First day trip out of the Crouch. Any tips/comments please?

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vertford

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After a lovely summer swanning up and down the Crouch it has been decided that SWMBO and I will venture offshore on Aug 29th. We will leaving/returning from Burnham YH in 23ft Pageant. I am looking at the day and have a few queries, so any help would be appreciated.

I think LW at Burnham is around 8.40 on Sunday, so I would be going against the tide out of the Channel. Do I bash on a 1 knot until we reach Swallow Tail, sail around and then come back with the flood tide in the afternoon?

Do I wait a bit and cross Buxey Sand and sail around Ray Sand and then come back? Obviously timing it so we down get stuck on the wrong side.

My main worry is getting stuck on the wrong side of the muddy bits, I suppose.
I haven't got a tidal stream atlas and am trying to working things out from my Admiraly Leisure chart.

Not looking for any ambitious, just in and out safely...

Thanks in advance.
Richard
 
Well I don't have a tidal stream atlas for the Crouch (is there such a thing?) but it will be near springs so you doing things the hard way for a first trip out a bit. Why not get up early and leave at 0600 and give yourself half a chance? East coast sailing is all about using the tides.

You can't cross Ray Sand or Buxey Sand at LW - the Ray Sand channel a couple hours either side of HW is preferable (go to Crossing the Thames Estuary website for a download of current depths).

Enjoy yourself if the weather gods permit.
 
There will be hundreds of boats doing Burnham Week which will clutter up the view somewhat. I would wait until the afternoon tide then go for a thrash about round the Buxeys and home again for the evening.

Tide will be a big factor as they are 5m tides and will therefore be running at 2 knots ish at mid tide. So anywhere you go, even if you are making 5 knots, will be at 3.
 
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