Deben Entrance

John 32i

John 32i

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Our yacht is moored at Felixstowe ferry for the second year running - we have been up and down the deben numerous times, but havnt yet ventured out of the river.
We are quite new to sailing and concerned by the strong current/tides/ etc (we have a Hunter Horizon 21 with a 5HP outboard) Please can anyone offer advice on the best times to leave and return - we would like to sail round to the orwell one weekend but there seems so much conflicting advice on when to go out and when to return. Would appreciate some concrete advice from someone that knows the river mouth.:confused::confused:
 
With some care it's very simple in anything other than strong onshore winds.

1. With your engine size you need to go with the tide, we've clocked 6 knot currents before!
2. Leave on the first of the ebb, lots of depth, easy to do, no scary depth alarms.
3. Return at an hour before HW
4. Avoid strong wide against tide or strong onshore winds
5. Get a free chartlet from Fox's, Suffolk Sails or loads of other places
6. Stick to the advce on the chartlet and it will be absolutely fine. To be honest with your draft you do could do it at any state of the tide.

Ore entrance, now that's a buggger.
 
I suspect that you might get very different opinions.

With your low hp engine power I rule out you going over the bar in much over a force 4 for the first time. A south East to East wind makes for a choppy bar.

If you want to go up the Orwell I would advise going a couple of hours after Low Water (not very low springs). You would have plenty of depth and will be going out on a rising tide should you happen to touch (unlikely to). You will the have the tide with you as you go South down the Felixstowe foreshore and again when you start up the Orwell. You will push the tide as you go towards and over the bar, but not for long. If for some reason you don't like it then you just turn round and the tide will help you back home PDQ! I think this is the safest option for a first timer.

It is a long way down the Felixstowe foreshore against an ebbing tide and it can get bumpy in any wind conditions if you approach the turn into the Orwell against the ebb.

On return I would aim to arrive no later than an hour before High Water so you go in on a rising tide which goes with you.

The water ebbs out of the river faster than it floods, so fighting an ebb tide can be hard work. Fighting a flood is not so bad.

The conditions to avoid are the strong SE and East winds and entering against a strong ebb. Once you have been over a few times you will wonder what you were so concerned about, but you should always give it due regard.

Good Luck
 
My first time

Did it for the first time last week. 4HP outboard on a 20' 650Kg weekender more than enough.

We followed advice and went both ways on a rising tide, so if we touched, we'd come off again. Not at all sure we'd do the same again - I think I'd "go with the flow", the channel is well marked.

We went out, against the tide, 3 times!! - Ran out of petrol; engine failed; finally kept going.

Remember going round Landguard into Harwich can be at least as exciting as leaving the Deben. Not as dodgy as you'd imagine.

YouTube vid of trip here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBYY4RixnuE
 
Thanks everyone for your advice, and the video is great Max!!!
Heading down to the boat shortly....although there doesnt seem much wind!!!!
 
It can be a little rough at times :eek:

Med_Yacht1.jpg


Med_Yacht2.jpg


Ebb tides and easterly winds can give some big waves and a nasty chop :eek:
 
tillergirl said:
Eeekk. Mummy!
Is the bimini some sort of down force generator to stop her taking off? Frankly, I'm not sure I'd want to go out that much!
Click to expand...
It does make you wonder, doesn't it? I think I'd have found something to do at home instead. From there, I am more able to respond when my CG pager starts buzzing, summoning me to people getting themselves into bother.
 
Keep to the shingle bank side (if on a rising tide) it has a noticeably slower current, it took us a few goes to summon the courage to copy the more experienced locals but it makes leaving on a flood tide much quicker. Let's not be too hasty in calling the Deben bar easy, I like how it keeps away the riff raff from the Orwell estuary ;)
 
Black Kipper said:
Keep to the shingle bank side (if on a rising tide) it has a noticeably slower current, it took us a few goes to summon the courage to copy the more experienced locals but it makes leaving on a flood tide much quicker. Let's not be too hasty in calling the Deben bar easy, I like how it keeps away the riff raff from the Orwell estuary ;)
Click to expand...

AND where is your boat chummie :rolleyes:
some of us have been on the Deben since the early 70s :p
 
LONG_KEELER said:
exfinnsailor said:
It can be a little rough at times :eek:

Med_Yacht1.jpg


Med_Yacht2.jpg


Looks like Full Circle picking up a mooring just outside Fox's.

Just a few moments after Richard Matthews dropped his wallet overboard.
Click to expand...

Actually very like us crossing Ray Sand last October, but we had 2 reefs in the main and a scrap of Genny out. That was when the anchor locker filled to deck level, ahem.
Click to expand...
 
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