Entrance to Bradwell

Athene V30

Athene V30

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What does the depth guage on the N Cardinal outside Bradwell measure? I thought it showed water over the shallowest bit?

I 'ploughed' out yesterday about an hour after LW with 4' 6" draft and when I got to the post it was reading over 6'. Don;t think I would try it on a falling tide with less than 8'.

Interestingly I grounded twice. I have the echo sounder reduced to read below the keel. On both occasions it was showing over 1m when I touched the mud. When the depth was 0.3 to 0.5 I was fine! Whats all that about then! /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
Standby for Mr.Sabre who is the acknowledged expert on this particular piece of turf /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Standby for Mr.Sabre who is the acknowledged expert on this particular piece of turf /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Can we assume that he has had very close experience of it? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif who? me?

I did take some soundings which I check from time to time now I have a fin keel!

The gauge on the N Cardinal was probably designed to show the least depth before the spit at the end of Pewit Island extended across the channel. The depth in the creek around the second orange can is three feet less than is shown on the gauge. That is the shallowest part.

The mud is very soft (silt dredged from the marina and pumped into the creek) so ploughing is not unusual. When it's very soft the sounder may not be getting a fix. I did ask them if they were going to dredge the creek - "Oh no, that's Crown land" Crown land covered by privately owned silt /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
I could say that he has measured the depths accurately at all states of the tide. He may also have indeed had a more personal experience with the mud. Now that would be saying.
 
couple of weeks a ago I went in an hour after low tide and between the middle set of withies and last red can before the dogleg I touched down at 0.8 meters. We winched the keel up a bit and it was fine although it was down to 1.3 on the edges of the actual marina as I made my way up to pontoon. My rudder is about 1m and that had some traces of mud when we pulled it out.

I think the channel has silted in the entrance between the withies and the red cans. I wonder if it has anything to do with the earth removal in the far side of the marina?
 
Makes you wonder, whats the point of having a nice deep marina with shiny pontoons for bigger yachts if you can only access it 1-2 hours around high tide.

You would have thought preserving access would be a priority?
 
[ QUOTE ]
Makes you wonder, whats the point of having a nice deep marina with shiny pontoons for bigger yachts if you can only access it 1-2 hours around high tide.

[/ QUOTE ]
Access - no problem by car. Guess most are just weekend cottages and don't go to sea often!

The only other boats I saw moving on Saturday were a couple of proper job fishing (not the rod sort) boats. Everyone else was tucked up at home I guess and the marina bar had IPA at £1.90 a pint!
 
I can manage 3 hours either side (1.7m fin) and a bit more on a rising tide. It would be nice if would dredge the creek and give me another 30-45 minutes. They only need to rake it on a falling spring tide and woosh it down the river. Perhaps they will once the new pontoon for 50 footers is in place. (not holding my breath).

That's the only downside - I think it's an excellent base.
 
"Perhaps they will once the new pontoon for 50 footers is in place. (not holding my breath)."

Roger, is that what all the digging at the top end is for?

IanC
 
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