Now Belgium is off the destination list ..

[jimi]

what the best alternatives for a weekend on the continent from the Orwell. White diesel isnt an option for me, I've got a 180Ltr tank which has had 25 years of red diesel use and cleaning that would be epic ... never mind refilling it. Scheveningen is a long way for a weekend, though!

 

[sailorman]

Boulogne is an alternative, if its not stuffed with cloggies in transit

 

[MikeBz]

Gravelines is interesting, in small town kind of way.

 

[Boz]

How about Vlissingen and Middleburg, about 5 hours further?

 

[sailorman]

How about Vlissingen and Middleburg, about 5 hours further?

Difficult to avoid Belgian waters

 

[Toutvabien]

I don't think that Calais is too bad a run from the Orwell, just have to avoid the wind farms as a new one seems to arise weekly.

 

[Major_Clanger]

Gravelines is interesting, in small town kind of way.

+! for Gravelines. A lot of history there together with good bars. What's not to like!

 

[jimi]

+! for Gravelines. A lot of history there together with good bars. What's not to like!

Depth? I draw 6'6"

 

[MikeBz]

We were there a few weeks ago. Quite a few boats there with ~2m draft, including a somewhat dated racer which looked as though it should draw a lot more. The mud is so soft that every boat was pretty much 'floating' to its usual waterline in the mud. I could rock ours as though we were partially afloat despite having no water around us at all.

 

[Major_Clanger]

You should be fine. Access to the harbour is approx. 2-HW but the approaches can be difficult in a strong onshore wind. Call on ch9 and they'll put you at the outer end of the harbour with a minimum depth of about 2.5mtrs. The inner end has about 1mtr less but soft mud on the bottom. Nav is straightforward but keep a good eye on ferry movements.

 

[Kukri]

Difficult to avoid Belgian waters

Picky!

 

[MikeBz]

You should be fine. Access to the harbour is approx. 2-HW but the approaches can be difficult in a strong onshore wind. Call on ch9 and they'll put you at the outer end of the harbour with a minimum depth of about 2.5mtrs. The inner end has about 1mtr less but soft mud on the bottom.

We were 3 from the inner end and no water at all at LW. I'd be surprised if there was 1m at the outer end, but the mud is so soft it doesn't matter. A Najad (~1.8m) arrived soon after us and was berthed on the visitor pontoon just in from the outer end, you would have thought they were floating unless you looked down.

We were told that the (automatic) lock gates are open for HW-/+2 but in fact they were still open at +3.5 - not that it matters since I'm pretty sure I could see lights shining through the gaps in them at night anyway.

< 100m walk to Lidl, a much bigger/better supermarket just down the road, and a short walk into town which has at least a couple of very good places to eat and nice walks around the ramparts. Bar/restaurant at the marina.

 

[jimi]

I always wonder about the wisdom of settling in deep mud as I've got a sail drive and worry about mud getting into the cooling inlet and clogging it up.

 

[Cantata]

I've kept saildrive boats in a mud berth for years, it simply hasn't been a problem.

 

[jimi]

I've kept saildrive boats in a mud berth for years, it simply hasn't been a problem.

Thanks

 

[Otter]

Another vote for Gravelines

 

[Marmalade]

yep - we've been in and out of Gavelines a few times - 2.01m draft - so 6'6". keel sinks into mud at low water - no problems ever. Good harbour - exit a bit bouncy if wind against tide but only for a half mile or so.