Info on the Devon Avon bar at Bigbury and Bantham

[Adios]

Can't find this info anywhere but I know someone here will know...

What is the situation at low water? Does the bar dry out completely? If it does dry out for roughly how much of low tide before the tide comes back over the bar?

If the bar dries does the channel behind it dry out to a trickle or is there always some sort of water in the channel? Is there a pool at Bantham?

It will be more of a spring tide than a neap when I'm there but probably an average idea would do it. Dinghy adventures so don't need a lot, just some water

 

[LittleSister]

I seem to recall, but hazily and from a long time ago, that the bar dries pretty much completely, and there isn't much water in the river behind it at low tide.

I paddled a canoe down there from Aveton Gifford some years ago, with the tide, spent a few hours around low tide lounging around on the beach etc., and then paddled back up with the tide when it came back in. My general impression (possibly wrong) is that you could sail a dinghy (probably need some rowing or motoring - there isn't much room to tack) up to Aveton Gifford at high tide (indeed there were a few small shallow draft sailing cruisers moored near Aveton Gifford), but you'd probably need at least half tide.

Hopefully someone will be along shortly with more certain info.

 

[LittleSister]

Having had a quick look on Navionics chart viewer, definitely looks like the bar (and much of the river) will dry at low tide:

Navionics ChartViewer

 

[James_Calvert]

I don't have much experience of actually taking a dinghy into Bantham, but entry will certainly be possible at the right times.

I don't think the bar ever totally dries. It is wadeable. The ebb is fast though, and we had to beach and ship the outboard to beat it once.

There's definitely a pool in the river off Bantham. But you might find it easier to dry out on the flats on on the west side.

There's a sailing club based there, probably your best source of advice...
Home | Bantham Sailing Club

 

[Adios]

Having had a quick look on Navionics chart viewer, definitely looks like the bar (and much of the river) will dry at low tide:

Navionics ChartViewer

I guess that is tidal height and doesn't take river flow into account, which would vary if its been wet lately. But I just checked Wells next the sea on it which dries about 2 or 3 hours before low water and it shows a blue channel with no heights. Maybe they don't put much effort into inland accuracy.

 

[Adios]

I don't have much experience of actually taking a dinghy into Bantham, but entry will certainly be possible at the right times.

I don't think the bar ever totally dries. It is wadeable. The ebb is fast though, and we had to beach and ship the outboard to beat it once.

There's definitely a pool in the river off Bantham. But you might find it easier to dry out on the flats on on the west side.

There's a sailing club based there, probably your best source of advice...
Home | Bantham Sailing Club

Its a trip going down from Aveton Giford and up again with the tide but I was wondering if I would be able to come and go at low water in a very small draft boat. If its wadeable I could pull the boat up it I guess. Weather looking better for next weekend so might not mind getting my feet wet

 

[TwoHooter]

If you do this please post a report. I would like to anchor offshore and take our tender up the Avon. In the right conditions of course. I got the idea when I saw a fairly large boat in the pool not so long ago.

 

[LittleSister]

Its a trip going down from Aveton Giford and up again with the tide but I was wondering if I would be able to come and go at low water in a very small draft boat. If its wadeable I could pull the boat up it I guess.

From my dim recollection it's very doable coming down and back with the tide (which is what I did in the canoe), but I don't think you'll make much progress at low tide.

Perhaps choose your weather (and tide times!) and spend a while on the beach or sailing in the sea until the tide comes back in?

Have a fun time, anyway, I'm jealous!

 

[Adios]

If you do this please post a report. I would like to anchor offshore and take our tender up the Avon. In the right conditions of course. I got the idea when I saw a fairly large boat in the pool not so long ago.

Was there yesterday and can confirm what James said, the ebb is very fast downstream from Bantham. Turned the boat into it and flat out with my 3.5hp could just about hold my position. Must be a good 5-6 knots. Flood similarly fast once it gets going. Makes the river a nice place to turn the engine off and drift along with a minimal bit of rowing.

The upper river above Bantham dries other than the channel about 3 hours after HW. We only just had enough water on the Aveton Gifford slipway about 2hrs after HW springs. But if that is missed its possible to launch off the tidal road into deeper water just down river from the slipway. On the upper third of the eastuary its quite hard to know where the channel is but the lower 2/3 its on the outside of bends and where you'd expect.

There is enough water to get over the slight bar in an inflatable at any time though where it widens out you might find a shallow bit and need to get out to pull it.

Beautiful place, must be one of the best in the UK. Even on a sunny bank holiday saturday we had the beach on the west side of the river almost to ourselves. Then drifted back up to the free car park at Aveton Gifford on the tide. The car was parked about 10m from the top of the slip.

Beach if you arrive without a boat:



or with a boat (or a bit of walking):



Bantham side of the beach:



Lots of swans living on this estuary:

 

[TwoHooter]

Thanks for excellent report.

 

[longjohnsilver]

Thanks for excellent report.

I see you’ve now got the new dinghy to christen

 

[TwoHooter]

Yep. And very nice it is too. Picture is bobbing and drifting on St. John's Lake for a lunch stop today. Hoping to get to the Devon Avon this summer.
New thread about the tender here: Next best thing to new boat: New Tender!

 

[doug748]

You can always rely on the Forum for some useless info, TH. St John's lake was painted by JMW Turner in 1813:



Looking in the other direction.

.

 

[longjohnsilver]

Yep. And very nice it is too. Picture is bobbing and drifting on St. John's Lake for a lunch stop today. Hoping to get to the Devon Avon this summer.
New thread about the tender here: Next best thing to new boat: New Tender!
View attachment 116488

Hmm don’t know St John’s lake, up the Tamar?

 

[Adios]

Yep. And very nice it is too. Picture is bobbing and drifting on St. John's Lake for a lunch stop today. Hoping to get to the Devon Avon this summer.
New thread about the tender here: Next best thing to new boat: New Tender!
View attachment 116488

Whats the thing on the bow?

 

[TwoHooter]

Whats the thing on the bow?

Port/Starboard navigation lights. Nice touch but BRIG don't include an all-round white light. Seems a bit peculiar to supply the red and green but no white. I'll fit a white eventually.

John - sorry, forgot to reply. St. John's Lake is the big area of mud flats opposite Devonport.

 

[LittleSister]

Hmm don’t know St John’s lake, up the Tamar?

There's a St. John's Lake in the lower Tamar, between Torpoint and Cremyll.

I don't know if that's the one TwoHooter was on.

 

[Adios]

Port/Starboard navigation lights. Nice touch but BRIG don't include an all-round white light. Seems a bit peculiar to supply the red and green but no white. I'll fit a white eventually.

these are just right for the job though you might want to check the height is above your head height if you're mounting it on the transom Navisafe Polelight Pack - All Round White

 

[TwoHooter]

Athomson - thanks, my response is on this thread: Next best thing to new boat: New Tender!