I was Enthused So Visited Tollesbury

[Bigplumbs]

Based on the video posted re Tollesbury we got all fired up and payed the Marina a visit. We were there at very low water so there was a lot of mud. It was certainly a nice place but I fear not good access for much of the tide. Here is a video of our trip and a Pano image of the marina which you will get by clicking the link below. Let it form, Put it to full screen then click in it and drag it about.

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Video below of our trip............. Certainly plenty of Mud

 

[alandalus11]

Thanks Bigplumbs, great video. This has certainly made my mind up not to visit the place by boat. I came here about three years ago on a stop over and was shocked at how much mud and lack of dredging had gone on. Looks like nothing has changed. The first fairway on the port hand side was a heap of mud at low water then and looks like it still is now. Shame as its such a lovely place to visit .

 

[Bigplumbs]

Thanks Bigplumbs, great video. This has certainly made my mind up not to visit the place by boat. I came here about three years ago on a stop over and was shocked at how much mud and lack of dredging had gone on. Looks like nothing has changed. The first fairway on the port hand side was a heap of mud at low water then and looks like it still is now. Shame as its such a lovely place to visit .

That is kind of the conclusion I came to. I was going to take a rib there with my friend and his Rib but I feel that we would be so concerned about getting back in time so the tide it would rather detract from our enjoyment. But as you say a very nice place

 

[Sailing steve]

On a falling tide it's a desperate race against the clock as well a strong current all the way from the river Blackwater to get back in over the marina cill. Just a few minutes late and you're locked out for the next 8 hours with no other way to get back ashore.

When I kept my boat there a number of deeper draft yachts in the marina were either neaped for a few days on the bottom of the tide cycle or could only just squeeze out right on high water. The last last couple of hundred meters of Woodrolfe creek into the marina are heavily silted, narrow and fairly steep too as well and if you stray even slightly out the channel you'll be aground in seconds.

Both Bradwel marina and West Mersea are much more accessible than Tollesbury. When I left I moored my boat in Bradwell creek at less than a fifth of the cost of my berth there and had complete freedom to come and go at any state of the tide which is absolutely vital if you only have time for a day or weekend to sail.

 

[LONG_KEELER]

As a visitor, I think the lack of water can be part of it's charm. It up's the ante and may up the heart rate by ten or so.

 

[Greg2]

We visited by boat during the summer with no problems and consciously not visiting is missing a bit of a gem IMHO. That said, the dredger in the missile of the marina is a bit of pain as the pipe work protruded above the surface at low water with nothing to mark it at high water - we gave it a wide berth, which is probably just as well. What did jar me off a little was staring dredging early, which is a bit inconsiderate given that visitors are on holiday. Minor points overall though and we will visit again.

 

[Sailing steve]

As a visitor, I think the lack of water can be part of it's charm. It up's the ante and may up the heart rate by ten or so.

It certainly ups the heart rate racing back against the tide with just moments to scrape back over the marina cill and it certainly uses up your annual leave too if you don't quite make it on Sunday evening and have to spend another unplanned night out somewhere else and can't get to work on Monday morning.

Tollesbury? Not for me, thanks. I go sailing to escape pressure and restrictions and deadlines not to create them.