Deben Bar

[Leighb]

We heard a local Nav warning last week on our way back from Southwold. The Mid Knoll buoy has been moved.

This info on the Eastcoastrivers.com website refers.

The Mid Knoll Buoy has been moved to position: 51° 58.759N 001° 23.411E This is due to the Deben Bar shingle bank migrating towards the West. The Deben Bar is on the move with particular concerns being raised over the middle section of the Knolls (North of Mid Knoll Buoy). The bank on the middle section knoll intrudes into the channel and various yachts have gone aground on the knoll on the ebb tide. The recommendation is for yachts should keep to the West of the channel between the Deben and Mid Knoll buoys An intermediate survey will be carried out and published online in the first week of September provided weather conditions are suitable.

Interestingly on our way up to Southwold on 10th August we heard a Mayday from a yacht that had gone aground on the bar on the ebb. She managed to extricate herself without assistance however.

 

[Otter]

Thanks for the valuable update.

 

[DipperToo]

Went in yesterday 3.5 hours before HW - a straight transit from West to Mid knoll saw a minimum of 2.8m. Left today 2 hours after HW and nothing less than 3m.

After mid knoll the deepest water seems to usually be found closer to the shore line and swinging back out to mid channel to clear the red deben buoy. After passing mid knoll I usually keep straight on the same bearing until closer to the shore (right side of the 'rocks' and towards the Martello tower.)

 

[Cantata]

Where the 'straight line between the buoys' is more likely to come unstuck is on the ebb, as a proportion of the tide crosses the bar eastwards near the point in question, rather than continuing southwards. The unwary matelot can get caught by that eastwards flow and if it goes unnoticed, that's when their day can get spoilt.
John White the HM at Felixstowe Ferry told me the other day that he'd been involved in pulling a couple of boats off the bricks there recently and that is why they moved the Mid Knoll buoy. The standard advice has however been for years that you should veer towards the land side between the buoys, and not follow a direct line.

 

[The engineer]

+1