Passage Planning - Tollesbury to the Deben

[dolabriform]

HI all

Due to unexpected illnesses preventing last weeks departure, we are ( hopefully ) off on our summer jaunt this week.

As this is having to be cut short, I'm wondering if it's possible to do Tollesbury to the Deben on one tide when we return?

Looking at Rogers excellent "Crossing the Thames Estuary", I can see that based on 4 Kts and starting from the Blackwater at HW +2, the journey should take around 6 hours so we should arrive at LW +2 which with 1.3m of tide ( Friday ) plus the 0.2m on Johns chartlet will be enough to enter (0.8m draft).

I always enter the river around HW -2 so have never tried LW +2, any thoughts on the above folks?

Thanks

David

 

[tillergirl]

David

I'm not getting the same 'results'. Depart from the Blackwater landfall Wpt at HW Sheerness +2 (4 kts Neaps), I would suggest would take 5hrs 30 minutes i.e ETA Woodbridge Haven @ -4.24 Sheerness. But the tide is earlier at Woodbridge than Sheerness - approx. an hour earlier so you would be arriving at the Haven at -3.24 Woodbridge Haven. Obviously you would have been starting to fight the new flood from around the Naze onwards.

The Beeb suggest 1.814m @ 1925hrs UTC (I've assumed you are planning Friday 24th August?)

Quickest passage - start Blackwater wpt @ HW Sheerness, ETA Woodbridge Haven ETA +4.54 Sheerness in 4 hrs 55 minutes - but not the most convenient - @ +5hrs Woodbridge Haven tide!
As an alternative - start Blackwater wpt @ +3.00 Sheerness, ETA Woodbridge Haven ETA -2.53 Sheerness in 6hrs 10 minutes - @ -1.53 Woodbridge Haven tide. But fighting a lot of tide!

Actually I think your HW+2 Sheerness start is the best. Comfortable to depart Tollesbury marina(?) to arrive adjacent to the Start Waypoint (not obligatory to go to it!). Only really start to feel the new flood from the Naze to the Haven so most of the passage has the tide and then wait off the Haven for your best time entrance.

 

[dolabriform]

Hi Roger

Thanks for that, I'd worked it out out 5 hours 38 minutes, so went with 6 hours for faff factor.

I'd totally forgotten to take into account that the tide was earlier at Woodbridge Haven, so the 1.8m @ 1925 UTC is perfect.

Thanks again

David

 

[tillergirl]

No worries. Have a good passage. I may see you out. I may be playing around with GK3 on Friday if I can persuade him (aged 7 eek!).....

 

[dolabriform]

No worries. Have a good passage. I may see you out. I may be playing around with GK3 on Friday if I can persuade him (aged 7 eek!).....

You can borrow our 5 year twins to keep him company if you want :encouragement:

 

[MoodySabre]

If you are going to the Tidemill then check their website for tables of the tidal heights at the cill. I draw 1.7 and can't get in there on some neaps.

 

[dolabriform]

If you are going to the Tidemill then check their website for tables of the tidal heights at the cill. I draw 1.7 and can't get in there on some neaps.

Thanks, checked that already and as we draw 0.8m we can get over the cill at about 2130, so 2 hours with the flood from the entrance to the Tidemill gives us plenty of scope. Will be a bit on the dark side by the time we arrive, but we know the river reasonably well.

 

[Cantata]

With regard to timing at the Deben entrance, it's worth reading John White's advice on the first page of the Deben entrance chartlet at www.eastcoastpilot.com/downloads.html .

 

[Lucky Duck]

Thanks, checked that already and as we draw 0.8m we can get over the cill at about 2130, so 2 hours with the flood from the entrance to the Tidemill gives us plenty of scope. Will be a bit on the dark side by the time we arrive, but we know the river reasonably well.

One August bank holiday when coming back from Lowestoft we gave ourselves quite a fright coming into the Deben in failing light. We picked up the first suitable buoy we could find at Felixstowe Ferry and had no intention of heading further upstream!