Fr J Hackett
Well-Known Member
Locals will know and understand but someone arriving for the first time from seaward expecting to follow the buoyage might be in for a bit of a shock.
Deben Entrance, buoys now re-positioned for 2022.
- Thread starter Johnah
- Start date
Slowboat35
Well-Known Member
I'll await the chartlet with great interest. At sightof the aerials I can't for the life of me see a rational path via bouyage (which should be sufficient on its own) but maybe there's sense to it.
I'm glad my date for the Deben next weekend has been cancelled. I wonder how many on the easter weekend will try it nonetheless? I wish them well!
I'm glad my date for the Deben next weekend has been cancelled. I wonder how many on the easter weekend will try it nonetheless? I wish them well!
Greg2
Well-Known Member
If weather permits we are planning to return to our berth in the Deben over the Easter weekend. As I said earlier, reading the instruction is crucial because, as you say, a rational path is not immediately obvious.
My understanding is that from the clear water mark you should head for the southern most port lateral mark ( the chart shows a bearing) leaving it close to port before turning to head for the next port lateral mark, again leaving it close to port before turning immediately to head to the stbd lateral mark so that you leave it close to stbd.
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Fr J Hackett
Well-Known Member
That is the only logical explanation but there will be visitors that don't or aren't able to read the chartlet and a high water entry with the shoal covered is potentially dangerous. The obvious answer is to position a starboard hand buoy just to the south of the shoal to mark it and defining a narrow entrance.
Greg2
Well-Known Member
Yes, the absence of a stbd hand buoy to better define the entrance is a bit odd at best and potentially dangerous at worst.
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Leighb
Well-Known Member
If approaching from the North it is important to start from the Haven Buoy, but from the South in recent years there has been plenty of water to go directly to the Southernmost Red can and then follow the marks. Also there seemed to be less crab boats when approaching closer inshore. The chartlet is needed before we can see if that is still the case? It is academic for me as we have retired from the boating world sadly.
It will be interesting to see the layout at LW Springs.
DanTribe
Well-Known Member
I think the aerial photos, handy as they are, give a wrong impression.
If you look at last years chart it all makes a bit more sense. I assume the new chart will follow a similiar route.
As always, I much appreciate the efforts of all concerned in marking this entrance.
If you look at last years chart it all makes a bit more sense. I assume the new chart will follow a similiar route.
As always, I much appreciate the efforts of all concerned in marking this entrance.
Fr J Hackett
Well-Known Member
Yes it's very obvious when using the chart but if you don't have the chart and were relying purely on buoyage then it is by no means clear or safe.
LONG_KEELER
Well-Known Member
At first sight, you could probably follow the shoreline in coming from Harwich. Particularly if you have variable draft. That has been my approach in many previous years . Will be interesting to see the chartlet when published.
Chae_73
Well-Known Member
the middle buoy just looks wrong. i'm intending to return to the Deben on thursday so this is not just of academic interest.
the photos suggest that the best course would be from the southern port buoy to the starboard buoy, leaving the middle port buoy to starboard.
the photos suggest that the best course would be from the southern port buoy to the starboard buoy, leaving the middle port buoy to starboard.
Greg2
Well-Known Member
I suspect it will get a bit shallow if you do that.
We too are returning to the Deben at some point over the weekend so would be interested to hear how you get on.
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Chae_73
Well-Known Member
I'll let you know.
Aiming to arrive shortly before HW so there should be plenty to float in. I will steer to the indicated course but will aim to leave that middle buoy quite fine and try to get the right moment to bear to the west once the river entrance is opened [edit - i mean north] of the starboard buoy.
Aiming to arrive shortly before HW so there should be plenty to float in. I will steer to the indicated course but will aim to leave that middle buoy quite fine and try to get the right moment to bear to the west once the river entrance is opened [edit - i mean north] of the starboard buoy.
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Slowboat35
Well-Known Member
It seems surprising that the chartlet and notes haven't been published before the upcoming busy weekend when dozens of boats will be out wanting to use the entrance and trying out the new bouyage.
alandalus11
Well-Known Member
We are looking at going in on the Easter weekend. Just spoke with John White at Felixstowe and he advised following the buoys. He was surprised at how far in shore the first PHB was though.
Applescruffs
Well-Known Member
Call me daft but it looks like the buoys couldn’t have been placed any more bizarrely it’s just asking for someone to hit the shoals. it’s my first year on the Deben, (moored at Waldringfield), and I was a bit concerned about leaving and entering the bar anyway and these pictures don’t fill me with confidence, I’m really confused…in fact it scares the bejesus out of me.
hopefully all will become clear ??
hopefully all will become clear ??
Cantata
Well-Known Member
Chartlet is with Trinity House for approval, we can’t publish it until we have that. I doubt there will be any notes with it to start with.
Slowboat35
Well-Known Member
I accept that, but it seems dreadfully unimaginative (and that's putting it mildly) of TH to delay publication until after what's expected by all to be a really busy easter weekend.
If (rather when) boats go aground this weekend as would seem inevitable I wouldn't want to be TH's brief trying to excuse why such confusing and unusually configured bouyage had been put in place in the absence of supporting guidance.
LittleSister
Well-Known Member
I've said it before, but the Deben bar is just put there to keep out the riff-raff.
Perhaps they felt additional measures - i.e. the buoyage - was required?
Perhaps they felt additional measures - i.e. the buoyage - was required?
Chae_73
Well-Known Member
went in this morning at about 2 hours before HW; navionics showed +2.5m of tide and the lowest point we had around 3m of water.
It does feel counter intuitive to go so far inshore to reach the southern PHB and then head back out to sea to pass the middle PHB. The shallowest water was just as we were passing very close by on the seaward side of the middle PHB, which does perhaps suggest it's not in the best possible position.
A mini flotilla of motorboats, apparently from Ipswich, followed us in - enjoy the weekend chaps, you have the right weather for it!
It does feel counter intuitive to go so far inshore to reach the southern PHB and then head back out to sea to pass the middle PHB. The shallowest water was just as we were passing very close by on the seaward side of the middle PHB, which does perhaps suggest it's not in the best possible position.
A mini flotilla of motorboats, apparently from Ipswich, followed us in - enjoy the weekend chaps, you have the right weather for it!
Leighb
Well-Known Member
Just for your interest they had come from Titchmarsh, but are based in Brundall in Norfolk. We watched them coming past the flat earlier, and walked round to the Tide Mill, not being nosey you understand, to see where they were from.