Empty Mooring Buoys on the Orwell

[Gargleblaster]

I needed a sleep last week aroound 0200hours after arriving off the coast at Norfolk following a crossing from Jutland. Tried to anchor above Shotley on the West side as recommended in my pilot book and I couldn't get the anchor to hold as I think the mud was too liquid. Was heading up to Pin Mill to pick up a buoy. Noticed a stack of empty buoys on the North side above SYH and picked up one and spent a lovely 24 hours there. Unlike Pin Mill no-one bothered me for money. the one I picked up was marked BS1 and was directly opposite Croix de Garde, who is on a Royal Harwich buoy I think. In light of the thread on empty berths at Burnham Marina I was shocked at the number of empty buoys in early September on the Orwell.

 

[Mandarin331]

We frequently use these for a night. Judging be the weed on the rope they're not much used.

Seem to be a lot of empty berths now apart from some hotspots who must be doing something right, but the prices don't change !

 

[Lucky Duck]

We frequently use these for a night. Judging be the weed on the rope they're not much used

+ 1, been that way for some time. Very useful though.

On the Medway last week I was surprised to see how many of the moorings just outside Upnor Castle also appeared to be unused.

 

[xyachtdave]

On the Medway last week I was surprised to see how many of the moorings just outside Upnor Castle also appeared to be unused.

We had a mooring there for 3 years.

They are Royal Engineers YC moorings and have a few spaces as do the RNSA on the other side. A lovely spot but unfortunately access issues to the river for the clubs have thinned the membership out.

I've got the phone number for the mooring master if anyone needs it.

 

[Otter]

When you look into the "deal" offered by the marinas on most Orwell river moorings you wouldn't be surprised so many are vacant. Maybe they are legally required to have x number of river moorings as part of the license to run a marina? Not sure what else could explain the prices charged. Still, unlimited free nights whenever we want it.

 

[Leighb]

The Levington buoys all belong to SYH I believe, they are very handy for us when we have an earlyish start, we drop down the previous evening from RHYC and can then just drop the mooring and go. The Pin Mill moorings are about 98% occupied, the contrast is probably because Pin Mill offers a much better deal than SYH? There is I think a waiting list both to lay up in King's Yard and for one of their moorings. MDL lifted quite a lot of their moorings a couple of years ago due to lack of demand, again probably because of price.
It also perhaps reflects the fact that a higher proportion of boat owners want to be in marinas and not on moorings.

I am surprised that the OP was "bothered for money" at Pin Mill, when I have talked to Gus he said it wasn't worth the bother to try and collect, they definitely will at MDL though.

 

[Otter]

Never been asked for mooring fees. When I enquired from MDL about their mooring package I wondered if they were trying to make it deliberately unattractive? I suggested a couple of changes that would have cost them very little in marginal costs but made it much more attractive to me and other users. The response was that they had a fixed structure, I asked how many vacant moorings they had and "lots" was the answer. I left them to try and make the connection.

 

[johnalison]

I can confirm that the mooring strops are very messy. My wife rejected the first couple when we tied up for lunch the other day.

It's some years since we anchored off the shore above Shotley, though it used to be a regular stop for the night. I think the river has scoured the bank away quite a lot and it is no longer so easy to find a good spot.

 

[sailorman]

I can confirm that the mooring strops are very messy. My wife rejected the first couple when we tied up for lunch the other day.

It's some years since we anchored off the shore above Shotley, though it used to be a regular stop for the night. I think the river has scoured the bank away quite a lot and it is no longer so easy to find a good spot.

Dredging

 

[Mandarin331]

I can confirm that the mooring strops are very messy. .

We never take them on board for that reason, always pass a line through the loop and use that. But at least you can be 99% certain the owners not coming back soon

 

[sailorman]

We never take them on board for that reason, always pass a line through the loop and use that. But at least you can be 99% certain the owners not coming back soon

BUT has he maintained it ?????

 

[johnalison]

Dredging

I wasn't aware of that - it's well outside the channel.

 

[sailorman]

I wasn't aware of that - it's well outside the channel.

dredging between No 1 & Collimer all that spoil is squirted between that red Bn on the Shotley side & the marina

 

[johnalison]

The spoil must be circulating. Still, it keeps them in work.