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Arun tidal advice

Arun tidal advice

23
Member
23

    Jun 22, 2017#1

    Hi All,
    Having read a few posts about paddling on the Arun in the Pulborough area - I'm hoping for some advice and clarity on the best times to launch taking into account the tides.

    This Saturday 24/06 the high tide at Littlehampton is at Noon - it would appear to be a relatively high one too. People on here have suggested the high tide at Pulborough will be 4 hours later.

    Does this mean the flow will change direction (start going upstream) around 4pm or is this when the upstream flow will finish and normal service is resumed?

    Ideally what I would like to do is Launch at Pulborourgh (late morning) and paddle downstream for 1 - 2 hours then turnaround and catch the tidal flow back. (sounds too good to be true!)
    or
    head upstream when the flow isn't too strong and time a return when I'm not battling against the incoming tide.

    Yours advice and guidance would be most welcome.

    Thanks
    Sussex (Newbie)

    27K3,045
    Contributing Member
    27K3,045

      Jun 22, 2017#2

      Assuming low river levels, then high tide at Pulborough will indeed be around 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours after Littlehampton. Its not an exact science, and looks like it will be on spring tide so the effect may be more noticeable than sometimes. In theory, though, it will start dropping and running downstream roughly around 4pm. However, I've found the Arun very hard to judge...*

      Personally, I'd go at 2ish and head upstream. Its far more attractive, especially after Stopham Bridge. There can be one bit that flows against you strongly if the tide IS still running out (about 1/2 a mile up from the start, just before the Rother confluence where it is narrow), but I've always got up against it even when the tide is wrong. That's one of the joys of the upstream bit, with effort it "goes" on almost any tide, whereas downstream the flow is too much mid-tide to battle against. There's also the White Hart, of course, too...

      Above the Rother confluence its easy enough to paddle at any state of tide, but a high tide will make it easier for you to get all the way up the river to Pallingham Quay Farm, and even beyond!

      *Disclaimer against me getting it wrong! SMralmao
      SMopencanoePaddler,blogger,camper,pyromaniac:

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      23
      Member
      23

        Jun 22, 2017#3

        Many Thanks Mal,
        Upstream would seem to be the answer then - time will be a bit tight if I set off at 14:00 - maybe I'll try to put in at Stopham Bridge to avoid the tide issues.

        Thanks again
        Sussex

        25112
        Member
        25112

          Jun 23, 2017#4

          I'll second everything that Mall said.

          If you're getting on at Stopham then it would be worth talking to the pub about parking and launching there. I've found them very accommodating in the past, and being honour bound to stop for a drink afterwards is no bad thing :)