off next week around the east coast

[FullCircle]

To my knowledge, which I grant isn't by any means comprehensive, both the Brankfleet and the Yokesfleet have been acknowledged as anchorages since before the dawn of time. I can see that the presence of the buoys could be argued to reinforce that against future encroachment but to me it's the thin end of the wedge of excessive "signposting" (something that over my time on the canals became an ever increasing blight on the landscape)

I suspect the fisherman was just an 'arris and that the buoy will make no difference at all to his behaviour - encountering yachts and mobos anchored in the Yokesfleet would be the norm and any local fisherman would know that full well (and I must say that the local small fishing boats that have passed us at anchor there have always been no problem at all)

Just checked on the chart and, as I thought, according to the Admiralty Quay Reach starts upstream of the quay on Foulness Island. The first stretch of the Roach from the Branklet to the quay is the Brankfleet which is what I've always known it as (it's a very unimportant piece of pedantry I will freely admit but then I'm an old pedant at heart )

I never, or I should say hardly ever, use a torch underway in the dark by the way. It restricts your vision to the beam of the torch. On all but the very darkest nights the unaided eye, if given a chance to adapt to the low light conditions, will see further without the aid of artificial lighting (unless you have a specific medical night vision problem of course). I'd argue that rather than needing a brighter torch, what you need is no torch at all

You ain't getting out of Woodrolfe creek on a moonless night with cloud cover without a torch. The channel buoys, such as they are, are tiny. The mooring buoy markers are a contest to see who can have the smallest one with the least surface area showing, carefully camouflaged in weed, or dulled in black tar of some sort.

 

[Boz]

To my knowledge, which I grant isn't by any means comprehensive, both the Brankfleet and the Yokesfleet have been acknowledged as anchorages since before the dawn of time. I can see that the presence of the buoys could be argued to reinforce that against future encroachment but to me it's the thin end of the wedge of excessive "signposting" (something that over my time on the canals became an ever increasing blight on the landscape)

I suspect the fisherman was just an 'arris and that the buoy will make no difference at all to his behaviour - encountering yachts and mobos anchored in the Yokesfleet would be the norm and any local fisherman would know that full well (and I must say that the local small fishing boats that have passed us at anchor there have always been no problem at all)

Just checked on the chart and, as I thought, according to the Admiralty Quay Reach starts upstream of the quay on Foulness Island. The first stretch of the Roach from the Branklet to the quay is the Brankfleet which is what I've always known it as (it's a very unimportant piece of pedantry I will freely admit but then I'm an old pedant at heart )

I never, or I should say hardly ever, use a torch underway in the dark by the way. It restricts your vision to the beam of the torch. On all but the very darkest nights the unaided eye, if given a chance to adapt to the low light conditions, will see further without the aid of artificial lighting (unless you have a specific medical night vision problem of course). I'd argue that rather than needing a brighter torch, what you need is no torch at all

Nothing wrong with pedantry ..... there was an interesting article in PBO recently about the myths associated with 'Night Vision' but without doubt Eyes do dim with age and I'm OLD .

I'm not advocating using a torch as a permanent search light, but I find it essential as a buoy spotter used as required. You're quite right, it never get's pitch black at this time of year but coming up the Crouch at 1 in the morning, the problem is the loom from South Woodham which is relatively high level compared to the unlit marks which are, of course low level and against a murky river background were not detectable by me or my crew until right on top of us, hence the requirement for the torch (as required)....

A couple of things in the lessons learned tray....

1. Brighter Torch required...
2. Pay more attention to the CHA (and FC's) Notices to Mariners

I really must go and find the 'Pink' Buoy near 'Breach No.3

 

[Bru]

I think I found the pink buoy near breach no. 3. It was, of course, in the ruddy way!

I wonder if I've got better than average night vision (never had it tested) cos I rarely if ever find it necessary to use a torch. Not knocking it, if you need one use one, just saying!

 

[ex-Gladys]

We're off to Shotley Sunday (lift out 0830 Monday for a wash off)....

Re eyesight... I read somewhere that at 50 to see something as well as one did at 25, the light needs to double the intensity

 

[TwoHooter]

(Note to self..... much brighter torch required

recommended: http://www.nightsearcher.co.uk/en/product/trio-230-li-ion-long-running-rechargeable-led-handlamp

We bought one for our business and were so impressed we got another for the boat. The cradle is screwed to the rear wall of the saloon and I decided to use the 12v plug for charging; the alternative is mains charging from shore power or an inverter. It draws next to nothing from the house battery bank; it has an LED which pinpoints its location if you need to grab it in the dark; we have no idea how long it lasts because it has never discharged yet, it always gives full brightness even after a long session, and it's a UK product .

 

[DanTribe]

still not brave enough to sleep on the hook... will do one day..lol
i know it would be ok but dont think i would sleep a wink

Steve
You need to overcome this anchoring phobia or you will miss out on the best bits of east coast boating.
E. G. Yokesfleet, Stone Point, Hamford Water, River Ore, Butley etc. It's well worth the effort, honestly.
Dan

 

[dabsolute470]

Yes you are so right Dan. Hope your well mate

 

[Gargleblaster]

Steve
You need to overcome this anchoring phobia or you will miss out on the best bits of east coast boating.
E. G. Yokesfleet, Stone Point, Hamford Water, River Ore, Butley etc. It's well worth the effort, honestly.
Dan

Also GPS Anchor Alarms should almost guarantee a restful nights sleep. I no longer sit out in the cockpit when I first deploy my anchor, I go down and set a waypoint for about where I stopped and keep an eye on it for an hour or so to see if I am drifting. In normal East Coast anchoring my anchor alarm is generally set at 60 metres. In deeper water in other places I have set it to as much as 130 metres and on one occasion when anchored in 20 metres of water with a 1.5 metre swell I set it to 200 metres.

Some of the best wilidlife is only ever seen or heard when at anchor in my humble opinion.

 

[dabsolute470]

update.. been stuck in tollesbury for a couple of nights however a nice place and great menu.
hope the weather will get better and head to haybridge for Tuesday or Wednesday

 

[pks1702]

update.. been stuck in tollesbury for a couple of nights however a nice place and great menu.
hope the weather will get better and head to haybridge for Tuesday or Wednesday

Totally agree.

Doombar is excellent too :very_drunk::very_drunk:

 

[A_Sails_Pace]

I realise this thread is a bit old but this has been a really helpful read. I have yet to get down to Yokesfleet but I’m hoping to get down there this weekend. I have a Mariner 5hp on a 21ft boat and I’m just a little nervous about whether or not I’ll struggle if, when I leave The Crouch and enter The Roach, I’m against the ebb. My previous boat had an inboard so I’ve not got much experience with the much smaller engine.

I am looking for windows where the tide turns as I get to The Roach, but if my engine can handle it then it gives me much more flexibility and will allow me to punch my way out of there if I need to as well later on.

Also, I only have 4kg Danforth. Which has been fine for afternoon anchoring but this will be my first overnighter at anchor. My stowage space doesn’t really allow for anything bigger. Again, I’m a bit nervous about that too.

Any advice very much appreciated.

 

[nortada]

See you plan to take in the Walton Backwaters.

What is your intention

Time on the hook, the cheaper option, ‘borrow’ a buoy in the Walton Channel (mine is currently empty), Titchmarsh or if the tides are right, in The Pond at Walton. The attractions of The Pond is are town and nearby shops and the yacht club at Walton.

 

[nortada]

Just noted that these last threads have been tacked on to a 9 year old thread

Whatever, The Backwaters never changes so I will leave my post up.

 

[johnalison]

See you plan to take in the Walton Backwaters.

What is your intention

Time on the hook, the cheaper option, ‘borrow’ a buoy in the Walton Channel (mine is currently empty), Titchmarsh or if the tides are right, in The Pond at Walton. The attractions of The Pond is are town and nearby shops and the yacht club at Walton.

It’s a long time since I heard Walton town described as an attraction.

 

[dolabriform]

It’s a long time since I heard Walton town described as an attraction.

You need to spend more time there obviously!

 

[johnalison]

You need to spend more time there obviously!

I have had no adverse experience in Walton. It’s just that the image it has for me is of a woman of slightly more than average girth dragging her screaming toddler along the high street after it has just let its ice cream shed its load into the gutter.

 

[Juan Twothree]

I have had no adverse experience in Walton. It’s just that the image it has for me is of a woman of slightly more than average girth dragging her screaming toddler along the high street after it has just let its ice cream shed its load into the gutter.

Are you sure that wasn't Clacton?

 

[johnalison]

Are you sure that wasn't Clacton?

Far too high-class for Clacton. On the last occasion I was there a young family walked past on the front in the opposite direction. As they passed me I thought I heard the say “ Kick that gull”. Not quite believing what I heard, I turned round to see the 5 yr old boy attempting to chase and dispatch a harmless herring-gull standing nearby, and of course failing, something that will no doubt characterise him throughout his life.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

I have had no adverse experience in Walton. It’s just that the image it has for me is of a woman of slightly more than average girth dragging her screaming toddler along the high street after it has just let its ice cream shed its load into the gutter.

Well, similar things happen in much more exotic places than Walton! My favourite memory is when I, my late wife and three of her sisters went for a long walk in a country park in Hong Kong. Lots of monkeys around! One of the sisters and I got back to the entrance and bought ourselves ice creams. My sister-in-law looked away for a moment and a monkey knocked the ice cream out of her hand and ran off with it! Substitute "screaming toddler" with "thieving monkey" and you're not far off the same scene....

Actually, I quite like Walton - it has a sort of 1950s charm! The biker cafe and the chip shop next to it aren't bad (the former if you're with friends who are bikers!) I doubt it has changed very much since John took Swallow's rudder there to be fixed, perhaps at Halls!

 

[Fr J Hackett]

I have fond memories of Clacton in the summer holidays as a youngster 6 to 10 years old. Haven't been back for over 50 years though so it might have changed. Is the boating pool still there?