Harwich -> Boulogne S/Mer

Hi
Been there direct from Foxs.
Used the usual 'outside route' as we would for Dover but went east of the Thanet wind farm.
Left at around HW Harwich.
I have the log/route on board so I'll have a look at times etc later.
 
My hol plans were to go to B-s-M, and planning for the week of 4th August, the place I didn't want to be punting the tide at Springs was Gris-Nez to B-s-M...

PS... Bertha got in the way... so it became Ramsgit, Gillingham, Burnham and Levington... :-(
PPS Roger's Sunk crossing is fab, started to get blase with 7-8m under the keel, but it don't half shallow off quick towards the Black Deep (finished up about 4m at half tide)
 
Last edited:
yep... have done Neptune to Boulogne and also Shotley to Boulogne... agree with Wingdiver.. we left around HW Harwich... in fact a little before if I remember correctly... its not a bad passage, especially if you can get past Cap Gris Nez before the tide turns too foul!
 
Our log shows we left at 02:45 and arrived at 16:00.
The route was to Long Sand Head then Kentish Knock south to the shipping lane east of the Goodwin Sands and cross to the Ruytingen bouy then along the coast to Boulogne.
 
Thanks all for your replys.

wingdiver said:
Our log shows we left at 02:45 and arrived at 16:00.
The route was to Long Sand Head then Kentish Knock south to the shipping lane east of the Goodwin Sands and cross to the Ruytingen bouy then along the coast to Boulogne.
Click to expand...

Have a similar route in mind.
Can you remember how your departure time related to HW Harwich.
Our usual itinerary is Orwell-Ramsgate-Boulogne.
Leaving the Orwell at HW Harwich, but I fear that this would have me punching the tide pretty much from N Foreland tom Boulogne.
FWIW: plan to leave this Thursday (21/08).
 
OR4751 said:
Thanks all for your replys.



Have a similar route in mind.
Can you remember how your departure time related to HW Harwich.
Our usual itinerary is Orwell-Ramsgate-Boulogne.
Leaving the Orwell at HW Harwich, but I fear that this would have me punching the tide pretty much from N Foreland tom Boulogne.
FWIW: plan to leave this Thursday (21/08).
Click to expand...
you should get the new flood tide approx @ Sandwich that will carry you south
 
Assuming average boat speed of 6kts - leave from vicinity of Cliff Foot at -1 Sheerness (0920 BST - HW Harwich is 0927 BST). Gets you to Ramsgate via the outside route (but inside the Thanet Wind Farm) at around 1755 BST at the latest which is about three and half hours before high water Dover. Which means two hours of favourable tide before the northerly stream starts. In other words crossing to Boulogne will be a bit grim.

However, if you left Cliff Foot at 0650BST which is -3:30 Sheerness and -2:37 Harwich you would be off the North Foreland (at 6kts) around 1530 - admittedly a little slower than the 'depart at HW Harwich option' but not much more than 30 minutes slower at worst. 1530hrs is 6 hours before HW Dover (2131BST) and so you would have 5 hrs of SW going tide to help you towards Boulogne. Actually running through again, leaving an hour earlier makes sense - pretty much the same duration to off the North Foreland so you are there an hour earlier just as the south going tide starts there - with the obvious benefit later on. This is clearly benefiting from the fact it is neaps. I haven't run it through on Springs, or indeed at 5kts.
 
tillergirl said:
However, if you left Cliff Foot at 0650BST which is -3:30 Sheerness and -2:37 Harwich you would be off the North Foreland (at 6kts) around 1530 - admittedly a little slower than the 'depart at HW Harwich option' but not much more than 30 minutes slower at worst. 1530hrs is 6 hours before HW Dover (2131BST) and so you would have 5 hrs of SW going tide to help you towards Boulogne. Actually running through again, leaving an hour earlier makes sense - pretty much the same duration to off the North Foreland so you are there an hour earlier just as the south going tide starts there - with the obvious benefit later on. This is clearly benefiting from the fact it is neaps.
Click to expand...

6kts average sounds about right for us.
Thanks Roger - thanks all for your replies - much appreciated
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top