HM Wells next to Sea

galeus

galeus

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I was on their w/s earlier and saw that the HM Robert Smith has been awarded an MBE.
He has done loads to keep things alive at the harbour and if you've not been you are missing out.
He's a smashing bloke and really takes an interest in visiting boats and I am really pleased to see him get this award.
 
galeus said:
I was on their w/s earlier and saw that the HM Robert Smith has been awarded an MBE.
He has done loads to keep things alive at the harbour and if you've not been you are missing out.
He's a smashing bloke and really takes an interest in visiting boats and I am really pleased to see him get this award.
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I agree, Bob is very welcoming to visiting yachts. The channel is a little "interesting" but Bob will often escort visiting boats into the harbour using the harbour launch.
 
Yes, well deserved IMO too.
Not only does he offer an escort service into the harbour through the fiendishly tortuous, mega-tide-flow and shallow estuary but he is welcoming, and a great source of information for the visiting boater. He runs a helpful and very pleasant staff.

I was having kittens about going there in 2015 as a solo sailor but he calmly and accurately advised me the procedure. I am so glad I overcame my colly-wobbles and made the effort.

Mind you, I wasn't so keen on him next morning when I asked for an escort back out and he laughingly said, "GO, NOW. Just keep all the red buoys within a paint's thickness to your starboard and you'll be fine".
He was correct, but talk about heart-in-mouth! :eek:

Coming in WITH that flood tide was hairy, going out against it was a lonnnng hour's punch.

Well done Robert Smith MBE
 
Congratulations to Robert Smith.

The slightly traumatic entrance and exit over the bar at Wells is worth the trouble. We visited Wells by boat in 2015 and 2016 . A further visit in 2017 is planned.
 
MartynG said:
Congratulations to Robert Smith.

The slightly traumatic entrance and exit over the bar at Wells is worth the trouble. We visited Wells by boat in 2015 and 2016 . A further visit in 2017 is planned.
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I draw 1.6m which makes for a narrow tidal window. I suspect you draw quite a bit less and have more options.

A daunting sight arriving off Wells-next-the-Sea!
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I was guided in by a local fishing boat. We waited for what they thought was long enough, but at the bend near the Lifeboat Station I grounded and was stuck for ten minutes, broadside on to the racing tide and heeled over quite alarmingly.
Still, it cleaned my keel nicely;)
"I think we brought you in a bit too soon", was the comment !!:rolleyes:
 
Robert Wilson said:
And of course, you have a lot more power than my 13.5HP at your disposal!
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Quite a lot more power yes.
But don't dare use much power on the shore side of the outer cardinal.

Last departure from the visitor pontoon was 1.5hrs before HW and had depth of water a little bit low at about 6ft - but that was towards the sharp left bend not far from the beginning of the journey out. Next time I may leave it a little later.
 
Crossing the bar on a fast flowing ebb was an "interesting" event :hororr:

We were in a powerful mobo at the time, attempting such a maneuver in a sail boat would be doomed to failure and an extremely foolhardy thing to do.
 
If you have not seen then Dylan Winter made a couple of great videos on Wells.

Worth a watch on a cold winters night.


 
A well-deserved honour, really decent bloke and always helpful. I used to live in Norfolk and sailed a GP14 from Burnham Overy Staithe. A fun trip was to scoot round to Wells, eat loads, drink almost as must, sleep under a boom tent and head back the following day. Going in under full flood felt like being on a windsurfer!

The Dutch barge cafe and its mad owner are well worth a visit too!
 
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