Brightlingsea Harbour Charges

[DavidofMersea]

A number of the apartments are empty. Some were let to the windfarm people and one is occupied by a fella in a dirty vest who stands on his balcony alternately smoking and coughing his guts out..

So they are not high class apartments, so the marina will be OK for sailorman

 

[Cobra]

Were I a visitor and given a choice between the Harbour Authority pontoons and the 'Marina' (I refuse to give it the credence of being a real Marina!!), is there even a choice? For the 'Mud hole' you are completely reliant on having adequate water over the sill, which for most I believe will be somewhere between full and half tide. Anything less and unless you are drawing diddly squat or are a centreboarder you will probably not get in.

Sorry Danny, dredge it, tart it up do what you will, it is still a tide restricted basin and most people visit our lovely town so they are NOT restricted by the tide. If you want a tidal basin most will go to Tollesbury...a nicer environment altogether!

Don't get me wrong, I am Brightlingsea born and bred and have sailed here for 50 of my 58 years...convince me that your Marina is anything other than a tide restricted basin and I will shout it from the rafters!!

 

[Danny - Waterside Marina]

As much as I agree with some of what you are saying, the first paragraph quote in regards to the wind-farm lads, and the 'fella' in his dirty vest; I have been here....coming on 5 years now, and the wind-farm fleet left before I started. As for the guy in his vest, he was gone shortly after I started!

Haven't been here in a while have you?

As for the development, which comprises of 142 fully occupied apartments, I don't think that's too bad!

Please do remember that this is not a 300/500 berth marina, it's a small 50 berth. Foxes and like are just Marian's, we are an apartment complex with a marina.

 

[Oldgeezer]

Well, being a prospective visitor, I do have the choice between the pontoons and the marina. I will look at access, cost, facilities. As I'm mooored in Woodbridge on mud on a less than half tide restricted mooring it doesn't worry me much that Brightlingsea may be the same. As for getting back late from the pub at my own convenience without worrying about a water taxi, that comes into it too. As does cost. I can see many advantages of a 'tide restricted basin'. I've been to Tollesbury and the facilities are good, but different! (Shops, pubs, etc?)

I guess I'll have to find out for myself, never having been to Brightlingsea.....

 

[Cobra]

I guess I'll have to find out for myself, never having been to Brightlingsea.....

I am sure that you will enjoy visiting our creek wherever you choose to moor during your stay...especially now that the Kovalam have upped their game!!

 

[sailorman]

Well, being a prospective visitor, I do have the choice between the pontoons and the marina. I will look at access, cost, facilities. As I'm mooored in Woodbridge on mud on a less than half tide restricted mooring it doesn't worry me much that Brightlingsea may be the same. As for getting back late from the pub at my own convenience without worrying about a water taxi, that comes into it too. As does cost. I can see many advantages of a 'tide restricted basin'. I've been to Tollesbury and the facilities are good, but different! (Shops, pubs, etc?)

I guess I'll have to find out for myself, never having been to Brightlingsea.....

A shame about the food swmbo got food poisoning last year

 

[chinita]

I am sure that you will enjoy visiting our creek wherever you choose to moor during your stay...especially now that the Kovalam have upped their game!!

I agree, it is a great little town. Very quirky, I enjoyed every minute there and found everybody extremely personable and helpful.

I also second what Cobra says about the 'Marina'. I have an uncomfortable feeling that Danny may just be holding a poisoned chalice.

 

[Lucky Duck]

A shame about the food swmbo got food poisoning last year

I was at Tollesbury over the Easter Break, as the food at the Crusing Club didn't appeal to us we struggled to find anywhere decent to eat. The best alternative we found was having food delivered to the King's Head who will provide the cutlery and crockery.

 

[Tam Lin]

A shame about the food swmbo got food poisoning last year

Where? I've had proper food poisoning once and didn't like it. I don't want it again!

 

[sailorman]

Where? I've had proper food poisoning once and didn't like it. I don't want it again!

CC, salad placed in chicken sauce, we did complain. she was ill later

 

[ianfr]

We stayed at Waterside Marina on Good Friday.
The depth of water in the marina is somewhat irrelevant as the level of the mud in the visitors berths is still below the level of the cill.
I have to say, that last year the changeover in management left me with some reservations, but this year Danny seems to have got everything under control, and is most welcoming.
The convenience of not having to wait for the water taxi or using a dinghy plus the effective savings, balance out the access for us, especially as we normally sail with the dog who wants at least 4 walks during any stay.
On Saturday we left the Marina at HW - 3 and we draw 1.4 metres.

I will use both the Marina and Pontoons as appropriate, if I need to be away near low tide, then obviously the pontoons make more sense.

If the Harbour authorities had raised the price last year by a pound, and then again this year, I suspect that some of the preceding discussions would not perhaps have happened.
For what it is worth, I think that the price on the pontoons is now too high, given that there is no water, electricity etc.

Regards

Ian & Jo

 

[Bru]

In the interests of balance and fairness I'll mention once again that we ate in the Cruising Club at Tollesbury on no less than five separate occasions last year* and the food was perfectly acceptable. More home cooking than haute cuisine I grant you but that suits us anyway!

* Two visits as visitors plus the trips to Tollesbury to purchase and take ownership of Erbas

 

[Lucky Duck]

It might have been an 'off' day for them but when we visited on Saturday food was being returned to the kitchen because it was cold and the group of four on the table adjacent to us had clearly been kept waiting some time before thier food arrived.

Also I was less than impressed with the dual pricing structure where I was expected to pay an additional 10% for making the effort to support the local club.

 

[GrumpyOldGit]

Also I was less than impressed with the dual pricing structure where I was expected to pay an additional 10% for making the effort to support the local club.[/QUOTE]

With absolutely no axe to grind, I would point out that the 10% is not added on but a discount for members. Had this problem at our local YC with a 'Temporary Membership' fee being obligatory due to licensing laws and rateable value of premises as a Club versus a commercial catering venture.

Just a thought, please don't shoot the messenger..

 

[sailorman]

Also I was less than impressed with the dual pricing structure where I was expected to pay an additional 10% for making the effort to support the local club.

With absolutely no axe to grind, I would point out that the 10% is not added on but a discount for members. Had this problem at our local YC with a 'Temporary Membership' fee being obligatory due to licensing laws and rateable value of premises as a Club versus a commercial catering venture.

Just a thought, please don't shoot the messenger..[/QUOTE]

The extra 10% is not chargeable to visiting yachtsman its if non boating locals pitch-up to sample the gastronomic delights of the CC


The temp membership is only after 6 or 10 visits ( assuming you are from an RYA affiliated club or an RYA member). if not with the RYA then you should joiin

 

[Lucky Duck]

Whether it is a discount or not - the practical implication is that I was woud pay more for the same food than a member.

My understanding was that the obligation for visitors to sign in and associated restrictions on the number of visits, etc laid down by the club enabled them to avoid being considered as a commercial establishment. As far as I am aware the last two clubs I ate in - Haven Ports and Colne Yacht Club were not operating a dual pricing structure, or maybe I missed it?

Edit re Sailornman's post - Perhaps the menu could be re-worded so that it was clear that the discount was for members and visiting yachtsmen?

 

[sailorman]

Whether it is a discount or not - the practical implication is that I was woud pay more for the same food as a member.

My understanding was that the obligation for visitors to sign in and associated restrictions on the number of visits, etc laid down by the club enabled them to avoid being considered as a commercial establishment. As far as I am aware the last two clubs I ate in - Haven Ports and Colne Yacht Club were not operating a dual pricing structure, or maybe I missed it?

Edit re Sailornman's post - Perhaps the menu could be re-worded so that it was clear that the discount was for members and visiting yachtsmen?

I asked after reading the notice. I will not be eating there again. A FB pie o/b is much safer option

 

[MikeBz]

I see that there is a proposal to dredge the marina and.... wait for it.... put the silt in big bags and stack them outside the entrance. It is claimed there is "potential for net environmental benefit through creation of new habitat". Really??? I suspect it would be an eyesore which will restrict water flow and increase the silting up of the hard.

https://marinelicensing.marinemanagement.org.uk/mmo/fox/live/MMO_PUBLIC_REGISTER/search?area=8 2nd from last in the list at the moment.

 

[Cobra]

Thanks for that link Mike! That is one of the funniest items I have read since the original planning appication for the entire Waterside development!

Brief Description of Purpose We have been exploring options for the safe removal and disposal of silt that has built up within the Waterside Marina, and are proposing a geotextile bag system at the entrance to store the dredged silt and form an impoundment with the aim of decreasing future accretion. The design of the geotextile bags will include creation of marsh habitat, with the aim of providing ecological benefit to the Colne Estuary.

Programme of Works Application for marine licence including all necessary assessments - Spring 2014
Estimated timeframe for silt removal and deployment of geotextile bags and associated works (provisional on receiving appropriate licence and ecological considerations) - Summer/ Autumn 2014
Creation of wetland habitat - Ongoing from completion of construction works, associated with rate of silt accretion and natural succession processes.

Proposed Methodology The programme will include:
1.) Removal of silt from within the marina using a bespoke dredging method.
2.) Pumping of silt to an array of geotextile bags located across the seaward entrance to the marina for safe storage.
3.) Maintenance of the volume of silt within the marina to a manageable level that does not impede upon the function of the marina.
4.) Allowance of natural accretion and succession of the geotextile bags and encouraging colonisation of marsh species and wetland birds creating an ecological benefit.

Referring specifically to the points I have placed in BOLD...so Hampstead Homes (or whosoever is running them now) have, presumably unilaterally, decided to create a new area of Marshland in the creek?

I don't suppose that anyone has given any consideration to the net effect on tidal flow and natural scouring that has already been screwed up by the original construction of the development? Not that this would be of any real interest to the developers...after all their only concern is trying to sell the rest of their flats!

It will be interesting to see just how long it takes for the Hard to silt up, and I would guess the Sailing Club ramp will also suffer...still, that will be somebody elses problem won't it?

Such a shame that the planners didn't pay a bit more attention to the alternative proposal for the site put forward by Mike Hempstead and the Brightlingsea Society...

 

[chinita]

Quite amazing. Looks like it has been written by a nine year old.

The worrying thing is, it is so wacky it may just slip through - and what then?