New Crouch Buoyage.

[silverdawn]

Hi,Intending to go from the Crouch round to Heybridge for the July regatta, can anyone tell me if any of the existing buoys have been removed and replaced with the new buoyage.
In Practical Boat Owner which I received today Crouch Harbour Authority state that work will take place 20 June 2011 with the removal of 16 existing buoys and the installation of 30 new
all lit. Intend to sail round on the 29th June will I come across a fleet of working vessels! or
even worse a barren seascape without any buoys, any information would be very welcome.
I have downloaded the free chartlet complete with waypoints showing the new proposed buoyage.

 

[FullCircle]

Stuart, there have been several posts. Here is the latest from the CHA website

River Crouch - Improvements to Buoyage Summer 2011

In preparation for the new shipping trade to the Wallasea Wild Coast project, Crouch Harbour Authority, with support and assistance from Crossrail, is about to carry out major improvements to the buoyage of the River Crouch approach channels from Whitaker Spit inwards to Burnham Fairway.

Based on Hydrographic Surveying undertaken by Port of London Authority in 2010 at Crossrail’s expense, the number of navigation buoys in these parts of the river will be increased from 16 (three not lit) to 30 (all lit). In order to achieve this some 26 new navigation buoys are being purchased, with four existing buoys being re-used/position changed.

The new buoys will be larger and have greater focal height to make them more visible, and the distances between buoys will be reduced. Six pairs of lateral (Port and Starboard) buoys marking the main Whitaker and Outer Crouch channels will have synchronised lanterns which will flash together. For the first time the north side of the drying Swallowtail Bank will be marked by buoys. Buoyage in the area of the Crouch Buoy is being revised to better guide inward bound vessels and the channel immediately seaward of ‘Shore Ends’ will be better marked to prevent boats wandering onto the fairly steep edged Foulness sand. To avoid confusion the Pinto wreck buoy will be replaced by a Port Hand buoy, and another Port hand buoy will be installed in the lower reach of R. Roach. Branklet Buoy will be replaced with the appropriate red and green ‘Channels join, Preferred Channel to Starboard’ mark.

It is hoped that the improved marking of the Channels will encourage yachtsmen to visit the Crouch and lead to improved safety of navigation. Certainly The Whitaker and Swallowtail will no longer be the ‘Black Hole’ they have been for many years.




New chartlet is available from here.

http://crouchharbour.org.uk/documents/1307563193.pdf

 

[silverdawn]

Stuart, there have been several posts. Here is the latest from the CHA website

River Crouch - Improvements to Buoyage Summer 2011

In preparation for the new shipping trade to the Wallasea Wild Coast project, Crouch Harbour Authority, with support and assistance from Crossrail, is about to carry out major improvements to the buoyage of the River Crouch approach channels from Whitaker Spit inwards to Burnham Fairway.

Based on Hydrographic Surveying undertaken by Port of London Authority in 2010 at Crossrail’s expense, the number of navigation buoys in these parts of the river will be increased from 16 (three not lit) to 30 (all lit). In order to achieve this some 26 new navigation buoys are being purchased, with four existing buoys being re-used/position changed.

The new buoys will be larger and have greater focal height to make them more visible, and the distances between buoys will be reduced. Six pairs of lateral (Port and Starboard) buoys marking the main Whitaker and Outer Crouch channels will have synchronised lanterns which will flash together. For the first time the north side of the drying Swallowtail Bank will be marked by buoys. Buoyage in the area of the Crouch Buoy is being revised to better guide inward bound vessels and the channel immediately seaward of ‘Shore Ends’ will be better marked to prevent boats wandering onto the fairly steep edged Foulness sand. To avoid confusion the Pinto wreck buoy will be replaced by a Port Hand buoy, and another Port hand buoy will be installed in the lower reach of R. Roach. Branklet Buoy will be replaced with the appropriate red and green ‘Channels join, Preferred Channel to Starboard’ mark.

It is hoped that the improved marking of the Channels will encourage yachtsmen to visit the Crouch and lead to improved safety of navigation. Certainly The Whitaker and Swallowtail will no longer be the ‘Black Hole’ they have been for many years.




New chartlet is available from here.

http://crouchharbour.org.uk/documents/1307563193.pdf

Thanks Jim for the additional information,do you know if any of the proposed works have been started?
or is the existing buoyage still in position.

 

[silverdawn]

Thanks Jim for the additional information,do you know if any of the proposed works have been started?
or is the existing buoyage still in position.

Today I spoke to the Crouch Harbour Authority and he informs me that fairway No 1 +
Horseshoal + Brankletspit have been changed, but all the seaward buoys remain unchanged,work to replace them will be undertaken by Trinity House and is proposed to start on July 11th 2011.
All information is on there website, So Ive answered my own question !

 

[Lodesman77]

Thanks, helpful!