Notice is hereby given that due to storm damage it has been necessary to remove all but the southernmost sections of the Venture Quays pontoons.
These pontoons were located directly in front of the Union Jack hanger at East Cowes. The southern sections joining the shore remain in position. As a result the northern four piles are currently unlit.
Mariners are advised to navigate with caution in the vicinity.
This Cowes Harbour Commission Local Notice to Mariners will be in force until further notice.
Notice is hereby given that the two yellow conical buoys at the western end of the small craft channel, marking the starboard side of said channel, will remain extinguished until further notice. The two buoys normally exhibit light characteristics FL Y.4s and FL Y.6s respectively. Mariners transiting the small craft channel are advised to do so with particular caution during the hours of darkness and during restricted visibility.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that all operations involving commercial divers or swimmers within the limits of Cowes Harbour must be approved by the Harbour Office or relevant Marina Manager prior to the operation commencing.
1. All operations involving commercial divers must meet the requirements of the Diving at Work Regulations 1997.
2. This Notice to Mariners updates and replaces Notice to Mariners No 15 of 2006 (which is hereby cancelled) and its requirements apply from the date of publication.
Diving
3. Diving contractors, Masters and Agents must ensure that a ‘Diving Request is completed and forwarded to the relevant office at least 24 hours before the operation. Approval must have been received and a radio check completed with call sign ‘HM1 on VHF Ch69’ for activities outside of the confines of a marina or on Ch80 with the relevant marina office immediately before the diving operation commences and a diver enters the water.
Swimming
4. For the purpose of this Notice a ‘swimmer’ is defined as a person who enters the water to undertake a commercial operation within the Port area and who is not subject to the requirements of the Diving at Work Regulations 1997.
5. All Masters, Contractors and Agents must ensure that a written Safe System of Work, with appropriate Risk Assessments, is submitted to the appropriate office prior to commencing any commercial operation involving ‘swimmers’.
6. As a minimum, issues to be considered within the Risk Assessments are to include, but not be limited to:
•Scope of the task – boat scrubbing, surface work on piles, quay walls, outfalls, in the surf zone, on buoys etc.
•Team size – sufficient, qualified, competent, prepared etc.
•Equipment involved – wet suit or coveralls, foot protection, gloves, head
protection, harness, lifeline, weight belt, knife, light, tools for the job etc.
•Operational elements – daylight only, access to the water, environmental effects,
visibility, lookout, radio checks etc.
•Emergency measures – standby swimmer, recovery of injured personnel,
availability of rescue craft, nearest medical facility, road transport availability etc
7. Additionally, a ‘Diving or Swimming’ Request Form’ as attached, must be completed and forwarded to the relevant office at least 24 hours before the operation. Approval must have been received and a radio check completed immediately before a swimmer enters the water and the swimming operation commences.
Communications
8. In all cases, communications on the appropriate channel (CH69 or Ch80) must be in place and must be checked with the relevant office before operations commence. A constant listening watch must be maintained throughout all stages of the operation.
Owners, Agents, Charterers, Marinas, Yacht Clubs and Recreational Sailing
Organisations should ensure that the contents of this Notice are made known to the masters or persons in charge of their vessels or craft.
Captain S McIntosh
Harbour Master, Harbour Office, Town Quay, Cowes, Isle of Wight, PO31 7AS
Email: chc@cowes.co.uk Internet: www.cowes.co.uk
11th August 2012
SHRAPE MUD BUOY ESTABLISHED MARKING THE APPROACH TO THE SMALL CRAFT CHANNEL
A new lit red can buoy Fl.R.5s has been established in position:
50 46.00N 001 17.37W
Vessels approaching or departing the small craft channel from/to the east are advised to pass to the north of both the Shrape Beacon and the new Shrape Mud buoy. The buoy is situated on the charted drying line at 0.0m depth at chart datum. Mariners should ensure sufficient tide height before attempting to use the small craft channel or approaches.
This navigation mark shall not be used as a racing mark.
The small craft channel is now in place with the light characteristics of the associated buoys as follows:
1. Fl.G.3s, Green Conical, Position 50 45.908N, 01 17.550W
2. Fl.R.3s, Red Can, Position 50 45.891N, 01 17.520W
3. Fl.Y.3s, Yellow Can, Position 50 45.811N, 01 17.645W
4. Fl.Y.4s, Yellow Conical, Position 50 45.833N, 01 17.662W
5. Fl.Y.5s, Yellow Can, Position 50 45.788N, 01 17.653W
6. Fl.Y.6s, Yellow Conical, Position 50 45.820N, 01 17.683W
(This notice supersedes No13 of 2011 Cowes Chain Ferry, which is hereby cancelled.)
The Cowes Chain Ferry (Cowes Floating Bridge) is situated within Cowes Harbour and in close proximity to the blind bend of the River Medina and notice is hereby given that all mariners should navigate with caution in the area of the chain ferry; taking full account of the following points:
1. Nothing in this notice shall exonerate the chain ferry from its obligation to give way to all traffic under Cowes Harbour Commission Byelaw 34
2. The Chain Ferry operates between the east and west bank of the river by hauling on two chains, each of approximately 165 metres, which span across the estuary and are permanently attached to both river banks. These two chains therefore lay partially on the seabed and part hang in the water in catenaries from slipway to slipway.
3. The Chain Ferry operates throughout the year but ceases daily operation across the river at approximately midnight or shortly thereafter. The service usually resumes again at approximately 0500 hours Monday to Saturday and approximately 0630 hours on Sundays. The service is extended by special arrangement e.g. Cowes Week
4. During the period of night when the Chain Ferry is not in operation, the Chain Ferry may ‘moor up’ just off the western bank i.e. not in contact with the slipway, to prevent the Chain Ferry remaining stranded or aground in an ebb tide situation. The Chain Ferry is crewed throughout the 24-hour period and maintains the VHF Channel 69 watch
5. A new hydrographic survey has recently been undertaken, the charts showing the clearance over the chains at various heights of tide (4.3m, 2.4m and 0.5m) and with the chain ferry moored at either riverbank. It can be downloaded from the port website and should be considered when planning your passage.
6. The depth of navigable water above these chains varies depending on the state of the tide height and the position of the Chain Ferry in relation to either east or west riverbank. The depth of navigable water is deepest in the middle of the visible fairway and decreases towards either riverbank and the prow or ‘forward end’ of the ferry as the chains rise closer to the surface.
7. When the Chain Ferry is berthed on either riverbank and therefore not partway across the fairway, the least depth of navigable water over the chains is approximately 1.7 metres BELOW chart datum in the middle of the visible fairway during the half tide period.
8. The shallowest section of the river lies to the south of the chain ferry between the northern Whitegates pontoons in the vicinity of GKN and Medina Yard where the depth of water is a minimum of 1.7m below chart datum at all states of tide.
9. All vessels and in particular deep draught sailing vessels shall consider the available depth of water as well as the restrictions and risks associated with the chain ferry when planning their in port passage plan.
10. Vessels subject to the Cowes Pilotage Directions shall be restricted as to their maximum permissible draught when transiting the area of the Floating Bridge as follows:
Maximum Permissible Draught = Actual Tide Height + 1.5metres
When within 0.8metres of the maximum permissible draught, the floating bridge shall be instructed to wait on the *EAST bank for the transit of the vessel.
*Due to the catenary of the chains there is an increase in the depth of water over the chains in the middle of the visible fairway of between 0.3m-1.0m when the ferry is berthed at East Cowes compared with West Cowes.
Other deep draft vessels should also consider using the recommendations in this clause.
11. The Chain Ferry shall by day and night just prior to and when proceeding from one bank to the other, exhibit at the fore end a flashing white light so positioned as to be visible all around.
12. Vessels under mechanical propulsion approaching the chain ferry by reason of good seamanship may reduce their speed if safe and practicable to allow the chain ferry to complete her passage to the opposite bank, passing astern of the chain ferry.
13. Sailing vessels fitted with mechanical propulsion shall proceed under power when navigating in any part of the Main Harbour Fairway
14. Masters of all vessels over 20 metres length, vessels constrained by their draught, vessels towing and vessels with limited manoeuvrability shall call the ‘Cowes Chain Ferry’ on VHF radio Channel 69 to give indication of their approach. Cowes Chain Ferry operators shall acknowledge all such calls. In addition to this VHF call the above vessels shall also sound one prolonged blast when approaching the chain ferry.
15. Vessels over 20m who require an unimpeded passage but have been unable to make positive VHF contact with the chain ferry at the usual calling point, shall reduce their speed to the minimum to maintain a safe course and be prepared to stop if practicable.
16. All vessels navigating within the river shall keep well clear of the prow or ’forward ’ ramp of the Chain Ferry and be aware that if the Chain Ferry is not on either riverbank and is therefore part way across the fairway, the navigable depth of water above the chains decreases rapidly.
17. During all tides, especially spring tides, there are strong tide currents associated with this area. The ebb flows are usually more pronounced than the flood. The ebb tide is accentuated towards the eastern side of the river where the spring ebb may be in excess of 4 knots and cause the unwary to be set down upon the eastern bank especially in the area of the Trinity House Wharf (East Cowes) and the Red Funnel ferry terminal (East Cowes)
18. All vessels navigating in these above mentioned areas must adhere strictly to the direction of Rule 9 of the Merchant Shipping (Distress Signals and Prevention of Collisions) Regulations (as amended) which refer specifically to the navigation within narrow channels and areas of limited visibility due to the bend of the fairway and narrow channel
19. The Chain Ferry maintains a listening watch on the Cowes Harbour Working Channel (VHF Channel 69) and may give her intentions if so requested on the radio
Notice is hereby given that the characteristics of the Shrape Breakwater light located in position: 50 45.877N 01 17.516W will be changed to 2 F.R (vert) on March 30th 2012.
This has been necessary to avoid confusion with the port lateral buoy which will mark the eastern end of the new small craft channel. The new channel will also come into force on March 30th, see Local Notice 09 of 2012 for full details
MARINE SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
REPORTING OF DAMAGE, INCIDENTS AND POTENTIAL RISK
(This is a reissue of notice 06 of 2011 which is hereby cancelled)
Notice is hereby given that any incident that reflects on the safe operation of the Harbour of Cowes is to be reported immediately to the Harbour Master. Such incidents are considered to be those that involve:
• Damage to vessels
• Movement of or damage to navigational marks or harbour structures
• Damage to shore facilities that could affect the use of such facilities by other vessels
• Close quarter situations between two or more vessels, which results in emergency action on the part of any of the vessels involved
• Other ‘near miss’ incidents with the potential to have caused injury or damage
In these circumstances, an immediate report is to be made to the Harbour Master:
• By VHF Radio, call sign ‘Cowes Harbour Radio’ on VHF Channel 69
• Telephone 01983 293952 (office hours).
If requested a written report is to be provided without delay to the Harbour Master, members of the public are encouraged to submit accidents, incidents and potential risk reports using the convenient electronic form which can be completed and submitted on the harbour website www.cowesharbourcommission.co.uk
Cowes Harbour Pilots and Pilotage Exemption Certificate holders must use the appropriate full report forms to report accidents, incidents and potential risks, these can also be downloaded from the harbour website.
In the event of any incident causing personal injury or involving safety of life at sea the circumstances of which demand immediate action, then contact should be made with HM Coastguard:
• By VHF Radio, call sign “Solent Coastguard”, Channel 16 / 67
• Telephone 02392 552100
Who will then co-ordinate the emergency services.
Captain S McIntosh
Harbour Master, Harbour Office, Town Quay, Cowes, Isle of Wight, PO31 7AS
Email: chc@cowes.co.uk Internet: www.cowesharbourcommission.co.uk
3rd January 2012