Free 'All Tide' East Coast Anchorages

[creeksailor]

Dear East Coast sailors,
It's both alarming and a sad reflection of the times to read that my sailing comrades have to fork out £20 to £30 a night to sit against a pontoon somewhere, or even have to pay to borrow a buoy after a days cruising. I do understand that to enjoy the facilities of a marina some of us are prepared to pay for it but I've been blissfully unaware of this growing culture of paying for stopping somewhere. I don't have to factor in nightly mooring charges for cruising as where I like to anchor happens to be in the wilds and is thankfully still free of costs. I understand not everyone wants to, or due to deeper draft can do this - each to their own - cruising in such a small boat I may pay my dues in other ways perhaps, the main one being spacial comfort. I do feel for my fellow cruising comrades though who are having to fork out extortionate sums of cash that might otherwise pay for another bottle, or two, of red. And, I may step out of the creeks one day and go offshore in a long keeler. If I did this, I would still want to cruise the coast locally and therefore would need to know places, other than marinas, where I could rest afloat safely, free from cost and in true East Coast fashion, after a days cruising. I'm sure a lot of potential cruiser purchasers, those stepping up from dinghies perhaps, would like to know this sort of info.

Please help us all to keep our boating costs down by listing all tide anchorages in your river/creek that are free of charges and where keels (you could list the depth too) can stay above the putty.
Good sailing, Tony

 

[sailorman]

There is no where on the East Coast that charges for anchoring that i am aware of

 

[creeksailor]

There is no where on the East Coast that charges for anchoring that i am aware of

I took it for granted we all knew that. It's the list of 'where to for free' places as opposed to paying for a marina or buoy that is going to be of use. Why not add one. Cheers

 

[philiphurst]

I took it for granted we all knew that. It's the list of 'where to for free' places as opposed to paying for a marina or buoy that is going to be of use. Why not add one. Cheers

Here we go for the Blackwater: Lawling Creek, Osea Island, Goldhanger Creek, Bradwell (off the beach but depends upon wind strength/direction), Salcott Creek.

 

[sailorman]

I took it for granted we all knew that. It's the list of 'where to for free' places as opposed to paying for a marina or buoy that is going to be of use. Why not add one. Cheers

The Butley River

 

[Bru]

Stop trying to make our brethren and sistren in the far South West envious!

 

[jerrytug]

In the Medway, anywhere you like, out of the channel and not next to the gas jetty obviously.

 

[creeksailor]

Love the Medway. I can think of a lot of it that dries though. Half of it out of the channel!

 

[sailorman]

Love the Medway. I can think of a lot of it that dries though. Half of it out of the channel!

Dont anchor in the drying areas :encouragement:

 

[creeksailor]

Ok, so far so good. We have a dozen rivers that we can anchor in. Can anyone be more specific, as philliphurst, and name a couple of places. I'm thinking of the nub who will be worried about his boat and would be rest assured to know a particular area to aim for. I know this may sound obvious to seasoned folk but from what I've been told this is what people worry about. For instance; I've found the area just above Horse Sand, 2m at LW on the west bank of the Deben, a place with good holding mud to stay afloat overnight and quite near the entrance when wanting to leave in the morning.:encouragement:

 

[GrumpyOldGit]

Never forget Pyefleet Creek in the Colne !

 

[creeksailor]

How dare we. One of the seven wonders of the East Coast.

 

[Bru]

It's both alarming and a sad reflection of the times to read that my sailing comrades have to fork out £20 to £30 a night to sit against a pontoon somewhere, ...

I'll bite ... why is it alarming? Come to that, why is it sad?

(OK, I grant that charging for the use of a mooring buoy goes against the traditions of the East Coast so leave that one aside and focus on the marina aspect of it)

Of course, we don't HAVE to pay to spend the night in a marina - at least not around these parts anyway - and often don't but when we want the convenience of a sheltered berth with electrickery and water on tap, as it were, and walk ashore access to showers, shops and pubs I don't particularly begrudge the £20 odd a night it costs. Granted again it would get seriously expensive if we were able to pack in the night jobs and get out there cruising the whole summer long but in the context of our usage, which I guess is probably fairly typical of most yacht owners, the costs of visitor berths, whilst a factor in our budget, are not by any means prohibitive

Of course we are blessed with so many good options for anchoring in the Thames Estuary

To date we've spent the night at ...

Brankfleet, R. Roach (several times)
Yokesfleet, R. Roach
Paglesham, R. Roach
Pyefleet, R. Colne
Stone Point, Walton Backwaters
Abrahams Bosom, R. Ore (granted we spent half the night on the mud but that was my fault! )
Butley River

and it's been a joy and a pleasure even on a small (though not as small as Shoal Waters!) boat like Brigantia. Aboard Erbas, with so much more comfort (e.g. space to actually sit in comfort) I'm anticipating many more happy nights at anchor. Indeed, perhaps we'll be more inclined to anchor off given that we now have the space to carry a flubber and outboard making visits to Paglesham village, Orford, etc. etc. a practical possibility

On the other side of the coin, it is equally enjoyable to walk ashore and enjoy the, um, high life that rural Essex and Suffolk have to offer!

Burnham Yacht Harbour is a particular favourite especially of the dear lady wife. We both like it at Tollesbury too (down Rog, leave it! ). Bradwell is another excellent overnight stopover although for my money the Green Man is a little over-rated (that said I enjoyed our last visit a great deal more having booked a table so we didn't end up sitting in the rather bland family room). Our visit to Fox's was very pleasant last year and we will be back (hi Rog! :encouragement. Shotley I can take or leave to be honest, ditto Suffolk Yacht Harbour (Halfpenny Pier is in need of a visit methinks) but either will do en passant

The one thing I anticipated doing a lot more of and in fact haven't done at all, other than that one infamous occasion already mentioned and that was by accident, is drying out overnight (although we have spent the night with the keels well buried in the mud on a couple of occasions but I don't count that if there's still water over it!). There just doesn't seem to have been either the need or the opportunity although that may be because I haven't been looking hard enough!

So I swing both ways but not, of course, when nailed to a pontoon

 

[sailorman]

Ok, so far so good. We have a dozen rivers that we can anchor in. Can anyone be more specific, as philliphurst, and name a couple of places. I'm thinking of the nub who will be worried about his boat and would be rest assured to know a particular area to aim for. I know this may sound obvious to seasoned folk but from what I've been told this is what people worry about. For instance; I've found the area just above Horse Sand, 2m at LW on the west bank of the Deben, a place with good holding mud to stay afloat overnight and quite near the entrance when wanting to leave in the morning.:encouragement:

Buy East Coast Rivers

 

[creeksailor]

Great post Erbas. Thanks. Briefly I'll try and explain why. Going sailing... As I said; if you want to pay for the convenience - each to their own. Cruising is something that can set you free. It is the last frontier out there. We really shouldn't have to pay anybody once we let go of the mooring. Maybe its being idealistic but that is how I cruise. Hence why I think its sad that people are paying large sums of money as a matter of course, and why it is alarming to hear people are now paying to stop in a creek on a buoy, what next: a fee to anchor in a smooth area of mud.

 

[Stork_III]

Ewerton Ness on the Stour (Suffolk) or free bouy at Wrabness Stour

 

[creeksailor]

Ewerton Ness on the Stour (Suffolk) or free bouy at Wrabness Stour

We really shouldn't encourage people to come to the Stour (the sixth wonder, out of seven, on the East Coast) due to all kinds of deadly hazards and dangers. Any more places can you use the PM feature direct to me please

 

[sailorman]

We really shouldn't encourage people to come to the Stour (the sixth wonder, out of seven, on the East Coast) due to all kinds of deadly hazards and dangers. Any more places can you use the PM feature direct to me please

Do you want a list or not.
There is always Troll Creek if you want to wind-up yer fisherman anchor

 

[creeksailor]

Do you want a list or not.
There is always Troll Creek if you want to wind-up yer fisherman anchor

Sorry if you are offended by my light hearted banter with Stork_III.. Ive made a note of your comment. Thanks

 

[Vamoose]

what next: a fee to anchor in a smooth area of mud.

Poole Harbour thats exactly what happens.. Drop your anchor and a harbour board launch will come alongside and demand an anchoring fee. In Newtown Creek on the Isle of Wight, they ask for a "voluntary" Donation to the RSPB.....". We are still very lucky around here but sadly I wonder for how long.