|
Bring in the New Year
|
Our proposed revisions to Cowes Harbour's General Directions, including the implementation of a new Direction for the Chain Ferry, have successfully passed through the consultation stage, and will take effect at the beginning of next year. You can find out more about the changes in our article opposite, and on the Commission's website.
January 2014 promises to be a milestone month for the new Cowes breakwater, as we prepare to award the construction contract on a fixed price, design and build basis. This should then enable work to start on the project in the first quarter of 2014, with current indications pointing to an eight to nine month build.
This month, our newsletter carries part of an in-depth interview with Rod Hodgson, our Deputy Harbour Master, and makes for an interesting read.
Finally, I would like to personally thank my Commissioners and all the Cowes Harbour Authority team for their support over the past year, and together, we wish you all a very merry Christmas, as well as a happy and prosperous New Year.
|
Best regards,
Captain Stuart McIntosh,
Cowes Harbour Master
| |
|
|
Cowes Harbour Fuels
|
Cowes Harbour Fuels remains open for reduced hours over the Christmas and New Year period as follows:
CHRISTMAS PERIOD
Christmas Day CLOSED
Boxing Day CLOSED
27-31 December OPEN 1100-1400
JANUARY 2014
Wednesday, 1 January CLOSED
Monday-Sunday OPEN 1000-1500
| |
|
|
New Cowes webcam
|
Fans of Cowes webcams may be pleased to know that Spinlock has just installed a webcam at their HQ in Cowes, with a northeasterly view out over Cowes Corinthian Yacht Club and the harbour; you can see the webcam in the Harbour Guide on COWES.co.uk.
| |
|
|
Annual Boxing Day Race
|
When you are full of Christmas pudding and have had enough of endless repeats on TV, then why not dust off your thermals, don your sowester, squeeze into your dry suit and prepare for the Cowes Corinthian Yacht Club Boxing Day Race!
Open to all cruisers, sportsboats and dayboats, the CCYC Boxing Day Race starts from the Club line at 1200. Entry forms are on the club website at www.ccyc.org.uk.
Read the full story on COWES.co.uk.
| |
|
|
Sign up for Cowes news
| |
We would like to encourage all our readers to share this newsletter with family and friends via the "Forward email" link at the foot of this email.
Alternatively, just scan the above QR code with a smart phone to register for free CHC E-newsletters.
| |
|
|
Please keep in touch!
| Cowes Harbour Commission is always happy to gain feedback on its services and on the issues it is tackling on behalf of all harbour users and stakeholders.
If you would like to talk to the Harbour Master, Capt. Stuart McIntosh or to Rod Hodgson, the Deputy Harbour Master, please feel free to call into the Harbour Office on Town Quay, phone and make an appointment on: 01983 293952, or email: chc@cowes.co.uk.
CHC also owns and operates the following commercial services: Shepards Wharf Marina, Kingston Marine Services & Boatyard, Cowes Harbour Moorings, and Cowes Harbour Fuels.
You can keep up-to-date with all CHC news on our website:
| |
|
|
|
|
Above: A winter's day on the River Medina.
|
|
Changes to Cowes General Directions
|
Formal consultation on a revised set of General Directions for Cowes Harbour has now ended, and we can report that CHC's Advisory Committee and the RYA, both statutory consultees in the process, have confirmed their agreement for the new Directions, following minor amendments. Cowes Harbour Commission then ratified the Directions at their recent December Board meeting. The revised set of General Directions will come into force on 1 January 2014.
A major change is the introduction of General Direction No. 6 relating to the Cowes Chain Ferry (replacing Cowes Harbour Byelaw 34 of 1972). This General Direction governs the navigation of the Chain Ferry and includes giving the Chain Ferry right of way over most vessels, although the Chain Ferry must still take appropriate action to avoid a close quarter situation or collision. In addition, there are new safety control measures built in, including the introduction of a CHC Chain Ferry Operators Certificate.
May we also bring your attention to General Directions Nos. 3.17 and 10.1 which relate to the construction of the new detached breakwater for Cowes.
You can view the full set of 2014 General Directions here.
For more information, see also Local Notice to Mariners No. 33 of 2013 - Revised set of Cowes General Directions Come into Force on 1 January 2014.
|
Essential Christmas & New Year info
|
River patrols over Christmas & New Year
CHC Berthing Masters will be carrying out daily river patrols from Shepards Wharf Marina over the festive period, and will be checking vessels, moorings and navigation marks in the harbour and on the River Medina. The duty Berthing Master can be contacted at Shepards by phone on 01983 297821 between 1100 and 1500, and on VHF Channel 69 whilst out on patrol.
Getting in touch with the Harbour Office
Cowes Harbour Office will close for the Christmas period at 1700 on Tuesday, 24 December 2013 and re-open on 0900 on Thursday, 2 January 2014. During this time all phone calls will be automatically redirected to CHC staff at Shepards Wharf Marina.
The Duty Harbour Master can be contacted out-of-hours in an emergency via Solent Coastguard, by phone on 02392 552100 or VHF Ch 16/67.
|
|
|
Islander Rod Hodgson has served as Deputy Harbour Master and Pilot for Cowes Harbour Commission since 2006, but previous to that, he enjoyed a successful seagoing career around the world with BP Shipping and P&O Cruises.
Training with the Merchant Navy
Rod went to sea at 18-years-old as a Deck Cadet in the Merchant Navy and completed his officer cadetship onboard BP Shipping tankers whilst travelling the globe from the Mediterranean to the Far East. After a period working as Third Officer, Rod returned to the Island and took a seasonal job with Red Funnel as Chief Officer, before deciding to go back to sea to work towards obtaining his Master Mariner's licence.
Rod explained: "I was lucky enough to get a position with P&O Cruises and joined my first cruise ship in Mexico in 1999. I stayed with P&O Cruises right up until 2006, with my last post spent cruising the South Pacific Islands as Senior First Officer.
The role of Deputy Harbour Master at Cowes
"However, I always knew I wanted to have a family and settle down, so I applied for and was glad to be appointed Deputy Harbour Master and Pilot for Cowes Harbour."
As many others have done before, we asked Rod to tell us what he actually does! The reply was swift: "How long have you got! It's such a wide ranging remit...
"As the Deputy Harbour Master, Port Safety Officer, and Port Security Officer, much of my work is based around the Port Marine Safety Code and my job is to ensure compliance with that code.
"I'm also the primary Pilot in Cowes, and this means being on call 20 days a month to bring ships in and out of the harbour, day or night.
"In addition, up until recently, I was directly responsible for Shepards Wharf Marina, Cowes Harbour Moorings and Cowes Harbour Fuels. With Jock Rafferty joining us in October as Marina and Moorings Manager, we have re-structured and I've returned to carrying out more of the statutory duties for the harbour."
Family and living on the Island
Talking about his family, Rod said: "I can't think of anywhere else, or anywhere better in England, that I'd rather bring up children. I like living on the Island, I like the pace of life, I like the proximity to the water and the beaches."
|
|
Winter comes to Kingston
|
Trinity Landing pontoon is lifted ashore. Barney Sollars/CHC
Trinity Landing winter works
As reported last month, the Trinity Landing pontoons have been removed for maintenance over the winter. The recovery of the five pontoon sections was undertaken by CHC's Kingston Marine Services afloat team with the assistance of local divers.
The work on Trinity Landing is being undertaken at our Kingston site where appropriate facilities can be provided for the external teams carrying out the specialist work of modifying the connecting joints, as well as for the general maintenance that will be undertaken in-house by CHC.
Black Adder Clipper makeover
The 60' Black Adder Clipper yacht, which completed three circumnavigations of the globe in the Clipper Round the World Race, was recently transformed in the yard into 'Hummingbird' for Hampshire-based expedition sailing and training company Rubicon3.
Hummingbird under sail in the Solent. Rubicon3
Kingston notes
In the run-up to Christmas and the New Year, Kingston will be welcoming more boats to the boatyard, continuing with repairs to Trinity Landing, as well as re-painting the 30 or so SCRA (Solent Cruising & Racing Association) race marks that have been brought ashore for the winter by CHC's Multi-Cat Seaclear.
Read the full story on COWES.co.uk.
|
|
|
|
|
