Langstone
May 31, 2022
HM 189. Secretive Langstone Harbour
I met Billy Johnson, HM of Langstone Harbour, on board Good Dog while visiting Littlehampton. He is one of life's enthusiasts having been a Royal Navy Hydrographer, Surveyor and Navigator - so creating charts for shipping is in his blood. He explained that the increase in the below water depth of Cruise Ships had lead to a demand in re-charting a lot of their popular destinations. After 4 years as Port Hydrographer at Southampton and 8 years as HM at Littlehampton, Billy had recently taken over in Langstone.
He described being a HM is similar to being Captain of a ship - everything passes over your desk and he likes the responsibility that brings. Langstone Harbour is the less posh cousin to Chichester! It too has huge areas of nature reserve - 4,800 acres, but far fewer yachts to bring in income, just 1,000. Bordering the city of Portsmouth it is a little more industrial and relies on commercial ships unloading half a million tonnes of marine aggregates (dredged up sand and shingle) at its two wharfs, for income.
The history of the harbour is significant. It was used as a site for the construction of the famous "Mulberry Harbours" in WW2. These artificial harbours were created to enable the Allies to land their forces onto the Normandy beaches. To create the harbour breakwaters, concrete "Phoenix caissons" were sunk, having been first towed across the channel and floated into position. One of these Phoenixes developed a fault and could not be used and it remains to this day, broken backed, in the harbour. (Photo 5)
Across on the west side of the harbour, in some rather sinister looking brick buildings, it is rumoured that MI6 train their spies.... but I can't say anymore!
Thank you Billy for your time and your wonderful description being an HM.... variety.... walking straight off a pilotage job into awarding children medals in a crabbing competition and next into giving evidence at a Public Enquiry. @langstoneharbour
I met Billy Johnson, HM of Langstone Harbour, on board Good Dog while visiting Littlehampton. He is one of life's enthusiasts having been a Royal Navy Hydrographer, Surveyor and Navigator - so creating charts for shipping is in his blood. He explained that the increase in the below water depth of Cruise Ships had lead to a demand in re-charting a lot of their popular destinations. After 4 years as Port Hydrographer at Southampton and 8 years as HM at Littlehampton, Billy had recently taken over in Langstone.
He described being a HM is similar to being Captain of a ship - everything passes over your desk and he likes the responsibility that brings. Langstone Harbour is the less posh cousin to Chichester! It too has huge areas of nature reserve - 4,800 acres, but far fewer yachts to bring in income, just 1,000. Bordering the city of Portsmouth it is a little more industrial and relies on commercial ships unloading half a million tonnes of marine aggregates (dredged up sand and shingle) at its two wharfs, for income.
The history of the harbour is significant. It was used as a site for the construction of the famous "Mulberry Harbours" in WW2. These artificial harbours were created to enable the Allies to land their forces onto the Normandy beaches. To create the harbour breakwaters, concrete "Phoenix caissons" were sunk, having been first towed across the channel and floated into position. One of these Phoenixes developed a fault and could not be used and it remains to this day, broken backed, in the harbour. (Photo 5)
Across on the west side of the harbour, in some rather sinister looking brick buildings, it is rumoured that MI6 train their spies.... but I can't say anymore!
Thank you Billy for your time and your wonderful description being an HM.... variety.... walking straight off a pilotage job into awarding children medals in a crabbing competition and next into giving evidence at a Public Enquiry. @langstoneharbour