Poole to Amsterdam and back

[baart]

Yesterday out 16 mile trip we manage 8 under sails.

Great, it is looking even more exciting !

I have come across this idea that you can catch a favourable tide from Selsey Bill to Dover, more here - eOceanic

They say it is doable if you can maintain 7knts over ground. We can easily do that with the tide, possibly more. On one hand It seems a very long stretch of the coast to cover in one go but then if the tide is right why not? So I thought if starting on a Friday we could get to somwhere like Sparkes Marina and then on Saturday catch the tide to Dover. I would choose a weekend where the tide starts going east early in the morning. My only worry is that if it doesn't work and we end up fighting the tide there isn't really anywhere to stop once past Eastbourne if the family finds it too much. Can anyone confirm feasibility of such a plan?

 

[johnalison]

Great, it is looking even more exciting !

I have come across this idea that you can catch a favourable tide from Selsey Bill to Dover, more here - eOceanic

They say it is doable if you can maintain 7knts over ground. We can easily do that with the tide, possibly more. On one hand It seems a very long stretch of the coast to cover in one go but then if the tide is right why not? So I thought if starting on a Friday we could get to somwhere like Sparkes Marina and then on Saturday catch the tide to Dover. I would choose a weekend where the tide starts going east early in the morning. My only worry is that if it doesn't work and we end up fighting the tide there isn't really anywhere to stop once past Eastbourne if the family finds it too much. Can anyone confirm feasibility of such a plan?

I think it is ambitious, but I have often done the 60 miles from Brighton, even when we hung around off Beach Head with a friend’s boat for a photo shoot, in slower boats. The tide off Shoreham is not very strong, so I would be inclined to power my way through the Looe Channel and buck the tide for an hour or two because, as you say, the penalty for being late at Dover is considerable.

 

[sailaboutvic]

@baart
Sorry can't help you with that ,
we long term cruisers and being so we happy doing 24/40 hours trips it's not unusual for us to do much longer ones too ,
So since we returned to Northern Europe any long sails which involves several tidal gates we just go when it's convenient for us what ever the tide doing, it's going to be against us at some point any way.
Don't forget Dover is close unless it's reopen lately.
Calais as buoys in the other harbour, if you just want a bit of a rest,
it can at times get a big bouncy with a young family.

 

[RobbieW]

Great, it is looking even more exciting !

I have come across this idea that you can catch a favourable tide from Selsey Bill to Dover, more here - eOceanic

They say it is doable if you can maintain 7knts over ground. We can easily do that with the tide, possibly more. On one hand It seems a very long stretch of the coast to cover in one go but then if the tide is right why not? So I thought if starting on a Friday we could get to somwhere like Sparkes Marina and then on Saturday catch the tide to Dover. I would choose a weekend where the tide starts going east early in the morning. My only worry is that if it doesn't work and we end up fighting the tide there isn't really anywhere to stop once past Eastbourne if the family finds it too much. Can anyone confirm feasibility of such a plan?

Its entirely feasible, I've carried the tide from S of the Nab to Ramsgate on a delivery trip. Prob depends a bit on strength of tide on the day and the boat, iirc it was a 40' AWB. BUT that was a delivery where you expect to keep going

Edit: Using the ReeveFowkes tidal flow charts makes it easy to see features like this

 

[sailaboutvic]

May be a good idea not to anchor too close to the locals

 

[Daydream believer]

Go round the corner to Ramsgate if Dover closed. ( but work the tide) Then Ostend - 57 miles. Customs easier in belgium. Then pick a decent tide to Breskens because you will not do Calais to Breskens in one go due to tides. Plus coastal banks can be a problem first time round. So stopping at Ostend is the best point to stop at & you do not have the hassle of locks at calais & you go outside some of the banks. At breskens you can fill with fuel. If you decide to miss breskens & go straight across to the lock at flushing you can fill at middleburg but it is more hassle.
From middleburg go to willemstad then head to dordrecht, alphen aan rijn, Gouda harlem (rest overnight at Sparndam) Then North sea canal to Amsterdam
Bridges & locks to note are at Dordrecht, Gouda juliansluise & the one before the North sea canal. There is a toll to pay after the harlem bridges & you have to be quick because the railway bridge just after the pay point sometimes closes before you can get through if the HM delays you.
Coming back from amsterdam If you want to do it quickly, I would suggest the night route as you can get past the bridge at Schipol circa 06-00 & punch straight through & get the 13-10 bridge opening at gouda where you can rest a night before heading to Dordrecht, then south to Willemstad. You need to log & pay a toll in at the opening point at Amsterdam at around 20-00 ,then wait for the call to go at circa 12-00. A convoy takes you through all the railway bridges & locks in quick succession
I left Willemstad at 08-00 one day & arrived at Breskens 10 hours later. I was a bit knackered though.
On another trip I took my time & spent a lovely 9 days visiting some delightful places. You would be missing some excellent experiences if you did not take your time. One year my wife & i spent 4 weeks & did not want to come home.
I did sail straight from Bradwell to Amsterdam SH once (25 hours, 150 miles) but the shipping made it tiring. You might consider going Ramsgate, Lowestoft. Ijmuiden which reduces the crossing to 100 miles. Which would give you some fine sailing, then come back down the canals. But you would have a big dog leg.

 

[baart]

Go round the corner to Ramsgate if Dover closed. ( but work the tide) Then Ostend - 57 miles.

My initial plan was to cross from Dover towards Calais and head to Nieuwpoort along the coast. This might be a good alternative. There is a lot to process when preparing for this trip. Thank you all for the advice so far.

 

[Daydream believer]

Nieuwpoort to Flushing is a little far to manage in one tide. Hence ostend as the jumping off point.

 

[mattonthesea]

Yes there been many day when the wind as been just right that we manage to sail ,
you have to be perpair to drop everything and start up at times ,
Yesterday out 16 mile trip we manage 8 under sails.

We sailed from Middleburg almost the entire way to Dordrecht! In May this year.

 

[westhinder]

Nieuwpoort to Flushing is a little far to manage in one tide. Hence ostend as the jumping off point.

Depends on your boat speed of course, but you’re right, you don’t want to get the current against you. With the Westerschelde emptying itself into the North Sea, the last couple of miles would be painfully slow.

 

[Daydream believer]

In the early 70s, when I knew very little about tides( not that I know much more now) I sailed from Breskens heading for Ostend & in 4 hours I managed to get as far as-- Breskens

 

[harvey38]

Lots of Netherlands flagged boats in Ramsgate over the last few weeks, apparently it a very easy trip, they all seems very relaxed about the journey. Plenty of berths available in the marina and excellent staff to assist if required.

 

[baart]

As I thought it seems we won't be ready as a family for this trip this year considering we would have to leave in 4 weeks at the latest and with other things to sort out in that time it is probably a bit too ambitious. So the plan is to do it in May next year with a starting date either 19.05 or 26.05. That amount of time should make preparation more relaxed. Hopefully works in Dover will finish by then as well.

Two more questions, if anyone can help :

1. I have found tidal streams for the North Sea on Visit my Harbour. Do I need anything more detailed than that for the Dutch coast?

2. Any unusual tidal patterns there ? Double high water etc?

 

[johnalison]

As I thought it seems we won't be ready as a family for this trip this year considering we would have to leave in 4 weeks at the latest and with other things to sort out in that time it is probably a bit too ambitious. So the plan is to do it in May next year with a starting date either 19.05 or 26.05. That amount of time should make preparation more relaxed. Hopefully works in Dover will finish by then as well.

Two more questions, if anyone can help :

1. I have found tidal streams for the North Sea on Visit my Harbour. Do I need anything more detailed than that for the Dutch coast?

2. Any unusual tidal patterns there ? Double high water etc?

I find the tidal charts in Reeds perfectly adequate, combined with tidal diamonds from charts. The exception in Dutch waters would be in the Frisians in the Waddensee where the two tidal atlases can be very helpful, if not essential for a flying visit. I have never got the hang of working out the tides between Krimpen and Dordrecht, but one's passage through here is usually dictated by other factors than free choice of time and one usually ends up bucking the tide for at least part of the trip.