Advice for anchoring in Hamford Water & River Stour

[Ianqv]

Dear Members of the Parish,

Having done all of the East Coast marina's to death. We are now looking at places to anchor over night.
Hamford water and The Stour look pretty sheltered.
Can anyone give any advice (do's / dont's) - re anchoring in Hamford water and The Stour? Any probs snagging anchors? good holding?

Many thanks

Ian

 

[Habebty]

Look out for pipe weed in parts of Hamford water but generally good holding. Ewarton Ness quite popular in Stour when not windy. I have dragged there at the turn of the tide.

 

[Leighb]

Copperas bay opposite Erwarton can be pleasant, bags of room, good holding, just make sure you have worked out the tidal heights as quite a lot of it dries. More sheltered if the wind is in the S or SW.

 

[Bru]

Hamford Water is a delightful anchorage. Press in as far as depth allows, you won't regret it! Well, not as long as you don't press in *too* far, that could get interesting (It's one of our all time favourites)

 

[englishrobs]

Echo Hamford, Great spot, but not when there's much East in the wind, can get lumpy if you're not really far in

 

[Bru]

Echo Hamford, Great spot, but not when there's much East in the wind, can get lumpy if you're not really far in

Yep, but by pushing in as far as depth allowed we sat aboard very comfortably overnight despite a stiff ENE breeze kicking in as the evening wore on. It got slightly bouncy around high water but not desperately so and soon settled down again

I wouldn't rid out a gale from the East round to the North East in there though

 

[pyrojames]

A bit further afield, I like Osea Island up the Blackwater and Pye Fleet off the Colne. Can be a good beat down the Wallet, and then a good run home in a day or two!

 

[Bru]

A bit further afield, I like Osea Island up the Blackwater and Pye Fleet off the Colne. Can be a good beat down the Wallet, and then a good run home in a day or two!

I've always found Osea a bit exposed whenever I've considered it but in the right conditions (which it never has been) Im sure it's fine

Pyefleet is, or was, another of our favourites but last time we tried it with our current boat (for the first time with a fin keel instead of a shoal draft bilge keeler) we simply couldn't find enough water beyond the expanded field of mooring buoys

Another past favourite, again somewhat compromised for us now by our increased draught and propensity for falling over if we get it wrong, is the Yokesfleet off the River Roach. To which I'd also add the Butley River (not a lot of swinging room though there)

 

[pyrojames]

I've always found Osea a bit exposed whenever I've considered it but in the right conditions (which it never has been) Im sure it's fine

Pyefleet is, or was, another of our favourites but last time we tried it with our current boat (for the first time with a fin keel instead of a shoal draft bilge keeler) we simply couldn't find enough water beyond the expanded field of mooring buoys

Another past favourite, again somewhat compromised for us now by our increased draught and propensity for falling over if we get it wrong, is the Yokesfleet off the River Roach. To which I'd also add the Butley River (not a lot of swinging room though there)

I tend to try and do Osea in NW to N winds which makes the passage there and back fast and free, and you get good protection at Osea too!

 

[AntarcticPilot]

I think the only thing to avoid in Hamford Water (besides going aground!) is the entrance to Oakley Creek, which is occasionally used by small freighters going up to the explosives factory. I've spent a very peaceful night at anchor just past Kirby Creek - there are deep pools beyond that. I gather that there are issues with oyster beds in Kirby Creek and that there is someone who tries to discourage yachts from anchoring there.

 

[fredrussell]

If there’s a lot of east or west in the wind direction, the Stour can get very lumpy. There’s a great deal of fetch and very few places one can tuck themselves away.

 

[Tradewinds]

Copperas bay opposite Erwarton can be pleasant, bags of room, good holding, just make sure you have worked out the tidal heights as quite a lot of it dries. More sheltered if the wind is in the S or SW.

Sssshhhh.

 

[johnalison]

Both Hamford and Pyefleet can be uncomfortable in an easterly but with Hamford you have a ready alternative in the Walton channel above Stone Point. Osea is too busy these days to appeal to me but it was our first port of call when we were at Maylandsea. There is a bit of a hump off the beach which is stony and this can be alarming when the tide turns in the middle of the night. Holding is OK but people do drag occasionally if they get it wrong. If it blows up and the tide won't let you into a creek, then anchoring off Northey Island can be much more restful.

I once miscalculated at the top of Hamford water but was saved by the patron saint of idiots and our fin keel just slid across as the tide fell and we ended up floating in the centre of the gutway.

 

[Ianqv]

Many thanks all for your comments - much appreciated

 

[Marmalade]

Holding always good in Hamford, echo johnalison's point about being aware of wind direction - Stone Point is an excellent alternative although a little more care on timing required to cross the bar...
Osea - full of jetskis on a fine day - at least on the last two occasions we anchored there; Pyfleet great if you can find room.