Good spots to pick someone up and sail for the afternoon before dropping them back? Suffolk & Essex

[steve yates]

I’m taking my bradwell 18 off for a jaunt this weekend, for a week to 10 days, sailing from benfleet and going where the winds and tides are favourable at the time. Its a bogless boat, so my wife can’t come.
I’m looking for reccomendations for places I can tie up and she could drive over for the day, meet me at lunchtime and come sailing for the afternoon then back in the evening when she can drive home.
Even better of there is a good pub nearby for dinner.
And even more amazing if its somewhere with no tidal constraint on times of leaving and returning! Though I accept thats pushing it and with tides in the afternoon we should still get some reasonable playtime. She doesnt do mornings so no chance of arriving before lunch (drug side effects. by the way, not lazyness, same issue with the lack of loo)
I’m thinking mainly of the suffolk coast, from the walton backwaters upwards, but also the blackwater and crouch areas as they are the handiest, and will probably feature on my return trip.
Haven’t fixed my holed dinghy yet, so I have to be able to tie up ashore for her.
Thanks.

 

[johnalison]

Almost any of the usual places could be used but in the end it comes down to tidal gates and car access. My base of Titchmarsh would serve but the tides might or might not make a day sail possible. Ha’penny Pier at Harwich might be ideal for access to water, but less convenient for parking and gate access. Water taxi could be of use at Brightlingsea or W Mersea if you want to avoid marinas, but I’m sure people are going to come up with better ideas.

 

[andyb28]

Also based at Titchmarsh and was going to suggest either Titchmarsh or Ha’penny pier, both are easy to get to by car.

Timed right you will be fine. You will probably be fine anyway looking at the draft of your boat. Google says 0.38m!

 

[seivadnehpets]

Almost any of the usual places could be used but in the end it comes down to tidal gates and car access. My base of Titchmarsh would serve but the tides might or might not make a day sail possible. Ha’penny Pier at Harwich might be ideal for access to water, but less convenient for parking and gate access. Water taxi could be of use at Brightlingsea or W Mersea if you want to avoid marinas, but I’m sure people are going to come up with better ideas.

Train, Mistley to Harwich Town + 8 minutes walk to Halfpenny?

 

[steve yates]

Also based at Titchmarsh and was going to suggest either Titchmarsh or Ha’penny pier, both are easy to get to by car.

Timed right you will be fine. You will probably be fine anyway looking at the draft of your boat. Google says 0.38m!

Ha, I draw 0.4 with keel up

 

[dolabriform]

+1 for Ha'penny Pier.
Brightlingsea, tidal but not too bad considering your draft.
Burnham

 

[Concerto]

Royal Harwich Yacht Club have a marina and parking. The Butt and Oyster is a 10 minute walk if you do not want to use the clubhouse.

Deben Yacht Club have a pontoon and a 5 minute walk into Woodbridge.

Burnham has several pontoons for pick up. I would suggest the Royal Corintian YC as there is parking there.

North Fambridge YC on the Crouch have a pontoon.

 

[PeterWright]

Hi,

In the Crouch, Burnham has 4 pontoons out in the river - all of which your boat could lay alongside at all states of tide, but you would need to ask the owners first. Working upriver they are are Rice & Coles yard, the Royal Corinthian club, the Royal Burnham club and Priors yard. The town pontoon is not currently available as the council have no funds to repair it following storm damage. There are also Burnham Yacht Harbour and Essex Marina.

Further up river at Fambridge is Fambridge Yacht Haven, a jetty with plenty of water up to it at all tides, and Fambridge Marina.

On the tide you can get alongside the quays both sides of the river up at Battlesbridge, but it dries out at low water.

Peter.

 

[Slowboat35]

The ferry pontoon at Shotley is ideal, easy parking and full-tide access. Probably best to call the marina first.
I've used Wolverstone marina's outside pontoons for this purpose too, just touch and goes for crew - after calling them for an OK of course.
Brightlingsea pontoon is perfect too.

 

[Daydream believer]

Bradwell marina has its own bar & restaurant. You can stroll along the sea wall for 200 yds & go to the Green man for a meal & a pint. Parking is readily available . The creek ( just at the entrance, rest is OK)) dries to .4 M at LW but an hour each side of LW & you have ample water.
For your own point there are plenty places to anchor for the night in the Blackwater, if you do not want to spend too long in the marina.
The mouth of the Blackwater has the advantage that it is easier to get to, than sailing up the ditch to Burnham & there are close alternatives, as already suggested, if the wind does not play ball

 

[steve yates]

Thanks all, I'm in the stour st the mo so we’ll probably go for hapenny pier on sat, i’ll tie up there fri night is current, very flexible, plan

 

[dolabriform]

Thanks all, I'm in the stour st the mo so we’ll probably go for hapenny pier on sat, i’ll tie up there fri night is current, very flexible, plan

Make sure you go to the Alma for a pint

 

[steve yates]

Noted

 

[Kukri]

Another vote for Ha-penny Pier. Call them first as there is a gate on the way to the pontoon.

Phone numbers as attached.

I’ve not had trouble parking

Ha'penny Pier & Visitors Centre - The Harwich Society

 

[steve yates]

That flexible plan just changed, mon looks much warmer than tomorrow, snd tides look better, can go out half ebb and back half flood, so I’ll pick her up somewhere on the blackwater or crouch, thinking mebbe bradwell for the range of options. I’m off to the Walton backwaters tomorrow instead

 

[dolabriform]

That flexible plan just changed, mon looks much warmer than tomorrow, snd tides look better, can go out half ebb and back half flood, so I’ll pick her up somewhere on the blackwater or crouch, thinking mebbe bradwell for the range of options. I’m off to the Walton backwaters tomorrow instead

Lovely, enjoy secret water