Crossing Thames Estuary

[Carduelis]

I'm taking a yacht from Chichester round to Ipswich in a few weeks time. While I'm familiar with both ends of the trip, I haven't done the Thames crossing before.

Any recommendations as to the best route from Ramsgate to the Orwell?

 

[pvb]

Straight up the outside...

I find it easiest to go straight up the outside - Kentish Knock, Long Sand Head, Sunk, Roughs, Cork Sand and in.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Yep....

Down past Nth Foreland, towardss E Margate and Outer Toungue, straight to Long Sands Outer, through Foulgers Gat to Long Sands Inner, up Black Deep round Sunk Head, past NE Gunfleet, and into Harwich via Medusa and Stone Banks through the Medusa Channel....

Quite an easy route.... leave Ramsgate with about 1 hr of tide to stem round past North Foreland, and then you'll cross through Foulgers Gat at or near HW, with probably no less than 3m of water under your keel, and have the tide with you most of the way.....

 

[Habebty]

yep.... agree with Morgana.

 

[Colvic Watson]

What's your recommended route from Queenborough? We are going from the Swale up to Tollesbury in nAugust.

 

[fluffc]

[ QUOTE ]
What's your recommended route from Queenborough? We are going from the Swale up to Tollesbury in nAugust.

[/ QUOTE ]

Up the swin, and through wallet spitway. Done this route many times, both N-S and S-N.

Easily done in one tide. Aim to be at the spitway at Low Tide. Leave Queenborough about 1 hour before HT to achieve this.

Beware the stream through the spitway continues to flow southwards for a little while, even after the tide has changed at Low Water. Punch through the spitway at LW, to catch the flood up to Tollesbury. You are likely to need to wait on a mooring at Mersea or South Channel for a couple of hours before there is enough tide to get up Woodrolfe Creek.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Yup.... agree with that.... only thing to add is be careful through the spitway.... last couple of times i've been through there its been shallower than charted.... shouldn't be a problem, but bearing in mind that you'll be there near LW, worth a bit of caution....

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

PS... Tollesbury is lovely!

 

[Athene V30]

Food very good in club too!

Held a dinner for 30 at end of May there and they excelled themselves.

 

[Colvic Watson]

Thanks. /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

 

[Colvic Watson]

Hope so, it's our new boat home from August!

If anyone wants details of a VERY good value mud berth in a nice Kent boat yard (1.5 hours either side of HW, leccy and water, no multihull premium), pm me for details!

 

[johnalison]

The only hard bit is crossing the Sunk sand. There are 3 crossing-places; most people seem to go west of the "Sunk" beacon where there is about 1.6m at LW on the chart. The deepest water is half a mile west of the now-sunken-and-dangerous "Little Sunk", but this is only useful on the way to Harwich from Foulger's Gat, though it has 3.5m at LW. I agree that it's best for a newcomer to be in this area around HW, though the last bit can be a bit boring against the tide and you'll have to wait to get into Tollesbury (maybe a mooring in W Mersea if low into the creek).

 

[ianfr]

I keep my boat at Tollesbury (Sihouette), and am a member of the Tollesbury Sailing Club. Welcome!

 

[Koeketiene]

Re: Straight up the outside...

[ QUOTE ]
I find it easiest to go straight up the outside - Kentish Knock, Long Sand Head, Sunk, Roughs, Cork Sand and in.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thief - that's my route. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[pvb]

Re: Straight up the outside...

Sorry, I'm just lazy, don't like zig-zagging around, don't like shallow bits, and have experienced some of the most uncomfortable conditions ever in places like Black Deep! Oh, and I find it's quicker to go straight up the outside.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Re: Straight up the outside...

But its 8nm further.......

 

[shmoo]

Re: Straight up the outside...

Its all going the change on July 1st. Three new TSSs right over Sunk. I expect the world will end...

(but seriously edit)
see http://www.woodbridgecruisingclub.co.uk/renderStory.php?storyId=85 if you are going that way after July 1

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Re: Straight up the outside...

I still haven't got my head around this new scheme yet..... better start doing so!

My initial take is that its going to be a PITA when heading over to Belgium

 

[shmoo]

Re: Straight up the outside...

Yup. Add to that: all your current charts of the area now have the suffix X and expire 0000 1 July. The new charts are only just becoming avaliable and the Small Craft versions won't be released until July, after the scheme has started.

One thing worth noting (I am indebted to Robert Jones - Chairman HASA for this): the TSSs HAVE DOTTED LINES so are recommended and not mandatory so no need to cross at right angles I guess.

 

[Koeketiene]

Re: Straight up the outside...

[ QUOTE ]
Sorry, I'm just lazy, don't like zig-zagging around, don't like shallow bits, and have experienced some of the most uncomfortable conditions ever in places like Black Deep! Oh, and I find it's quicker to go straight up the outside.

[/ QUOTE ]

My kind of sailing too - for the exact same reasons /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

The open sea does not worry me, it's the land & shallow bits I worry about.