Haven Bridge Great Yarmouth Bridge lift time help needed.

[MagicIsland]

Planning to enter the Broads through Great Yarmouth Tue 28th with our Southerly 105, low water is shown at 9:24 at Gorleston, port authority site states that slack water is 90 mins after low water at the entrance to the Yare and Broad Authority states slack water at Great Yarmouth (Breydon Water) is 1 hr after low water at the Yacht station which is 1hr after Gorleston so in effect 2 hrs after low water Gorleston. This leads me to believe that slack water at the entrance happens 30 mins before that at the bridges.

My question is with all the above in mid would asking for a Bridge lift at 11.00am be the best time to navigate through both Haven and Breydon bridges ?

My 2nd question is on the return we will need to pass on Slack water after high tides, does the same logic apply ?

Thanks in advance

 

[LittleSister]

I wouldn't have thought you need to worry about passing exactly at slack water. The tides run strongly around half tide, but having often observed the river there they don't look to be that severe. I don't have detailed knowledge of the tides there, but I would not have thought it's not that big an issue if you have a reliable engine, and just avoiding half tide ebb would seem appropriate.

The bridges are big enough to allow ships through, so you are not trying to get through a very narrow gap with the tide sluicing through.

Avoid having to stay on the Town Quay if you can, or bring fender boards and as many big fenders as you can. Best of all ask nicely if you can tie up alongside the Lydia Eve steam drifter, which is moored on the quay (it's green and fairly obvious), and make a donation to the Trust which runs it. (A visit/tour of the Lydia Eve is also recommended if you're around during the day.)

Don't forget you need to book the bridge lift during office hours, and at least 24 hours ahead.

P.S. Breydon and Haven bridges are just a few hundred yards apart, so no difference in navigation issues. I think they usually coordinate the bridge lifts of the two, but check when you book.

 

[ex-Gladys]

I've been on a few Broads cruisers through Yarmouth and the tide sluices out of the northern Broads at a helluva lick. We thought we'd have to tie up at the "yacht station" to await clearance under the bridges to go through, and turning into the tide to go alongside required a considerable amount of welly. I'd estimate about 3-4 knots at least...