Orwell to Dover?

[Carduelis]

I'm planning this as the first leg of our Summer Cruise to the Scillies and back. Slightly confused as to which is the optimum route now that all this windfarm chicanery is in the way. Is there still a sensible 'inside' route, or is it now best to just go round the outside of everything?

 

[Athene V30]

Not sure if buoyage has been put back in Foulger's Gat. I used it last May based on GPS waypoints and expect I will do the same this year. Will research it more nearer the time.

Fisherman's Gat is well marked.

http://www.londonarray.com/wp-content/uploads/Foulgers-Gat-May-20112.pdf

 

[tillergirl]

Buoyage will not be back in Foulger's until after completion of Stage 1 at the end of 2012 - and then its a decision for Trinity House. Will there be any point as there will be an Avenue. Mind you their choice of a gap at the bottom end where we will have to turn into the Gat is interesting. I'll be doing an article on the current position in next months East Coast Sailing.

But you can use Foulger's providing in the week in question there are no works in progress. See the Temporary Notices at http://www.crossingthethamesestuary.com/page9.html or www.eastcoastsailing.co.uk for a weekly update posted each Monday evening.

 

[Hamma]

Hi

Checking the notes in "Foulgers-Gat-May" there is a statement as follows:

Please note that this route is still only a recommendation; the 500m safety zone around each foundation during construction activities will be the sole formal restriction on vessel movement.

That seems self-explanatory but just for the avoidance of doubt do I understand correctly that it is only the 500m exclusion zones around construction fleets and the 50m exclusion around built turbines, that prevent navigation through any particular route? (Subject to common sense with regard to other factors of course)

I can go where I like provided that they are not working there in other words?

Thanks

 

[tillergirl]

Those are the rules. But to be frank, one can sense they would rather we didn't use it yet. The Gat does tend to be a centre of activity because Sub Station 1 is to one side and so there are a lot of power cables to run to it. Plus there are two more main cables to go from there to the East Swale. All the foundations adjacent to the Gat are in but there are 10 or so turbines to erect (just about to do this week's update), so there is a bit of work to do.

The thing to do is to read up on the weekly schedule and then if intending to use it call the Guard Boat - currently the Mary Ann 1 once you get near. There have been favourable tales of their assistance - and come to thing of it, no stories of hindrance. It's a case of being sensible I think. It is worth saying that the constructors have provided more information for leisure craft regarding their work schedule than any other constructors.

 

[Hamma]

Those are the rules. But to be frank, one can sense they would rather we didn't use it yet. The thing to do is to read up on the weekly schedule and then if intending to use it call the Guard Boat - currently the Mary Ann 1 once you get near.

Thanks tillergirl - I'll make sure I check your site. Out of interest, heading South to Ramsgate which route which would you use in the alternative?

Edit - I've got CtTE by the way - so I intend using that cross-referenced with whatever the engineers are up to at the time

 

[Koeketiene]

When heading south, I always go 'round the outside' (Kentish Knock).
Work out the tide - nav is a doddle - autopilot does the rest.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

But that adds a lot of extra miles....

 

[Koeketiene]

But that adds a lot of extra miles....

Define 'a lot' - last time we did Harwich-Ramsgate it added up to 45NM.
One tide - arrived just before the tide turned.
Meal, cuppa and a couple of pints. Quiet and stress-free.

Running aground adds a lot more to your passage time.

 

[tillergirl]

Thanks tillergirl - Out of interest, heading South to Ramsgate which route which would you use in the alternative?

It's a case of carrying on up the Black Deep to Fisherman's Gat if the Guard Boat says that Foulger's is impossible. That adds on between 1.8 to 2.6nm depending on how much of the corner into Fisherman's Gat your draught allows you to cut. You really don't want to be fighting the tide in the Black Deep because it can reach over 2 knots on the spring ebb. But then you would only be going agains the ebb if something had gone seriously wrong with the planning!

So you have a choice 38.37nm from Harwich Harbour via the East Swin and Black Deep (crossing the Sunk Sand nearish to the Barrow No 2) or 39.01nm via the Black Deep - both via Foulger's or say 2nm extra via Fisherman's or go Guapa's favoured route outside which is 45/46nm.

 

[wingdiver]

When heading south, I always go 'round the outside' (Kentish Knock).
Work out the tide - nav is a doddle - autopilot does the rest.

We do that as well. Saves a lot of headache. Landguard, Trinity, Long Sand Head, Kentish Knock....
Also, leaving at HW Harwich gives tide with you on the southbound bit.
Go 'inside' the Thanet windfarm past Ramsgate and use the Gull Channel to get past Deal.
Last summer Foxs-Dover 10hrs

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

maybe i'll be doing the same soon anyway.... 2.1m draft makes Foulgers Gat 'interesting'!

 

[Hamma]

So, since Foulger's is essentially off-limits does that mean that the 'dissuasion' from using Fisherman's has been relaxed?

I might just go round the outside.

Thanks for the advice - this is a complicated bit of water!

 

[tillergirl]

The dissuasion certainly does not appear to have been mentioned since the London Array began. In my view it was always a bit much since there is ample room outside the buoyed channel even if there wasn't sufficient (which there was) within the marked channel. I think their main fear was the inside corner between the Gat and the Black Deep. If two ships are passing at that point, a yacht playing left hand marker would obviously be unwelcome! At the time they introduced the dissausion, traffic was hardly frantic and it has now eased off at least because of the dredging of the Princes Channel. I would not worry at all at using Fisherman's.