Marina showers - Brightlingsea vs Bradwell

I was distinctly underwhelmed by the showers at Brightlingsea, no control of water temp and almost too hot to bear, plus some that wouldn't turn off which seemed a little profligate - what if you want a cold shower? Surely that's not too much to ask? Brightlingsea is a nicer place but watering has to be done on the busy and shallow hammerhead and the boat-trips to and fro soon begin to add up to a small fortune, especially if there are three or four on board.
I too found Bradwell a soulless concrete canyon with a badly marked channel and nowhere to go when you got there - at least, compared to Brightlingsea.
Pyefleet and a dingy trip for me!
 
Old Bumbulum said:
I too found Bradwell a soulless concrete canyon with a badly marked channel and nowhere to go when you got there - at least, compared to Brightlingsea.
Pyefleet and a dingy trip for me!
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There’s a very nice walk to St Peter on-the-wall, the 19th oldest building still in use in the country Google tells me. Go along the path that follows the sea wall and return through some of the villages.
 
Cobra said:
I think that you will find the reference to a "Soulless, concrete canyon" was aimed at the innards of Brightlingsea Marina, fondly known locally as 'Cell Block H'!
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A friend of ours lives in the Brightlingsea block. It is very comfortable, but another mate calls it the Travelodge.
 
Champagne Murphy said:
There’s a very nice walk to St Peter on-the-wall, the 19th oldest building still in use in the country Google tells me. Go along the path that follows the sea wall and return through some of the villages.
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I did this walk, only anti-clockwise, the other week. It is well worth doing and atmospheric, something over 6 miles. The marina office can give out a map showing the roads and paths near the marina.

St Peter's hasn't change much since the 1970s

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Old Bumbulum said:
I too found Bradwell a soulless concrete canyon with a badly marked channel and nowhere to go when you got there - at least, compared to Brightlingsea.
Pyefleet and a dingy trip for me!
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That is not the same Bradwell I know. I find the channel very well marked, no sign of concrete (most of the marina is surrounded by mud) and two pubs and a village store in walking distance plus some local beaches (ok not golden sands) and lots of good longer walks.

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 
Champagne Murphy said:
And even then, just the bit near the marina. Didn’t look like that when I was a kid
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And in fairness up till about 10/12 years ago it looked remarkably different! Just the shell of what was once James and Stone shipyard and the Old Wreck House dating back to the 1800's and earlier. The Old Wreck House used to be where the draftsmen stored their drawings and layouts for the builds...it had a preservation order on it and had to be an integral part of any development. There was a "mysterious" fire that destroyed most of the shipyard and did some damage to the Wreckhouse but fortunately, our local firemen knew the importance of the building and it was saved. The developers decided they could do a 'work around' and with the assistance of a benevolent planning department, steamrollered their plans through to give us 'Cell Block H'. I am certain that everything was completely above board...odd how the Brightlingsea Societies plans for a low rise, low density development with walk ways and dock areas akin to Maldon's Hythe were never considered as viable despite backing of a local developer.

BTW Quite like Bradwell, some lovely walks along the Blackwater shoreline a couple of decent pubs in near walking distance, a friendly, well sheltered marina and easy access via a well marked creek...what is there not to like?
 
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RE the depths
Last weekend I went to Brightlingsea & stopped the night on a pontoon. Rafted out one boat. A boat rafted further out next to me reported 0.8 of water depth at LW. This was in spite of the HM's claim that the area had been dredged.
On Monday I was hauled out at Shotley for a scrub & was surprised at the amount of mud I had picked up on my keel (1.75 draft) which was still there after motoring to Shotley. Such issues must affect boat performance badly.

On return to Bradwell, I just touched very gently for about 5 mins & passed through @ 18.35 ( LW Bradwell waterside 17.17/ HW 23.10 BST--4.7 range) . I could have pushed through but having just paid for a scrub at Shotley I had no intention of messing up my keel.
 
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Daydream believer said:
RE the depths
Last weekend I went to Brightlingsea & stopped the night on a pontoon. Rafted out one boat. A boat rafted further out next to me reported 0.8 of water depth at LW. This was in spite of the HM's claim that the area had been dredged.
On Monday I was hauled out at Shotley for a scrub & was surprised at the amount of mud I had picked up on my keel (1.75 draft) which was still there after motoring to Shotley. Such issues must affect boat performance badly.

On return to Bradwell, I just touched very gently for about 5 mins & passed through @ 18.35 ( LW Bradwell waterside 17.17/ HW 23.10 BST--4.7 range) . I could have pushed through but having just paid for a scrub at Shotley I had no intention of messing up my keel.
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That was pushing it!
How much for a scrub at Shotley?
 
MoodySabre said:
That was pushing it!
How much for a scrub at Shotley?
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I did not have to push anything. I was followed in by another Hanse 311 but with shallow draft & the owner had a laugh because we had earlier had a discussion about the merits of shallow/deep draft & he went round me & said " Now tell me shallow draft is no good!" as he passed 15 feet away.
He let me lead most of the way calling out the depth & I only just touched. I actually caught him up again before he got to the marina, I was held up for such a short while.

Re the cost of the scrub-- £ 15-00 per metre & they did not charge for the overnight stay. They also were kind enough to do it just before lunch break so I had time to re-antifoul the bottom 2 feet of the keel ( I have copper coat & any mud sticks to it so errodable antifoul tends to shed it better) clean the prop & change the anode
Better than the £400-00+ charged at Bradwell
 
Daydream believer said:
I did not have to push anything. I was followed in by another Hanse 311 but with shallow draft & the owner had a laugh because we had earlier had a discussion about the merits of shallow/deep draft & he went round me & said " Now tell me shallow draft is no good!" as he passed 15 feet away.
He let me lead most of the way calling out the depth & I only just touched. I actually caught him up again before he got to the marina, I was held up for such a short while.

Re the cost of the scrub-- £ 15-00 per metre & they did not charge for the overnight stay. They also were kind enough to do it just before lunch break so I had time to re-antifoul the bottom 2 feet of the keel ( I have copper coat & any mud sticks to it so errodable antifoul tends to shed it better) clean the prop & change the anode
Better than the £400-00+ charged at Bradwell
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£40 for my dry out and pressure wash seems better value.:cool:
 
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