North Norfolk coast

[paulburton44]

We are heading off for a week on the Norfolk coast on Saturday. We have done Wells and Brancaster many times. We have aslo done Thornham a few times.
I would like to try and get into Blakeney and/or Burnham Overy. We are going to Wells first.
I would also consider going through Norton creek !

Any local Knowledge would be appriciated.

Cheers Paul.

 

[Habebty]

If Norton Creek is the creek beteen Wells and Blakeney then I did it in the tender with outboard at HW (lots of scope for getting lost in the saltmarsh here!!!). Blakeney... never gone in there, but from what I have only read, is much the same as Wells, do it in settled weather on a rising tide etc. etc. Room to stay afloat only in part of the water. You can get to Morston Quay or Blakeney at HW depending what you draw I suppose.

If you do do it.... why not write up a nice post telling us how you get on as quite a few of us fancy a North Norfolk cruise next year.

Good Luck /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[bastonjock]

i might be down at wells on sat night for sunday,whats your boat? ill look out for you.
I have not done any of the adjacent creeks/harbours yet,if you get caught out side of wells beween tides,drop you hook in Holkam Bay,not in the anchorage just outside of wells,i did it once and about 3 hrs before HW the tide changes direction and the resulting action is quite violent,also if you anchor at Holkham,you can lift the hook and drift on the tide around to wells.

 

[paulburton44]

My boat is called Papillon and is a Parker 21 liftkeel, red stackpack and red dodgers.
There are 8 boats going from the Witham sailing club at Boston, we should all be flying our clubs yellow burgee. Come and have a beer.

Norton creek is between Burnham Overy and Brancaster.

I will certainly report back on where we went.

 

[Sea_Lark]

Blakeney, from the sea, is an easier entrance than either Wells or Brancaster. Entry time similar to Brancaster, longer than Wells, and the channel is less tortuous than both. Bouyage is good, but only for daylight. The only problem to my mind is that the safe water buoy is much more difficult to see than the first red that marks the bar, so on approach, especially from the east, head a bit to seaward of the first buoy that you see. The channel from the bar is initially pretty straight and well marked by both red and green buoys. There is then a 90 degree turn to port past the point where all the seals gather and thereafter the channel is pretty straight again but marked only by green buoys. Pass these very close to unless at high tide. This takes you into 'The Pit', the deepest water that is a mass of moorings, usually with plenty free, or anchor near the edge of the moorings where you will dry out for longer. Passage to Blakeney Quay or Morston is best done by dinghy from the Pit, like the inshore route from Blakeney to Wells. Blakeney is our favourite spot on the Norfolk coast, but gets very busy at high tide with trip boats going to see the seals and day boats/dinghies, especially at weekends. Avoid on Bank Holidays! Once the tide has gone out a bit it is peaceful and absolutely lovely. At least that's our opinion......

 

[dualin]

I will be at Brancaster this evening to fit a new rudder on to Snark so if all goes to plan i will be out sailing this evening may get to wells but intending to get to Blakeney for satuday night and then back to Brancaster on sunday well--- that is plan A!!!!hope to see some of you

 

[Marmalade]

Is there anywhere to stay afloat in Blakeney or does it all dry... I always fancied a trip up but a 2m fin means we can't dry...?

 

[Danny]

I'd say no chance. The Pit is only a few feet deep in the deepest part at low water. Everywhere else pretty much dries completely.

 

[bastonjock]

simon,wells is your best bet for parking a fin keeled boat.If you call the Harbour master(Bob Smith) and speak to him,he will advise you.They had a deep draught French boat there last week,it was tied up along side the Albatross

 

[paulburton44]

We are back due to the weather.

We only made Wells and Burnham Overy. Burnham was a magical place.

More details Later.

 

[bastonjock]

hi paul it was good to put a face to a name

 

[MoodySabre]

[ QUOTE ]
tied up along side the Albatross

[/ QUOTE ]

I spoke to the HM when there by car last year. He said I could go along the Albatross (that's the floating restaurant isn't it) but warned that the boat would get covered in birdshit. Since then they have put in the new pontoons but the website gives draft for entry not for mooring.