Cruising the Tamar

sighmoon

sighmoon

Well-Known Member
Joined
6 Feb 2006
Messages
4,114
Location
West Coast
Visit site
It looks like the Easter blast across the channel with the lads might be replaced by gentle family cruising instead, starting with picking up our new (to us) boat in Plymouth. If it's choppy out, we'll probably head up the river instead.

VisitMyHarbour.com is a little discouraging about the Tamar:

Continuing up the River from here things get more tricky, as apart from a few deep water pools there is less than 1 m in the deepest parts of the channel. The River winds around on itself, and the deepest water is normally found on the outside of the bends. There are few if any markings. The intrepid explorer will almost certainly find tranquil deep water pools to anchor in, but may find things get less than tranquil when large tripper boats plying between Plymouth and Calstock attempt to pass this unexpected and unwelcome obstruction in "their" narrow channel.
Click to expand...

So some questions:
Would the tripper boats be running in April?
How soft and deep is the mud? If we stuff it up and get stuck would it be a disaster or just a little uncomfortable for a while?
The chart shows a deep (4m) pool at Cotehele quay - is there enough room to anchor there? Would we be blocking the channel? Can we get ashore there by dinghy and visit the National trust stuff?

The boat is 38ft with 1.9m draft

Any advice welcome, even if it seems obvious to you...
 
Last edited:
it's all a plot to try a get people to stay away from old-fashioned gunk-holing.

With that draft you can go up to Cotehele and further - easily.

Mud is soft; keep your eye on overhead cables.
 
The only cables I see on the chart are just down from Wier Quay with 16m clearance (MHWS?) and Wier Point (21m); are there others?
 
Last edited:
There is also the Lynher which can be followed as far as St Germans and has several quiet anchorages including the celebrated Dandy Hole.

AFAIK there are only the 2 cables across the Tamar. If you can get under the second (I can't) you can get up to Cothele, Morwelham and Calstock.
 
The Tamar is a great inland cruising area well worth exploring and too often passed by by cruising folk.

Plymouth Sound is a wonderfully open yet sheltered place to conduct sea trials in your new-to-you boat. You can spend a night in Cawsand Bay or Barn pool where the bottom is less foul than it was but it's still advisable to trip your anchor. Then you can explore upriver. The naval dockyards are interesting but be prepared to be surprised by how small our navy is now. Above the dockyards the river curves round and the Lynher (or St German's River opens up. With 1.9ft draught, start up river at half tide and, with careful pilotage, after 2.5 miles you will find yourself in the delightful little pool of Dandy Hole where you will stay afloat over low water and be able to get out from about 2.5 hours after low water. Next you can continue north past Saltash and under Brunel's famous bridge to Cargreen where, sadly, the jewel of the Tamar, the Spaniard's Inn remains closed while the owners continue their forlorn, 15-year battle to build a housing estate on the site.
You can tuck in and anchor anywhere between Saltash and Cargreen clear of the moorings but the south side of the Tavy river entrance or the entrance to Kingsmill Creek opposite are the favourites. The bottom is mud over rock. You could also pick up a buoy off the Spaniard's without charge and row ashore where you will be assured of a fine welcome at the cottage Tamarisk, opposite the Inn (provided we are in).
Navigation advice: At the north end of the long straight reach above Saltash you will come to the last of the green buoys. From here head almost due North towards Weir Point to avoid the banks off the mouth of the Tavy. Keep about 15m off the red pole before heading for the channel between the moorings. With 1.9m draught you run the risk of grounding even in the channel at dead low water springs just before you get to the village. After that there is water in the channel all the way to Calstock.
From Cargreen, though, the channel gets significantly narrower and beyond Weir Quay it changes from an estuary to a tidal river. From here you should put the engine on for safety and follow the usual river rules of keeping to the middle of the reaches and the outside of bends. There are no channel markets above the green-topped pole just at Cargreen.
However, there are no real problems and provided you carry the flood, you'll soon float off if you clipp a bank. The mud is soft but I've never experimented with the depth.
The river is pretty and wooded. You may spot Pentillie Castle through the trees to port a mile or so above Cargreen and then you will get to Cotele where you can anchor in deep water and row ashore to visit the house, museum etc. You can even lie alongside the quay at the top of the tide.
Don't worry too much about the ferry and tripper boats, even if they are running, but it is sensible to anchor as far out of the channel as you think wise.
At Calstock there is a pool and at that time of the year, you should be able to pick up a mooring or anchor clear of them. The best place is 100 yards beyond the landing stage. You should fine a minimum of 2m here. The Tamar is a good watering hole though often busy.
Beyond Calstock the river is navigable by dinghy up to the amazing Morwellham Quay, now an open air industrial museum that featured in teh television series on Edwardian farming.
There's more than enough in the Sound and the Tamar to keep you amused for a long EAster weekend at least
 
jamesjermain said:
The Tamar is a great inland cruising area well worth exploring and too often passed by by cruising folk.

Plymouth Sound is a wonderfully open yet sheltered place to conduct sea trials in your new-to-you boat. You can spend a night in Cawsand Bay or Barn pool where the bottom is less foul than it was but it's still advisable to trip your anchor. Then you can explore upriver. The naval dockyards are interesting but be prepared to be surprised by how small our navy is now. Above the dockyards the river curves round and the Lynher (or St German's River opens up. With 1.9ft draught, start up river at half tide and, with careful pilotage, after 2.5 miles you will find yourself in the delightful little pool of Dandy Hole where you will stay afloat over low water and be able to get out from about 2.5 hours after low water. Next you can continue north past Saltash and under Brunel's famous bridge to Cargreen where, sadly, the jewel of the Tamar, the Spaniard's Inn remains closed while the owners continue their forlorn, 15-year battle to build a housing estate on the site.
You can tuck in and anchor anywhere between Saltash and Cargreen clear of the moorings but the south side of the Tavy river entrance or the entrance to Kingsmill Creek opposite are the favourites. The bottom is mud over rock. You could also pick up a buoy off the Spaniard's without charge and row ashore where you will be assured of a fine welcome at the cottage Tamarisk, opposite the Inn (provided we are in).
Navigation advice: At the north end of the long straight reach above Saltash you will come to the last of the green buoys. From here head almost due North towards Weir Point to avoid the banks off the mouth of the Tavy. Keep about 15m off the red pole before heading for the channel between the moorings. With 1.9m draught you run the risk of grounding even in the channel at dead low water springs just before you get to the village. After that there is water in the channel all the way to Calstock.
From Cargreen, though, the channel gets significantly narrower and beyond Weir Quay it changes from an estuary to a tidal river. From here you should put the engine on for safety and follow the usual river rules of keeping to the middle of the reaches and the outside of bends. There are no channel markets above the green-topped pole just at Cargreen.
However, there are no real problems and provided you carry the flood, you'll soon float off if you clipp a bank. The mud is soft but I've never experimented with the depth.
The river is pretty and wooded. You may spot Pentillie Castle through the trees to port a mile or so above Cargreen and then you will get to Cotele where you can anchor in deep water and row ashore to visit the house, museum etc. You can even lie alongside the quay at the top of the tide.
Don't worry too much about the ferry and tripper boats, even if they are running, but it is sensible to anchor as far out of the channel as you think wise.
At Calstock there is a pool and at that time of the year, you should be able to pick up a mooring or anchor clear of them. The best place is 100 yards beyond the landing stage. You should fine a minimum of 2m here. The Tamar is a good watering hole though often busy.
Beyond Calstock the river is navigable by dinghy up to the amazing Morwellham Quay, now an open air industrial museum that featured in teh television series on Edwardian farming.
There's more than enough in the Sound and the Tamar to keep you amused for a long EAster weekend at least
Click to expand...

Thanks for that very comprehensive reply, James.
 
With regard to Morwhellham, on a recent visit the new owners will not allow boats to launch from their property. We wanted to launch Kayaks and canoes for a trip downstream as we've done many times before.

So I don't know how they would deal with an arrival by dinghy but the pub there has in the past been good for beer and simple lunch, if you had landed would they stop you leaving?

The attitude of the new owners to kayak launching surprised me as the restoration has been council and lottery funded. Now it is in private hands. If you do get up that way there is a footpath and right of way through the museum up to the rocks further upstream which makes a great walk with a fantastic view back down the valley (the edwardian farm series had them painting views from up there)
 
My advice would be to go up as far as Weir Quay or Ince Castle (R Lynher) on a first trip. If you And the crew enjoy it go further up in ideal conditions next time e.g. with HW around lunchtime. If you find a good spot to stay fine, if not come back down on the first of the ebb.

Do use a riding light if staying the night at anchor - apart from party cruisers, a couple of years ago a landing craft on exercise hit 2 unlit boats...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Other threads that may be of interest

T
Notices to Mariners - Week 50
Replies
2
Views
736
tillergirl
T

Share this page

Top