Harwich Halfpenny Pier

It's very handy if you want to catch a tide for other rivers north or south.
A bit noisy with commercial traffic (mostly ferries) passing close by for Harwich.
I believe the overnight price now includes access to showers & toilets.
The harbour master comes round & collects the overnight fee. (it's free during daylight hours)
You might have to raft up.
When we stayed 3 years ago the pontoon was fairly new and the fenders got covered in tar. I'd take a fender board or hang a bit of canvas on the pontoon next time. Plenty of pubs to choose from in town. The Pier Hotel serves good food if a bit on the expensive side.
All in all a handy overnight stop with plenty to watch and do.
 
We stayed there two years ago. Very interesting for a change of venue.
It can be very lumpy due to wash from ferries, pilot launches etc. but bearable if you can get on the inside.
We had to wait until just after 4pm because the man came to collect the money then and lots of boats cleared off. I assume that still applies.
The harbourmaster gave us the code for the showers after we had paid but you have to remember to ask.
Worth the visit just for a meal at the Pier Hotel.
Don't expect a silent night though.
 
We seem to agree, a bit unusual for the forum.
The Pier Hotel has a posh & expensive restaurant upstairs but a reasonably price family bistro one downstairs.
Menu more limited but fish & chips are excellent. I think they may close earlier than main restaurant though.
 
Thanks for the info.

Was thinking about it as a location to catch the tide up to Mistley on Sunday morning - may have to reconsider, as a good nights sleep will be important after a few beers! (Lads weekend as SWMBO is away - /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif )
 
I have only moored during the day but the would not moor overnight as there is too much swell/boat wash etc. I am not over impressed by the pubs in Harwich. I would go into Shotley. It may cost £16/20 ish but the facilities are excellent. The Bristol Arms is about 1/2 mile walk and I like the excercise after a good few beers. The on site bar (is it called The Shipwreck?) is better than OK.
On a lads weekend I would favour some decent facilities as a few beers often ends up being (almost) a few too many, and the last thing you then want is a sleepless night banging about and having to get up to adjust warps and fenders. Have you been to Mistley before? Last time for me was 6 years ago and finding an overnight mooring was not easy. Where do you intend to moor?
 
Thanks Paul,

I'm rapidly going off the HHP idea! It was just a thought to try something different. It sounds like Shotley or Levington will be a better bet.

I wasn't intending to overnight at Mistley, just a lunch stop, then back down the Stour & up the Orwell. I need to re-read East Coast Pilot", but I'd got the impression that the town quay is OK for an hour or so either side of high tide.
 
I live and boat in the area and would tend to agree with above comments. My summary would be that it is a quite a nice place to stop off during the day but maybe more of a basic stop at night.

Anyway, if you do decide to stay, here's a suggested itinerary:
1. Quick Drink at The New Bell Inn which I think is a nice pub.

2.Visit to the Electric Palace Cinema. Pay your membership fee and see new release The Matador with Greg Kinnear and Pierce Brosnan. (Funny)

3. Dinner at The Pier, Bistro is best value.

4. After dinner walk round to the house of Christopher Jones to pay homage to the Captain of The Mayflower.

5. On the way back, gawp through railings of the Trinity House repair yard and be amazed at the size of navigation buoys when they are out of the water.

Evertyhing above within 5 minutes or so from the pontoon.
 
It's not a question of 'overnight' at Mistly, it's a question of going there for one or more tides. Last time I went I berthed at Mistley marine, cost a fiver, no facilities but the mud was soft enough for my 5 ft draft. There's a gastropub/restaurant thingy in Mistley or the best curry house in Essex (some recommendation) in Manningtree. Course, if you can sit on the mud you could go all the way to Manningtree!
 
Yep:
I would go for Shotley Point against Levington (Suffolk Yacht Harbour).

At Levington you only have the old moored ship for food & Drink unless you want a considerable journey into the village.

At Shotley you have the club bar “Shipwreck” (Fairly good food and drink) yet just up the road you have the Bristol Arms and as long as you don’t have a late night with Nando & Pauline (great people) you will have good food and excellent beer or wine and probably need the 400 yard walk back in the early hours of the morning.

Either way both of these almost guarantee a good nights sleep for about £16 or so.

Have fun…………..
 
John,
victual the boat correctly, add another bog roll and anchor off just above the ferries in the Stour, or get the rubba dubba inflated and ferry them to shore near the Bristol....
No 16 quid, and a good repast on the stove. Just give em lashings of alcohol.
 
At the risk of being a pedant, I was under the impression that virtually all the buoys in the orwell and stour are leased and you run the risk of being balled out in the early hours by the returning leaseholder.

Is there anything wrong in dropping the hook?
 
[ QUOTE ]
At the risk of being a pedant, I was under the impression that virtually all the buoys in the orwell and stour are leased and you run the risk of being balled out in the early hours by the returning leaseholder.

Is there anything wrong in dropping the hook?

[/ QUOTE ]

It gets Awfully muddy /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Nothing at all..... do just that on a regular basis..... just sometimes there are many free buoys, and its occassionally worth the risk of being 'balled out' if its just a short stop.....

I would add however, that I wouldn't dream of leaving the boat unattended.... if i'm on someone elses buoy, then I'm on the boat.... and quite happy to be moved on if the owner returns.....
 
I do not believe it is sensible to advise a bunch of chaps out on the beer for the weekend to go and moor in the middle of a busy river and take a dinghy ride to, and thus from, a pub. England play their first football match in the World Cup at 2pm on Saturday so if "the trip" watch the match in a pub it is likely that by 11pm they will have difficulty walking. They will be much safer in a marina. IMHO.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I do not believe it is sensible to advise a bunch of chaps out on the beer for the weekend to go and moor in the middle of a busy river and take a dinghy ride to, and thus from, a pub. England play their first football match in the World Cup at 2pm on Saturday so if "the trip" watch the match in a pub it is likely that by 11pm they will have difficulty walking. They will be much safer in a marina. IMHO.

[/ QUOTE ]

[--word removed--] the [--word removed--] football i wil be sailing /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
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