Works on Horsey Island and West Mersea

[tillergirl]

New local Notice to Mariners from Harwich Haven Authority:

Channel Deepening Dredging and Beneficial Placements
Mariners are advised that work is due to start on the Harwich Haven Channel Deepening Project.

On or around the 30 September 2021 the trailer suction hopper dredger Sospan Dau (IMO number: 7711062) will start dredging the main channel, disposing of material to the beneficial disposal schemes at Horsey Island and Mersea Harbour.
The dredging contractor is the Boskalis Westminster / Van Oord Joint Venture appointed by the Harwich Haven Authority to carry out the Harwich Haven Channel Deepening Project. The dredge area is a section of the main channel known as area C2 covering the whole width of the main channel and running from about 250m east of the Platters / Pitching Ground buoys to about 1,000m west of the same buoys. (See attached sketch HHA C2) Dredged material will be disposed of to two beneficial disposal schemes, one on the northern end of Horsey Island (Hamford Water) and to four separate sites in Mersea Harbour (at Cobmarsh Island, Old Hall Marsh, Tollesbury Wick and Packing Marsh Island).

The current programme is to commence disposal work at Horsey Island, on or about 30 September 2021. Disposal will be carried on every high water (weather permitting), day and night, either by direct pumping of material over the bow of the dredger, or via a floating pipeline. Connection of the dredger to the pipeline and positioning the placement end will be carried out by a Multicat MCS Anekke (IMO number: 9570905) and a small workboat. The floating pipeline will be held in place with anchors and marked with yellow can buoys fitted with flashing yellow lights.

The aim of the scheme is to place sand and gravel within the area between the beach and the old lighters. The dredger will dispose only at high water and be positioned as close to the disposal area as possible (see attached sketch HI 001)

Mariners are requested to keep clear of the equipment and the site of the placement works. Work at Horsey Island is likely to take around five weeks, after which disposal operations will move to Mersea Harbour. The dredging is covered by the MMO licence held by Harwich Haven Authority: L/2020/00360/2. The disposal of material at Horsey Island is covered by MMO licence held by the RSPB: L/2020/00456/1. The disposal of material at Mersea Harbour is covered by MMO licence held by the Mersea Harbour Protection Trust: L/2018/00131/3.

Further Notice to Mariners will be issued if any of these arrangements change and before the works move to Mersea Harbour. Dredger movements will be reported to Harwich VTS on VHF 71.

(I'll add the images shortly)

 

[Habebty]

ooh, a new sandy beach for Hamford Water!

 

[nortada]

ooh, a new sandy beach for Hamford Water!

Believe landing on privately owned Horsey is prohibited and landing elsewhere in the Walton Backwaters is restricted so any additional land is unlikely to be available to Joe Public.

It will be interesting to see what impact this will have on the entrance to the Walton Channel at Stone Point and a knock on effect to Kirby Creek, the Wade, Hamford (West) Water and the Backwaters in general.

Will Stone Creek (opposite The Dardanelles) deepen and reopen and make Stone Point a true islandStone Creek could once again become a useful short cut for those entering the Backwaters from The Wallet and the south. No need to go all the way around to the Pye End Buoy.

What will be the long term impact on the already endangered Naze

Will the law of unintended consequence come into play

 

[Sailing steve]

The eastern border of the dumping area at Horsey island looks painfully close to what is already a narrow and twisty fairway into the Backwaters.

I do hope nobody's at home to Mr Cockup when unloading the dredging spoil...

 

[Cantata]

I definitely have a bad feeling about the possible (or likely?) unintended consequences.

 

[LONG_KEELER]

Stone Point a true islandStone Creek could once again become a useful short cut for those entering the Backwaters from The Wallet and the south. No need to go all the way around to the Pye End Buoy.

Yes. Stone Creek was a classic East Coast short cut for lifters now gone. Made famous by Charles Stock.

Anyone know who has the say with regard to dumping spoil in The Backwaters ? Mystified why this area needs less water.

Last time this happened Stone Point to the Cardinal Buoy was affected rather alot.

 

[Tomahawk]

I definitely have a bad feeling about the possible (or likely?) unintended consequences.

I would suggest predictable and ignored consequences. A bit like Dover Marina.

 

[Kurrawong_Kid]

I can only assume that the old lighters were "dumped" there many years ago to prevent the erosion of Horsey Island and try to confine the water entering and leaving The Twizzle and Hamford Water to the deeper channels. If the disposal now being undertaken consolidates that area probably all well and good. If the disposal disperses rather than settles then not so good.

 

[Tomahawk]

To a large extent that will depend on how it is pumped ashore and whether there is any sort of containment bund to let it settle before it washed back to the sea.

 

[DanTribe]

I can only assume that the old lighters were "dumped" there many years ago to prevent the erosion of Horsey Island and try to confine the water entering and leaving The Twizzle and Hamford Water to the deeper channels. If the disposal now being undertaken consolidates that area probably all well and good. If the disposal disperses rather than settles then not so good.

In the mid 1970s, I was anchored near Stone Point and looked out one morning to see a small tug towing a lighter drifting down towards me and almost filling the channel. I started to panic, then realised it was Ron Pipe and his brother Mick heading towards the point to strand the lighter.
They just gave me a nod and "alright?" as they drifted past. All under control.

 

[nortada]

So dumping operations commence from 1 Oct and last about 5 weeks (mid November)

Living in Walton and over looking the Backwaters, I will advise progress.

With the dredging operations so much closer to Walton I am surprised that they are prepared to take to spoil as far as Mersea (a round trip of about 25 to 30nm), with all of the extra costs associated. Wonder why

 

[johnalison]

Anything that improves the chances for the little terns gets my vote, but I have misgivings about the channel.

 

[Dan Tribe]

In the mid 1970s, I was anchored near Stone Point and looked out one morning to see a small tug towing a lighter drifting down towards me and almost filling the channel. I started to panic, then realised it was Ron Pipe and his brother Mick heading towards the point to strand the lighter.
They just gave me a nod and "alright?" as they drifted past. All under control.

 

[nortada]

In the mid 1970s, I was anchored near Stone Point and looked out one morning to see a small tug towing a lighter drifting down towards me and almost filling the channel. I started to panic, then realised it was Ron Pipe and his brother Mick heading towards the point to strand the lighter.
They just gave me a nod and "alright?" as they drifted past. All under control.

#10 and #13. Are there 2 Dan Tribes?

 

[DanTribe]

#10 and #13. Are there 2 Dan Tribes?

I have found an old picture of the lighters being towed and have tried to attach it, without success. Hence the repetition, I will try again when my patience is restored.

 

[alandalus11]

To a large extent that will depend on how it is pumped ashore and whether there is any sort of containment bund to let it settle before it washed back to the sea.

Washed out to sea or carried down to the marina and yards at the bottom.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Washed out to sea or carried down to the marina and yards at the bottom.

I don't think there's much danger of it going up towards Titchmarsh and Walton - the net flow must be in the opposite direction, and the NTM states that they expect the sediment to move westward along the north shore of Horsey Island. The mechanism is longshore drift, and it makes sense - the largest fetch is from the east, so longshore drift in a westward direction makes sense. But the real concern is the passage at Stone Point. I've spoken with long-standing berth-holders at Titchmarsh, and it seems that last time there was dredging material dumped there, it caused a shallowing of that passage, making Titchmarsh untenable for deeper draft boats. I might be OK at 1.6 m draft, but I might have to put up with a narrower tidal window. It's all going to depend on how much scouring the tide at Stone Point provides.

 

[Tomahawk]

I suspect if it goes west it will silt up the saltings and may damage them because the saltings are all constrained by the flood defences to the rear.
If it goes East out past Stone Point it will end up in Dungeness in a few centuries time but collect in B-Sea on the way.

 

[Dan Tribe]

Deleted

 

[ianc1200]

Believe landing on privately owned Horsey is prohibited and landing elsewhere in the Walton Backwaters is restricted so any additional land is unlikely to be available to Joe Public.

Have got the dogs off there in the past. Surely below the HW mark can't be privately owned?

As there are some with long memories here, is it true the channel from Titchmarsh was out (left a bit) and across and then down the Dardanelles Creek? There's a wildfowlers small bridge/dam at the Titchmarsh end, but I've heard that was the way out years ago before that bridge/dam was put in place.