North Foreland to the Crouch

[alldownwind]

Since the SW Sunk Beacon collapsed I don't feel inclined to risk that route any more because it's still there but under water. Has anyone planned and executed a route from N.Foreland to the Crouch using any other short cuts? I was wondering about using the N.Edinburgh Channel, then across the Black Deep to close north of the Knock John Tower where the chart suggests there's 2m of water at LAT. Then NE down the Barrow Deep to near the No.5 and across to the Crouch.
Or is it not worth bothering? Could simply use Princes Channel then cross to the bottom end of the Swin. Tide problems seem worse then, though.
What about crossing the Sunk Sand further north? Never tried but must be feasible.
Thanks for any advice.

 

[FullCircle]

Please advise draft and nervousness quotient.

You can almost go directly north after Fishermans Gat, there is plenty of water there. 2 hours after HW midsprings/neaps, I was seeing 2.8m in 1st week of June this year. Flattish water.
I will post a transit bearing when I have had a look on my chart.....

 

[alldownwind]

Please advise draft: 1.2M bilge-keel;
and nervousness quotient: adventurous but not a great risk-taker.
Had sort of dismissed Fisherman's because of it now being a shipping route. Is this not really a problem.
Also, don't want to bash the tide in the Crouch when I get there. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[tillergirl]

After Fisherman's Gat head for the Sunk Beacon. Plenty of water (more than used to be at the SW Sunk. I have no less than 3.7metres at LW Neaps last year). Only issue is not to turn and head for the Whitaker too early. There's a very shallow NE extending finger of the Middle Sunk in the way if you turn the moment you clear the Sunk Sand.

Get to 51.33.42N 001.24.66E by the Outer Fisherman, head 325 T for 3.59nm to 51.36.36N 001.21.37E, for Black Deep No 8 then to 351 T for 4.17nm to 51.409.48N 001.20.33E in the Barrow Deep (this should leave the Sunk Beacon to Starboard and clear you from the Middle Sunk shoal. Then 272 T for 6.91nm to 51.40.66N 001.09.23E near the Whitaker Spit

 

[tillergirl]

Fisherman's Gat is very wide and there is ample room outside the buoyed channel. But 2006 estimates were of 536 ships using the channel in the year which is only 2 every 24 hours. I've only been in it once when there with a ship and that was a small motor barge bound form Brightlingsea. That said, I have a photo with two ships following each other turning out of the Gat into the Black Deep while one is turning in. Obviously there is a duty to keep out of the way.

You don't mention average speed or whether springs or neaps. Assuming you can average 5kts, on springs be outside Ramsgate at HW Sheerness + 1 and you will cross the Sunk Sand on a falling tide and arrive at the Barrow Deep Waypoint above at about HW Sheerness +5.20. You will then have a favourable tide - well very soon anyway and arrive at the South Buxey about HW Sheerness -3.12 - still some more tide to fetch into Burnham.

Or be outside Ramsgate at HW Sheerness + 2 and reach the Barrow Deep Waypoint at HW Sheerness around -5.23 and arrive adjacent to the South Buxey at HW Sheerness -2.09 (3 minutes quicker - well theoretically). But you nor only have two hours of tide to make Burnham and you are closer to low water over the Sunk Sand, in fact probably spot on low water over the sand. But then you have a shallow draft.

If you want a different average speed or neap values, you better say. Problem is that if you want a favourable tide across the Barrow and Middle Deeps and all the way to Burnham, you will have to be crossing the Sunk Sand close to low water. As I said ealier, I had a deliberate crossing in October last year, first coming over the now unsafe route of the SW Sunk and returning via the Sunk Beacon and found more water at the Sunk Beacon, Low Water neaps was while we were passing from the SW Sunk to the Sunk Beacon along the Black Deep.

 

[alldownwind]

That's all really interesting and useful, Tillergirl, thank you very much - evidently I've got a lot more scope than I had supposed. Great stuff.

 

[tillergirl]

No problem. I have some ready made tables. Perhaps you could note and share the depth/time over the Sunk Sand. It's always useful to have some observations.

 

[alldownwind]

Certainly will. Cruisin' for the next fortnight, going across there is a distinct possibility at some stage and I will be in touch with observations if we do.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

i'd be interested in that info too....