East Coast Anchorages

[wingdiver]

Following on from a previous thread about places to go on the East Coast, anyone care to give some recomendations and 'local' knowledge about anchorages around the area?
Anywhere you have anchored and would recommend?
It would be useful to know of any contraints regarding access, holding and depth at low water similar to the recent thread about the Walton Backwaters.
It seems that most places we have been have anchorages which would be interesting to use if only we knew that they would be OK.
To be honest, we haven't seen too many 35 ft and upwards boats anchored although there are several who post on here that own boats of that type and also fin keelers or deep long keelers that it would be interesting to hear from.
Over to you.
D

 

[bastonjock]

ill be interested in finding out any anchorages on the east coast,i have the advantage of the centerboard which allows me to beach,but recently i anchored at sea palling just behind the sea defences,at LW i had depth of 18ft close to the defences,a vessel with a draught of 6ft could drop the hook closer to the shore and still have ample swinging room,or if that was a concern,a fore and aft anchor arrangement for longer vessels may be the answer.

There is also an area at Hemsby which larger commercial vessels use for anchoring and protection against a Northerly,i knew it as hemsby hole when i worked on DSVs

there is also an anchorage on the charts at Hunstanton,i intend next weekend to have a look around gorleston on sea,the gorleston "roads" as i remember them often had vessels of all sizes anchored there,Gorleston whilst close to Yamouth is a bit more up market, theres also a harbour wall that ill have a closer look at soon,it may provide small shallow draught vessels some refuge.

 

[rudolph_hart]

I have 35 ft-er (wing keel, 1.5m draft). Places "wot I have anchored at" include:

Alde, near (& downstream of) AYC.

Butley, just before ruin/jetty

Ore, Abraham's bosom
Ore, SW of Havergate Island
Ore, 1/2 mile up from entrance (speed boats can be a nuisance, though)

Deben, Rocks (& opposite shore)

Orwell, W. shore, just up from Shitley Spot
Orwell, W. shore, just south of Fox's (only briefly, to visit boatshow)

Stour, Erwarton Ness (& opposite on S. shore)
Stour, upstream of Erwarton Ness on N. shore near school.

Colne, E. shore upstream of Colne Point (good in Easterlies)
Colne, by Bateman's Tower (good in Easterlies)
Colne, Pyfleet
Colne, E. shore, upstream of Pyfleet

Blackwater, S. shore, downstream of power station
Blackwater, N. shore, downstream of Nass Beacon
Blackwater, N. shore, inside of Thirstlet spit
Blackwater, S. shore, upstream of power station, outside Pewit Island
Blackwater, S. shore, Stansgate Point, by Marconi S.C
Blackwater, N of Osea Spit, near Goldhanger Creek
Blackwater, S of Osea Island, up & downstream of Osea Pier
Blackwater, SW of Osea Island, upstream of Doctor Buoy (& opposite shore)

Temporary anchorages:

Just SW of Gunfleet Lighthouse (2 hrs, while we explored LH)
Just N. of Raysand Buoy (1.5 hrs waiting for water to enter Crouch)

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Another to add to the list is the Roach, by the pier on Foulness Island. Plenty of water for a 40'er with 1.8m draft

 

[moondancer]

Although quieter just on the other side of the river a couple of hundred yards up towards the Crouch.

 

[baggypipes]

hi guys n gals
Can i jump in ,oh well i have eh, with the anchorages that have been mentioned are there any with easy access ashore, as we have Jake the dog living on board who will need to have a peeeeeee.
PS this really is a great forum very helpful.
thanks /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

of the ones above, the Stone Point (Backwaters), the Rocks (Deben) and Roach Pier all have good shore access... many of the others are mud, but I haven't used all of them, so others will have to comment...

 

[ianc1200]

Re Osea Island anchorage, was there last Sunday afternoon in glorious weather, but very few other boats, and those were there (including the late Frank Mulville's "Iskra") left leaving only one or two. The reason was a large group of high speed craft either anchored off or buzzing around, from small speedboats to planing cruisers. The wash was unrelenting & very unpleasant.

IanC

 

[rudolph_hart]

These all have reasoanble access to go ashore without getting muddy:

Alde, near (& downstream of) AYC.

Butley, just before ruin/jetty

Ore, SW of Havergate Island (no landing on island)
Ore, 1/2 mile up from entrance

Deben, Rocks

Stour, Erwarton Ness (can be muddy at low water)
Stour, upstream of Erwarton Ness on N. shore near school (muddy at low water though).

Blackwater, S. shore, downstream of power station
Blackwater, N. shore, downstream of Nass Beacon
Blackwater, S. shore, Stansgate Point, by Marconi S.C
Blackwater, S of Osea Island, up & downstream of Osea Pier
Blackwater, SW of Osea Island, upstream of Doctor Buoy

 

[shmoo]

[ QUOTE ]

Just SW of Gunfleet Lighthouse (2 hrs, while we explored LH)


[/ QUOTE ]
What is the sand like? Is is fairly clean or is it like east coast river mud? I have often eyed up exposed bits of sand bank and thought about dropping the hook, dinking in, and going for a stroll. Have always been put off by the thought of coming back looking like the swamp monster!

 

[rudolph_hart]

We didn't walk on the Gunfleet itself - we anchored near the lighthouse and then rubbaducked over and climbed up.

We were returning from Orwell to Blackwater, winds were light, and the flood was running, so we sniffed around on the sounder to get over the 'bar' south of the LH, and got into the 'pool' in which the LH stands. The 'hook' at the north end of the Gunfleet acted as a breakwater from the E/NE swell for a while.

Although the cast iron tubular legs and the lower walkway are in good condition, the ladder from the walkway to the bottom of the corrugated iron cupola is now dangerously eaten away. The ladder hangs 40 feet over the iron cross-braces, so we didn't attempt it.

The anchor came up clean, so can't say what the bottom was like. However, the Buxey Ashes, a cricket match fixture for the last couple of decades on the Buxey Sand between Maldon Little Ship Club and Tollesbury Crusing Club, has been known to get a bit muddy at times!