We would like to highlight several important navigational updates that have just been issued for Cowes Harbour.

Please see the CHC Local Notices to Mariners (LNTMs) section below, where you will find links to Notices regarding: "Cowes Roads and Main Harbour Moorings Areas - Restricted Areas", the "Approaches to Cowes Harbour", the "Small Craft Channel", "Use of Engines by Sailing Vessels", "Navigation within the Cowes Harbour Fairway", and "New Cowes General Directions Come into Force".

CHC will be conducting a full bathymetric survey of Cowes Harbour in April. Bathymetry is the underwater equivalent to topography - a hydrographic survey that measures the depth of the water and determines the shape of the seabed.

A full bathymetric survey is conducted every three years in Cowes Harbour to check the current depths against those charted. The UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) are supplied with the results of the survey and if there are any areas that have reduced in depth CHC will issue a Local Notice to Mariners. If the depth is unlikely to be brought back to current charted information, then the UKHO will issue a chart correction.

The River Medina shows a general accretionary trend over the intertidal mud south of the Chain Ferry but these rates of change are very small, being measured in millimetres per year. Fortunately, the main fairway below the Low Water mark is generally self-scouring due to the relatively strong ebb tide which means that the charted depths are usually maintained naturally.

If you had been sitting on your boat at Folly Reach one hundred years ago, your tranquillity would have been shattered by the noise of an aero-engine.

The Sopwith designed Bat-Boat

In 1909, Sam Saunders had started a firm to "build everything required for aero-navigation". He had been experimenting with hydro-planes that skimmed along on the water with aerial propellers, and in 1912 had been asked by T.O.M. (Thomas Octave Murdoch) Sopwith to build the hull for an experimental flying boat. Sopwith wanted the same strength and shape of the speed boat Maple Leaf IV, built by Saunders using Consuta sewn plywood. Sopwith had successfully won the Harmsworth Trophy with Maple Leaf IV in America in 1912.

The Sopwith designed Bat-Boat was launched from Sam Saunders' aero-hydroplane sheds to carry out trials. These sheds were to the south of the Folly Inn at East Cowes. Eventually the Bat-Boat planed down the river achieving 60mph and out into the Solent to try taking off, without much success whilst piloted by Harry Hawker. So T.O.M. Sopwith had a go, and got it into the air. However, it had rather a bumpy landing, damaging the hull when it landed back at the Folly...

Contributed by Sarah Burdett.

New rules for managing Cowes Harbour will be introduced on 2 April 2013 after being ratified by Cowes Harbour Commission. These powers of 'General Directions' are a key part of a modernising agenda which aims to ensure that Cowes Harbour can continue to thrive and develop as a world class centre for yachting.

Chief Operating Officer at UKSA, Ben Willows has been appointed as the new Chairman of the Cowes Harbour Commission Advisory Committee (CHAC), which represents all stakeholders and harbour users in Cowes and East Cowes. One of his first tasks will be to assist with the recruitment of a new Commissioner next month by representing CHAC on the new Commissioner appointment panel.

Cowes Harbour Commission's Advisory Committee is an important conduit for communication between stakeholders and the Commissioners. Ben, who represents the Cowes Sailing Schools on CHAC said: "My core interest is to ensure that Cowes Harbour Commission and CHAC work collaboratively so that communication is effective and the harbour and river remain a cooperative and user friendly environment for all."

He continued: "The relationship between CHC and the stakeholder groups within the local area is of special interest to me as it links very closely to my role at UKSA, and is of real importance to me personally as a member of the Cowes community, keen sailor and river user."

Read the full story on COWES.co.uk.

Cowes Harbour Commission is pleased to report that the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) has agreed to provide funding for the final ground investigation works required to tender the Cowes Breakwater Project to the construction companies.

Meanwhile, the HCA's National Executive Committee has recently deferred the decision on breakwater funding requesting further supporting information. Importantly, the HCA have given their commitment to finding a breakwater funding solution, the details of which are currently under discussion by CHC, the HCA, and the Isle of Wight Council.

At their March meeting, the Cowes Harbour Advisory Committee were fully briefed and consulted on the latest funding news from the HCA.

Recent northerly gales experienced over the winter have again reinforced the requirement for a Cowes Breakwater. In addition, CHC believes that the current pressures on the local and Island-wide economy as well as the challenges from other leisure harbours competing for business and yachting events, mean that delivery of the proposed Breakwater Project continues to be vital to Cowes Harbour's long-term prosperity.

Trinity House has approved a new project to improve the marking of the small craft channel which will help mariners to identify the channel when approaching from the north or east. The new buoyage configuration should be completed in April.

A new restaurant celebrating Basque country cooking at its best has just opened at Shepards Wharf Marina. Owned and run by the Stanton family, Amabi will be combining Basque cuisine with fresh Island produce in a relaxed and friendly environment.

Jenny Stanton, whose partner Markel Rodriquez is from the Basque Country, said: "The Amabi restaurant is something that all our family can get involved in. We love Basque country cooking; the food is amazing and enjoys a reputation for being one of the best cuisines in the world.

"At Amabi we want to encourage families to come and enjoy a meal here, plus we'll be introducing lots of exciting ideas over the year - expanding to offer outside catering and crew catering too."

The 2013-2014 edition of the Cowes Port Handbook will be distributed this week throughout Cowes in time for Easter.

The Handbook has lots of new content this year on, places to visit, shopping in Cowes, walks around Cowes and more, along with all the usual, essential information such as the Cowes tide tables, events calendar, and pull out maps including the all important Buoy Racer chart.

We hope you enjoy making use of the new Handbook and have a great season on and off the water in Cowes!