CHICHESTER HARBOUR EVENTS - MAY

Bats, fish, shingle and shells are just some of the themes to this months eclectic mix of events. Join our annual Bat Walk on Tue 6 May where we will be using a bat detector to hear them calling to each other.

If you've ever wanted to have a go at fishing but are not too sure how to get the wriggling worm onto the hook, or the fish off the hook then come along on 24 May to learn from the friendly experts at Apuldram Fishing Club.

Smaller ones will enjoy making shingle nests and hunting for shells on 27 May - this session gives older ones the chance to see around the new RNLI station on Hayling Island.

Also, look out for this month's Sussex Life magazine which has an interesting article about the important work of Chichester Harbour Trust and lots of lovely harbour wildlife photos. Finally, don't forget to carry your camera with you to get entries for our photo competition .

Ali Beckett
Publicity & Information Officer

Sat 3 May LOW TIDE DAY Beach Stroll
15:00 2 hours
A 2 mile (3km) walk along the harbour entrance enjoying the splendid views at low tide, a treasure hunt and a short tour round the new building at the RNLI station. Bring a small bucket for your finds. Meet: Pay and display car park in Southwood Road, Hayling Island.

Sun 4 May Solar Boat Trip: Harbour Discovery
Departs: Itchenor At: 11am Fare: £6.50 / £3
Come onboard the Solar Heritage to learn more about this unique Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. All tickets to be booked in advance on 01243 513275.

Tue 6 May Bat Walk
20:30 1½ hours
A short walk through harbour countryside at nightfall listening for bats. Dress warmly and for muddy conditions and also bring a torch. No dogs please.Meet: car park to Fishbourne Church, signposted off the A259 just west of the Chichester Tesco roundabout.

Wed 7 May Sandy Point Nature Reserve
10:00 2 hours
A look at the varied plant life of the reserve and of course checking out what birds are in the area. Led by Hampshire County Council's Countryside Rangers (For more information tel. 023 9247 6411)Meet: entrance to Sandy Point Nature Reserve, Seafarers' Walk, off Sandy Point Road, Hayling Island. Roadside parking.

Sun 11 May Solar Boat Trip: Harbour Discovery
Departs: Itchenor At: 11am Fare: £6.50 / £3
Come onboard the Solar Heritage to learn more about this unique Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. All tickets to be booked in advance on 01243 513275.

Sat 24 May Introduction to Fishing
12:00 3 hours
Find out what you need and what you do, and then have a go at fishing from the quay. Bring any fishing gear that you have, or borrow some of ours. Refreshments available for a small donation but you are welcome to bring a picnic. For all ages. We are delighted to be able to run this session with Basil Merritt and colleagues from the Apuldram Fishing Club. Fee £2 to include bait. Meet: Harbour Education Centre, Dell Quay. Roadside parking.

Sun 25 May Solar Boat Trip: Harbour Discovery
Departs: Itchenor At: 2pm Fare: £6.50 / £3
Come onboard the Solar Heritage to learn more about this unique Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. All tickets to be booked in advance on 01243 513275.

Tue 27 May Little Cockles: Shingle Nests and Shell Hunt
10:00 1½ hours
For families with children up to 5 years old. Today we will be building shingle nests (called scrapes) on the beach for some harbour birds and will also do some beach combing, looking for shells and other natural treasures. Bring a small bucket for finds and a snack for afterwards.Meet: RNLI Education Room, RNLI Station, entrance gate shared with Hayling Island Sailing Club, off Bracklesham Road, Hayling Island. Parking next to RNLI station by kind permission.

Wed 28 May Marine Creatures in Willow: Workshop
10:00 2 hours
Under the guidance of sculptors Elaine and Ganesh Kings create a marine creature or two in willow. For all abilities and ages. Materials supplied. Fee £11 adults and £9 children, BOOKING ESSENTIAL. Meet: Harbour Education Centre, Dell Quay. Roadside parking.

WATER QUALITY IN CHICHESTER HARBOUR

Concerns were raised last year about water quality in Chichester Harbour following reports that untreated sewage was being discharged into the harbour from the Water Treatment Works (WTW) at Apuldram near Dell Quay after periods of prolonged heavy rain. In response Chichester District Council in partnership with Chichester Harbour Conservancy introduced a water-sampling regime within the harbour.

There are no regulatory recreational standards for the harbour's waters, so results have been measured against the EU Bathing Water Standards as a readily interpreted guide for harbour users.

Water samples are taken every fortnight and following analysis the results are tabulated and displayed on the Chichester District Council and Chichester Harbour Conservancy websites. For the latest results please click the link below:

http://www.chichester.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=5765 and then click Chichester Harbour Water Quality Results 2008.

New treatment facilities have now been completed, at Apuldram WTW, which will improve the quality of water discharged into the harbour and reduce the incidence of storm water discharge. A reporting mechanism has also been put in place and any future storm water surcharges be reported on the above link.

General

1. Mariners are advised that further progress has been made towards replacing and repositioning the beacons marking the approach to Chichester Harbour, as promulgated LNTM's No.4, 5, 6 & 10 of 2008.

Bar Beacon

2. A top mark has now been fitted to the new Bar Beacon in position,

50º 46´.023 N, 00º 56´.380 W. It displays the light character Fl(2)R.10s10m3M.

Isolated Dangers

3. The piles of the old beacons remain in position awaiting extraction; both of which now lack their previous top marks and are lit as isolated dangers by night.

4. Old West Pole pile in position, 50º 45´.71 N, 00º 56´.49 W displays the light character Fl(2)W.5s4m3M

5. The old timber Bar Beacon displays the light character Fl(2)W.10s6m2M.

Miscellaneous

6. Mariners are requested to proceed with caution, and with minimal wash while work is in progress.

7. Further LNTM's will be issued as work progresses and information will be provided on our website: www.conservancy.co.uk

Lt Col JQ Davis OBE, Manager & Harbour Master
15 April 2008

. This photo (26 March 2008) shows the new West Pole in the foreground, the Walcon barge is working on dismantling the old Bar Beacon. In the far distance is the partially completed new Bar Beacon.

(4 April 2008). The beacon is now painted and is proudly displaying its name. Chimet is also in place but only partially working at the moment.

CHICHESTER HARBOUR WORKING BOATS FESTIVAL

Have you ever wondered what it's like onboard a high-speed RIB, a commercial fishing boat or an elegant sailing yacht? At the Chichester Harbour Working Boats Festival you will have the chance to climb onboard nearly 20 different boats and chat with the crews.

The Working Boats Festival on Friday 18 April is a great opportunity for families to come down and see the range of boats that work in Chichester Harbour . Vessels attending will include the Harbour Conservancy's fleet with the high-speed patrol RIBs and the heavy-duty Mooring Barge. The local lifeboat and coastguard crews will be on-hand to show you their boats and the range of equipment they carry. This year we will also have two recently restored classic boats: Terror, who worked with the Victorian oyster fleet from Emsworth and Ocean Pearl a fishing boat from Scotland . In addition there will be the impressive Sussex Sea Fisheries' vessel and local fishing charter boat Silver Fox.

On land will be a range of displays in the Conservancy workshop including an art exhibition and refreshments. John Davis, the Harbour Master said ‘This is the biggest event that the Conservancy organises. It is a celebration of all the boats and their crews that still use the harbour to make a living.' John added ‘This year we have a combination of very modern boats along with some beautifully restored traditional working boats. We hope that lots of local people will come along to support the Festival.'

The Working Boats Festival is held on the public jetty, Itchenor on the 18 April between 10:30 and 12:30 . Entry is free with everyone welcome to climb aboard, meet the crews and complete a quiz for harbour prizes! More details from the Harbour Office on 01243 512301.

Hayling Island Farm 'Walks and Talks' Experience

A fun filled 'Walks and Talks experience' around the beautiful Chichester Harbour coastal grazing marshes and farmland of Northney Farm, Hayling Island, will be held on Sunday 27 th April 2008.

The walk in partnership with Three Harbours Beef, Northney Farm, Chichester Harbour Conservancy and the Friends of Chichester Harbour, will offer the opportunity to see a working farm, with the added bonus of seeing the stunning landscapes of this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

Speakers will include Farming Advisor John Blamire, Farmers Mary Pike and Simon Wilson, Environmental Advisor and Manager of Three Harbours Beef - Colin Hedley, Conservation Officer and Wildlife Expert Ed Rowsell of Chichester Harbour Conservancy and Alison Fowler of Chichester Harbour Conservancy. Also present will be the Hampshire Wildlife Trust, Chichester Harbour Conservancy, The Friends of Chichester Harbour and the RSPB.

Colin Hedley of Three Harbours Beef said "These informal walks offer a great variety of knowledge and information including the role farmers and their cattle play in conserving coastal marshes and the important species of wildlife that rely upon them. We will also discuss coastal issues such as sea level rise, inter-tidal habitats and the future of the sea walls. All against the backdrop of a working farm with Three Harbours Beef cattle grazing". He added "On previous walks everyone seems to have had a really great day out and we are looking forward to showing off another stunning area of marsh and explaining the vital role it plays in the conservation of our local coastal environment".

The first walk will leave at 10.00am, with additional walks leaving every half hour up to 12.30pm. Walks will be approximately 1-1.5 hours. Lunch provided by Three Harbours Beef and Northney Farm, will be available for a small charge and complimentary hot and cold drinks will be on offer all day. During the event Three Harbours Beef will be holding a raffle (small charge) to win a box of beef or a voucher worth £40.00 and free promotional discounts and vouchers will also be available

The walk is free of charge but booking is essential as places are limited. Please contact Nicki at Three Harbours beef on 01243 607243 or email sales@threeharboursbeef.co.uk .

Please note no dogs are allowed to the event and although the walk itself is not suitable for wheelchairs, all are welcome to attend the day and use the other facilities on offer.

All photographers are invited to get snapping this summer. The theme for this year's competition is ‘People and Places in Chichester Harbour Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).'

The theme will encourage photographers to go out and explore the villages within the AONB. These include the much photographed waterside village of Bosham as well as smaller ‘off-the-road' places such as Dell Quay and Prinsted. Chichester Harbour is of course well known for sailing and watersports but in addition many hundreds of people enjoy the area each year as walkers, birdwatchers and artists. All these activities can be captured on camera showing how important the area is for rest, relaxation and sport.

The competition opens on 3 April and photographers have all summer to get their ‘perfect shot'. The closing date for entries is 16 September. Four cash prizes of £100, £80 and two lots of £50 are on offer. In addition Whitby 's Imaging Centre are offering a 40 page Photo Book for each winner.

Mike Repp of Whitby 's who will be one of the judges said ‘Last year there was an excellent range of entries and we look forward to working with Chichester Harbour Conservancy to make this year's competition a success.' Mike added the following advice for competitors, ‘ for competition entries the photo should be printed on good quality paper to show it off to its best. Also, the photo should be recognisable as having been taken within Chichester Harbour AONB.'

Louise Adams, photographer for Chichester Observer will also be judging the competition. An exhibition of the entries will be held at the Old Court Room , North Street , Chichester on 19-20 September. The competition has been generously sponsored by the Friends of Chichester Harbour.

LOCAL NOTICE TO MARINERS N0. 4 OF 2008

INSTALLATION OF NEW NAVIGATIONAL BEACONS IN THE
APPROACHES TO CHICHESTER HARBOUR

General

1. Mariners are advised that a programme of works is planned to replace and reposition the beacons marking the approach to Chichester Harbour.

2. The scheme will involve the construction of a tripod beacon 2½ cables seaward of the current West Pole Beacon, which will assume the name West Pole Beacon and display the light character Fl.R.5s14m7M, in approximate position:

50º 45´.45 N, 00º 56´.59 W

3. A second single pile beacon will be erected on the Bar, sited midway between the new West Pole Beacon and the harbour entrance. This beacon will be known as the Bar Beacon and will display Fl(2)R.10s10m4M, in approximate position: 50º 46´.03 N, 00º 56´.39 W

Sequence of Works

1. Establish new Bar Beacon. While under construction this will display Fl(2)R.10s4m3M.

2. Old Bar Beacon will display light Fl(2)W.10s7m2M

3. Establish new West Pole Beacon. While under construction this will display Fl(2)W.5s7m3M

4. Remove old West Pole Beacon. The old West Pole Beacon will display Fl(2)W.5s4m3M until its removal.

5. Remove old Bar Beacon

Miscellaneous

1. It is planned to commence work Friday 8 February or soon thereafter. This work will require calm sea conditions and is likely to take several weeks to complete.

2. Work will be undertaken from the 24m Barge Walcon Wizard, which will moor in the Fairway anchorage, within Chichester Harbour.

3. The proposed scheme is illustrated below.

4. Mariners are requested to pass the works at low speed and with minimal wash.

5. Further LNTM's will be issued as work progresses and information will be provided on our website: www.conservancy.co.uk

Lt Col JQ Davis OBE
Manager and Harbour Master
7 February 2008

Chichester Harbour Conservancy
Harbour Office
Itchenor
Chichester
PO20 7AW
T: 01243 512301
W: www.conservancy.co.uk
E: harbourmaster@conservancy.co.uk

COUNTRYSIDE RANGER VACANCY

Chichester Harbour Conservancy is seeking a Countryside Ranger to work within Chichester Harbour Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Your key responsibilities will include undertaking practical site management tasks and assisting with the annual footpath maintenance programme.

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate strong practical skills and relevant experience, and have a good public manner with the ability to work independently.

We are looking for someone with a practical countryside management background or experience in countryside sites, farming or possibly grounds maintenance. An interest in birds and wildlife would be advantageous.

All applicants must hold a full UK driving licence.

This is a full-time permanent position. Starting salary £17,781 + pension.

Please download an application pack for full details , including job description, person specification and an application form. The application form is also available as a word document to complete electronically, please contact the Harbour Office.

Closing date: Friday 22 nd February 2008

Interviews: Wednesday 5 th March 2008

Chichester Harbour Conservancy
Harbour Office
Itchenor
Chichester
PO20 7AW
T: 01243 512301
Web: www.conservancy.co.uk
E mail: harbourmaster@conservancy.co.uk

CHICHESTER HARBOUR EVENTS - FEBRUARY

I thought I'd get the listing for February out a day early just in case you want to wrap up warm and join in the Bird Walk tomorrow morning (1st) from Nutbourne.

If you're looking for things to do in the half-term, look no further. We have three great events planned; sing along with Sea Shanties on Sat 16th, no musical ability is needed and instruments will be provided! Or boo and hiss at the baddies in the Smugglers' Puppet Show on Mon 18th. More sensible ones may enjoy making bird boxes on Wed 20th.

Fri 1 Feb Bird Walk at Nutbourne
10 am / 2 hrs
A stroll along the harbour shoreline at one of the best bird watching locations in the harbour, taking time to observe and identify the birds. Dress warmly and for muddy conditions and bring binoculars.
Meet: by footpath next to gate in Farm Lane (off A259, nearly opposite caravan dealers), Nutbourne. Roadside parking.

Sun 10 Feb Solar Boat Trip: Bird Watching
Departs: Itchenor At: 1pm Fare: £6.50 / £3
Come onboard the Solar Heritage for a special trip to learn about the birds in this unique Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. A guide will accompany the trip. All tickets to be booked in advance on 01243 513275.

Sat 16 Feb Oystercatchers' Family Fun: Sea Shanties
10 am / 2 hrs / £2 per person (includes materials and refreshments)A fun session for families with children aged 5-12 years old, with a harbour theme. Today we will hear about the origins of sea shanties sung by sailors recruited to work on ships in years gone by and also have a go at working models of ships' machinery such as capstans. We will be singing a few sea shanties ourselves.
Meet: Harbour Education Centre, Dell Quay. Parking: roadside.

Sun 17 Feb Solar Boat Trip: Bird Watching
Departs: Itchenor At: 2pm Fare: £6.50 / £3
Come onboard the Solar Heritage for a special trip to learn about the birds in this unique Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. A guide will accompany the trip. All tickets to be booked in advance on 01243 513275.

Mon 18 Feb Little Cockles: Smugglers' Puppet Show
10 am / 1½ hrs / £5 per family (includes materials and refreshments)
A fun indoor session for families with children aged up to 5 years. Today we will be in the warmth and dry of our classroom to watch a puppet show based on a harbour smuggling story, and then make a finger puppet or two to take home.
Meet: Harbour Education Centre, Dell Quay. Parking: roadside.

Wed 20 Feb Bird Box Making
10 am / 1½ hrs / £4 per box BOOKING ESSENTIAL
As spring approaches we will be thinking of the birds beginning to nest in the gardens and countryside around us. Make a bird box (or two) to put up in your garden or to donate to our woodland at Salterns Copse. Phone the Harbour Office beforehand on 01243 512301 to reserve the number of kits you would like to make (it is possible to make two per person in the time). Bring a hammer and a workmate if you have them, if not use ours.
Meet: Harbour Education Centre, Dell Quay. Parking: roadside.

Sat 23 Feb Two Views and a Café - Sandy Point and Emsworth
9.30 am / 3 hrs / £2.50 BOOKING ESSENTIAL
From Havant we take our minibus to Eastoke to take a stroll along the shoreline at the entrance to Chichester Harbour and then go to Emsworth to view the harbour from the sea wall and enjoy an opportunity for a coffee at one of the cafes.
Meet: Havant Railway Station by the cycle parking canopy.

Sun 24 Feb Solar Boat Trip: Bird Watching
Departs: Itchenor At: 1pm Fare: £6.50 / £3
Come onboard the Solar Heritage for a special trip to learn about the birds in this unique Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. A guide will accompany the trip. All tickets to be booked in advance on 01243 513275.

Chichester Harbour - Planning Officer Vacancy

Full-time Planning Officer
Maternity Cover from 31st March 2008 (12 months)

The Chichester Harbour Conservancy is both the Statutory Harbour Authority and the Joint Advisory Committee responsible for the management of the Chichester Harbour AONB.
Your key responsibilities will be:

• Assessing the impacts of planning applications on the AONB.
• Preparation & presentation of reports to the Conservancy's Planning Committee & responding to the two local planning authorities.
• Providing advice & guidance to pre-application enquiries.
• Writing Appeal Statements & attending Appeal Hearings.
• Responding to & influencing the LDF process.
• Responding to changes in planning policies at all levels.

You should have:

• A degree or equivalent in Town & Country Planning & full RTPI membership.
• A good working knowledge of the Planning system & at least 2 years experience in development control & planning policy/development plans.
• Some knowledge of protected landscape designations.

Salary : Up to £34,140 (SCP 39-42) + pension
Closing Date: 5pm 15/2/08
Interviews: 27/2/08

Full details at www.conservancy.co.uk

Chichester Harbour Conservancy
Harbour Office
Itchenor
Chichester
PO20 7AW
T: 01243 512301
W: www.conservancy.co.uk
E: harbourmaster@conservancy.co.uk

Four days walking some of the most scenic footpaths in West Sussex and Hampshire is on offer in this year's Festival of Harbour Walks. The selection of walks will take in most of Chichester and Langstone Harbours.

The Festival of Harbour Walks is now in its fourth year. This year walkers can enjoy the challenge of completing 36 miles of the Chichester Harbour Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty shoreline and 11 miles around Langstone Harbour. However, it's not all hard work, the paths take in stunning coastal scenery and the ever changing tide means that the view will constantly shift throughout the day as the tide comes in over the mudflats and saltmarsh.

Starting on the 12 May, walkers can enjoy the sand dunes of East Head before heading up the eastern shoreline of Chichester Harbour ending at Fishbourne. The following day (13 May) the walk will start at Nutbourne and cover the 13 miles back to Fishbourne via Chidham and Bosham. To complete the Chichester Harbour section on the 14 May, walkers will start at Nutbourne and follow the shoreline path around Thorney Island, through Emsworth and across Langstone Bridge. Back at Northney they will be welcomed with a tea party to celebrate three full days of walking. The final day of the Festival (15 May), walkers can compare harbours by crossing over to Langstone Harbour and walking the 11 miles from Ferry Point, through Farlington Marshes Nature Reserve and back along the old oyster beds.

Judi Darley who will be leading the Chichester Harbour walks said, 'I'm really looking forward to this year's Festival. May is a lovely time to walk around our local shorelines and get the most from our Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Festival means that like-minded walkers can enjoy each others company whilst also taking time to enjoy the views and learn a little more about our two harbours.'

Walkers can book one or more of the Festival walks. Walks are charged per day to cover transport costs and range from £5 - £10. Where possible breaks have been arranged at local sailing clubs.

This 84-page full colour booklet is packed with news features, information and local tide tables. It is an interesting and informative read for local residents and visitors alike. The Harbour News has the latest information on what is happening in Chichester Harbour and the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) with reports from the Harbour Master and his staff and a number of feature articles.

This year there is a break with tradition. Rather than having a boat on the front cover, there is a beautiful picture of the sand dunes at East Head. The photograph was taken by Emma Millen, it won second prize in the harbour photography competition held in 2007.

The feature articles in this issue include 'Lending a Helping Hand'. Local journalist Janet McMeekin has interviewed five people who help out around the harbour. The diversity of their work is interesting; it ranges from conservation tasks to archaeological digs and helping with school trips.

Janet has also taken her family out to explore great days out in the AONB. They report back on their favourite activities which include cycling on the Salterns Way and taking a trip on Terror, the restored oyster boat.

Regular contributor Ian McIntyre poses the question 'What do Fishbourne Roman Palace, Warblington Castle and Tournerbury Fort have in common?' He then delves back into the history of these scheduled ancient monuments and what they tell us about how people have used this area over the last 2,000 years.

The specifics of how climate change will affect those who live near or use Chichester Harbour is explored by AONB Officer Nicky Horter. Using a wealth of facts and figures, she looks at the changes we can already see, such as the appearance of seahorses, and also discusses what can be done in our area to address climate change.

Racing Tips this year has been written by Olympic sailing coach Mark Rushall. Mark explains the techniques required for sailing in waves. He claims that by following his advice, all dinghy racers will be 'looking for the biggest wave' rather than avoiding it!

As well as the regular articles giving updates on projects throughout the Harbour, there is an informative guide section and twelve months of tide tables. This is particularly useful for visitors and those new to Chichester Harbour.

The Chichester Harbour News and Guide is produced by Chichester Harbour Conservancy and has a circulation of 32,000 copies. If you pay harbour dues you will receive a copy shortly, otherwise copies will be available this weekend free of charge from the Harbour Office and local tourist information centres and libraries.

NEW FOOTAGE OF HARBOUR MARINE LIFE

Exciting new footage of life under the waves of Chichester Harbour will be shown this month.

The film was taken recently as part of a sub-tidal survey funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. A team of divers went down in various places in Chichester Harbour recording the species found and taking video. The survey revealed the wealth of life under our waves. The divers were surprised at the clarity of the water and were able to bring back good images of species including sea squirts, sea anemones, pipefish, sea slugs, oysters and crabs.

The footage is being shown for the first time to the public on Wednesday 23 January. The video will be presented as part of the Harbour Creekies session at the Harbour Education Centre, Dell Quay. The 'Creekies' sessions are occasional events for those who want to learn more about Chichester Harbour Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty from the warmth and dry of the Education Centre.

This month the session will be led by Nicky Horter, Chichester Harbour's AONB Officer. Nicky said 'the footage reveals the variety of life in the harbour water's. It is stunning to see all the plant life, fish and shellfish. The video shows what a fascinating marine environment we have.'

The Harbour Creekies session starts at 10:30am. Entrance is £2 per person to include refreshments and will be on a 'first-come, first-served' basis. If you are unable to make it, clips from the footage can be seen at www.conservancy.co.uk , follow the links from the homepage.

Digging back 10,000 years into the history of Chichester Harbour is now possible from the comfort of your armchair. New sections have been added to the Harbour Conservancy's website that help to build up a picture of the dramatic changes over the centuries.

Over the past four years, in-depth archaeological research has been undertaken within Chichester Harbour Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Much of this was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund as part of the Rhythms of the Tide project. The results of this work have now been made available to the public through the pages of the Conservancy's website www.conservancy.co.uk .

Within the Learning Zone - www.conservancy.co.uk/learn/Places/evidence.htm - the research has been made accessible for students and teachers. The site makes the results of the research easy to understand and explains how archaeology is undertaken. Simple cartoons help to illustrate the process from desk-top research through to field surveying and the more technical methods used such as seismic refraction.

As part of the project seven holes of up to 8m deep were drilled at various points throughout the harbour and a core extracted from each. The Thorney Island core can be explored on the website. Users can see what sediments have been deposited in the harbour over the last 10,000 years; find out what other evidence is contained in the sediment and how this can teach us about the changing harbour landscape and how it was used.

Jean Lyle, Field Studies Teacher for Chichester Harbour Conservancy said 'We wanted to share the excitement of these findings with everyone, especially children. The web pages show how archaeology works and how the results of patient research can be pieced together to give a picture of the past. This section will be very useful for local schools studying the history of the area'.

This new section complements the archaeological information in the main part of the website ( www.conservancy.co.uk/environment/archaeology.asp ). Here more detailed research reports can be found providing a compilation, of all the current archaeological knowledge for the Chichester Harbour area. An informative timeline traces the harbour's history back over 450,000 and will be added to as new information arises.

CHICHESTER HARBOUR - A REFERENCE GUIDE

A comprehensive new guide to Chichester Harbour was launched this week. The 142-page book, Chichester Harbour - A Reference Guide', has been published by Chichester Harbour Conservancy. It contains a wealth of information about the area along with photographs, maps and illustrations. The book is for the many thousands of students that study the area each year as well as all for the local people who enjoy Chichester Harbour Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The new book 'Chichester Harbour - A Reference Guide' is packed with useful information on all aspects of the harbour. Six sections cover topics such as Wildlife, On the Water, Investigating the Past and Coastal Management. Within these sections are 18 chapters written by a selection of authors. A chapter on coastal plants not only lists all the plants you are likely to see around the coastline of the harbour but also includes a colour photograph of each one. Birds of Chichester Harbour has a similar format with over 40 photographs and illustrations in this chapter alone.

Dr David Carter from the University of Portsmouth contributed two particularly interesting chapters. Defending our Shoreline looks at the various options for sea defences in a world where we face rising sea levels. Dr Carter also writes about East Head, providing a full history of this ever changing area as well as discussing the make up of the dunes and the issue of its future management.

On the Water provides photo identification of the commonly seen boats using Chichester Harbour, a look at the role the Conservancy play in providing aids to navigation and a guide to getting afloat for sailors young and old.

Kim Leslie of West Sussex Record Office called the book 'An essential guide for everyone who knows and loves Chichester Harbour'. Harbour Master John Davis described it as 'a fantastic resource', he added 'even if you think you know all about Chichester Harbour you will find something in this book to help you gain a deeper understanding of its many facets'.

Production of the book has been funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. It is available from the Harbour Office, Itchenor, PO20 7AW at £4 per copy plus £1 p&p. Call 01243 512301 or see www.conservancy.co.uk .