Wednesday, February 07, 2007
3rd February Hayling Island Part 1. Eastoke Point
Last Saturday we went to Hayling Island, which lies just off the south coast. It is joined to the mainland at Havant by a road bridge. The railway that used to serve the island has now gone. The island is about 6 miles long from north to south. The island is quite built up now with local residents, retirement bungalows and holiday homes.
We drove to the southern edge of the island and explored various parts. First we went to the eastern side, to Eastoke Point. Here is the opening to the English Channel from Chichester Harbour, which these days is mostly devoted to leisure boating.
The first picture shows the harbour entrance and looking back inland we can see The South Downs.
There were many yachts out on this day of winter sunshine.
It was a beautiful morning for sailing, but I suspect peoples' hands would have got cold working the sails and ropes.
Another yacht sails out of Chichester Harbour passing Eastoke Point where we were standing.
Bill turns to face my camera for a moment. I like to have pictures of us, but I admit that this one is a bit bleached out.
We drove to the southern edge of the island and explored various parts. First we went to the eastern side, to Eastoke Point. Here is the opening to the English Channel from Chichester Harbour, which these days is mostly devoted to leisure boating.
The first picture shows the harbour entrance and looking back inland we can see The South Downs.
There were many yachts out on this day of winter sunshine.
I am sure their skippers had learned how to steer a straight course and avoid the headlands with strong currents, which created some interesting wave formations.
It was a beautiful morning for sailing, but I suspect peoples' hands would have got cold working the sails and ropes.
Another yacht sails out of Chichester Harbour passing Eastoke Point where we were standing. Bill turns to face my camera for a moment. I like to have pictures of us, but I admit that this one is a bit bleached out. 
The waves broke over the rocks - not natural rocks, but large black chunks placed on the beach to help prevent erosion.
We enjoyed a good walk along the beach with the water sparkling in the winter sunshine.
There were houses of all shapes and sizes facing out to sea along this part of the island. I admired this 1930s art deco style house. It must be wonderful to wake in the morning and gaze out of the window over the crashing waves; and in the summer one could enjoy breakfast on the balcony. Most of the houses dated from a bit later than this one.
There will be more about Hayling Island in the next days.
There were houses of all shapes and sizes facing out to sea along this part of the island. I admired this 1930s art deco style house. It must be wonderful to wake in the morning and gaze out of the window over the crashing waves; and in the summer one could enjoy breakfast on the balcony. Most of the houses dated from a bit later than this one. There will be more about Hayling Island in the next days. Below there is an aerial view of where we were walking. You can see the whole length of the southern end of the island. There is a small yachting marina on the island which you can see and Chichester is quite far up the inlet to the right off the picture.
