Copperas Channel

[FulmarJeddo]

I went through the Copperas channel off the N Kent coast on Saturday for the first time. I got there about 2 hrs before low water. I had programmed the waypoints of the 2 new buoys in to my chart plotter. The waypoint I had for Copperass was about 50m south of where the buoy actually was. Although my chartplotter (Garmin) showed deeper water where my waypoint was I decided I had better go closer to the buoy in case the channel had shifted. As I got closer the water started to get quite shallow. I think I had about 1.4m under my keel of 1.2m so decided to believe the chart plotter and my waypoint and found the water was much deeper. It seems as though the buoy is now on the tail of hook spit rather than in the deeper water that it is shown on the chartlet on the ECP site. I think the waypoint I had set also came from the ECP site, but I can't find it now to check that I had entered it correctly.
It would seem that it is best to keep about 50m south of the Copperras buoy's current position.

 

[tillergirl]

All the data regarding buoy positions and depths came from a Trinity House survey and the buoyage move following consultation. If you go here http://www.crossingthethamesestuary.com/page9.html and scroll down to week 14 you will see the UKHO chart amendments to depths and the chart blocks they published. Imray did the chartlet for ECP and will have got their data from this source. You will see in the chart blocks that best water is not close to the buoys as you found. Personally I am not a great fan of the Imray chartlet once you have seen the UKHO one (but don't tell them I said that please). Dick (Cantata) and I have talked about doing our own survey of this area (did try to get access to the Trinity House data but they wouldn't play). I don't know whether your chart plotter depth data has been updated?

TH co-ords for the new buoy positions are Reculver Latitude 51° 23'.63N., Longitude 001° 12'.56E, Copperas Latitude 51° 23'.81N., Longitude 001° 11'.18E

 

[FulmarJeddo]

Thanks Tillergirl, it looks like I may have set my waypoints on the plotter using the cursor and the chartlet rather than entering the Lat/Long. I know I definitely put the rock berm co-ords in. I'm not sure what date the chart is up to with the depths. I bought an upgrade, I think 2 years ago, but it seemed pretty accurate with its contour lines in the channel. I know I should have, but didn't calculate what depth to expect. Saturday was a Neepish tide and very settled so there should have been plenty of water.

Whilst passing the old channel a boat turned up looking for the old buoys. They had a go at getting through but suddenly went in to reverse and back into deeper water. I should have tried to contact them on the radio but I thought they had seen Copperass and were heading towards it. Shortly afterwards I heard a Rib calling them up they had parked themselves on top of Hook Spit. Whitstable lifeboat later towed them off when the tide started to rise.

 

[bluerm166]

Copperas

For interest here is the actual track achieved of an experimental passage made through at about 1 hr. before LW made under sail in a light fair wind in a shallow draft boat using my own gps waypoints,but assuming that it was LAT.
The straighter track is the return from a lunchtime anchorage on the east side and made under motor after the tide had turned.
To make it more interesting we were leading a deeper long keel yacht without a chart.
It is noticeable that whatever you do,according to the chart,you have to cross a very shallow extension of the bank running West from the Copperas buoy.
Ours was more a test of the GPS and my calibration than of the depths,and from memory it was LAT + 0.8M.

 

[Cantata]

............It is noticeable that whatever you do,according to the chart,you have to cross a very shallow extension of the bank running West from the Copperas buoy.........

Hence the routing suggested on the ECP website here.
Roger, we really should go and have a look at the Copperas. However I've got some wiring probs at present with my NMEA recording box, haven't got it working properly at all yet this year. Will have another go at it on Thursday.
As I'm a CG I was aware of the details of the chap who put his boat on the sand. I'd love to be able to tell you who he is but my lips are sealed.... Suffice to say they hadn't a clue about the buoyage change.

 

[tillergirl]

Dick, I agree!

 

[FulmarJeddo]

It is noticeable that whatever you do,according to the chart,you have to cross a very shallow extension of the bank running West from the Copperas buoy.
Ours was more a test of the GPS and my calibration than of the depths,and from memory it was LAT + 0.8M.

My plotter showed a gap in the bank somewhere in the region of the westerly track. I did see a reduction in depth but not anything that concerned me.

 

[ChattingLil]

For interest here is the actual track achieved of an experimental passage made through at about 1 hr. before LW made under sail in a light fair wind in a shallow draft boat using my own gps waypoints,but assuming that it was LAT.
The straighter track is the return from a lunchtime anchorage on the east side and made under motor after the tide had turned.
To make it more interesting we were leading a deeper long keel yacht without a chart.
It is noticeable that whatever you do,according to the chart,you have to cross a very shallow extension of the bank running West from the Copperas buoy.
Ours was more a test of the GPS and my calibration than of the depths,and from memory it was LAT + 0.8M.

Hence the routing suggested on the ECP website http://http://www.eastcoastpilot.com/north_kent_coast.html.
Roger, we really should go and have a look at the Copperas. However I've got some wiring probs at present with my NMEA recording box, haven't got it working properly at all yet this year. Will have another go at it on Thursday.
As I'm a CG I was aware of the details of the chap who put his boat on the sand. I'd love to be able to tell you who he is but my lips are sealed.... Suffice to say they hadn't a clue about the buoyage change.

I don't know if there is a more up-to-date thread on this, but the route shown the thumbnail is almost exactly the route we took a couple of weeks ago. HW+3 ish. Plenty of water for us showing at least 3m depth at the shallowest point. (and I think we have at least 0.5 safety margin). Well, I know we do because First Mate had a slight wandering problem and took us overland elsewhere where the es showed 1.2 and I think we might have just kissed the bottom (we draw nearly 2!).

 

[Gargleblaster]

I find going West on the flood that I have about 1.4 Metres under a 1.8 metre keel by the time I get to the Copperarse Chanel. I came through in April and the channel was fine but where as in the past the depth in my mind improved after the channel, I found that I was still watching the depth sounder closely until level with the Swale. Personally I blame the Wind Farm, although I love it particularly at night with all the pretty lights. Of course I might be steering a bit further south now to avoid the Wind Farm.