Moorings in Twizzle creek - thoughts and experiences?

[Sailing steve]

Moving from Aldeburgh next season and Twizzle creek in the Walton backwaters looks like it might suit. Dingy will have to be stored ashore at Tichmarsh marina who'll naturally charge like wounded Rinos for that but I see there are some shallow draft boats on swinging moorings just outside the marina entrance and NE toward Foundry reach.

Anybody know the area well enough to know who they belong too and whereabouts in the creek there's enough depth to keep a 1.0m draft bilge keel boat without it drying out?

 

[peter.m]

You might also consider Bedwells or Frank Hall who have moorings in the Twizzle. More restricted by tide than Tichmarsh but only a short walk to the town centre, and no doubt more economic.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

You might also consider Bedwells or Frank Hall who have moorings in the Twizzle. More restricted by tide than Tichmarsh but only a short walk to the town centre, and no doubt more economic.

Halls maintain all the local buoyage, so they are well equipped to maintain moorings.

Moorings in Foundry Reach (towards Walton) will certainly dry. Moorings in the Twizzle and going up to Stone Point are all tide, unless your draft is over 2m!

Walton Yacht Club might also be worth approaching.

 

[Poecheng]

Bedwells are the agents for Walton Pool. It has been considerably improved (see its website) and the access gate is open generally in the hour before high tide during normal daytime so it is restricted but if that doesn't bother you then it is very nice inside and you have two excellent yards (Bedwells and Halls) beside you together with the WFYC alongside.
Bedwells also have part of the outer pontoon on the approach to Titchmarsh. We had a few seasons there ages ago and you would, I think, be permanently afloat. Much cheaper than a Titchmarsh pontoon but you may get charged for parking by Titchmarsh or it might be something they carve out from Bedwells. When we saw it on Thursday last, it didn't seem overly busy.
There are loads of moorings in the Twizzle and leading up to Titchmarsh - and lots not being used (think most are Halls). Tide and wind is a different ball game, I think, to the moorings at Aldeburgh and depending where you had a mooring, you would need a decent tender that can take a bit of the rougher stuff. According to their website Titchmarsh charge £220 for a non-berth holder's dinghy to park there (and your car of course). You wouldn't be able to dinghy out of Foundry Reach except at high tide ish.

 

[ianc1200]

I'm on "the front" at Titchmarsh and have friends on a buoy just upstream of the entrance to the basin entrance. Anything you would like me to ask them? They made a point to me a week ago, they came back in their gaffer cruiser to find their smacks boat (a 12' GRP lugsailor) had disappeared - it's also kept on a buoy, this time between the unattached pontoon and the shore. On closer examination the buoy had also gone. The rope had simply rotted. No damage, the boat had gone onto the shore a little further up. so if you do take a buoy in the area ask about when last checked.

 

[johnalison]

I don't think the possibility of rough water in the Twizzle is anything to be worried about. There isn't much fetch or current, and it would be a lot quieter than when we had a mooring at Maylandsea, which even so was OK most of the time.

 

[Sailing steve]

I'm on "the front" at Titchmarsh and have friends on a buoy just upstream of the entrance to the basin entrance. Anything you would like me to ask them? They made a point to me a week ago, they came back in their gaffer cruiser to find their smacks boat (a 12' GRP lugsailor) had disappeared - it's also kept on a buoy, this time between the unattached pontoon and the shore. On closer examination the buoy had also gone. The rope had simply rotted. No damage, the boat had gone onto the shore a little further up. so if you do take a buoy in the area ask about when last checked.

Upstream - do you mean west of the marina entrance toward Horsey Mere? If so that would be ideal. Charts show an area there with 3.0m depth shallowing to 1.7 at chart datum which is more than enough. I think I'd keep a dingy at Tichmarsh despite the cost as I believe that's the only all tide launch available.

If you ask who owns and manages those particular moorings for me I'd much appreciate it.

Thanks everyone for replies.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Upstream - do you mean west of the marina entrance toward Horsey Mere? If so that would be ideal. Charts show an area there with 3.0m depth shallowing to 1.7 at chart datum which is more than enough. I think I'd keep a dingy at Tichmarsh despite the cost as I believe that's the only all tide launch available.

If you ask who owns and manages those particular moorings for me I'd much appreciate it.

Thanks everyone for replies.

There are very few (if any) moorings west of the Marina pontoons; I don't know why, but rights to oyster beds may be a factor. Be aware that there can be a tidal current of 1-2 knots in the Twizzle; rowing against it would be hard work, so a reliable outboard (and somewhere to store it; Titchmarsh doesn't offer such facilities) would be essential.

A further point is that at high tide, moorings in the Twizzle, especially west of the marina, will be exposed to the west, with a long fetch.

Halls are the most likely people to approach - even if they don't own the moorings, they will certainly know who does as they probably lay and maintain them anyway! As far as I know, they are the only people equipped to lay and maintain moorings.

 

[Sailing steve]

There are very few (if any) moorings west of the Marina pontoons; I don't know why, but rights to oyster beds may be a factor. Be aware that there can be a tidal current of 1-2 knots in the Twizzle; rowing against it would be hard work, so a reliable outboard (and somewhere to store it; Titchmarsh doesn't offer such facilities) would be essential.

A further point is that at high tide, moorings in the Twizzle, especially west of the marina, will be exposed to the west, with a long fetch.

Halls are the most likely people to approach - even if they don't own the moorings, they will certainly know who does as they probably lay and maintain them anyway! As far as I know, they are the only people equipped to lay and maintain moorings.

Thanks for that. I'll have a chat with Halls next time I'm in Walton.

Outboard storage isn't required - I always take mine home with me so nobody else can take it home with them instead.

 

[ianc1200]

Upstream - do you mean west of the marina entrance toward Horsey Mere? If so that would be ideal. Charts show an area there with 3.0m depth shallowing to 1.7 at chart datum which is more than enough. I think I'd keep a dingy at Tichmarsh despite the cost as I believe that's the only all tide launch available.

If you ask who owns and manages those particular moorings for me I'd much appreciate it.

Thanks everyone for replies.

Sorry I still haven't been able to talk to the person I'm sure would provide the answer. I have been told Bedwells own the buoys in the Twizzle, Halls in the Walton Channel, and another person said no both Halls & Bedwells in the Twizzle. It does seem though the marina own the buoys between the unattached pontoon and the shore. It's noticeable though several of the buoys look fairly decrepit and others (larger orange one's) look well maintained. The depth, from the marina entrance then west in the direction of the Wade and to the end of the unattached pontoon does not seem an issue to the boats - mainly under 30' - that reside there. My only worthwhile observation, from experience, is that it can be unpleasant in certain conditions. We've had problem in a strong easterly & springs HW, boat bashing the pontoon & the fenders popping out, plus a strong westerly, incoming tide and overnight on the launching pontoon side on to those waves was not pleasant.

 

[turnstone]

You can tell which mooring belongs to what boatyard by the letter before the number ie H for Halls and P for private the mud moorings just outside the Marina belong to them and I believe have a maximum boat size of 22ft

 

[Sailing steve]

Sorry I still haven't been able to talk to the person I'm sure would provide the answer. I have been told Bedwells own the buoys in the Twizzle, Halls in the Walton Channel, and another person said no both Halls & Bedwells in the Twizzle. It does seem though the marina own the buoys between the unattached pontoon and the shore. It's noticeable though several of the buoys look fairly decrepit and others (larger orange one's) look well maintained. The depth, from the marina entrance then west in the direction of the Wade and to the end of the unattached pontoon does not seem an issue to the boats - mainly under 30' - that reside there. My only worthwhile observation, from experience, is that it can be unpleasant in certain conditions. We've had problem in a strong easterly & springs HW, boat bashing the pontoon & the fenders popping out, plus a strong westerly, incoming tide and overnight on the launching pontoon side on to those waves was not pleasant.

Had a good nose round over the weekend both afloat and ashore and made inquires. Both Halls and Bedwells have moorings in the Twizzle between Foundry reach and the entrance to Tichmarsh. Some of the buoys haven't been occupied for some time as I'm told the south side of the Twizzle is silting up and it certainly is pretty shallow around them and maybe that accounts for the decrepit appearance.

There are some private moorings too and those have a long waiting list. Tichmarsh also offer moorings at a good price including dingy storage ashore but they are restricted to boats up to 6.1m which counts me out.

Time enough for a decision though and thanks again everyone.