Lowestoft To Ramsgate

[Mattland]

Hi, Any advice appreciated.
Im taking my Seamaster 30 down to Ramsgate from Brundall soon, Looking for the best sea route if anyone can advise.
We will leave lowestoft and head to Harwich area, then the next day head to Ramsgate.
Any good routes to take? Moorings to overnight etc, heard lots of things about crab pots on this route, Mermaids!
Thank you in advance.

 

[seivadnehpets]

Perhaps not the most direct route but the East Swale would make a good overnight if you could work the tides.

I take it you don't mind your mermaids muddy?

 

[Creek]

East Coast Pilot ha a useful section on Thames Estuary passages; well worth consulting

 

[Charlie Boy]

Last did Harwich Ramsgate 2 years ago but here goes; S.of Cork to the top of Black deep, down the deep to Foulgers gat (don’t be nervous, it’s easy but do follow the route through the wind farm) then S.to Ramsgate entrance.

 

[pvb]

Your easiest solution is a gentle inshore trip down to Harwich. Overnight there (eg Shotley Marina, Halfpenny Pier or anchor a bit further up the Stour at Erwarton).

Next day, out of Harwich to Cork Sand, then Roughs, then Long Sand Head, Kentish Knock and in to Ramsgate. Leave Harwich around HW Dover +2.

 

[johnalison]

Overnight depends on the wind, but Hamford Water would be an alternative to Shotley etc, but the tide needs to be calculated at Pye end. We can go to Ramsgate from Walton with no difficulty. My preference is then round the Gunfleet and across the Little Sunk in about 3.5m at LW, then Fisherman's Gat or whichever is easier. It's almost a straight line from the Naze.

 

[ninjod]

Hi, Any advice appreciated.
Im taking my Seamaster 30 down to Ramsgate from Brundall soon, Looking for the best sea route if anyone can advise.
We will leave lowestoft and head to Harwich area, then the next day head to Ramsgate.
Any good routes to take? Moorings to overnight etc, heard lots of things about crab pots on this route, Mermaids!
Thank you in advance.

I do not know much about the capabilities of the Seamaster 30 but the easiest route is only 73nm ish long. At 5.5 knots your total trip time is a smidge over 13 hours. If your worried about crab pots and mermaids steer clear of them and go straight to where you’ve got to be.

 

[tillergirl]

On the basis you are going to break the passage at Harwich, there are 5 commonly used routes to Ramsgate. Based on a waypoint outside of Harwich Harbour to a destination waypoint outside Ramsgate Harbour here are some choices. The timings are based on HW Sheerness times and I am basing your Seamaster 30 as a single engine cruising @ 7 kts. I can provide other values.

1. via the Black Deep and Foulger's Gat = 39.73nm - shortest possible duration 5hrs 8 mins departing at Sheerness +4.15 (worse 6hrs 14 mins). To ensure a delayed passage better to start at +3.00 for 5hrs 13 minutes. That ensures carrying the beneficial tide down the last sector from the North Foreland to Ramsgate.
2. via the Little Sunk crossing and Foulger's Gat = 39.07nm - shortest possible duration 5hrs 8 mins (the same) departing at Sheerness +3.45 (worse 6hrs 2 mins). To ensure a delayed passage better to start at +3.00 for 5hrs 18 minutes. That ensures carrying the beneficial tide down the last sector from the North Foreland to Ramsgate.
3. via the Black Deep and Fisherman's Gat = 41.19nm - shortest possible duration 5hrs 33 mins departing at Sheerness +4.15 (worse 6hrs 15 mins). To ensure a delayed passage better to start at +2.45 for 5hrs 42 minutes. That ensures carrying the beneficial tide down the last sector from the North Foreland to Ramsgate.
4. via the Little Sunk crossing and Fisherman's Gat = 39.90nm - shortest possible duration 5hrs 25 mins (the same) departing at Sheerness +3.45 (worse 5hrs 59 mins). To ensure a delayed passage better to start at +2.45 for 5hrs 35 minutes. That ensures carrying the beneficial tide down the last sector from the North Foreland to Ramsgate.
5. the 'outside route' described by pvb = 46.16nm - shortest possible duration 5hrs 54 mins departing at Sheerness +3.00 (worst 7hrs 31 mins). Best to start at +2.15 for 6hrs 3 mins.

Those times are mathematically calculated so it is an accurate guide for passage planning. Some notes: Black Deep carries the large stuff down into the Thames. There is room in that channel. Most either use the Little Sunk crossing or the outside route. The Little Sunk crossing is fine and easy to find with GPS. There is a chartlet download on my website. Foulger's Gat is through the London Array Wind Farm. The only permanent rule in the Wind Farm is a 50m exclusion zone. Depending the day you go there may be a temporary larger exclusion maintenance zone around an individual turbine. I endeavour to post that in the Notices to Mariners page in my web site if a maintenance zone is warned. Currently there is none. The London Array ask you to call up one of their vessels before entering Foulger's Gat. The bottom end of Foulger's has a dog leg turn: some avoid the dog leg as it adds on a little extra distance and to do that they pass between two turbines in the last row - there is plenty of room. Those who don't like going through the Wind Farm, the alternative is via Fisherman's Gat. It adds a little distance. Shipping can use Fisherman's (Foulger's can't) but not so many as before and there is plenty of room. The comment about carrying a beneficial tide down from North Foreland affects all routes. Adverse tide down that sector is not the best. The best duration start times above all carry a good tide but if delayed, the tide will be starting to turn: hence suggesting an earlier start time.

At the moment you can't use Halfpenny Pier at Harwich on account of the virus rules but with hope that will change in the future.

I am assuming you are a single engine Seamaster 30: if you are a twin and can average more let me know, I have other tables. I am not allowed to advertise on the forum so I can't tell you that waypoints, chartlets and more detail are included in the book - whoops sorry!

 

[oldgit]

 

[PeterWright]

Hi,

Very nice - a proper mobo.

Making a 2 day trip of it takes off all the pressure and will be much more enjoyable. Harwich is nearer to the halfway mark, by the time you get up the west Swale, you could almost be in Ramsgate.

It's the bit from Lowestoft to Harwich where you need to worry most about fish traps and the best mermaids are to be found in Burnham which, I'm afraid, won't be part of your passage unless you want to make a detour.

For an overnight stop in Harwich, even without Halfpenny pier, there are plenty of options - Shotley with a lock to get in and out, SYH 30 mins further up the Orwell with 24 hour access (no lock), Woolverstone further still up the Orwell also 24 hour access etc. To get across the Thames, follow Tillergirl's excellent advice - personally I favour option 2, but I'm comfortable with swatchways even though we draw 6 foot.

Peter.