Early view of Crouch new buoyage

[ex-Gladys]

We went over to the Crouch this weekend and had a chance to look at some of the new buoyage that's been laid. Firstly, Ron Pipe has gone, but the set of yellow Swallowtail buoys make the Crouch now a pilotage exercise both ways rather than a nav exercise from the Swin Spitway buoy, it's now a doddle in either direction with buoys within at most a mile. Having gone aground almost touching Ron Pipe in the past, there was plenty of water around low water on the northern route.

 

[FullCircle]

Only seen the river ones, they are very smart and new looking. Wonder why they called it F1?

 

[Slow_boat]

I've not heard of this and seeing as we may well be coming that way in the dark on Friday night, can anyone post a chartlet or something?

 

[tillergirl]

Yes

http://www.crossingthethamesestuary.com/page9.html

Scroll down. Second item. Choice of Crouch Harbour Authority or mine. Click on image for larger, right click to down load. Without wishing to run down the excellent CHA one, if you want to be able to read the lat/longs, mine is easier!

 

[Falling Star]

Yes

http://www.crossingthethamesestuary.com/page9.html

Scroll down. Second item. Choice of Crouch Harbour Authority or mine. Click on image for larger, right click to down load. Without wishing to run down the excellent CHA one, if you want to be able to read the lat/longs, mine is easier!

Brilliant! Thanks.

PS I've bought your book, and highly recommend it! (no connection)

 

[tillergirl]

Thank you. I am just waiting to hear when the Outer Crouch No 1 and 2 go in to post up a revised chart for the Ray Sand.

For general interest

In NtM this week, some reductions in depth at the Sledway and Whiting Bank but nothing that should worry leisure sailors, and notification of the cable laying from the Swale to London Array - to be avoided for anchoring and trawling. That will require me to draw a chartlet which will posted in the NtM pages as soon as possible.

 

[tillergirl]

Only seen the river ones, they are very smart and new looking. Wonder why they called it F1?

Fairway No 1?

 

[ex-Gladys]

All the buoys have truncated names, all the Swallowtail ones are SWT. X where X starts at 1, so Roger is very close methinks.

 

[Bru]

Take note that we found not a lot of water rounding the new Branklet preferred channel buoy last weekend - you need to swing quite wide around it if coming downstream on the Crouch to enter the Roach

Having had a pucker moment ourselves we later witnessed several other yachts round the buoy only to suddenly alter course to Port when, presumably as happened to us, their depth alarm promptly went ping!

 

[Slow_boat]

Thanks, Tillergirl.

I was getting a bit worried there!

 

[Slow_boat]

Just a thought, this boyage is in place now, I take it?

 

[tillergirl]

Not all. Some of it is here and there. The plan was to lay the 4 starboard Whitakers today but that was cancelled because its too rough for the positioning control - believe me it was. So they are now hoping to lay those on Thursday and the 4 'Outer Crouch's on Friday. So in position are the new Inner Whitker SCB, the Swallowtails and the red Whitakers, the three Buxey cardinals. Not sure about the inner stuff as Trinity House are not doing those - but we know Fairway No 1 and Branklet are in position at least. I had the pleasure of being on board today in order to do an article. Very nice people, fabulous set up.

 

[FullCircle]

Not all. Some of it is here and there. The plan was to lay the 4 starboard Whitakers today but that was cancelled because its too rough for the positioning control - believe me it was. So they are now hoping to lay those on Thursday and the 4 'Outer Crouch's on Friday. So in position are the new Inner Whitker SCB, the Swallowtails and the red Whitakers, the three Buxey cardinals. Not sure about the inner stuff as Trinity House are not doing those - but we know Fairway No 1 and Branklet are in position at least. I had the pleasure of being on board today in order to do an article. Very nice people, fabulous set up.

Horse Shoal cardinal is also in place.....