Changes at the Deben Bar

[Greg2]

Wells is frequently mentioned in the Notices to Mariners in this section of the forum, far more frequently than the Deben.

If you want to see my entry last year to Wells,then watch this video from 6.50, it was far more hairy than any entrance I have had entering the Deben over many decades.

There doesn’t appear to be a link to your video?

My only point was that less people go or are based there (hence it not being discussed as much) as opposed to comparing the relative difficulty of each entrance. I have only ever helmed a power boat departing Wells and experienced the cross tide - I can imagine that in a blow in a yacht it can be a bit lively.
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[rwt]

Not only is Wells a difficult entry, its also very isolated - a full days sail from Lowestoft or Yarmouth, themselves a long way from, say, Harwich Harbour. From the north the nearest usual start point is Grimsby (none of this applies to genuine shallow draft boats though). I went in a few days before Concerto and had a difficult time as I missed the tide (for various reasons) getting up from Yarmouth and spent a bad night anchored outside the bar. However the HM is very happy to lead you in across the bar and up the channel and it is a great destination easily comparable to Woodbridge and indeed anywhere else on the east coast. Highly recommended .

 

[PeterWright]

Wells is frequently mentioned in the Notices to Mariners in this section of the forum, far more frequently than the Deben.

If you want to see my entry last year to Wells,then watch this video from 6.50, it was far more hairy than any entrance I have had entering the Deben over many decades.

To be fair, Wells is not mentioned frequently in NtM because of its hazardous entry, but because dredging is an almost continuous activity there, so it gets an entry almost every week.

I agree with Greg's reasoning on why the Deben entrance is more widely discussed than Wells.

Peter.

 

[Concerto]

There doesn’t appear to be a link to your video?

My only point was that less people go or are based there (hence it not being discussed as much) as opposed to comparing the relative difficulty of each entrance. I have only ever helmed a power boat departing Wells and experienced the cross tide - I can imagine that in a blow in a yacht it can be a bit lively.
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Sorry forgot to include the link. Corrected now.

 

[Concerto]

The Wells harbour have a good drone video that shows the entrance. Well worth watching if planning to visit. You will then see why this is a much more tricky entrance than the Deben. Also a brilliant place to visit.

 

[Johnah]

Photo of the Deben entrance today 8th April low water spring tide, 0.3m above CD.



The knoll to the South, closest to the shore line, seems to stretch past the Knoll Spit PH buoy and the mooring block presumably for the buoy is breaking water at 0.3m.

You might just be able to see the underwater spit shape in the top two photos.






John