Deben Entrance, buoys now re-positioned for 2022.

The chartlets are now available on www.eastcoastpilot.com, and are free downloads as usual. They did get done for Easter after all - phew!
I think that in view of one or two of the comments earlier in this thread, I would like to pass a few observations about how these chartlets come to be available at all as perhaps some are not aware of the detail.
- Trinity House do us all, plus local fisherman, a big favour by paying for and carrying out a survey of these entrances each year. Their normal remit involves provision of navaids only for areas carrying significant commercial traffic.
- when a previous provider of entrance charts for these rivers withdrew some years ago, the authors of East Coast Pilot suggested to their publishers, the chart agents Imrays, that they might ask Trinity House if they would be willing to give Imrays early sight of the survey data. Such survey information usually goes straight to the UKHO, nobody else. Imrays did indeed take up this suggestion, and Trinity House did agree that, as soon as they had studied the survey data each year and decided upon buoy positions, they would indeed share the data with Imrays.
- On receipt of the data, Imrays then draw the chartlets for us at East Coast Pilot to publish, solely on our website. Trinity House insists (quite rightly) on checking the chartlets before publication. Imrays get no return for this work, nor does the East Coast Pilot team, the chartlets being made available to download totally free.
So there is a fortunate chain of events each year, by quite a few people effectively going out of their way to get this all done, without which the chartlets would simply not exist. Long may the arrangements last!
 
Leighb said:
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.
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I suspect it may have been a Norfolk Yacht Agency cruise in company.
 
The chartlet is much appreciated and I am grateful for all the effort that goes into making the river entrance more easily navigable, as per Catana's post.

I must note however that knoll spit buoy does not appear to be in the station shown on the chartlet. It *does* appear to be as per the photograph at the start of this thread.

This is just an observation based on my passage into the Deben this morning; it's not a criticism of anyone or anything. There are numerous reasons why the buoy may not be as it was at the time of the survey.
 
Chae_73 said:
I must note however that knoll spit buoy does not appear to be in the station shown on the chartlet. It *does* appear to be as per the photograph at the start of this thread.
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I've not yet been there to see for myself, but I agree that the chart does not seem to correspond with the photographs in Post #1 of this thread (or vice versa) respect of the buoyage .

The chart shows Knoll Spit to be west of a direct line between West Knoll and Mid Knoll. In the photographs in this thread it definitely appears to be to the east of such a line.

Also, on the chart Knoll Spit seems to be well clear and to the west of the detached seaward drying banks, whereas in the photo it looks very close and to the south(ish) of them.

Like Chae_73, I do not mean this as any criticism of any of those involved in providing the surveying, buoyage, and charts (and also the photos in this thread), all of which are greatly appreciated.

p.s. My guess is that, for whatever reason, the Knoll Spit buoy is not in the position indicated visually on the chart (I haven't checked the coordinates match the chart). If anyone here is passing over the weekend, perhaps they could get a GPS fix of it?
 
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As many have noticed the new ECP chartlet doesn't agree with one or more of the buoy positions shown on my aerial photos posted at the beginning of the thread. And the photos were taken after the buoys had been moved to their new 2022 positions.

I spoke to the Ferry Harbour Master John White this afternoon (Friday 15th April) and he understands that the West Knoll buoy is not correctly sited and will be repositioned soon.

I also understand that the buoy positions shown on the latest 2022 ECP chartlet are those specified by Trinity House, so hopefully when the buoy (or buoys) are moved then it will all agree. If not, then the chart will be reworked to show the latest changes.

We don't know when all this will happen, but I will post another aerial photo at low water spring tide to at least show where the shallow areas are.

John
 
I went out over the bar today in my Rib (15th April 2022) at almost high water and the current positioning of the buoys is most peculiar. The last 2 red buoys are very close and almost a 90 degree turn to follow them. Hopefully there will be some clarity soon
 
Bigplumbs said:
I went out over the bar today in my Rib (15th April 2022) at almost high water and the current positioning of the buoys is most peculiar. The last 2 red buoys are very close and almost a 90 degree turn to follow them. Hopefully there will be some clarity soon
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If the West Knoll has been incorrectly placed, as I understand the HM to have said, then your hoped-for 'clarity' will appear when it gets moved to the required charted position.
 
Yes that chappie will be pleased to do it very soon, but best done when the low tide is as close to chart datum as possible then the bar is almost visible.

It could be tomorrow, it wasn't low enough this morning.

John
 
We went into the Deben about an hour and a half before HW today (Sat 16th) and as has already been said the two port hand buoys were very odd but we stuck with them and had no issues with depth. I hadn’t mentioned the bouyage but as soon as he saw them our son commented to the effect of what on earth was going on with the port hand buoys?!

When West Knoll is moved it will no doubt be much improved in terms of clarity. The work of all involved in surveys, laying the buoys and promulgating information is very much appreciated ?
.
 
A sneak preview, this is taken at 0.35m above datum, the West Knoll on the left is obviously off station.

Please note the Walton Castle ruins in the lower photo for anyone who runs along the coast from the South to the Deben. That could knock a keel off!

I will try and get some more photos tomorrow morning when the tide should be even lower.

DJI_0541 (1320 x 846).jpg

DJI_0542 (1320 x 990).jpg
 
comparing the new chartlet with the images above (and accepting the charlet as correct), then it is the Knoll Spit that is unfortunately misplaced, and needs to be closer to the shore, with possibly West Knoll being moved offshore a little too... time will tell.
 
Johnah said:
A sneak preview, this is taken at 0.35m above datum, the West Knoll on the left is obviously off station.

Please note the Walton Castle ruins in the lower photo for anyone who runs along the coast from the South to the Deben. That could knock a keel off!

I will try and get some more photos tomorrow morning when the tide should be even lower.

View attachment 133472

View attachment 133473
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Nice Pics thanks.
I wonder if the Walton Castle ruin is the 0.7m drying bit on this chart snapshot . Haven't got my Admiralty chart to hand so cant check properly.
 
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