Planning first passage. Brightlingsea to Walton Backwater

[nortada]

I'm currently agound somewhere in the vicinity of Walton backwaters.

It got really dark and cloudy at the wrong time and I couldn't find the bouys. I can see them now though.

I've assessed the situation and it's not too bad. Wind is going to drop overnight so I can just stay here until first light.

Looking out of our lounge window, I suspect you were aground on Stone Point, behind the Plum Tree buoy.

You have done the difficult bit and and deeper water is about 20 meters further into the channel, where you can anchor before possibly progressing up the Walton Channel to pick up one of the many vacant buoys (mine included), where you won’t be bothered and can sort things out in slower time.

If you want any more info get back to me.

I will be on the water around Titchmarsh, The Twizzle and The Wade from about 1100 today, covering the W&FYC Cadet Week.

I will be on Channel 37, listening watch 16 from about 0900, call sign Tay. If you call me we can chop to a less busy channel or phone.

ps 0630. See vessel that was on Stone Point has now floated off and there are now no boats in that anchorage.

Next low tide is 0753 local/ 0.86m, wind westerly 10 kts on a perfect sunny morning.

Hope all is well with you.

 

[Khaos]

Looking out of our lounge window, I suspect you were aground on Stone Point, behind the Plum Tree buoy.

You have done the difficult bit and and deeper water is about 20 meters further into the channel, where you can anchor before possibly progressing up the Walton Channel to pick up one of the many vacant buoys (mine included), where you won’t be bothered and can sort things out in slower time.

If you want any more info get back to me.

I will be on the water around Titchmarsh, The Twizzle and The Wade from about 1100 today, covering the W&FYC Cadet Week.

I will be on Channel 37, listening watch 16 from about 0900, call sign Tay. If you call me we can chop to a less busy channel or phone.

ps 0630. See vessel that was on Stone Point has now floated off and there are now no boats in that anchorage.

Next low tide is 0753 local/ 0.86m, wind westerly 10 kts on a perfect sunny morning.

Hope all is well with you.

Thanks! Yeah all is good. I'm about half way between Naze Tower and the bouys leading into the backwaters. Afloat now and just waiting for the tide to turn to head into the backwaters.

 

[nortada]

Thanks! Yeah all is good. I'm about half way between Naze Tower and the bouys leading into the backwaters. Afloat now and just waiting for the tide to turn to head into the backwaters.

Understood, as you never got to the Backwaters, so not you on Stone Point yesterday evening

Suggest you go to Pye End FWM and then follow channel to Island Point NCM, then either continue west into Hamford Water and anchor or follow the buoyed channel south into the Walton Channel and pick up a vacant buoy.

If you pick up a buoy near the top (south end) of the Walton Channel/Twizzle it is a short trip by dinghy up Foundry Reach to moor up at the W&FC (FREE) and a walk into Walton (about 10 mins).

The Foundry Reach Channel from the Spit NCM is well buoyed but dries at low water so access by dinghy is about 3 to 4 hours around high water. Should you bring your big boat up to the club access +/-2 hours, moor against the club quay. HW Walton is 1427 BST/3.97m.

Listening on Ch 16 C/S TAY so call me if you wish.

I will be at the club just after HW today.

 

[Khaos]

Understood, as you never got to the Backwaters, so not you on Stone Point yesterday evening

Suggest you go to Pye End FWM and then follow channel to Island Point NCM, then either continue west into Hamford Water and anchor or follow the buoyed channel south into the Walton Channel and pick up a vacant buoy.

If you pick up a buoy near the top of the Walton Channel/Twizzle it is a short trip by dinghy up Foundry Reach to moor up at the W&FC (FREE) and a walk into Walton (about 10 mins). The Foundry Reach Channel from the Spit NCM is well buoyed but dries at low water so access by dinghy is about 3 to 4 hours around high water. HW Walton 1427 BST/3.97m.

Listening on Ch 16 C/S TAY so call me if you wish.

Thanks. I'm planning on heading to Hamford. I've plenty of supplies on board so getting ashore isn't a priority at the moment. Just looking forward to getting things under control so I can cook a proper meal and have a rest.

 

[nortada]

Thanks. I'm planning on heading to Hamford. I've plenty of supplies on board so getting ashore isn't a priority at the moment. Just looking forward to getting things under control so I can cook a proper meal and have a rest.

Plenty of water in Hamford Water, the further you go in to anchor, the less chop you will get.

 

[Khaos]

Made it safely

 

[nortada]

Made it safely

Well done

Assume you are at anchor in Hamford Water.

I am on the P2 buoy beside the black flagged Twizzle race mark, outside Titchmarsh Marina, on the edge of the Wade in 3.5m, 3 hours before HW.

Khaos, how long do you intend to remain in The Backwaters

Seals in Kirby Creek, the other side of the Wade and Oakley Creek, (Hamford Water - behind the Exchem buoy.

 

[Khaos]

Well done

Assume you are at anchor in Hamford Water.

I am on the P2 buoy beside the black flagged Twizzle race mark, outside Titchmarsh Marina, on the edge of the Wade in 3.5m, 3 hours before HW.

Khalsa, how long do you intend to remain in The Backwaters

Seals in Kirby Creek, the other side of the Wade and Oakley Creek, (Hamford Water - behind the Exchem buoy.

Probably for a while. At least until the end of summer. My long term plan is to amble up the coast but I want to get to know the places I visit.

Also I need more experience at navigating rather than just sailing. Yesterday I got here more quickly than I was expecting. Yet even with a chart I struggled to find the bouys showing the way into the backwaters. I keep getting the scale wrong. At first I was looking too far offshore. Then I realised and overcompensated and ran around.

This morning I couldn't find the yellow pye end bouy but could see red and green ones. So I followed those and they led me to pye end. I was way too far out again. It would be much easier with a chart plotter. I had a free trial of navionics on my phone but it wasn't updating my location properly. My free trial actually expired mid passage. Must have been 15 days since my first attempt when I installed it. Also binoculars might help.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Probably for a while. At least until the end of summer. My long term plan is to amble up the coast but I want to get to know the places I visit.

Also I need more experience at navigating rather than just sailing. Yesterday I got here more quickly than I was expecting. Yet even with a chart I struggled to find the bouys showing the way into the backwaters. I keep getting the scale wrong. At first I was looking too far offshore. Then I realised and overcompensated and ran around.

This morning I couldn't find the yellow pye end bouy but could see red and green ones. So I followed those and they led me to pye end. I was way too far out again. It would be much easier with a chart plotter. I had a free trial of navionics on my phone but it wasn't updating my location properly. My free trial actually expired mid passage. Must have been 15 days since my first attempt when I installed it. Also binoculars might help.

Pye End is red and white, so if you were looking for yellow you were looking for the wrong thing!

It is, however, a notoriously difficult buoy to spot.

 

[johnalison]

Probably for a while. At least until the end of summer. My long term plan is to amble up the coast but I want to get to know the places I visit.

Also I need more experience at navigating rather than just sailing. Yesterday I got here more quickly than I was expecting. Yet even with a chart I struggled to find the bouys showing the way into the backwaters. I keep getting the scale wrong. At first I was looking too far offshore. Then I realised and overcompensated and ran around.

This morning I couldn't find the yellow pye end bouy but could see red and green ones. So I followed those and they led me to pye end. I was way too far out again. It would be much easier with a chart plotter. I had a free trial of navionics on my phone but it wasn't updating my location properly. My free trial actually expired mid passage. Must have been 15 days since my first attempt when I installed it. Also binoculars might help.

You don’t need a chart plotter, at least, not for now. For most of your sailing around here, so long as you keep England on your left or right as the case may be, you will get somewhere. Many years of sailing from the Blackwater taught me the configurations of the various buoyed areas round the estuaries, such as from the Bench Head to the Knoll and I can generally sail round these places without navigation as such, as will most contributors here. The area off Harwich confuses many people as I have often noticed with even experienced sailors on board, and the skill of orientating yourself from visual clues combined with what you know from the chart will stand you in good stead in any unfamiliar area. If you only rely on a plotter you will never acquire this skill and will always rely on digital aids.

 

[ex-Gladys]

You don’t need a chart plotter, at least, not for now. For most of your sailing around here, so long as you keep England on your left or right as the case may be, you will get somewhere. Many years of sailing from the Blackwater taught me the configurations of the various buoyed areas round the estuaries, such as from the Bench Head to the Knoll and I can generally sail round these places without navigation as such, as will most contributors here. The area off Harwich confuses many people as I have often noticed with even experienced sailors on board, and the skill of orientating yourself from visual clues combined with what you know from the chart will stand you in good stead in any unfamiliar area. If you only rely on a plotter you will never acquire this skill and will always rely on digital aids.

Agreed, the areas you describe aren't for navigation, but pilotage!

 

[nortada]

Probably for a while. At least until the end of summer. My long term plan is to amble up the coast but I want to get to know the places I visit.

Also I need more experience at navigating rather than just sailing. Yesterday I got here more quickly than I was expecting. Yet even with a chart I struggled to find the bouys showing the way into the backwaters. I keep getting the scale wrong. At first I was looking too far offshore. Then I realised and overcompensated and ran around.

This morning I couldn't find the yellow pye end bouy but could see red and green ones. So I followed those and they led me to pye end. I was way too far out again. It would be much easier with a chart plotter. I had a free trial of navionics on my phone but it wasn't updating my location properly. My free trial actually expired mid passage. Must have been 15 days since my first attempt when I installed it. Also binoculars might help.

Very honest report.

Living in a high speed world overestimating is a common problem when first navigating a yacht.

Tons of places to anchor in the Backwaters but only a few where you can land, Stone Point, Titchmarsh Marina and unless you enter the Pond, the W&FYC, 2 hours either side of high tide.

You can cross The Wade just before HW. There are withies.The best water is from the Kirby Race Mark, SE to the Wade Race Mark, NW to Cole’s Creek and E to the Twizzle Race Mark. There are no other buoys on the Wade. Suggest, unless you know it well, do not attempt the Wade on a dropping tide.

 

[nortada]

You don’t need a chart plotter, at least, not for now. For most of your sailing around here, so long as you keep England on your left or right as the case may be, you will get somewhere. Many years of sailing from the Blackwater taught me the configurations of the various buoyed areas round the estuaries, such as from the Bench Head to the Knoll and I can generally sail round these places without navigation as such, as will most contributors here. The area off Harwich confuses many people as I have often noticed with even experienced sailors on board, and the skill of orientating yourself from visual clues combined with what you know from the chart will stand you in good stead in any unfamiliar area. If you only rely on a plotter you will never acquire this skill and will always rely on digital aids.

When in Harwich Bay, the Naze Tower and the Felixstowe cranes provide useful visual location aids.

 

[johnalison]

When in Harwich Bay, the Naze Tower and the Felixstowe cranes provide useful visual location aids.

You’d think so but sailing out of Titchmarsh, if I am taking friends or family out on a tide, it is surprising how difficult many people find it. The area around the North Eagle is another place where orientation can be hard. Before we start, I suspect that most of us don’t realise quite how small things can appear at the distances we often view them at sea. I think that I remember reading that a navigation buoy at two miles is as big as a grain of granulated sugar at six feet, or something like that, and I remember leaving granules on the carpet and bending down to see if I could see them.

 

[Khaos]

W

Very honest report.

Living in a high speed world overestimating is a common problem when first navigating a yacht.

Tons of places to anchor in the Backwaters but only a few where you can land, Stone Point, Titchmarsh Marina and unless you enter the Pond, the W&FYC, 2 hours either side of high tide.

You can cross The Wade just before HW. There are withies.The best water is from the Kirby Race Mark, SE to the Wade Race Mark, NW to Cole’s Creek and E to the Twizzle Race Mark. There are no other buoys on the Wade. Suggest, unless you know it well, do not attempt the Wade on a dropping tide.

What about the slipway next to the Lady of the Twizzle? Private presumably?

 

[Khaos]

You don’t need a chart plotter, at least, not for now. For most of your sailing around here, so long as you keep England on your left or right as the case may be, you will get somewhere. Many years of sailing from the Blackwater taught me the configurations of the various buoyed areas round the estuaries, such as from the Bench Head to the Knoll and I can generally sail round these places without navigation as such, as will most contributors here. The area off Harwich confuses many people as I have often noticed with even experienced sailors on board, and the skill of orientating yourself from visual clues combined with what you know from the chart will stand you in good stead in any unfamiliar area. If you only rely on a plotter you will never acquire this skill and will always rely on digital aids.

I started off over at West Mersea. Was always able to find my way back due to the packing shed. The power station is a good landmark too as are the rows of beach huts and buildings along the mersea coast. You can easily see how far along you are. Harwich is quite featureless by comparison. There's the tower and the cranes but nothing really on the Walton side that gives you an idea of distance. Not even the tower as it's unclear how big it actually is. If there were a house or something like that it would give you an idea.

Anyway I can navigate around the Blackwater estuary quite easily now so hopefully I'll become as good as navigating around here.

I think there are more shallows here. I've never run aground in the Blackwater when sailing at that sort of distance from the shore.

 

[nortada]

You’d think so but sailing out of Titchmarsh, if I am taking friends or family out on a tide, it is surprising how difficult many people find it. The area around the North Eagle is another place where orientation can be hard. Before we start, I suspect that most of us don’t realise quite how small things can appear at the distances we often view them at sea. I think that I remember reading that a navigation buoy at two miles is as big as a grain of granulated sugar at six feet, or something like that, and I remember leaving granules on the carpet and bending down to see if I could see them.

So true, unless you know where they/you are binos can be necessary to locate the race marks on the Wade and they are about 1/2 apart with a big flag on them.

 

[nortada]

W

What about the slipway next to the Lady of the Twizzle? Private presumably?

Rather than a slipway it is the remains of a pontoon.

Moreover, it is private and behind a high fence and a locked gate so no access off it.

Surrounded by foul mud, access is only possible at the top of the tide.

Even more important, it has fallen into such a state of disrepair to have become a hazard to navigation and best be avoided.

Finally, leading into the Naze Park Dean Caravan Park it is a long way to town or any facilities.

The W&FYC quay is much better option for a short stay and the Pond for an overnight stop over.

 

[DanTribe]

Rather than a slipway it is the remains of a pontoon.

Moreover, it is private and behind a high fence and a locked gate so no access off it.

Surrounded by foul mud, access is only possible at the top of the tide.

Even more important, it has fallen into such a state of disrepair to have become a hazard to navigation and best be avoided.

Finally, leading into the Naze Park Dean Caravan Park it is a long way to town or any facilities.

The W&FYC quay is much better option for a short stay and the Pond for an overnight stop over.

 

[DanTribe]

"You don't need a chart plotter"
Agreed, I managed for 40 years, but when you are short handed, inexperienced and unsure of your position it is so comforting to press a button and see exactly where the dangers are.
Even a cheap option is worthwhile. I use MX Mariner on my phone and tablet, does most of what I need. Temporarily not available to new users but I'm sure there's lots of alternatives.
I don't want to go back to taking bearings, working out deviation and variation and plotting it on a soggy chart at night when I'm nervous!