Easter Weekend Tides

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Toutvabien

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Looking forward to returning our boat to the East Coast proper (Brightlingsea) this weekend, weather permiting.

No tide atlas at home and I need to sort approx timings of the trip from Ramsgate to Brightlingsea this weekend.

Anybody able to tell me what time I need to leave Ramsgate? I cannot find a Thames tidal stream atlas on line anywhere.
 
I never seem to get this trip right, but I think I might even leave an hour or so earlier to give me a bit more water through the Spitway, and not worry about bucking the tide after the Barrow.
 
Thanks, I used to have this information imprinted, but it is a few years since I did an estuary crossing and was doubting my memory.

I know we always end up at Brightlingsea just as the entrance channel dries up.
Paul.
 
Try leaving Ramsgate at LW -1.5 ish.
Should go through the Spitway at about HW-2.5
Hit B'Sea at HWish.
LW Ramsgate on Saturday 07:17
HW Brightlingsea 13:11

All guess as I dont have my stream atlas, but from mem, tide turns at HW+5 at Ramsgit.
 
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All guess as I dont have my stream atlas, but from mem, tide turns at HW+5 at Ramsgit.

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Tide does indeed turn at Ramsgate at HW+5 but then the current's NE -> SW for the next 5 hrs (against you when going to Brightlingsea). At least, according to the Reeds almanac in front of me.

Unless going to Brightlingsea (which I've never done) is vastly different from doing Ramsgate-Harwich (which I've done plenty) I would leave at HW Dover.

Just my £0.02
 
True, but you can cross at the top of Fishermans Gat at about an hour short of mid flood tide, and carry across the Spitway with the tide and up to B'Sea still on the flood. So, a bit of cross punching the early flood to the Gat.
 
Despite advice to the contrary in earlier replies I usually leave Ramsgate about 1 hours before HW Dover (which is about HW Harwich) to take the fair stream north. I usually go for Foulgers Gat and then cross Sunk Sand about 51 41.5n 1 24.5e (about half tide) head to Barrow 2 then west to spitway (about LW).

Depending on your draft you may need to wait for a bit of rise for the spitway but can then carry the first of the flood into the Blackwater and up the Colne.

Are you to be a Brightlingsea resident? Flipper is on the north side of south cindry pontoon.
 
Ah, to advertise or not to advertise. That is the question. Whether it is nobler to ask for estimated average speed and provide an answer in the spirit of the forum which leaves the publisher short of a badly needed sail (sorry) and provides a variety of start times with concomitant (posh eh?) interim passsage data such as the state of the tide over the Sunk Sand, the start of the flood in Barrow and Swin and eta OR to suggest popping over to Amazon.

There I've done it. I expect to be sin-binned. I'm sorry (well a little)
 
Flipper your route is the one that I usually take too. Just could not recall the start time without the books etc. I do have a wonderful collection of tidal stream atlases, charts and pilot books for everywhere from Bradwell to Barbados, but they are on the boat in Ramsgate and I am in Leytonstone.

Our draft is only 1.7m so we can usually get over the Spitway, and getting across the sands is fine, apart from at LW.

We are to become Brightlingsea residents and will be joining you on Cindry pontoon. Our boats name is Jigsaw, we are a white and green ketch, please come and say hello if you see the boat.

We usually sail with our two 11 year old girls on board so will be on the look out for any other kids boats who share a fondness for Brightlingsea crabbing.
 
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We usually sail with our two 11 year old girls on board so will be on the look out for any other kids boats who share a fondness for Brightlingsea crabbing.

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My daughter would be delighted (not so sure about my son), except she's not coming this weekend, and I don't fit in Brightlingsea. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif However, another time perhaps.
 
Kate and Molly have been press ganged since they were 6 months old so have grown up with it. I am always suprised as to how few families with children sail together as I think that it makes a wonderful way of spending time together. When we were away with the boat for a year the girls met lots of other boat kids, but relatively few of them were British, loads of Swedish, Norwegian and Dutch.

They both love Brightlingsea as that is where they established their crabbing record of 114 crabs in an hour.
 
Pyro,

Deep draft boats do get in, and out, of Brightlingsea, the mud is so soft that at LW the keel just gloops into the mud for an hour or so, and it always pops out again as the tide returns.

Give it a go you may love it,( and the kids will enjoy the crabs)
 
Blimey - we draw 2m and we're in and out of Brightlingsea all year - OK avoid coming in at the very bottom of a tide but other than that there's water for most...

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I don't fit in Brightlingsea.

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/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif What do you draw? I would have thought you could lie on Fishermans pontoon - the first one to Starboard as you come into the harbour. HM on hand to assist with berthing too.

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