Gunfleet and Sunk Sands - advice sought

LittleSister

LittleSister

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I’m planning a trip Harwich to Ramsgate/Dover for next Saturday (weather permitting), and thinking that Foulger’s Gat has windfarm construction works going on at the moment was looking at alternative routes. It struck me that if going via Fisherman’s Gat, to cut over Gunfleet just to the west of the Gunfleet Old Lighthouse and over the Sunk Sand just east of the Middle Sunk would give me a direct-ish route and, by keeping over the sand, less adverse tide. We draw just under a metre, have echo sounder and GPS.

I found a post by Paul Gooch (similar draft, but mobo) from last year saying he had plenty of depth over the Gunfleet thereabouts near low water. We would be going over near high water. Any knowledge/comments/advice?

Crossing over the Sunk Sand just east of Middle Sand is referred to in Crossing the Thames Estuary as the Sunk Beacon crossing, but my new chart (Imray C1 2010) shows no beacon but an ‘obstruction’ in the vicinity (about 51 degrees 39.4’ N, 1 degree 20.7’ E). Unfortunately my old charts are on the boat. Is the beacon still there? And again any knowledge/comments/advice? We would be on a falling tide by this point.
 
First the easy bit - the Sunk Beacon has collapsed and the best information is that the stub (a formidible bit of metal) remains just visible at low water springs. Although there appears to be sufficient water still in that area, the finger of the Middle Sunk has been extending north east in recent years so that it is certainly now due north of the remains of the beacon by an account this year. So people have passed that way but it is no longer as straight forward as it used to be. an accurate GPS position is a minimum requirement and be prepared once the water starts to deepen to turn north east because it will shallow again - but that's no harm to your route since you are heading to Harwich.

Crossing the Gunfleet? Well I simply have not heard of it being done although I do recall Paul mentioning something like that and those involved in the Windfarm have talked of more water than expected - but that's a bit of west of where you are suggesting. I just don't think there is any data. Admiralty Charts are based on surveys no recent than 1990 in that area.

You have a choice in respect of the Gunfleet - be a pioneer for us (in which case keep some data for us [he said cheekily]) or think that nipping down the Black Deep with the ebb, crossing the Sunk at the 'Barrow No 2' crossing point and going round the top of the Gunfleet is not going to add that much distance to your journey. Whatever you do, don't stick yourself on the Gunfleet on the ebb with a bit of a sea running.
 
Thanks, Roger (if I may?). I'd read that the SW Sunk Beacon had collapsed, but did not know about the Sunk Beacon. So they're both collapsed now?

I'm actually going the other way to what you've assumed, starting from Harwich and going south(ish) to Ramsgate or Dover. I wanted to avoid crossing the Sunk Sand at Barrow No. 2 (which I think is what I did last trip), because it would be a long slog up Black Deep against the ebbing tide to get to Fisherman's Gat if Foulger's Gat looked difficult or unappealing because of the work I've read is going on thereabouts at the moment.

Re crossing the Gunfleet - Paul Gooch wrote last September "With only 1m draft on my boat, i have crossed Gunfleet inside of Wallet No2. I've also crossed over a few times just South of the old lighthouse. Crossed over there last Saturday at low water (neap), with 6 feet under the transducer (about 4 feet under the prop protector). Not something to do in a big swell I read that as 1m draft, minus 2 ft of prop etc. below transducer, so transducer minumum foot below surace, so 7ft, say 2m, minimum depth on his route at low water neaps. We'll be crossing at HW neapish, so will hopefully have maybe another 3m on top of that (minus our 1 metre draft) to play with.

That's the theory. If the weather's poor I won't be anywhere near there! If it's kind I'll try to log some depths.
 
Sorry I was rushing to get the cat to the vets yesterday and misread the direction.

Yes both beacons have gone, both the SW Sunk which is believed to be a pile of wreckage on the seabed and the Sunk Beacon which one forumite has seen as a stump at LW springs ish.

I recall years ago a mobo coming over the Gunfleet and intercepting us in the Wallet to ask for directions having come from Kent. But that was the bit where the Wind Farm is now. Whether there is a way across where you mention would be interesting. But I would have thought if you were heading to Ramsgate from Harwich, most plans would give you the flood in the Black Deep; indeed you could time it to get the 2.4kt spring conveyor. I accept though it's a dogleg.

My reading of the latest from the London Array is that they are not working near the Gat at the moment. See here:

http://www.crossingthethamesestuary.com/page48.html

But of course you will have to find the Gat without the use of the safe water marks which have been lifted but there are now a few yellow piles to help you! The red marks indicate install piles as at yesterday.
 
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Crossing between Ramsgate and West Mersea yesterday I attempted to cross the Sunk Sand where my paper and electronic charts showed a swatchway roughly between Black Deep No 7 and Barrow No 5.

With about three hours flood we scapped over with about 0.3m clearance under the 1.9m keel which was rather less then the minimum sounding of 1.7 and this least depth was where the chart suggested there would be 3.7m! Not good for the blood pressure.
 
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I was talking to a club member today who had travelled from Ramsgate to Harwich yesterday via Foulgars Gat. He said they were not working in that area at the moment. He got a call from the guard boat to warn him to stay away from the installed stumps but they let him through.
 
Quite right. The restrictions are 500m from a construction or maintenance vessel and 50m from foundation structure. See here

http://www.crossingthethamesestuary.com/page48.html under 'Wind Farm Safety Zones'.

I guess if they are erecting on one of the piles alongside the Gat, then it would be closed. They have not yet published this week's schedule of work but probably will shortly.

These were the 'installed stumps' at last Monday

http://www.crossingthethamesestuary.com/page9.html

Go to the Temporary Notices to Mariners - first item. We can begin to see the 'gap' forming.
 
Sounds a wise choice to me. Now they have or were about to survey that end of the Gunfleet for the extension to the Wind Farm. Wonder if I can get my hands on any data......
 
For Info an Updat

tillergirl said:
I think you mean the Barrow No 6?

My soundings suggest you need to go down the Blakc Deep a little before you can head for the Barrown No 6.

http://www.crossingthethamesestuary.com/page6.html See the SW Sunk download.
Click to expand...

We went across sticking to the waypoints created by Tiller Girl (See above link) 2 Hours before HW on Wednesday 27th July on passage to Poole .and never had less than 4 Metres. Thank you Roger I think thats the wqy I will use in the future;)
 
LittleSister said:
I’m planning a trip Harwich to Ramsgate/Dover for next Saturday (weather permitting), and thinking that Foulger’s Gat has windfarm construction works going on at the moment was looking at alternative routes. It struck me that if going via Fisherman’s Gat, to cut over Gunfleet just to the west of the Gunfleet Old Lighthouse and over the Sunk Sand just east of the Middle Sunk would give me a direct-ish route and, by keeping over the sand, less adverse tide. We draw just under a metre, have echo sounder and GPS.

We would be on a falling tide by this point.
Click to expand...

Puzzled that you should go south against the tide - I've always timed my departure for LW Harwich -2 so I can float across S of the Cork and cut into Black Deep pretty well as the tide takes up. No?

Then Fisherman's Gat is an easy run - well marked and just a little further S than Foulgers, if you don't fancy weaving between the stumps (as was when I passed in mid season).
Then it's straight to N Foreland and this way you get good water for the last 5 miles into
Ramsgate, avoiding the slog against tide. No white knuckles. Peachy. No?

I used to run across the banks in skippy days, just for the hell of it, but even with a rising tide that's just an indulgence, and not without risk. Now I speed along with the tide in 15m of water and watch others sloping off across the banks, weaving their way to the tune of the depth sounder, and for a worthwhile time gain....?

What do they do with any minutes saved??

PWG
 
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