Brixham vs Torquay for night entry

[HamiltonSpreader]

We are looking at doing a night entry into Brixham or Torquay in early June. Will be coming from Portland in a 36ft yacht. Can people please advise which is easiest for a slightly nervous couple without a lot of night sailing experience (plenty of day sailing though) to deal with?

I assume the entry itself is pretty similar in terms of difficulty for both of them? Am actually more concerned about finding the berth in the dark and safely berthing without bumping the boat or the wife. Does either of them have better lit pontoons for example? Perhaps one has more staff available late at night to take a line?

Additionally, I have been looking at anchorages if we chicken out on marina entry and have come up with the following: Fishcombe Cove, Elberry Cove, NW of the fairway in Brixham Hbr, Anstey's Cove, Babbacombe Bay. However, looking at the chart it seems pretty much the whole of Torbay is designated as an anchor area? Is this true? Can one pretty much drop anchor anywhere in the bay?

(And yes I was asking questions about this trip last year! Unfortunately we got terrible weather and didn't make it (make it West that is, we are still alive). Am hoping to revisit this unfinished business this year...)

 

[wonkywinch]

I prefer Brixham, easy entry but watch out for all the trawlers departing. The staff will pop down and catch your lines, you can also stay on the visitors pontoon til morning.

Brixham is less intimidating walking into town to find food and drink.

 

[Dockhead]

Neither is Torquay any problem.

But anchoring off and waiting until daylight, or for better tide or wind, is also eminently seamanlike.

The problem with entering marinas on the South Coast is often the tide. Trying to get onto a pontoon which is arranged parallel with the tidal stream, from uptide of it, is dangerous, which I'm sure you know. Even worse if the wind is blowing that way too.

 

[wonkywinch]

Tom also offers useful tips for entering unfamiliar marinas here ..

 

[boomerangben]

Entered Torquay many years ago at night. Only difficulty was picking out the navigation lights amongst the lights on the sea front. Didn’t have fuel so went to Brixham the next morning

 

[gjgm]

Can't say they have ever taken my lines, but they do so in the middle of the night?
OP, I would call the marina mid morning and see
1..If there are any free berths anyway
2. If some pesky rally has packed the visitors pontoon.
Brixham fairways are reasonably wide,note.

 

[ashtead]

I would avoid night entry but assuming needs must then Brixham marina staff/environment will be far more welcoming however I would be checking /reserving a berth well in advance and not as you are crossing the bay - I suspect a berth on E pontoon might be preferable at the marina but I suppose you might be lucky and get on to one of the visitors pontoons at right angles to shore on chart but don’t bank on space being there in June.
If you opt for Torquay you might want to pack a stab vest if venturing ashore at night and to be aware of drug dealers etc.

 

[Babylon]

Not been into Torquay. Have been into Brixham, but that was onto a mooring in the outer harbour as the marina was full, however the main entry is very easy and once inside you'll have enough ambient light to see what's what as you proceed.

General principle before entering an unknown harbour, especially in the dark (and also especially if single-handing as I usually am) is to prepare breast lines on both sides, with most fenders on the side you're expecting to go alongside to but have a couple on the other side - not just in case you're blown onto the boat adjacent, but if you discover you'd be better off for reasons of wind or tide by going the other side-to in which case it's quick to swap over another couple of fenders and you're ready.

 

[ashtead]

We fender up both sides another reason why we avoid Torquay is when we visited the marina staff allocated us to a berth which was already occupied -not an ideal experience as we extricated ourselves and stooged around while the MDL staff sorted out the mess. I also recall a shortage of marina gate cards . If aiming for Torquay I would be contacting the harbourmaster town marina and not bother with MDL.

 

[Laysula]

New visitors pontoon at Torquay is really easy as it's just inside the Harbour entance. However if it's full you may be allocated a finger berth.
Brixhams visitor Pontoon is also easy but has no electricity again a finger pontoon may be available.
Both marinas take bookings so you should be sorted in advance.
Not sure about Torquay but the brixham staff are really good and will take a line or wave a light IF asked.
As you enter into Torbay watch out for the mussel farm between Hopes nose and Torquay,
If heading for Brixham it's dead easy to find as the harbour is well lit up by the fish dock which runs 24/7

Most importantly Brixham is MUCH nicer than Torquay Much Much nicer.

 

[doug748]

In June you only get about 4 or 5 hours of true dark so I would be tempted to spin out the trip a bit and arrive in twilight. A lot safer than searching for a anchorage or entry to an unfamiliar port.
Good advice apart, what I would actually do is enter Brixham and pick up a mooring but it is a bit of a fraught business for a number of reasons.

PS
Worth looking a Google Maps, I see they have extended their Streetview in certain spots and you can examine the vista from seaward in both these harbours
.

 

[ashtead]

Be interested to see if the OP can get a booking at Brixham for June -my impression is booking in the West Country is more problematic than the Solent approach.

 

[billyfish]

There are a couple of visitors moorings at fishcombe bay now. Easy.

 

[oldbloke]

Re anchoring. The whole of Torbay may be shown as an anchorage but the middle of the bay is used by boats 360' rather than 36'. The sheltered bits you mention are all valid, which you choose would depend on wind and sea state.
With modern navigation and street lights both harbours are easy, but as previously mentioned you would need a good reason to prefer Torquay even if a stab vest recommendation is a bit hyperbolic

 

[AntarcticPilot]

While I'm sure we all prefer to enter a new harbour or marina during the day, is it really any more difficult at night, providing the harbour/marina has adequate navigational lights? Things like leading marks are often easier to see at night, and the lights are positioned to provide clear guidance, provided that you follow the usual rules about port and starboard marks. Things like sector lights make it even easier. Both Brixham and Torquay are commercial harbours, so I'd expect the navigational markers to be accurate and well-maintained, and in that case, while I'd prefer to enter either during the day, I'd be quite happy to enter at night.

 

[BobnLesley]

If the OP is planning on making this approach/entry in 'early June', there will only be about four hours of genuine darkness any way, so why not choose the further of the two (depending on passage direction) as that'll be an extra hour away, and adjust the boat's speed to match arrival time with daylight's arrival.

 

[Seastoke]

Torquay MDL has 2 new visitor pontoons so plenty of room , and as you enter the harbour.

 

[Concerto]

Back in 2022 I had to enter Brixham late at night. I had a berth booked in the MDL marina. When I called through as I entered the night security man was very happy to come down and show me which pontoon and where the berth was and help me moor up. Very rare for this to happen, but very happy to say that Brixham would be my choice. I should mention I like Torquay as well as I was born in Torquay. They have never been as helpful as Brixham, even though they are both MDL marinas.