First time to Brixham, any advice please ?

[DazzyWoo II]

Hi Sea Ray,

I did the trip from Poole to Brixham in a single engine Bayliner 285 (c8.5m), a beamy single engine cruiser with no problems at all. The thread seems to have covered passage advice pretty well. For the record I went v. wide round Portland Bill, and Lime Bay is desolate (we did it in sea fog for added misery).

Therefore I'll concentrate on places to visit when you get there. My boat is currently at Blackness Marine (recommended) on the River Dart (http://www.blacknessmarine.co.uk), so I know the area quite well.

My first recommendation would be to explore the River Dart. Dartmouth is fantastic. Berths with shore power are scarce, but you can get them on the town jetty after 5pm, but you need to be off by 8am. Generally I prefer to use visitor pontoons towards higher ferry, and tender ashore. If you don't have a tender, there are plenty of River taxis. You could easily spend a week or so in Dartmouth, using it as a base an pottering up river to...

Dittisham (aka Dittsum). Here you can grab a visitors mooring, and I recommend the Anchor Stone Cafe (http://www.anchorstonecafe.co.uk) - you WILL need to book in advance. Agatha Christies House is on the opposite bank, if you like that sort of thing, there is a ferry across.

On from Dittisham there is a large bend which can get quite shallow at low water, but is a doddle most of the time. There are sand banks left and right Just follow one of the many large passenger ferries, between the two- or go very wide through the moorings.

Once round the bend, stay to the right - past Stoke Gabriel (not my fave) - you come to a fork. If you take the left fork, you can reach a pub called the Maltsters Arms @ Tuckenhay (http://www.tuckenhay.com). The 'creek' does dry out, so only do this with plenty of water.

If you take the right fork you continue up to Totnes. This is actually surprisingly easy - compared to Dittisham at low water. Totnes is fab - but mooring are limited. I have only been once, and was not sure what the rules were. I probably broke them

To the east I quite like Torquay marina, its a bit bigger than Brixham, and I like the vibe. I also like the Elephant Restaurant - out of the marina, turn right, over the bridge, head for the netting, and then its just up the hill (less than 1/2 mile from the Marina)

Brixham is lovely too. Go for a walk round the harbour, along the breakwater, walk up to Berry head national park, and have afternoon tea at the Berryhead Hotel (I would not bother having an evening meal there personally) . I like the Breakwater bistro (http://breakwaterbistro.co.uk) - fab location, although the last time we were there the brekkie was a bit average tbh.

Heading west from Dartmouth - you will reach Salcombe. Salcombe is lovely on a sunny day. The main things to do seem to be gawp at the houses in the Estate Agents and say 'how much??!!", eat and get drunk. For me - that is a great day out To get there you have to go round Start Point. I would treat this like Portland Bill. In fact I have had more trouble at Start Point than I did with Portland Bill. I would go very wide.

Enjoy your trip.

DW

 

[longjohnsilver]

Hi DW, great summary of my home stomping grounds. However 2 things I'd disagree with, and that's going way out at both Portland and Start, both of which I've passed many times, and always within a stones throw and without drama. I aim to get to Start either at slack, although the tide never really stops there, or just after slack with the tide flowing in your direction of travel. If it's blowing above a F4 onshore then that would be a different matter, but I wouldn't be leaving Dartmouth!

 

[kcrane]

Hi DW, great summary of my home stomping grounds. However 2 things I'd disagree with, and that's going way out at both Portland and Start, both of which I've passed many times, and always within a stones throw and without drama. I aim to get to Start either at slack, although the tide never really stops there, or just after slack with the tide flowing in your direction of travel. If it's blowing above a F4 onshore then that would be a different matter, but I wouldn't be leaving Dartmouth!

+1

 

[DazzyWoo II]

Hi DW, great summary of my home stomping grounds. However 2 things I'd disagree with, and that's going way out at both Portland and Start, both of which I've passed many times, and always within a stones throw and without drama. I aim to get to Start either at slack, although the tide never really stops there, or just after slack with the tide flowing in your direction of travel. If it's blowing above a F4 onshore then that would be a different matter, but I wouldn't be leaving Dartmouth!

Hi LJS - my bad! I didn't mean to recommend going wide - that's what I did. I will try the narrow channel next time Just wanted to highlight Start Point can be 'a bit chewy'(probably not the correct nautical term - but that's a topic for another thread

 

[wofforduk]

We always used to call just of start point 'the washing machine'. Never know why until I went through it last season.. Lesson learnt - check tide and wind!

 

[Cathy*]

The harbourmaster must have thought we were barking mad when we stepped off and tied up. Moonwalking around the pontoons as if we'd made it to the North Pole.

We made our longest trip so far last Summer to Brixham from Plymouth. When we arrived I went up to the office and said "That was a big achievement for us, our first big trip" and I got a round of applause from the staff We loved it there. This year's big adventure is from Plymouth to the Isle of Wight. We'll be making several stops along the way and enjoying the coastline as we go. If we wanted to get there quicker we'd take the car.

 

[longjohnsilver]

Hi LJS - my bad! I didn't mean to recommend going wide - that's what I did. I will try the narrow channel next time Just wanted to highlight Start Point can be 'a bit chewy'(probably not the correct nautical term - but that's a topic for another thread

We've always found the stretch between Salcombe and Bolt Tail the most uncomfortable bit of water anywhere between Lyme Bay and Falmouth, almost regardless of wind and tide. Apart from one occasion many years ago, Start has been easy.

 

[gjgm]

Hi DW, great summary of my home stomping grounds. However 2 things I'd disagree with, and that's going way out at both Portland and Start, both of which I've passed many times, and always within a stones throw and without drama. !

Of course if you are not "inside" anyway at Portland, why not pass well south. From Needles to Dartmouth it is a perfectly fair option.

 

[longjohnsilver]

Of course if you are not "inside" anyway at Portland, why not pass well south. From Needles to Dartmouth it is a perfectly fair option.

Yes, you wouldn't deviate to go inside, that would be stupid. But then it doesn't make sense to deviate many miles to go offshore unnecessarily.

 

[Vitesse]

We always go close in to Start Point as well. We also choose our weather carefully! As LJS says, the tide seems to run all the time. Last year we talked to a couple of canoeists who were struggling to get round about a half mile off. It was nearly high water and the pot markers were still being dragged under.

It's a great area though, we always wave to Kate Bush near Lannacombe (doesn't seem to wave back) and it's where we've spotted big pods of dolphins a couple of times.

Dartmouth is a lovely place to arrive by boat. I used to work in the town but didn't appreciate how much better it is from the water!

 

[PhilipF]

Interesting that this tread is still running:encouragement:
We've only had a boat - 8.8 metre Nimbus for around nine years, never had one before, thus no 'experience' what soever. We based it for six years in CQ Poole. Within the first year of ownership we'd crossed Lyme Bay to Brixham. Have done this trip several times since and are now berthed at Brixham. I've always gone wide round Portland, reckon virtually no extra distance is involved. One thing I would empathize is to check you get the tides right, they need to be with you from St Aldems Head to past Portland, the same eastwards of course. Lyme Bay is of no importance, our cruising speed is not more than ten knots, so the trip takes us at least six hours:ambivalence:

We've had vast value from our boat, I always say it was the second best thing I ever did to purchase it. (first best to have a first class second mate:encouragement

However, as we are now getting a bit "long in the teeth", we reckon the time has come to enjoy other interests. Would have been nice to have got into boating a bit younger. But, like so many, we could not have done any boating while full time working. As the saying goes "better late than never" :encouragement:

Philip.

 

[Andy Bav]

If you are in the area for a while, anchoring off Blackpool sands is a nice way to spend a few hours and then back to Dartmouth for lunch / dinner...

 

[Sea Ray]

Thank you for all the various comments about tides, stop over’s, places to visit and wrapping up warm! They have all been noted and are much appreciated. My list of places to go and things to do is growing rapidly. My simple plan of just arriving in one piece has now expanded to incorporate lots of your suggestions. The Cap Camarat has such a shallow draft I’ll hopefully be exploring all over the place. I do have an inflatable tender, but try not to use it as I have to inflate it each time it’s needed, that’s the problem with outboards, no davits!. I've often wondered if it’s possible to have a set of long arm davits (stainless L brackets basically) nothing to over engineered, that an inflatable could sit “on top” of over the outboard? Rather than slung underneath, it would give a bit of weather protection to the engine, I guess it would look a bit odd though? Maybe someone’s seen or attempted rigging up something like this ?....or no one’s bothered because it’s a daft idea! Thanks again all for your suggestions.

 

[Bazzer]

Thank you all for the advice, much appreciated, it’s invaluable to a first timer like me. Andy Bav thanks for the insurance tip, it never even occurred to me I might not be covered, I've checked and I am. With everyone’s input I've started to formulate a plan. Nearer the time I’ll do my homework and see how the tides and times work out at the headlands. I’m going to make a conscious effort to enjoy the journey rather than just get there as quick as I can. With such scenery on offer it seems a shame to blast past offshore, so wind and tide permitting I plan to go the inshore route, timing it as best I can for slack tides and watching out for the pots. The offshore route does appeal, but only as an experience to get under my belt. Going inshore, the thought of being that close to the rocks is a bit daunting, but I have faith in the boat and i’ll have a few more hours’ run-time before I go in July for any reliability niggles to surface. The Cap Cam does inspire confidence, far more nimble in the chop than my last boat. Thank you gjgm for the wind direction advice, duly noted. I've booked to leave the boat in Brixham for 4 weeks, and the plan is to have a week (hopefully 2, work permitting) down there, and a couple of long weekends before I journey back, I just hope the weather behaves. Now I’m starting to work out my options I’m eager to just go, I’ll just have to be patient and I've still plenty of homework to do ! Thanks again guys and gals, keep the tips coming, I'm hoping to get out and about as much as I can for the time i'm down there.

Hello Sea Ray

We did this very same trip last year for the first time, it was amazing. We stopped overnight in Weymouth (amazing fish and chips) then onto Torquay, we kept close to The Bill, no issues whatsoever if you get the tides right, when you moor up in Weymouth on the harbour wall the coastguard station is right next to you have a chat with them about the best time to leave they know best even if its just reassurance you need.

Definitely visit fishbourne cove just out side Brixham, its beautiful.

We are going again this year it was so good.

 

[Switch]

Hello Sea Ray

We did this very same trip last year for the first time, it was amazing. We stopped overnight in Weymouth (amazing fish and chips) then onto Torquay, we kept close to The Bill, no issues whatsoever if you get the tides right, when you moor up in Weymouth on the harbour wall the coastguard station is right next to you have a chat with them about the best time to leave they know best even if its just reassurance you need.

Definitely visit fishbourne cove just out side Brixham, its beautiful.

We are going again this year it was so good.

I was in Brixham last summer - they were renovating a building just off the beach at fishbourne cove so it was bloomin noisy with plant and machinery when I anchored there - had to leave in the end. Must be finished now though.

 

[whisper]

Salcombe to Dart , Brixham , Torquay and Teignmouth is my usual stomping ground. Nothing to add to other comments other than to say Kingsbridge makes an interesting detour from Salcombe.
Re Start Point :- I always stay close in and usually it's slightly uncomfortable but not for long. Last year I made a mistake with my tide times and it was horrendous with 3-4m standing waves when going up Channel. Coming back just 3hrs later was much calmer.
Agree with LJS that the run between Bolt Hd and Bolt Tail can be uncomfortable, as can be close in to Prawle Pt.
Personally avoid August when the Hooray Henries descend on S.Devon.

Enjoy yourselves.

 

[kcrane]

Personally avoid August when the Hooray Henries descend on S.Devon. Enjoy yourselves.

Ooh err, hope henryf doesn't read this...

 

[bridevon]

Have a safe trip but remember that Solent,Portland and Brixham Coastguard stations are all now closed. The National Centre at Fareham and Falmouth Coastguard are the only ones on the south coast with Dover further east.