Clacton obstructions?

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Mudhook

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About a mile off Clacton pier there is a diamond-shaped outline on the chart that says "Obstructions". Anyone know what is supposed to be there? My Wallet route normally goes well clear of it but going out by the Knoll last Saturday night took me right over them. I hadn't even noticed it till I chanced to put a position on the chart. Bang in the middle!

I'm here to tell the tale. But what did I miss?

Regards, Mudhook
 
Dont know, but last time we were sailing back from Walton to Burnham, we heard a Fisherman giving chapter and verse about the 5ft long black cylindrical object he and his mate had raised from their net, crapped themselves and dropped it over the side again pronto. That was just off Clacton Pier....
 
I have often been that way and not worried about it - the obstructions are not charted with a depth so I imagine that it is below anywhere a yacht keel would reach (that's my story). The worst bit about keeping fairly inshore is watching for the pots - some of which are poorly marked with plastic containers. I saw one last week that was dipping under the surface of the swell. Why can't they spend a few quid on a buoy with a flag? At night I would keep much further offshore.
 
Funny you should say that, Moodysailor. I picked up a pot rope just off the Naze in the dark the same night. After a bit of fiddling about it let me go. Very lucky I think, as I was on my own! There's more adventures to be had in the estuary than on any bluewater passage. Two weeks ago I was nearly run down at night by a ketch motorsailer under engine coming at me from port as I had just crossed the Sunk and was heading for Foulgers. Complicated by the fact that a big freighter was running down the north side of the Black Deep just astern of me. I hove to between the two of them. Would love to have had a name to mail a copy of the collision regs to!

Regards. Mudhook
 
I have never worried about the marked obstruction ,but I do worry about the pots -marking is disgraceful and I cannot fathom out why MCA do not sort the fishermen out. Same problem last week on way to Deben -the pots were marked with silver grey old plastic oil cans .....virtually invisible. Paranoid now after damaging al three kiwi prop blades just after passing through the Thames barrier on what we think was a lifebelt. Good service from Vecta on replacement though
 
The passage from Harwich to the Deben is the one place where I really worry about pots...... alongside the Looe channel, it must be one of the most heavily potted places in the UK.....

I find that if you stay well off the shore in the Wallet, then the pots are very far and few between.... I certainly stay well over to the offshore side of the channel in the dark.....
 
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