Great Yarmouth to Lowestoft

Little Rascal

Little Rascal

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Hi all,

I was just musing: We have a trip to the Broads planned in the spring in my little Hunter Europa.

I was wondering how practical it might be to put our noses 'outside' and complete the circuit by making the short passage from Great Yarmouth to Lowestoft or vice versa. Weather permitting of course. The boat is capable but we are not yet a hardened cruisers.

It looks fairly straight forward but the warnings of moving banks and shifting channels tend to put the wind up one. Am I being under-confident? Can anyone advise as to the practicalities of coming through from Lowesoft to Oulton, and the Yarmouth bridges?


Thanks
Jon
 
Gt Yarmouth is not at all yacht-friendly, but you'd just be passing through, so it should be straightforward. It's worth radioing the harbour master to make sure they know you are there though. The passage to Lowestoft is fine - I've only done it once, though. There are sandbanks but if you have the relevant chart, all will be clear. Time it to get a fair tide. Call Lowestoft as you approach to get clearance to enter. You can wait for the bridge on pontoons(?) on the right just inside the entrance.
 
AliM said:
Gt Yarmouth is not at all yacht-friendly, but you'd just be passing through, so it should be straightforward. It's worth radioing the harbour master to make sure they know you are there though. The passage to Lowestoft is fine - I've only done it once, though. There are sandbanks but if you have the relevant chart, all will be clear. Time it to get a fair tide. Call Lowestoft as you approach to get clearance to enter. You can wait for the bridge on pontoons(?) on the right just inside the entrance.
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+1

You could also nip into the Royal Norfolk & Suffolk YC that is just inside the entrance (before the bridge) if your timing is out. It's a pretty easy run if you have the time as you leave GY have a look at the seals on the Scratby sandbank slightly to the north.

You can also moor on the town quay at GY before you exit if you need to.
 
If you are coming down the Yare (across BreydonWater ) with the mast up you will have get both the Breydon Bridge and the Haven Bridge lifted for the passage. They will lift on request but it is better to radio ahead and they will advise if it is a special lift for you or if there will be other boats going through with you.
From the Bure you will not get through without lowering the mast at any time but if you have dropp[ed it for the Bure bridges you might as well keep it down for the Haven bridge,
As has been said you could moor on the Town Quay at Gt Yarmouth but it is an unfriendly mooring in a fast flowing river. It is much better to get yourself sorted and go straight out to sea.
Both ports are working ones but GY is likely to be busier. GY Port Control (and the GY bridges) are on Channel 12 . Lowestoft Port Control is Channel 14.
Obviously it is better to go down with the tide...which effectively flows straight up and down the coast. You could turn slightly left out of the river at GY to see the seals on Scroby...but only at low tide. There is a channel running parallel to the coast so it is quite deep just offshore when you have left Gorleston behind... just keep 150m out of the surf. The sand banks are not likely to be too much of a problem if you go down to Lowestoft about two hours before HW.

Do not forget to call the Port Control before turning into LT ...they get very stern if you enter without checking with them and observing the lights. The bridge in Lowestoft has set opening times ( the whole town stops when it is open) so it would probably be better to turn left into the RNSYC yacht basin as you get through the Outer Harbour and wait for the next bridge lift....no hardship freindly club with good food.
A nice simple voyage and for a novice sailor. Good luck
 
Croc said:
From the Bure you will not get through without lowering the mast at any time but if you have dropp[ed it for the Bure bridges you might as well keep it down for the Haven bridge,
As has been said you could moor on the Town Quay at Gt Yarmouth but it is an unfriendly mooring in a fast flowing river. It is much better to get yourself sorted and go straight out to sea.
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Thanks, the plan would be to lower the mast and catch the last of the ebb out of the Bure, scoot down to Town Quay, and raise the mast. Then Leave GY at slack and catch the flood south.


Croc said:
Both ports are working ones but GY is likely to be busier. GY Port Control (and the GY bridges) are on Channel 12 . Lowestoft Port Control is Channel 14....

...Do not forget to call the Port Control before turning into LT ...they get very stern if you enter without checking with them and observing the lights.
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We don't currently have VHF on board so we would call ahead by phone and make arrangements. I'm not sure how Port Control would feel about that, I might ring them for a chat and see...
 
I don't wish to be unkind or rude but what on earth do you think you are doing even contemplating going to sea without a VHF?
It is irresponsible.
A cheap hand held is about £75....a really good one less than £100 more.
Get one. Learn how to use it.....which is not difficult.
If you can afford a boat you can afford a radio. As my kids say JFDI.....just f.....g do it.
 
Steady on there Croc :eek: no need to get all snappy on the ECF :D
Much better to come up with a solution I think :rolleyes:
Jon seems to be a half decent chap, at least, judging from his collection of friends on here anyway, therefore I am willing to loan my own VHF, currently installed on Sixpence which is unlikely to launch any time soon, for the duration of this voyage into scary East coast waters. Jon, if nobody closer to you is able to help, the offer is open, just need to collect from here if required.
There now, isn't that a better alternative to the problem ? :cool:
 
Little Rascal said:
We don't currently have VHF on board so we would call ahead by phone and make arrangements. I'm not sure how Port Control would feel about that, I might ring them for a chat and see...
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You probably do need a VHF for safety's sake.
If all else fails I'll lend you one at GY and get it from you at my club.
That sounds posh :) RNSYC or Nobs & Snobs as it's known locally.
 
Croc said:
I don't wish to be unkind or rude but what on earth do you think you are doing even contemplating going to sea without a VHF?
It is irresponsible.
.
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Sorry for Fred Rift but why is it irresponsible?

I often go to sea and forget to turn my VHF on. In fact in 2010 I sailed nearly a thousand miles solo without an operational vhf. Silly me.

Go back to the 1980s and I was leading a group of boats on the RYAs young skippers scheme - none of the boats had vhf. Was that irresponsible too?
 
Thank you very much guys - very decent of both of you :)

I can understand Croc's viewpoint. I would prefer to have VHF but haven't so far due to budget constraints. I haven't forsworn VHF due to recklessness or ignorance, it's just that when fitting out my boat decided to buy sounder, gps and compass first. VHF is on the list.

But I'm not quite convinced that 'I must not put to sea without one' for such a straightforward passage. I started this thread to guage forum opinions on the subject. And yes some people did share Croc's viewpoint :)

The link in the earlier posted by Sixpence - the Lowesoft Haven directions seems to countenance the fact that some vessels may not have VHF comms...

3a For small craft and yachts without VHF communication the green, white, green signal may be considered in favour of proceeding with extreme caution and navigational courtesy, those vessels in the Yacht Basin must contact the Port Control before departure.
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On that note... can anyone recommend somewhere to do the VHF course locally? I'm in Peterborough...
 
Karouise said:
Sorry for Fred Rift but why is it irresponsible?

I often go to sea and forget to turn my VHF on. In fact in 2010 I sailed nearly a thousand miles solo without an operational vhf. Silly me.

Go back to the 1980s and I was leading a group of boats on the RYAs young skippers scheme - none of the boats had vhf. Was that irresponsible too?
Click to expand...

we bought out first vhf in 1985 some 7 yrs after our first North Sea crossing in our own boat.
we did have a compass,depth,wind speed / direction & log though
 
Karouise said:
Sorry for Fred Rift but why is it irresponsible?

I often go to sea and forget to turn my VHF on. In fact in 2010 I sailed nearly a thousand miles solo without an operational vhf. Silly me.

Go back to the 1980s and I was leading a group of boats on the RYAs young skippers scheme - none of the boats had vhf. Was that irresponsible too?
Click to expand...

Two points spring to mind :

a) You had the VHF, should you have needed it

b) If we all sailed around with our VHF turned off, that wouldn't be very helpful to anyone else who had a problem.
 
Little Rascal said:
Thank you very much guys - very decent of both of you :)

I can understand Croc's viewpoint. I would prefer to have VHF but haven't so far due to budget constraints. I haven't forsworn VHF due to recklessness or ignorance, it's just that when fitting out my boat decided to buy sounder, gps and compass first. VHF is on the list.

But I'm not quite convinced that 'I must not put to sea without one' for such a straightforward passage. I started this thread to guage forum opinions on the subject. And yes some people did share Croc's viewpoint :)

The link in the earlier posted by Sixpence - the Lowesoft Haven directions seems to countenance the fact that some vessels may not have VHF comms...



On that note... can anyone recommend somewhere to do the VHF course locally? I'm in Peterborough...
Click to expand...

Hi, I'm in Peterborough too and did my VHF course at Peterborough Yacht Club,they are a RYA site, very reasonable price too, you can find the details at http://www.peterboroughyachtclub.com/Training/Training.htm the picture is a VHF course in action.

I agree that having a VHF radio is safer and easier to contact port control etc but don't be put off, all of GY & LS ports can be contacted by mobile, all i would say is make sure it's a calm sea with good vis for your trip.

We did the same journey for the first time last year, we aborted the first time as when we exited GY the sea state wasn't quite as moderate as forecast or as I like it to be !

The 2nd time we had a great sail down to Lowerstoft, the Royal marina is a great place stop rather than go straight through the bridge.(Not that pretty until you get to oulton broad imoa)
If you decide to go through the bridge then you can call them on the day to find the opening times and moor up on the right in side the port on the pontoon if you arrive too early, the enterance in blind so contact Port control for permission on your mobile before entering the Harbour. The passage as several buoys you can use to plan your route.
You can then sail with mast up as far as St Olaves.

Enjoy !
 
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Sorry if you thought I was snappy but you are travelling through two working ports.
The last three times I have been througth GY there have been ship movements going on. This was not a problem because ships and port control were talkining to each other and we were listening on Channel 12....which was just as well because once one ship got it wrong....not disasterously but wrong as we were approaching....we were warned off and asked to wait while they sorted it out. They quickly did this and told us to come on past.
A simple task when we were all using the same channel but it would not quite have worked with a mobile phone.
Why would you not have VHF?... they only cost as much as a tankful of petrol for an average car and normally last years.
Apart from the safety viewpoint they make the voyage more interesting because just listening to the conversations makes you part of the scene and gives you a better understanding of what is going on around you.
Of course you can go to sea without a radio....just as you can pedal your bike down a busy road at night without lights... the fact you can do it does not make it right or sensible.
Again I apologise for being a little too direct and I am pleased that other forum members have offered a kind way round the matter if you really cannot afford a VHF. Good luck
 
Oh dear, we've got one of them there anchor debates in here now :eek:

Croc, only joking about the snapping thing, just your user name made me think of the old one about the crocodile sandwich :D
I'm simple like that :o

Jon, if you're Peterborough way, sister in law is visiting this weekend, I can send my ancient hand held back with her to Peterborough and loan it to you for the season if you like. It's old like me but last time I used it, talking to the RNLI it worked fine. To have or have not is one question people will never agree on, same as which anchor to use, which is why some of us don't even read those threads these days :rolleyes:

p.s. don't tell anyone I told you, but some around here don't even have a VHF certificate :eek:
ssshhhhh :D

Not me I hasten to add, goody two shoes got lucky with a course a while back :p
 
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