Planning first passage. Brightlingsea to Walton Backwater

[Khaos]

Hi all,

I'm currently planning my first real passage, from Brightlingsea to Walton Backwater, in my Achilles 24. I'll be doing it at some point over the next couple of weeks once the weather clears up and I've sorted a few things out. I have some sailing experience experience from moving about the Blackwater estuary. The longest sail I've done so far was from West Mersea to Brightlingsea so this will be much further and my first time in open sea.

I have the East Coast Pilot and will memorise the important bits prior to departure. Once there I'm planning on anchoring. I think I'll anchor at stone point upon arriving and then explore further the following day. I gather there is a nice selection of anchorages to choose from.

I'm planning on arriving at rising tide so that I don't need to be so fearful of running around. It's not such a big problem where I am due to the mud. I've done it a few times up and down the Colne, but no prospect of damage from the mud and it makes for a nice 10 min break to refuel. In sand obviously it's potentially worse. One slight problem is my depth sounder isn't working. Hence my strong preference for rising tide upon arrival which means I'll need to time it right.

What do you think? Is it a viable plan? Anything important that I've missed or any general tips for sailing in the area?

Thanks

 

[Poecheng]

Few thoughts:
Nice or reasonable day with enough wind to power you along and the tide in the right direction (to sweep you up) and it will be lovely. Think about going when you can also get the tides back the other way.
Download the map for getting into the Walton Backwaters as you need to keep to the route and part gets twisty (but not difficult).
Remember to let out lots of chain as the tides in the Backwaters are strong and if not used to anchoring, the tendency is to leave it in the locker where it does no good at all. First time we did it we woke up drifting ......
I would get the echo sounder sorted as that will likely undermine your confidence, which will not help.
It is a decent-sized trip in a 24' and once done, you will be pleased you have done it.

 

[Khaos]

Few thoughts:
Nice or reasonable day with enough wind to power you along and the tide in the right direction (to sweep you up) and it will be lovely. Think about going when you can also get the tides back the other way.
Download the map for getting into the Walton Backwaters as you need to keep to the route and part gets twisty (but not difficult).
Remember to let out lots of chain as the tides in the Backwaters are strong and if not used to anchoring, the tendency is to leave it in the locker where it does no good at all. First time we did it we woke up drifting ......
I would get the echo sounder sorted as that will likely undermine your confidence, which will not help.
It is a decent-sized trip in a 24' and once done, you will be pleased you have done it.

Thanks. Ive drifted before too. I recently upgraded my anchor to a 10 kg Lewmar Delta so hopefully wont again. I'll be sure to have enough scope.

I'll see if I can do anything with the depth sounder. It's a very old Seafarer 501. They can be powered with batteries so I'll give that a try and see what happens.

 

[Major_Clanger]

First thing is to fix the depth sounder and/or make-up a lead line. Running aground is par-for-the-course, we've all done it more than once, but if your Achilles is a fin keeler it could be a pain if you touch on a falling tide. Buy a paper chart and keep it up-to-date.

My advice would be to take the ebb out of the Colne and down the Wallet, don't take any shortcuts and obey buoyage. Aim to be off the Naze at about LW, remembering that there's not much water close in, and then head towards Pye End SWM keeping Stone Banks on the correct side. You won't see Pye End until you're almost on it and you can then peel away to Port and take the tide up towards the Backwaters.

It's a trip you'll never forget for all the right reasons and you've chosen a great destination. Have fun!

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Download the chartlet for Stone Point (https://www.eastcoastpilot.com/media/other/1889/StonePoint2021Sketch1.pdf). It's a bit old now, but the important thing is to know the pattern of buoys - they are maintained in the right position, so as long as you know their sequence and follow them, you'll be OK. But the bend in the channel is such that if you don't know what to expect, you'll get confused. DON'T try and cut corners, and DON'T go north of buoy 14!

 

[Khaos]

First thing is to fix the depth sounder and/or make-up a lead line. Running aground is par-for-the-course, we've all done it more than once, but if your Achilles is a fin keeler it could be a pain if you touch on a falling tide. Buy a paper chart and keep it up-to-date.

My advice would be to take the ebb out of the Colne and down the Wallet, don't take any shortcuts and obey buoyage. Aim to be off the Naze at about LW, remembering that there's not much water close in, and then head towards Pye End SWM keeping Stone Banks on the correct side. You won't see Pye End until you're almost on it and you can then peel away to Port and take the tide up towards the Backwaters.

It's a trip you'll never forget for all the right reasons and you've chosen a great destination. Have fun!

Thanks for the advice!

It does look really nice. It'll be nice getting to know my way around a new place. My a24 is a fin keeler so I'd definitely prefer not to run aground on hard surfaces on a falling tide lol.

 

[Khaos]

Download the chartlet for Stone Point (https://www.eastcoastpilot.com

Download the chartlet for Stone Point (https://www.eastcoastpilot.com/media/other/1889/StonePoint2021Sketch1.pdf). It's a bit old now, but the important thing is to know the pattern of buoys - they are maintained in the right position, so as long as you know their sequence and follow them, you'll be OK. But the bend in the channel is such that if you don't know what to expect, you'll get confused. DON'T try and cut corners, and DON'T go north of buoy 14!

/media/other/1889/StonePoint2021Sketch1.pdf). It's a bit old now, but the important thing is to know the pattern of buoys - they are maintained in the right position, so as long as you know their sequence and follow them, you'll be OK. But the bend in the channel is such that if you don't know what to expect, you'll get confused. DON'T try and cut corners, and DON'T go north of buoy 14!

Thanks! I can see what you mean.

I may go past there to Hamford water as it looks like it might be easier. I was planning to anchor at stone point as an easy option for when I'm tired after sailing all day. But Hamford looks easier now even if it's a little further to go.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Thanks! I can see what you mean.

I may go past there to Hamford water as it looks like it might be easier. I was planning to anchor at stone point as an easy option for when I'm tired after sailing all day. But Hamford looks easier now even if it's a little further to go.

In an easterly, Hamford Water may not be well sheltered. As long as you have the chart to hand and take the buoys in sequence, it isn't difficult at Stone Point, and the anchorage at Stone Point is much more sheltered.

 

[Khaos]

In an easterly, Hamford Water may not be well sheltered. As long as you have the chart to hand and take the buoys in sequence, it isn't difficult at Stone Point, and the anchorage at Stone Point is much more sheltered.

I see. I guess I'll try Stone Point on arrival then depending on conditions. What about the other anchorages past Hamford such as Kirby Creek?

 

[AntarcticPilot]

I see. I guess I'll try Stone Point on arrival then depending on conditions. What about the other anchorages past Hamford such as Kirby Creek?

Hamford water is mostly fine, except when it isn't! Kirby Creek does have anchorages, but until recently there were issues over where anchoring was permissable, to do with old oyster fishing rights. I think they're no longer enforceable, but I don't know for sure. As I'm based at Titchmarsh, I don't usually anchor so close to base.

If you want to go ashore, the only places are Stone Point, Titchmarsh marina and Walton itself - but the channel from the Twizzle to Walton dries completely at low water.

 

[Yorkshire Exile]

Kirby Creek is not restricted anymore - it's a popular anchorage. If you do go up towards Titchmarsh then it's just as easy to pick up a spare buoy rather than anchor. As you don't have a depth sounder be careful in the non-bouyed parts of Hampton water and connecting creeks. If you have a chartplotter that will help but of course you have decided to do your first exploration on a rising tide so it should not be a problem if you touch the bottom.

 

[Khaos]

The pilot book shows a landing at Kirby Creek.

If I were to anchor near Titchmarsh what would be the arrangement for going ashore there? Brightlingsea has the town jetty and Wivenhoe and West Mersea have club pontoons that visitors can use. That's all the places I've been. Would it be the same sort of thing? I figured it wouldn't since it's a private marina.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Anchoring near Titchmarsh might be tricky - there are lots of moorings taking up most of the space. Perhaps past Titchmarsh in the Twizzle before it widens out to the Red Sea? The marina has no free visiting pontoons; you have to pay. You might pick up a mooring buoy. You can certainly land at the marina.

Because the Walton Backwaters are a nature reserve, landing is only allowed at a few places.

 

[ianc1200]

Some larger boats have been anchoring beyond the last buoys from Titchmarsh - but I wouldn't as there are submerged posts & debris on the island side. In coming into the Backwaters, be very careful to get the red buoys 10, 12, 14 in right order - the groundings/drying out of boats on Mussel Scarfe seems to be because boats go direct from 10 to 14. Most boats coming from Brightlingsea would not go as far as Pye End Buoy before turning in - many would cut across the sands and head direct to No. 2 red buoy, but with a fin keel and no echo sounder perhaps not worth the risk. No landings on Kirby Creek island side as private and reputedly owners who want to ensure it's kept that way. But there's deep water for anchoring between Skipper & Honeypot Islands (& often a vacant buoy) and there is a landing on the Kirby shore/little slipway etc. It is private but I've used to get dogs off before with no objections. Otherwise there's really no where else to land in the Backwaters apart from Stone Point/Town Hard/Walton Pond or the marina.

 

[johnalison]

One thing you’ll learn is that once you have mastered the business of sailing in one place in the Thames Estuary, nowhere else presents any more difficult problems that you are not equipped to solve. With 1.5 m draft we generally aim to get to around Frinton at change of tide, when water will be flowing in by Pye End. Almost always we miss out Pye End and head for the No2 buoy instead. With the sort of tides that allow this at a civilised hour it won’t be springs and there will be plenty of water. An alternative is to leave Brightlingsea before HW and race to get to Walton before someone takes the plug out.

I agree with the others in suggesting keeping an open mind about where to stop. It is unlikely that you will have arrived after fifteen miles odd against a strong northeaster, so Hamford Water should be fine, as would Stone Point, depending on whether you want peace or to go ashore. There is no rule against moving from one to the other either.

 

[Khaos]

One thing you’ll learn is that once you have mastered the business of sailing in one place in the Thames Estuary, nowhere else presents any more difficult problems that you are not equipped to solve. With 1.5 m draft we generally aim to get to around Frinton at change of tide, when water will be flowing in by Pye End. Almost always we miss out Pye End and head for the No2 buoy instead. With the sort of tides that allow this at a civilised hour it won’t be springs and there will be plenty of water. An alternative is to leave Brightlingsea before HW and race to get to Walton before someone takes the plug out.

I agree with the others in suggesting keeping an open mind about where to stop. It is unlikely that you will have arrived after fifteen miles odd against a strong northeaster, so Hamford Water should be fine, as would Stone Point, depending on whether you want peace or to go ashore. There is no rule against moving from one to the other either.

The Blackwater/Colne estuary seems to be a particularly good place for learning to sail. Not that I can compare it to anywhere else. But with mud everywhere running around is never a problem and the tides aren't too strong. Walton Backwaters looks a bit more complicated and I'll be a lot more horizontal if I do end up drying out. Maybe I should get a brush and a tin of antifoul so I can make the best of a bad job if I do.

It feels like a good step up from what I've been doing this far.

 

[mrming]

I’ve done this a couple of times in our 32’ fin keeler drawing 1.6m. All the nav advice has already been given (expertly) above. I’d also advise to get the depth sounder fixed or replaced. Also (I’m a bit younger in YBW terms so the old salts might disagree) but I find this kind of navigation much easier with a chart plotter of some kind, even if it’s just the Navionics Boating app on your phone. Reason being a lot of these places are flat and it can be easy to think you’re somewhere you’re not. With a plotter or plotting app, you know where you are, and for me anyway, that makes it all much less stressful.

 

[Khaos]

I’ve done this a couple of times in our 32’ fin keeler drawing 1.6m. All the nav advice has already been given (expertly) above. I’d also advise to get the depth sounder fixed or replaced. Also (I’m a bit younger in YBW terms so the old salts might disagree) but I find this kind of navigation much easier with a chart plotter of some kind, even if it’s just the Navionics Boating app on your phone. Reason being a lot of these places are flat and it can be easy to think you’re somewhere you’re not. With a plotter or plotting app, you know where you are, and for me anyway, that makes it all much less stressful.

I'm looking into the depth sounder now. The one I have is a Seafarer 501. There's threads about them on here. They can run on batteries and I think the problem is with the wiring so I may be able to make it work

 

[johnalison]

The Blackwater/Colne estuary seems to be a particularly good place for learning to sail. Not that I can compare it to anywhere else. But with mud everywhere running around is never a problem and the tides aren't too strong. Walton Backwaters looks a bit more complicated and I'll be a lot more horizontal if I do end up drying out. Maybe I should get a brush and a tin of antifoul so I can make the best of a bad job if I do.

It feels like a good step up from what I've been doing this far.

If you choose half-decent weather it should be very enjoyable, unless you get buzzed by the Clacton jet-ski navy. The Wallet has something of a fearsome reputation, but this is because many of us have suffered from fits of insanity and attempted it in highly adverse conditions, when it can be utterly foul and seem to go on for ever.

Whatever you do, don’t flirt with the bottom anywhere around Pye End because the bottom is solid concrete, or something very like it. After that, you will be fine if you stick to the main channels and anchor in line with other boats.

 

[Tradewinds]

What surprised me was how popply Hamford Water was in the slightest of east Wind. Should have gone into Kirby Creek in hindsight.