Plans for new marina at Herne Bay

As a lifelong resident of dear old Hernia Bay....
Well, I wouldn't hold your breath for this to happen. It's a blue-sky proposal from the local authority which is very Canterbury-centric and not renowned for making anything at all happen for the benefit of the other towns in its remit, let alone their residents. It follows on from a quite wacky proposal made by a group a few years ago to build a marina around the pierhead (which has been isolated since the 3/4-mile pier collapsed in 1987 and would therefore need to not only be reconnected but would then need to carry traffic).
We only have a 'harbour' because about errr 25-30 years ago the sea wall / promenade that keeps the sea out of the town was needing a rebuild, and someone had the great idea of building a curving harbour arm in front of it instead, thus taking the force of the waves away from the old wall. So that was a good idea, and that was when someone should have thought 'marina' but they didn't. Two things went badly wrong. They took advice from elsewhere and built the arm (which is a pile of rocks) with its entrance at the west end, despite locals saying loud and clear that it would fill with mud that way round.
It fills with mud.
And secondly the council has stoutly resisted calling it a harbour, despite the fact that there are now moorings in it which I believe they collect money for. The mud, by the way, is of such depth and quality that HM Coastguard uses it once a year for national training in new mud rescue techniques. I was a local CG until recently and have quite a bit of experience at rescuing hapless grockels from the 'harbour'.
It does look nice on a nice day -
View attachment 55861
Anyway, as my pal TG says, a marina would need a gate to keep the water in, and the place would need to be well and truly dredged before use. The rock wall would need to be sealed on the inside. And possibly raised as well, because a NE gale combined with HW Springs results in waves that seriously overtop the wall as it is at present.
Also as TG says, the approach is very shallow, in fact from 3/4-mile out (well, that's why there was a pier there that long). So access would be restricted, and along with the lock gate I'd guess the window might be HW+/-3. Not a show-stopper, though, I guess.
The town would lose the nice sandy beach in the 'harbour' as I guess the whole lot would need to be dredged right back to the promenade to gain enough moorings and have a chance of making it viable. Maybe the foundations wouldn't be up to that, I don't know.
Anyway, it's all a nice idea, but probably 'difficult' on the easy-to-difficult scale. But that never stopped a civil engineer.
I have suggested to one of the councillors who is championing the scheme that on no account should the council even dream of taking this on, they should farm the whole thing out to a marina developer/operator. I guess if someone came up with a viable solution, then it could be a goer. One day.
 
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Think the 1978 storm knocked about half the middle over, and it was a couple of years later when the debris was removed. Think the length still standing up to the head was removed at the same time, but might be wrong. Have some photos somewhere...
 
Little Grebe said:
The retractable roof for the marina sounds like a novel idea, I'd definitely keep my boat there if that was the case :-)
Click to expand...
Yes, I thought this was a good idea, but would there be a height restriction on the masts that could enter the marina and would they open the roof at HW Springs just in case?
I noticed on the plan that the bandstand also had a retractable roof.
 
Cantata said:
As a lifelong resident of dear old Hernia Bay....
Well, I wouldn't hold your breath for this to happen. It's a blue-sky proposal from the local authority which is very Canterbury-centric and not renowned for making anything at all happen for the benefit of the other towns in its remit, let alone their residents. It follows on from a quite wacky proposal made by a group a few years ago to build a marina around the pierhead (which has been isolated since the 3/4-mile pier collapsed in 1987 and would therefore need to not only be reconnected but would then need to carry traffic).
We only have a 'harbour' because about errr 25-30 years ago the sea wall / promenade that keeps the sea out of the town was needing a rebuild, and someone had the great idea of building a curving harbour arm in front of it instead, thus taking the force of the waves away from the old wall. So that was a good idea, and that was when someone should have thought 'marina' but they didn't. Two things went badly wrong. They took advice from elsewhere and built the arm (which is a pile of rocks) with its entrance at the west end, despite locals saying loud and clear that it would fill with mud that way round.
It fills with mud.
And secondly the council has stoutly resisted calling it a harbour, despite the fact that there are now moorings in it which I believe they collect money for. The mud, by the way, is of such depth and quality that HM Coastguard uses it once a year for national training in new mud rescue techniques. I was a local CG until recently and have quite a bit of experience at rescuing hapless grockels from the 'harbour'.
It does look nice on a nice day -
View attachment 55861
Anyway, as my pal TG says, a marina would need a gate to keep the water in, and the place would need to be well and truly dredged before use. The rock wall would need to be sealed on the inside. And possibly raised as well, because a NE gale combined with HW Springs results in waves that seriously overtop the wall as it is at present.
Also as TG says, the approach is very shallow, in fact from 3/4-mile out (well, that's why there was a pier there that long). So access would be restricted, and along with the lock gate I'd guess the window might be HW+/-3. Not a show-stopper, though, I guess.
The town would lose the nice sandy beach in the 'harbour' as I guess the whole lot would need to be dredged right back to the promenade to gain enough moorings and have a chance of making it viable. Maybe the foundations wouldn't be up to that, I don't know.
Anyway, it's all a nice idea, but probably 'difficult' on the easy-to-difficult scale. But that never stopped a civil engineer.
I have suggested to one of the councillors who is championing the scheme that on no account should the council even dream of taking this on, they should farm the whole thing out to a marina developer/operator. I guess if someone came up with a viable solution, then it could be a goer. One day.
Click to expand...



and get rid of all the carp fruit machine arcades as the do it,but who the hell is going to spend millions on hernia bay
 
Well, there has been a quiet revolution going on here now for a few years, led mainly by people making things happen independently of the Council, and the place is actually on the up.......... Also being affected by over-pricing of property in the fashionable watering-hole of Whitstable next door.
 
Cantata said:
Well, there has been a quiet revolution going on here now for a few years, led mainly by people making things happen independently of the Council, and the place is actually on the up.......... Also being affected by over-pricing of property in the fashionable watering-hole of Whitstable next door.
Click to expand...

Humm, what depth would the dredged Marina have to be to accommodate sailing craft and keep them afloat when the tide is out?
From memory the Harbour dries out at about half tide, with limited access near the entry point a bit later /earlier, and as been stated the water there is pretty shallow for a long way out.
Perhaps its a Marina for the speedboats and smaller motor cruisers that otherwise use the launching slipway, and the Jet Skiers that frequent Herne Bay water front.
These motor boats could easily be accommodated in a minor marina type berthing arrangement, with perhaps Yachts lying to along an improved outer harbour wall.
Lets keep in touch, great
 
Cantata said:
Well, there has been a quiet revolution going on here now for a few years, led mainly by people making things happen independently of the Council, and the place is actually on the up.......... Also being affected by over-pricing of property in the fashionable watering-hole of Whitstable next door.
Click to expand...

what revolution?? the 4 fathoms turned into a 'gastro pub' what a joke,what a lidl/aldi in the old market place??

the whole seafront needs demolishing,including the over priced B&Bs £40 for a single room not even en-suite,dont get me wrong I have lived up the hill in beltinge for 25 odd years and seen nothing but decay.
you mention whitstable,yep they have a proper harbour although the fishermen hate the yachties!!
tell me where the arcades are in whitstable??
tell me where the antiquated bingo halls are??

untill the likjes of Macaris lose their power over the council nothing will happen
 
Is there actually much demand for more marina space around the Kent coast?Especially that with restricted access.If you want relatively cheap marina berthing and dont mind locking in/out have a look at Dover.
 
Biggles Wader said:
Is there actually much demand for more marina space around the Kent coast?Especially that with restricted access.If you want relatively cheap marina berthing and dont mind locking in/out have a look at Dover.
Click to expand...

I think the fact that Dover is on the south kent coast and Herne Bay is on the North Kent coast means that the comparison is not really relevant.
 
Biggles Wader said:
OK forget Dover,is there much demand for more marina space around the (north)Kent coast?Especially that with restricted access.
Click to expand...

Restricted access is always an issue, but its one that boaters from these parts just get on with. I think a marina in the Thames estuary mouth would be great. Where else is there? Despite its size, the reality is that there is nothing else in the Thames estuary at present. You have Ramsgate, outside of the estuary, or you go out of the estuary to the north, to one of the crouch marinas, or out to the south to one of the Medway marinas. Personally I would like to see something on the Essex side but hey ho.
 
Good question. It is a reasonable distance to find the next marina where you can stay afloat, and there are a fair number of owners along this part of the coast. Has to be safe, and with options for being out of the water somehow and have yet to see how these would be accomplished. For visitors it gives another option to the 8 hour trek from Ramsgate to the Medway - and in some ways can make better use of tides with a break at Herne Bay at high water (though continuing the trip up river will not leave much flood if it has say HW+-2 or so). Coming the other way the tide is likely to be out, so unlikely to catch passing trade outbound.

North Kent coast has better access to the Thames Estuary playpen than Dover. The two options in terms of the type of sailing you want are fairly different, and Dover may not always suit.

Can only think it would be a good thing all round if it is done well, but as Cantata says - don't think about booking a berth yet.
 
Humm, from local experience I would say that most of the present 'boating' from Herne Bay is for Sea Angling, Jet Skis and general trail able boats out for a sail.
Perhaps a Marina to cater for these boating types might work, with some provision for Yachts on passage stop overs.
If on a Westerly passage thought that the next sanctuary is The Swale East estuary, if Whitstable is 'not on', Harty Ferry and Conyer Creek, all subject to a min of water though, most of the time :-(
 
Since starting this thread I have read all your comments.

Do I think the marina will be built at Herne Bay? Yes, but not in the near future.

Is there a need for another marina? Yes. Even in the contracting market of boating, there is a shortage of marina space. Many aging sailors find them more convenient than moorings. Also families find them convenient. Then we have the floating cottage brigade who just like being on water (and going nowhere) find it cheaper than bricks and mortar cottages.

Remember there are also plans for a marina at Sheerness as well. If both these marinas do get built there will be more choices of marinas to use or visit. That can only be a good thing for the north Kent coast.
 
Capt Popeye said:
Humm, from local experience I would say that most of the present 'boating' from Herne Bay is for Sea Angling, Jet Skis and general trail able boats out for a sail.(
Click to expand...

Perhaps, but the local yachtsmen keep their boats up the Swale or Medway or Ramsgate - ie it is the facilities that drive the type of boating.
 
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