Notice to Mariners Week 11

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tillergirl

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Just the one - and at the Corton Sands again:

1. ENGLAND - East Coast - Corton Sand - Depths. - A dramatic change in depth in channel east of the Corton Sand - from 11.7m to 1.2m! Fortunately not a usual place to be.

Temporary

Loads - as usual.

1. GRAVESEND REACH OBSTRUCTION – SUNKEN PONTOON - following the recent severe weather a flotation pontoon has come adrift and sunk in the Gravesend PLA Yacht Trot in Gravesend Reach - The pontoon is currently anchored to the river bed and will be fitted with a yellow flashing special mark. See the image on the usual Temporary List on: http://www.crossingthethamesestuary.com/page9.html
2. KENTISH FLATS OFFSHORE WINDFARM UNIDENTIFIED SUBMERGED OBJECT - the unidentified submerged object within the area of Kentish Flats Offshore Windfarm was reported last year but is now again unmarked after the Emergency Wreck beacon came adrift and is in need of repair. Submerged object approximate dimensions: Length 3.1m | Width 1.9m | Height 2.3m
The upper edge of the object is reported to be between 1 and 1.5m below Chart Datum. Avoid the area until further notice. Again see the image on the Temporary List.
3. Harwich Haven Maintenance dredging – Water injection dredging - on or about the 5th March 2018 will commence maintenance dredging, generally over high water periods, in the following locations: Navigation House jetty, Shotley Marina Channel, Halfpenny pier, Harwich lifeboat berth, Fishermen’s moorings area west of Trinity House pier, Trinity House pier and the Mistley berths and channel for a period of approximately 8 days.
4. UPPER MEDWAY PETER’S BRIDGE (between Halling and Snodland) - planned bridge inspection for the 13th - 14th March 2018. This will involve the use of a moving gantry to inspect the underside. This equipment will restrict the available clearance.
5. LOWER HALSTOW WRECK TO THE NORTH OF LOWER HALSTOW YACHT MOORINGS - report has been received that the floating dock/converted barge, that has been moored to a large yellow mooring buoy to the north of the Lower Halstow Yacht Moorings, has sunk. It is still made fast to the buoy, but is covered at high water. Approximate position - 510 23.00N 0000 46.00E. The owner is aware and will be dealing with the situation;
6. LOWESTOFT – DREDGING ACTIVITIES - dredging activities are scheduled on or around 03/03/18. Expected duration of works: 21 days. Normal working hours: 0700-1900hrs. The dredger will be working in both Lowestoft Inner and Outer Harbour areas;
7. Broads Authority - Navigation Restriction due to Power Boat Racing - Oulton Broad 2018 - Dates and times shown in the notice in Temporary List - usual page - vessels may be temporarily restricted and regulated in their movement in the vicinity of the power boat racing circuit at Oulton Broad during the 2018 summer season. Where necessary patrol boats will supervise transit between races. Please take note of advice given by officials;
8. Broads Authority - Access Restriction at Ludham Bridge - emergency works are being undertaken on the fendering through Ludham Bridge between Monday 5 March 2018 08:00 hrs until Friday 9 March 2018 16:30 hrs and Monday 12 March 2018 08:00 hrs until Friday 16 March 2018 16:30 hrs. During this period the bridge will be only open before 08:00; at lunchtimes 12:00-13:00; and after 16:30 each day. Please observe the signage on the approach to the bridge. During the contractor’s active working times, there will normally be no access through the bridge, but if you are able to safely approach the supervisor on site, there may be occasions when passage can be allowed during these restricted periods;
9. BRADWELL POWER STATION - BRADWELL INTAKE STRUCTURE, RIVER BLACKWATER, ESSEX - Magnox Limited propose undertaking the removal of the marker buoys at the SW end of the Baffle wall, and to cut and remove piled debris to minimise potential danger to navigation. The proposed works will commence on the Monday 16th April 2018. (Good-oh);


That's it but.....

Some no news -

No report of dredging at Wells this week!
Havengore - no news - still out of operation;
And different news - from Blakeney - "Please be aware that a 30ft yacht came adrift last week and it is possible that her mooring chain had been cut. Please be vigilant, and email any suspicious behaviour to info@blakeneyharbourassociation.co.uk."

That's it. (PS - read for the full details of any Notice on the web site page)
 
Marvellous news of work at Bradwell. Marina clogged up with work boats and parked cars like last time, Marina berths not available for boats going back in, fun at the entrance. Let the season begin:ambivalence:

Thanks Roger for other news.
Where is there an uptodate windfarm map? Off to clogland in May.
 
That quoted web site basically colours the sites: white = pre-planning, planning; blue = pre-construction, construction; dark blue = in operation. A lot of the access it once shew is now a subscription service but it serves. Rules in Belgium and Holland are simple - under construction or now in operation = don't go in or through at all - forbidden.
 
Reference your Corton Sand change of depth.
On my old charts I keep at home (published 06 September 2007 Leisure folio East Coast Orford Ness to Whitby 5614.3) the depth shown at that point is drying 0.2m. So does this mean that in the intervening years the depth has changed from drying 0.2m to 11.7m and then back to 1.2m? All that in just over a decade. Or was the depth of 11.7m a mistake made by UKHO?
 
With regards to the Lower Halstow wreck, it's in a spot that very few other than those of us that moor there ever venture down to. The floating dry dock that has sunk contained the remains of the sailing barge Westmoreland. It has been reported that some very large pieces of timber have been floating in the creek. I suspect most ended up on the banks of the creek and marshes in the East and North Easterlies, but it is possible some could find their way into Stangate Creek and the Medway. Again, I doubt many will be using Stangate Creek at the moment, but if in the area be vigilant.
 
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PeterWright said:
Sad to hear that even the remains of Westmoreland have now been lost. She was the first TBSC barge I sailed on, before she broke her back on the sunken lighters at Hoo.

Peter
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Sadly she has been deteriorating over the last few years. She was brought to Lower Halstow from Faversham by the owners of Edith May who planned to save her with the aid of a Lottery Grant. There were issues with the Parish Council allowing another restoration at the village dock and the Lottery Grant bid failed. She has sat out in the creek in the floating dry dock looking very sorry for herself. I haven't been to the club since she sank so haven't seen the current state. I did hear that the owners were hoping to refloat the dock last Saturday. I assume this didn't happen unless the NTMs are in delay. I will be down there tomorrow or Thursday, so should know more then.

David
 
CalicoJack said:
Reference your Corton Sand change of depth.
On my old charts I keep at home (published 06 September 2007 Leisure folio East Coast Orford Ness to Whitby 5614.3) the depth shown at that point is drying 0.2m. So does this mean that in the intervening years the depth has changed from drying 0.2m to 11.7m and then back to 1.2m? All that in just over a decade. Or was the depth of 11.7m a mistake made by UKHO?
Click to expand...

Were you able to look at the image on the web site? :encouragement: That is using an 2017 Imray chart showing that there was 11m v. close. The change is located where the '1' is added, not where I have deleted 11m. Compared with the UKHO Leisure Chart, 5th Edition 14th June, 2012 shows a contour of over 10m - just - where this new change is recorded. But there is a O.2 drying just west which (arguably) is at 1.48.35E compared to the amendment at 1.48.55E. The fifth edition (2012) uses folio 5416.2.

This area is arguably the most frequently changed area. In the ten years I have been doing the NtM I have noted seen charts 1534, 1535 and 1543 reissued far more frequently. I have read in a 1930's book that a new channel in that area opened to depths of 65ft! So I think the UKHO are not making a mistake but the sand reforms again and again. Note this is an area of overfalls. The change was notified by the RNLI.

Bit more arguably - arguably it's not the best place to go (no buoyage there, bumpy etc) so your old chart being out of date doesn't really matter because you wouldn't go there - but there are some other areas in the marked channel that might be important.

Can I give an advert (is a 'free advert' a paradox or is it an oxymoron?)? If you want to compare your old 2007 chart and bring it up to date, all you need to do is go to:

http://www.crossingthethamesestuary.com/page9.html Then select the Notice to Mariners by Area, pick the drop down box and select Blakeney to Orford Ness and then you can scroll down all the NtM's in that area in reverse chronology. Sometimes the images in that list go missing - it's a software thing but each of the button's can call up the image as a download. I hope it is of use but I don't have a counter on the web site so I don't know how frequently it is used or if at all. The Area list was intended to be useful to anyone heading to a new area for a cruise/passage.
 
Thanks for the information about Lowestoft. I do use (rely) on your NtM, but I feel that charts that old for that area are just too old, because as you say it does change up there. I’m always frightened that I will miss some crucial notice and end up making a bigger fool of myself than usual.
 
MoodySabre said:
On the mend thanks. Started boat work today and lost a cable in the mast :( Hope to be at RCYC.
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Good to hear that (at least the first and last bits). I've got a set of electrician's fishing rods at home - worked for us when we lost the steaming / deck light cable in the mast your welcome to borrow if they might help. Currently in Czech Republic, but back to B-o-C tomorrow evening, then to boat on Friday to start fitting out stuff.

Peter.
 
Quite. There is an issue about NtMs. Firstly NtMs are generally about bad news, not good news. In other words generally it's about reductions of soundings rather than deeper channels. That does tend to mean that if a channel has moved - say for instance in that case, it moved to the east, we would have to wait for a new chart - and then Imray and Navionics etc can only follow once the chart is out. If it affected the main approaches to Lowestoft or Great Yarmouth chances can be that the local NtMs will be reported first - after all they are usually leading the surveys. I have been tempted to include that sort of local NtM in the Permanent lists but I feared that it would all get a bit confusing. If Trinity House notify something I do that put in the Permanent list, after all they are a national body.

The second point UKHO can decide not to issue a NtM but rather issue another edition of a chart, for example because it has a complex or extensive change. One example is the change for the buoyage for the Whitaker Channel and Crouch. I am pretty accurate that the UKHO didn't issue an NtM but rather reissued the chart. For that reason the Crouch Harbour Authority issued extensive information on the buoyage in advance. An issue of both the first and second point, is over the current SW Sunk swatchway. I sent my data into the UKHO, they commissioned (or asked) the Port of London Authority to do a survey, the PLA did and sent the data to the UKHO (and copied it into me kindly). The UKHO issued no NtM but put over a new edition pdq - and kindly sent me one free. (Incidentally - bragging I confess - the PLA data and mine got pretty much 100% correlation - which prompted the quip from the PLA that they didn't need £20k worth of survey kit! :D:D).

I guess actually the information is only as good for the day it was gathered anyway. But there is a ray of sunshine. If you had a late 1970's early 80 Thames Estuary that will work for the SW Sunk swatch! Hey ho. :rolleyes:
 
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