First time out of the River

dolabriform

dolabriform

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Hi all

I have the opportunity next weekend ( time and tide wise ) to take a first time venture out of the Deben and up to the Ore and Orford.

My experience is limited, and this will be single handed ( as is most of my sailing ). I have a Leisure 17 so the journey is not going to be very quick, but my draft is only 2'6" which is useful for creek crawling.

Passage wise, I am thinking of leaving Woodbridge around 3 hours before HW, which will get me to the bar around HW, then take the ebb towards the Ore, hugging the coast and then entering the Ore at around HW +1 ish. I know I'll be fighting the Ebb to get in, but hopefully under outboard power I'll be able to get in, and there will still be enough water to make it to Orford Quay.

Returning the following day, plan is to leave ( hopefully ) HW-4, take the flood to the Deben, and enter HW-2 ish, then take the flood up the river.

Questions for you all.

1) Does this sound feasible?
2) After everything I've read, I'm rather scared ( insert your own word here ) of the exits and entrances to the Deben and Ore, would it be a better decision to wait till I was in the company of someone who knows the area ( and is a better sailor than me! ). ( OK I know you can't answer that! )
3) Is anyone else doing the same trip next weekend who I could tag along with ;) ;)

Many thanks for reading this

David
 
Make sure you have enough fuel for that outboard, you will be going against the tide all the way down the Deben and all the way in the Ore/Alde and those tides run very fast in the rivers, next week-end will also be larger tides than this week-end. Ideally you would time your journey for Neap Tides and then go out of the Deben with the tide, maybe leaving an hour before or after low tide, then make your way up the coast against the tide, arriving at the Ore entrance maybe two hours after low water. On Neap tides that should be fine -- but do check.

A different plan would be to go out of the Deben and into the Orwell, then you haven't got any problems with water height when you arrive. Maybe aim for Hamford water or Pin Mill.
 
I must say I agree, first time across the ore entrance against the ebb would not be my choice,. If you fail to get in, or the outboard fails on the very long haul up the Alde where would you go, by then the Deben would be too shallow to head back there, the only option would be to head for the Orwell or Backwaters. Also grounding on the ebb on that bar if anything went wrong would be unpleasant to say the least.

If you can drop down the river to felixstowe ferry on the ebb, wait until LW+2 then you have a flood tide with you to the backwaters or the Orwell / stour.
 
Thanks for all your suggestions, I think you're right that it would be better to head to the Orwell instead.

I'll dig out the books and charts later and have a look.
 
I'd always want to enter the ore on the flood - esp 1st time each season. Let the local boats who are in and out each week flirt with the ebb tide! Orwell will be a great first trip out of the river..
 
Marmalade said:
I'd always want to enter the ore on the flood - esp 1st time each season. Let the local boats who are in and out each week flirt with the ebb tide! Orwell will be a great first trip out of the river..
Click to expand...

+1 for the Orwell as first destination.
Have you got this years chartlert for the entrance, available as a free download from East Coast Pilot - indispensible in my view.
 
Thanks for all the replies

I'm now thinking of heading to Shotley, as I'd like to see the Museum, and maybe have dinner at the Bristol Arms.

So the new plan is:
1. Head down to Felixstowe Ferry on Friday, and overnight there.
2. Leave at LW+2 ( around 7:30 am ), from the resources I've looked at I believe I can head SW directly at the West Knoll PHB and not have to venture further out to the Haven SWM?
3. Then cross Harwich Channel following the recommended track for yachts
4. Follow the recommended track for yachts to Shotley.

This is of course all weather dependent!

Thanks for all your suggestions :)
 
dolabriform said:
Thanks for all the replies

I'm now thinking of heading to Shotley, as I'd like to see the Museum, and maybe have dinner at the Bristol Arms.

So the new plan is:
1. Head down to Felixstowe Ferry on Friday, and overnight there.
2. Leave at LW+2 ( around 7:30 am ), from the resources I've looked at I believe I can head SW directly at the West Knoll PHB and not have to venture further out to the Haven SWM?
3. Then cross Harwich Channel following the recommended track for yachts
4. Follow the recommended track for yachts to Shotley.

This is of course all weather dependent!

Thanks for all your suggestions :)
Click to expand...

Much better plan (not meaning to patronize) - give Shotley Marina a call on Ch80 or phone and the lock is no problem :)
 
Your post brought my first singlehanded trip in a half decked 18 footer from West Mersea to Hamford Water to Pin Mill to Woodbridge back to my mind. Yes, the Orwell is a better destination but rather than lock into Shotley marina whichis nice but involves a tedious queue with bigger boats you might fancy pushing on round the corner to Pin Mill and either picking up a mooring(if you have a dinghy) or anchoring on the hard (if you don't) and having your meal in the Butt and Oyster.
 
I thought about Pin Mill, but I'm worried about departure time the following morning.

In order to get back to the Deben for HW -2 and then up to Woodbridge, I reckon I'll need to leave Shotley @ 7am as I'll be pushing against the tide. That gives me 3 1/2 to 4 hours to reach the river entrance.

Also, as I'll be getting to Shotley quite early on Saturday, it gives me the day to see the museum, take the ferry over to Harwich etc. There seems to be a lot less to do at Pin Mill!
 
dolabriform said:
I thought about Pin Mill, but I'm worried about departure time the following morning.

In order to get back to the Deben for HW -2 and then up to Woodbridge, I reckon I'll need to leave Shotley @ 7am as I'll be pushing against the tide. That gives me 3 1/2 to 4 hours to reach the river entrance.

Also, as I'll be getting to Shotley quite early on Saturday, it gives me the day to see the museum, take the ferry over to Harwich etc. There seems to be a lot less to do at Pin Mill!
Click to expand...

Why not go to H`penny Pr ( on the inside ) more to do in Harwich + better food, then ferry to museum. You dont have a lock issue then
 
sailorman said:
Why not go to H`penny Pr ( on the inside ) more to do in Harwich + better food, then ferry to museum. You dont have a lock issue then
Click to expand...

Thanks, do the pontoons get very busy there? I looked at the site and saw it was not possible to book in advance, so I thought the option of Shotley was safer with an advanced booking.
 
dolabriform said:
Thanks, do the pontoons get very busy there? I looked at the site and saw it was not possible to book in advance, so I thought the option of Shotley was safer with an advanced booking.
Click to expand...

You could try H'penny Pier first, and if there's no room simply pop across to Shotley. There will always be room for you in Shotley, and no need to book in advance.
 
Minn said:
Your post brought my first singlehanded trip in a half decked 18 footer from West Mersea to Hamford Water to Pin Mill to Woodbridge back to my mind. Yes, the Orwell is a better destination but rather than lock into Shotley marina whichis nice but involves a tedious queue with bigger boats you might fancy pushing on round the corner to Pin Mill and either picking up a mooring(if you have a dinghy) or anchoring on the hard (if you don't) and having your meal in the Butt and Oyster.
Click to expand...

Early Saturday is unlikely to find a 'Tedious Queue' at Shotley.....
 
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