Experience of Dungeness East Road

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pmcdermott

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I am planning to stop over at Dungeness East Road on a down-channel trip (Burnham to Southampton). The Shell Channel Pilot describes the anchorage as 'uneasy'. Anyone got any experience of stopping there? There do not appear to be any alternative options on a leg from Ramsgate.

I am assuming the wind will be W to SW, and less than F5. Would East Road be a viable anchorage? (I am in a Moody 31.)

Current planned legs are:
Day 1: Burnham - Ramsgate
Day 2: Ramsgate - Dungeness
Day 3: Dungeness - Brighton
Day 4: Brighton - Southampton
 
Would suggest you modify to :

Current planned legs are:
Day 1: Burnham - Ramsgate
Day 2: Ramsgate - Eastbourne
Day 3: .Have a party
Day 4: Eastbourne - Southampton

Its a reasonable trip mileage to Eadtbourne from Ramsgate, and also from Eastbourne to Soton.
 
I was trying to avoid such a long leg (60 miles). My understanding was the channel current around Dungeness changes such that you only get 4 hours of favourable tide anyway, so Ramsgate to Eastbourne is likely to be a very long upwind slog, against the tide for most of the way.
 
Concur, Dungeness E & W roads v. open to almost anything.

Possibl stopovers;
Off Rye ok in settled N, NW, NE, but bloody in any S and you need to be able to take ground/ shoal draft.
Inside Rye can be ok, but long way in and out if just on passage. Good gale bolthole if tide serves. HM v. good bloke.

Royal Sov @ Eastbourne ok+ lots of shops, etc!

Newhaven ok bar due S , but facilities v.poor in 2006, and no plans to improve that we could see.

Brighton entrance can be v. dodgy in anything S.

Shoreham ditto.

Littlehampton ok if tide window right- avoid half ebb!!!
Arun YC very welcoming if can take ground, not bigger than 32ft say, Town Quay not bad if cannot take ground.

Bembridge expensive and hard entry first time+ v. tidal. Best not at end of a long wet trip/ night

Suggest Day 3: Eastbourne-
1)Chi Hbr- well lit entrance, do-able bar all but LW+&- 2 if not too deep draught- free anchorage if HBR Patrol not about on left at East Head. or to N off end of Thorney Island.
or
2) Pompey: well lit, but shared with RN, Large and small ferries; must use Small Boat Channel. Marinas- Haslar OK, handy for next day+ retail therapy in Pompey plus various Services clubs moorings etc if you have quals./ reciprocals.

3) Cowes- if you can carry the Westgoing ebb down Solent along N-side IoW. Marinas- Lots; Shepards Wharf v. good- we usually use.

Then Day 4 is an easy one tide sail up Soton Water from any of 1-3.

Have a good trip, we did it both ways to Harwich in 06 in prev.20fter- rain and headwinds both ways- Sods Law of the Sea!! /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
 
Two years ago we moved our yacht (10m ketch) from Eastbourne to Chatham. Our first day was Eastbourne to Ramsgate, which took about 10 hours, with the second on from Eastbourne to Chatham. I would not recommend anything near Dunggie. Even in East Bay you will find lots of swell, tide, and fishing boats and nets by the dozen; thats with the wind from the W, from anything E of S it will be very unpleasant. If the wind is from the E its very difficult to get much shelter in Rye Bay due to the Lydd firing ranges, without going almost down to Rye itself. I appreciate that the tides do not work as well going west, but you can always tuck in towards Rye Bay, once clear of the ranges which will give a bit of relief. Eastbourne is accessable in anything but a strong SE/E and is nice and easy to get into, although it sounds a bit difficult in Reeds you only have to remember to avoid the wreck to the East of the fairway and its all very clearly marked.
 
PCM, North 50' 57' 035''- --East 0' 59' 569'' is out of my log book, puts you just South of the Swallow Bank. I draw 5ft 6ins. no problems (Double check that position-log book got rained on /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif If the wind gets any South in it you need to get out though. I've used West and East roads on a regular basis.
 
Hi,
Ive done the trip many times, keeping my sailing yacht in Gillingham but spending summers in Portsmouth. It really is not a difficult passage weather permitting. I would go to Ramsgate for first overnighter, then onto Eastbourne or Newhaven dependent on progress. One year we even made Ramsgate to Brighton easy. Or you could be like a friend of mine who just keeps going Gillingham to Hamble , last year holding a spinniker up from Dover all the way, and you can tuck inshore and avoid some of the adverse tides. But I dont think I would choose to anchor of dungerness to await a favourable tide unless the conditions were exceptional
 
Hi pmcdermott.

I am only slightly larger than you at 34 foot and I sail down to the south coast and back to Lowestoft at least twice and sometimes 3 times a year. I take a fairly leisurely strole down and like to overnight where we don’t have to cook and can get a pint… so the track I would use is:

Lowestoft to Shotley..
Shotley to either Ramsgate or Dover (depending on wind, & Tide)
Then either Eastbourne or Brighton, (about 25 miles between them). The advantage of using Brighton (apart from the Witherspoons pub/restaurant) is that it’s a fairly easy last day then to any of the Portsmouth/Southampton/Cowes watering holes.

Your first day is quite short so from Burnham and if you definitely want to do it over 4 days and no long legs I would do:
Day 1: Burnham to Dover.
Day 2: Dover to Eastbourne.
Day 3: Eastbourne to Brighton (A leisurely 25 mile sail)
Day 4: Brighton to Southampton.

Use your tidal flow chart and if possible avoid punching around Dover or Selsey, it’s a good sail down in anything but a S/Easterly.

Enjoy………… Peter
 
I agree with everyone as usual, but you could widen your options by continuing to Dover which is quite easy to do in the same tide. I've done W Mersea to Brighton in 20 hours in a Sadler 29 years ago. From Dover Brighton is 60 miles and you get round Dungeness with the tide and it's changing when you get to Beachy Head, with the option of Eastbourne if you're tired.
 
Have often anchored in Dungeness Roads to wait the tide, no probs - just don't consider it when exposed.

Nearer home, Littlehampton Town Quay is excellent but beware Arun YC's hospitality - their drying berths result in late departure for the Looe Channel.

On my doorstep Chi Entrance has new beacons currently under construction - see LNTM or PM me for details. And it's definitely NOT "a do-able Bar all but LW+&- 2"! If first time stick to HW-2 to HW+1, but HW-1 in strong winds.
And East Head anchorage isn't on the left, it's round to the right.

Don't be put off by Bembridge Approach - a chart and recent pilot book make all the difference!
 
On my doorstep Chi Entrance has new beacons currently under construction - see LNTM or PM me for details. And it's definitely NOT "a do-able Bar all but LW+&- 2"! If first time stick to HW-2 to HW+1, but HW-1 in strong winds.
And East Head anchorage isn't on the left, it's round to the right.

Don't be put off by Bembridge Approach - a chart and recent pilot book make all the difference!

[/ QUOTE ]

Won't disagree re CHi Bar in strong winds, but have gone in and out within my stated parameters, in company with 1.8m fin keelers, who had no troubles provided they stayed sharp and watched the depth. New beacons going well- well lit so no problemo.
And you are absolutely right about my left! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
Mea culpa, EH is on the right, Sparkes Marina on left; I was probably not sure if I was coming in or going out! /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

With Bembridge, it shifts after a good blow, bouys are shifted/ misleading and IMHO would not therefore recommend at end of a long sail, or night unless good crew, well sharp still or done before.

Pompey+ Haslar would be safest bet if all tired cold and wet IMHO.
 
If you can take the ground, Folkestone (half tide mooring) if before 3rd April, pick up a mooring otherwise use a fender board on the South Quay(high) - radio Port Control on Ch 15.
 
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