety of sailing, from dinghy racing to yacht marinas. It was the place where the renowned 'Itchenor Gallon' race for the International 14 was held. It is also used for fishing.

Harbour tours depart year round from Itchenor in either a traditional boat or in Solar Heritage - a solar powered boat. During the summer regular trips depart from Emsworth on Solar Heritage and on the Victorian oyster boat Terror.

The harbour is very popular area for birdwatching, guided bird walks and boat trips are offered during the winter months by Chichester Harbour Conservancy.

There is a good network of footpaths for walkers and a cycle route from Chichester to West Wittering which passes through harbour countryside.

West Wittering Beach and East Head is the only sandy beach on the West Sussex coast and is a very popular family and tourist destination on warm weekends.

The Harbour Master's Office, Itchenor

Sailing Clubs of Chichester Harbour

Bosham Sailing Club
Chichester Yacht Club
Chichester Cruiser Racing Club
Dell Quay Sailing Club
Emsworth Sailing Club
Emsworth Slipper Sailing Club
Hayling Island Sailing Club
Itchenor Sailing Club
Langstone Sailing Club
Mengeham Rythe Sailing Club
Thorney Island Sailing Club
West Wittering Sailing Club
Havant Youth Sail Training Scheme

References

↑ SSSI Citation — Chichester Harbour (PDF). Natural England. Retrieved 7 April 2009.

External links

v t e Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty in England

East of England	Dedham Vale Norfolk Coast Suffolk Coast and Heaths

East Midlands	Lincolnshire Wolds

North East	Northumberland Coast North Pennines

North West	Arnside and Silverdale Forest of Bowland Solway Coast

South East	Chichester Harbour Chilterns High Weald Isle of Wight Kent Downs South Hampshire Coast Surrey Hills Abolished: East Hampshire Sussex Downs

South West	Blackdown Hills Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs Cornwall Cotswolds Dorset East Devon Isles of Scilly Mendip Hills North Devon Coast North Wessex Downs Quantock Hills South Devon Tamar Valley

West Midlands	Cannock Chase Malvern Hills Shropshire Hills Wye Valley

Yorkshire and Humber	Howardian Hills Nidderdale

v t e Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Hampshire

Basingstoke Canal Beacon Hill, Warnford Blackwater Valley Boulsbury Wood Bourley and Long Valley Burghclere Beacon Butser Hill Catherington Down Cheesefoot Head Chichester Harbour Dibden Bay Ebblake Bog Fleet Pond Foxlease And Ancells Meadows Galley Down Wood Greywell Tunnel Hurst Castle And Lymington River Estuary Itchen Navigation Ladle Hill Langstone Harbour Lymington River Lymington River Reedbeds Mottisfont Bats New Forest Noar Hill Old Burghclere Lime Quarry Old Winchester Hill Pamber Forest and Silchester Common Portsmouth Harbour River Avon System River Itchen River Test Selborne Common Southampton Common Sowley Pond St. Catherine's Hill Trodds Copse Woolmer Forest

Neighbouring areas Berkshire Dorset Isle of Wight Surrey West Sussex Wiltshire

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