Bradwell Marina to Holland

[trellsy]

I plan on leaving Bradwell at HW-1 and cannot decide whether to use Kings Channel, Long Sand Head and onwards or to take the Spitway, the East Barrow and thru the SW Sunk and down Fisherman’s Gat before heading across to West Hinder. The fisherman’s Gat route is 13nm shorter, I have Brian Navin’s book and I would like to know why that route is not included? Is there a reason the shorter route is not favourable? I hope to pick up the tide to Vlissingen, but I will drop into Ostende or blankenberg rather than fight any tide on that coastline. My boat sails better than she motors, but I use 5knots through the water as an average, but better if sailing is ideal. Thanks

 

[Cantata]

Navin’s book is years out of date, it includes none of the big changes that have happened on your route.
There is a new edition available from Imray, published last year.

 

[tillergirl]

You MUST see the download at: Downloads. There is a new hazard at the SW Sunk. There is room to pass but you MUST have a good GPS. Sorry to be pedanti. The nature of the hazard and the clearance over the hazard is uncertain at the moment.

 

[MoodySabre]

I’ve been from Bradwell to Ostend and Holland several times. Leaving at HW will get you to Longsand Head in 5 hours via the Spitway. 15 or 16 hours to Ostend or 20 to Breskens. The advantage of Ostend is that an early start gets it done in daylight. Customs check in at the rail station.

 

[trellsy]

You MUST see the download at: Downloads. There is a new hazard at the SW Sunk. There is room to pass but you MUST have a good GPS. Sorry to be pedanti. The nature of the hazard and the clearance over the hazard is uncertain at the moment.

Thanks Roger..I have seen this post and will take heed. I went through the SW Sunk on the 24th June and 25th June - thank you for your coordinates and amazing work

 

[trellsy]

I’ve been from Bradwell to Ostend and Holland several times. Leaving at HW will get you to Longsand Head in 5 hours via the Spitway. 15 or 16 hours to Ostend or 20 to Breskens. The advantage of Ostend is that an early start gets it done in daylight. Customs check in at the rail station.

That is a good endorsement for the LongSand head route. Is there any reason that you chose not to go the fishermans Gat route? I did not know about the rail station ..thanks

 

[MoodySabre]

That is a good endorsement for the LongSand head route. Is there any reason that you chose not to go the fishermans Gat route? I did not know about the rail station ..thanks

I didn’t look at it. LSH seemed so obvious.
I have Dutch charts and guides if you’d like to borrow any. I’m in F31 and will there on Friday and could leave them for you.

 

[johnalison]

I haven't sailed from the Blackwater for many years but we used to leave Maylandsea at half tide when heading for Fisherman's gat, aiming to cross the shallows close to HW, but generally went Longsand Head if going to Belgium.

 

[trellsy]

I didn’t look at it. LSH seemed so obvious.
I have Dutch charts and guides if you’d like to borrow any. I’m in F31 and will there on Friday and could leave them for you.

Wow! That's kind of you, just let me know where you plan to leave them. I'm actually close by on F17, boat is called Opperteur. I was supposed to be hauled out on Tuesday, but I think I am still in the water. I will be going down on Saturday. Thank you. It would be good to learn more from you about the paperwork too.

 

[Daydream believer]

I first sailed to Ostend from Burnham in 1970 in my Stella. Sony Cole a director of Tucker Brown the people who built & looked after my boat, pulled me aside & asked how I was going to get there.
I explained a route via the Edinburgh Channel etc & he stopped me there. He said, " Never let me hear of you going that way". He told me to leave Burnham at HW & sail down the Barrow with the Gunfleet on my port side Then out to the Black Deep buoy & round the end of the sands by the Longsand Head. Arriving at LW. Then steer 127 degrees. The tide carrying me south of my course for 6 hours, then the tide carrying me east at the other side to bring me back on course for 4 hours.
In the days before GPS, he explained how I would see the Galloper LV to the east or the Kentish Knock LV to the west, if off course. How I would see the shipping lanes & know which one by the direction of the ships. That would tell me how far along the track I was.
I would sail between Garden City & Twin buoys & if off course I could correct it by which one I saw. Then find the West Hinder LV ( now a pillar).This would mean I had 21 miles to go. Then within a couple of miles I would be able to see the Centrum building at Ostend. All I had to do was keep up tide.
My last visit to Ostend was my 78th so I have done the crossing 150+ times & about 140 of them has been via that route.
I still remember those instructions except Galloper is now a wind farm & the Kentish Knock LV is not there but one can see the London array.
I am based in Bradwell & 40+ trips have been SH. I now keep north of the Gunfleet sands. Note that there is a small spit in the sand opposite the old lighthouse & I have run aground on it 3 times to date. Once with the kite up doing 8kts & heeled well over. So far I have managed to get off even though it was a falling tide
My fastest trip was 13.5 hours. Oddly enough this was SH in my Stella, but with spinnaker hoisted as I left Ostend & dropped as I approached my mooring at Stone. The longest 30 hours - Hove too in F9 for 4.5 hours.
I normally average 14.5-15 hours in my current boat (30ft). I do not seem to beat the 14.5 hours to Bradwell as hard as I try.
I would only recommend the LSH route. It is a milk run & dead easy. You do not need a GPS. Just an echo sounder & decent compass.
The angle one hits the main shipping lanes is not far off the legal angle, so one can square up if necessary. I have never yet met anything more than a fishing boat in the Sunk one but I do have to watch for shipping coming along the Black deep, especially at night.

The return journey needs to be timed to get to the LSH at LW. It can be confusing coming West from there & one has to make sure that the tide does not lead one south of the end of the Gunfleet spit.
Being tired & late night I have had to do a couple of rapid change to a northerly course to clear the end. The tide always seems stronger than the charts suggest. The same can be said when going to Ostend. One has to head up a good 10 degrees.

LW at LSH means plenty of water to get into or out of Bradwell marina

The sea can be a bit rough around the LSH but it eases off once 4 miles past it.

 

[MoodySabre]

Wow! That's kind of you, just let me know where you plan to leave them. I'm actually close by on F17, boat is called Opperteur. I was supposed to be hauled out on Tuesday, but I think I am still in the water. I will be going down on Saturday. Thank you. It would be good to learn more from you about the paperwork too.

Which part of Holland are you planning to do?

I haven't been since the new regs - @Daydream believer can tell you.

 

[Daydream believer]

Which part of Holland are you planning to do?

I haven't been since the new regs - @Daydream believer can tell you.

I am leaving for Shotley Friday morning, Back late monday. Berth B3
Am about most days otherwise

 

[Jon4468]

I first sailed to Ostend from Burnham in 1970 in my Stella. Sony Cole a director of Tucker Brown the people who built & looked after my boat, pulled me aside & asked how I was going to get there.
I explained a route via the Edinburgh Channel etc & he stopped me there. He said, " Never let me hear of you going that way". He told me to leave Burnham at HW & sail down the Barrow with the Gunfleet on my port side Then out to the Black Deep buoy & round the end of the sands by the Longsand Head. Arriving at LW. Then steer 127 degrees. The tide carrying me south of my course for 6 hours, then the tide carrying me east at the other side to bring me back on course for 4 hours.
In the days before GPS, he explained how I would see the Galloper LV to the east or the Kentish Knock LV to the west, if off course. How I would see the shipping lanes & know which one by the direction of the ships. That would tell me how far along the track I was.
I would sail between Garden City & Twin buoys & if off course I could correct it by which one I saw. Then find the West Hinder LV ( now a pillar).This would mean I had 21 miles to go. Then within a couple of miles I would be able to see the Centrum building at Ostend. All I had to do was keep up tide.
My last visit to Ostend was my 78th so I have done the crossing 150+ times & about 140 of them has been via that route.
I still remember those instructions except Galloper is now a wind farm & the Kentish Knock LV is not there but one can see the London array.
I am based in Bradwell & 40+ trips have been SH. I now keep north of the Gunfleet sands. Note that there is a small spit in the sand opposite the old lighthouse & I have run aground on it 3 times to date. Once with the kite up doing 8kts & heeled well over. So far I have managed to get off even though it was a falling tide
My fastest trip was 13.5 hours. Oddly enough this was SH in my Stella, but with spinnaker hoisted as I left Ostend & dropped as I approached my mooring at Stone. The longest 30 hours - Hove too in F9 for 4.5 hours.
I normally average 14.5-15 hours in my current boat (30ft). I do not seem to beat the 14.5 hours to Bradwell as hard as I try.
I would only recommend the LSH route. It is a milk run & dead easy. You do not need a GPS. Just an echo sounder & decent compass.
The angle one hits the main shipping lanes is not far off the legal angle, so one can square up if necessary. I have never yet met anything more than a fishing boat in the Sunk one but I do have to watch for shipping coming along the Black deep, especially at night.

The return journey needs to be timed to get to the LSH at LW. It can be confusing coming West from there & one has to make sure that the tide does not lead one south of the end of the Gunfleet spit.
Being tired & late night I have had to do a couple of rapid change to a northerly course to clear the end. The tide always seems stronger than the charts suggest. The same can be said when going to Ostend. One has to head up a good 10 degrees.

LW at LSH means plenty of water to get into or out of Bradwell marina

The sea can be a bit rough around the LSH but it eases off once 4 miles past it.

I hear that you have a new navigator on board, good luck you could end up anywhere with George at the helm

 

[trellsy]

I first sailed to Ostend from Burnham in 1970 in my Stella. Sony Cole a director of Tucker Brown the people who built & looked after my boat, pulled me aside & asked how I was going to get there.
I explained a route via the Edinburgh Channel etc & he stopped me there. He said, " Never let me hear of you going that way". He told me to leave Burnham at HW & sail down the Barrow with the Gunfleet on my port side Then out to the Black Deep buoy & round the end of the sands by the Longsand Head. Arriving at LW. Then steer 127 degrees. The tide carrying me south of my course for 6 hours, then the tide carrying me east at the other side to bring me back on course for 4 hours.
In the days before GPS, he explained how I would see the Galloper LV to the east or the Kentish Knock LV to the west, if off course. How I would see the shipping lanes & know which one by the direction of the ships. That would tell me how far along the track I was.
I would sail between Garden City & Twin buoys & if off course I could correct it by which one I saw. Then find the West Hinder LV ( now a pillar).This would mean I had 21 miles to go. Then within a couple of miles I would be able to see the Centrum building at Ostend. All I had to do was keep up tide.
My last visit to Ostend was my 78th so I have done the crossing 150+ times & about 140 of them has been via that route.
I still remember those instructions except Galloper is now a wind farm & the Kentish Knock LV is not there but one can see the London array.
I am based in Bradwell & 40+ trips have been SH. I now keep north of the Gunfleet sands. Note that there is a small spit in the sand opposite the old lighthouse & I have run aground on it 3 times to date. Once with the kite up doing 8kts & heeled well over. So far I have managed to get off even though it was a falling tide
My fastest trip was 13.5 hours. Oddly enough this was SH in my Stella, but with spinnaker hoisted as I left Ostend & dropped as I approached my mooring at Stone. The longest 30 hours - Hove too in F9 for 4.5 hours.
I normally average 14.5-15 hours in my current boat (30ft). I do not seem to beat the 14.5 hours to Bradwell as hard as I try.
I would only recommend the LSH route. It is a milk run & dead easy. You do not need a GPS. Just an echo sounder & decent compass.
The angle one hits the main shipping lanes is not far off the legal angle, so one can square up if necessary. I have never yet met anything more than a fishing boat in the Sunk one but I do have to watch for shipping coming along the Black deep, especially at night.

The return journey needs to be timed to get to the LSH at LW. It can be confusing coming West from there & one has to make sure that the tide does not lead one south of the end of the Gunfleet spit.
Being tired & late night I have had to do a couple of rapid change to a northerly course to clear the end. The tide always seems stronger than the charts suggest. The same can be said when going to Ostend. One has to head up a good 10 degrees.

LW at LSH means plenty of water to get into or out of Bradwell marina

The sea can be a bit rough around the LSH but it eases off once 4 miles past it.

This is such a great post! You should write a book.

Do you think you were advised against the shorter route to Holland because of some tidal advantages of the longer route or because the longer route had more navigational advantages pre GPS?

I did enter a Tucker Brown cup race many years ago. There was no wind and we went backwards with the tide a lot of the time. On returning to the Marina I was told I had come second. My first race ever! When I looked at the list of boats I had beaten, I quickly realised they were in the race after my race!

 

[trellsy]

Which part of Holland are you planning to do?

I haven't been since the new regs - @Daydream believer can tell you.

We haven’t decided yet

 

[Daydream believer]

This is such a great post! You should write a book.

Do you think you were advised against the shorter route to Holland because of some tidal advantages of the longer route or because the longer route had more navigational advantages pre GPS?

I did enter a Tucker Brown cup race many years ago. There was no wind and we went backwards with the tide a lot of the time. On returning to the Marina I was told I had come second. My first race ever! When I looked at the list of boats I had beaten, I quickly realised they were in the race after my race!

I still have the trophy

 

[Daydream believer]

I hear that you have a new navigator on board, good luck you could end up anywhere with George at the helm

I am a glutton for punishment. I think that he has told half the club he is coming

 

[Jon4468]

I am a glutton for punishment. I think that he has told half the club he is coming

It’s a brilliant opportunity you’re giving him to go on a crossing with you, he’s well excited about it.

 

[MoodySabre]

@trellsy I've sent you a PM. Your boat is not in the water.

 

[Daydream believer]

I hear that you have a new navigator on board, good luck you could end up anywhere with George at the helm

Read all about it in the next club Jib sheet