Hamilton Dock

[Ali-alshira]

This year, we discovered that Hamilton Dock is a very good alternative to the Royal N &S, if you are in Lowestoft, and want to keep outside the bridge. However, they are closing it from December this year. It will be used for windfarm boats instead.

 

[Habebty]

Thanks for the heads-up, shame, it's an easy place to berth, even if the view is a bit crap, but a good overspill when the RNS is full.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Was easy to berth, but needed wellies for the pigeon poo !

 

[Boz]

Hi Ali - good to see you back safe, were there many boats in Hamiliton? It was always going to be my preference.

Will this have an effect on Lowestoft as a starting point for North Holland?

 

[Ali-alshira]

We got to the R N&S in the middle of the night just before the bank holiday weekend. The assistant harbourmaster said we could spend one night there, but then we had to move on, because he had lots of boats coming in. We were a bit peeved, since when we have asked before, they said they didn't take bookings, but here we were being moved on because someone else had made a booking. When the usual harbourmaster came on duty, he was a bit more helpful, and said we could stay but would be likely to be on the inside of a raft of three or four boats - so we moved to Hamilton. It was almost empty when we arrived, but on the Saturday of the bank holiday weekend, quite a few boats came in, so that it was about three quarters full - RN&S was very full by that time - we checked!

We keep on asking ourselves if we would do better crossing to Holland somewhere further south, but every time recently have done the Lowestoft - IJmuiden slog. It may certainly be a factor, if we find we have to wait for the bridge at the end, or start, of the crossing.

Boz, Are you still in Fambridge, or have you now moved?

 

[Boz]

Hi, Ali.....
No We've moved to Shotley for a variety of reasons, mainly because they offered us a good deal and better options for weekend sailing. We only just missed you at Ijmuiden, but then had to wait for a weather window and then did Shotley direct...arriving Tuesday Morning.

 

[Gargleblaster]

We keep on asking ourselves if we would do better crossing to Holland somewhere further south, but every time recently have done the Lowestoft - IJmuiden slog. It may certainly be a factor, if we find we have to wait for the bridge at the end, or start, of the crossing.

I tend to do a crossing from Den Helder to the Orwell, which takes about 30 hours. To me it gives a better line on the various shipping lanes and the oil platforms. Or maybe just because I like Den Helder and I find the Orwell a good place to find a buoy and have a sleep as I am single handed. A week or so ago I hit the coast between the Aldeburgh and the Felixstowe Ferry. I was tempted by the Deben, just to get my head down but at 0300 hours in mid flood I decided it wasn't a good idea.