Bradwell Creek at Low water springs

[ianfr]

Hi

I have posted a short video of Bradwell creek from the beacon to the marina entrance. Taken at low water springs

https://youtu.be/rK7MLPgtBxo

Hopefully of interest.

Ian

 

[baldyash]

Thank you.Interesting

 

[MountainGoat]

Rounding that starboard channel marker at the dogleg always makes me nervous.

 

[ianfr]

Rounding that starboard channel marker at the dogleg always makes me nervous.

I am told by a someone who keeps his boat there that going between the green buoy and the first mooring is fine, his boat draws 1.7 metres.

 

[ex-Gladys]

Yeah, the worst bit is way before the green buoy...

 

[MountainGoat]

Yeah, the worst bit is way before the green buoy...

It doesn't help that every time I've been in there, the port channel markers are gratuitously wrong about where the deep water is.

 

[Capt Popeye]

Thank you for posting the Drone Video, very interesting indeed, thanks again CP

Seems to me that the days when a similar Drone Video will become a necessity for Pilotage and similar Pilot info, like the East Coast one. There is so so much info in the Drone Video that makes a Normal pilotage notes seem old hat, just a thought.

Not only that but good to view such footage in our Off Seasons periods {#

 

[ianfr]

Thank you for posting the Drone Video, very interesting indeed, thanks again CP

Seems to me that the days when a similar Drone Video will become a necessity for Pilotage and similar Pilot info, like the East Coast one. There is so so much info in the Drone Video that makes a Normal pilotage notes seem old hat, just a thought.

Not only that but good to view such footage in our Off Seasons periods {#

Thank you. I plan to add other videos to Bradwell and Tollesbury, I hope to do Mersea, Brightlingsea and Pyfleet this year if I can.

Just need brightish days at low water springs with not too much wind. Few and far between unfortunately.

Ian

 

[MoodySabre]

It doesn't help that every time I've been in there, the port channel markers are gratuitously wrong about where the deep water is.

That has been the case for ages.
http://www.crossingthethamesestuary.com/Bradwell 2015.jpg

They do occassional dredge the 'channel' but they won't move the channel markers as Trinity House require the marina to provide proper buoyage and not withies and painted oil drums.

 

[UncleAlbert]

Came out of Bradwell yesterday morning at spot on low water and 4 of our club members me included followed close to the red buoys in the 'stupid' belief that it was the way!! we all ran aground and waited. I powered backwards and tried to the east of the 2nd red as I had in my mind that there was more water just outside the reds, but no go again. Went more toward the withies and was able top pass leaving my colleagues to wait about 5 minutes more. We all draw about 1 mt. Its a mystery place to me.

 

[MoodySabre]

Came out of Bradwell yesterday morning at spot on low water and 4 of our club members me included followed close to the red buoys in the 'stupid' belief that it was the way!! we all ran aground and waited. I powered backwards and tried to the east of the 2nd red as I had in my mind that there was more water just outside the reds, but no go again. Went more toward the withies and was able top pass leaving my colleagues to wait about 5 minutes more. We all draw about 1 mt. Its a mystery place to me.

With a charted depth of .5 and a tide of +.5 then you were pushing your luck at LW. Anyway we need a few mysteries to keep us in our toes��

 

[UncleAlbert]

With a charted depth of .5 and a tide of +.5 then you were pushing your luck at LW. Anyway we need a few mysteries to keep us in our toes��

Very true the mystery was slightly deeper however, as one of our crowd had been to the BACSPA meeting recently where-at someone had reported that the channel had been recently dredged and that 1.7 mtre draught boats should be able to access at all states. Just shows:-
(a) that you cant believe everything you hear,
and (b) The Blackwater tides can shift a huge amount of 'stuff around to replace that what man has moved beforehand.

I believe that this why we like the challange!!!!!

 

[omega2]

When dredged the tug run up the centre line, i.e.between the withies and the cans, we follow that route every time, due to the fact that there are deeper draft vessels using the same line, therefore the mud is moved quite a bit, going close to the cans is a no-no, considering there is a rise and fall of at least 15 feet, so they must have at least that under the water waiting for you to foul them (seen it done) not a pretty sight. the last withie is about as shallow as it gets, and that part is soft mud, the dodgy bit is among the moorings again the chains and rubbish are just (looking) for your shafts

 

[Daydream believer]

Ran aground coming in to the entrance of the creek 2 weeks ago & then waited to float off. No problem with that as I was early.
What caught me by surprise was that as I rounded the red can to enter the marina I headed for the first 2 poles to the marina entrance & ran aground again about a boats length from the marina entrance & stopped dead. Had to give a burst of full throttle to push through the mud. I draw 1.800

 

[tillergirl]

That is a first! The general rule has always been 'if you can get pass the red cans and withies, you can get pass through the moorings and into the marina'. Clearly that rule has gone and the marina needs to have some attention.

 

[MoodySabre]

That is a first! The general rule has always been 'if you can get pass the red cans and withies, you can get pass through the moorings and into the marina'. Clearly that rule has gone and the marina needs to have some attention.

Not a first - I hit the putty there in 2013 having got to the last red can in the creek with 0.3m to spare. A bit of ploughing was required. It was nearly 4 hours after HW but after motoring into the wind all the way from Rotterdam we weren't going to be denied!