Deben entrance

[peterb]

Does anyone know what's happening at the Deben entrance? We tried to get in last week at about half-tide with a 1.5m draught, and couldn't find any way through. Got past the Bar buoy and the first red, then found what seemed to be an almost complete blockage.

I'm told that the chartlets have been withdrawn from the local chandlers and marinas. We didn't look for another entrance, but could it be that a northern entrance has opened up again?

PS
I put this post on the board some hours ago. I checked that it was there by refreshing the index. When I looked just now it had disappeared, so this is a re-post. What happened?

 

[Mirelle]

Yes, it is starting to look that way. There is a new shoal, which has developed over the past two months, between the first red and the narrows between the two high banks. I have clobbered it myself.

The northern swatch is definitely more promising, I am told, but being a serious coward where boating is concerned I have yet to try it. The sketch charts are really past it by this time of year anyway.

 

[PeterGibbs]

For boats drawing up to 2m, passage over the bar is only possible from about half tide upwards. At low water, passage is hardly possible for any vessels.

The situation changes constantly, but passage inwards for boats drawing up to 2m can be attempted by passing close to the green bar buoy then making direct for the red. Straying landwards of the line to the red will risk almost certain grounding. Beyond the red, the seaward bank has encroached well into the channel; it is therefore necessary to pass through the narrow "gulch" consisting of this seaward bank (water breaking over it from half tide upwards) and the shore. Taking a midway point through the "gulch" is about the best one can go for in the absence of other marks. Depth will descend to 2.3-2.5m at this point at half tide neaps but I don't guarantee any minimum: this observation is based on passing this way several times this season. Thereafter make passage to clear the red can at Felixstowe Ferry - a fairly easy channel.

It requires determination to follow this route, a rising tide is most wise - just in case of touching.

Attempting any other approach is even more risky in my view, although some flat bottomed fishing boats are now passing into the river from N of the "gulch". This may be the buoyed approach next season - such is the trend hereabouts - as seen with the River Alde.

Peter Gibbs

 

[paulrossall]

The post by Peter Gibbs is exactly in accord with my experience and I am moored on the Deben. I went over twice 26/29 September. The shallowest part does seem to be this "gulch" as Peter calls it. It is easier to see about half tide and I would only recommend entering on a rising tide if you do not know the enterance. Aproaching high water is not a good time as the seaward bank becomes submerged, perhaps only with one foot of water, with the result that the unsuspecting will end up on it. I was told that the landward bank is very steep-to whereas the seaward bank is very shallow so I keep close to the landward bank. Once you are past that point there does seem to be plenty of water provided you aim to go round the correct side of the red bouy off Felixtowe Ferry Yacht Club. Fishing boats do use a northerly enterance but it is not the reccomended route. The enterance is not that difficult provided you are carefull and go slow. Lots of boats use it at weekends. I did see a big Trinity House vessel which had replaced the Horse Sand bouy go through the enterance on the 26 Sept and noted it had a local fishing boat go just in front of it to "feel" the way out.

 

[dickh]

I visited the entrance by 'land' yesterday evening at 1800 as it was the lowest tide of the year - there were seagulls walking all over the place! As mentioned earlier, there is a large sand bank/gulch extended from the shore side of the 'narrows'. Both banks of the narrows are steep, with the seaward side almost vertical(quite different from the beginning of the year, which was the opposite). It looks as if you go in a line from port hand bouy to the narrows you will run aground, you will have to go in a seaward curve, ending up on the shore side of the narrows. As said several boats use the 'northern' un-marked entrance, I saw a large 30' yacht come in that way last weekend at half-tide so it is possible.
It will of course, all change next spring and the concensus is that there will probably be a 'northern' entrance or .......
I also heard that Trinity House will survey the entrance next year and bouy accordingly.

dickh
I'd rather be sailing...

 

[Mirelle]

I will drive down and have a look this evening, but I agree with the above postings. I have been told a set of marks for the northern swatch, but I will have a look at low water before I post them here!

 

[Stork_III]

Well! don't keep us east coast sailors in suspense. What did it look like?

 

[Mirelle]

situation as of 17/10/02

There is much more water in the northern swatch, but it is very narrow indeed, and won't be bouyed yet as it is expected to shift some more. Unfortunately nothing on shore lines up to give a lead over it. Some people have used the red can in transit with the end of the cottages, but I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS!!!! - for one thing the can buoy moves a bit in the tide, and for another that was a couple of weeks ago and the swatch has probably moved.

In terms of depth, Tammy reckons there is 5ft in the northern swatch one hour after LW neaps - which is far more than the buoyed channel.

The fishermen are using a red Decca lane to go over - they mostly have DGPS sets which show Decca lanes because fishermen do everything on Decca.

Jamie Clay says that when he went out at HW -2 the tide turned with him before he got to the narrows and shot him out like a cork out of a bottle. This suggests that the water is now entering through the northern swatch, of course.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Re: situation as of 17/10/02

Hardly seems like a convincing argument to move the boat to the East Coast!

 

[Mirelle]

Re: situation as of 17/10/02

That's the trouble with you South Coast types - no sense of adventure - you all think the Bramble Bank is an exciting hazard!

But to be fair I usually pass Portland Bill well out of sight of land - it gives me kittens!

 

[Twister_Ken]

Portland

Portland Bill OOS is one way to do it. The other is close enough to the shore for small boys to throw stones at you. It's the bit between the two extremes which messes up your stowage. Still, it doesn't last long.