Pyefleet and windfarm support vessels

Sheff

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Just watched Dylan Winter's Youtube blog about Brightlingsea. He states that the peace and tranquility of Pyefleet is "gone/shattered" by the windfarm "factory" anchored beyond Stone Point which he says operates 24/7.

Has anyone any first-hand experience of anchoring in the Pyefleet this year?.......... are the above statements correct?

I should have new crew aboard to do a night sail round to the Pyefleet on the 24th and I don't want to extol the virtues of a night in the Pyefleet only to find it disrupted.

Paul.
 
We anchored there on Saturday evening and there was some noise from the "factory", it was a bit odd and the noise did impact on the peace and quiet, but it did not by any means ruin the event.

We were quite close, about 150 metres, but if you were further up the creek I guess the noise would be significantly less.
 
I was a bit surprised to see the "factory" as I came up the channel, and I didn't find it as peaceful as old. That said, I didn't hear it during the night, but the last whisky on deck before I retired, revealed just how bright the lights from it all were.
 
I could see it from Colne Bar!

It lies just inside the point (name forgotten) opposite Brighlingsea and before the entrance to Pyefleet, there was a very large heavy lift crane, a medium sized barge, and when I went in, a huge construction barge "Excalibur" being towed out. Listen in on 68 and you will hear the relevant warnings.
 
Yep, I'm with you, thingy point with the sandy beach.

So before you get to the wreck, and leave it to port on the way in?

Presumably it is also lit up like a Christmas tree!
 
Excalibur is owned and operated by Seacore, who are based on Gweek on the Helford Cornwall.

Seacore make and operate rigs for close to shore construction and drilling/piling operations. Good to see a British company getting the work.

John

John
 
I actually snuck between it and the beach, as the tugs were moving both Excalibur and the heavy lift crane in the main part of the channel. It took me inside the line of special marks, which is probably the exclusion zone, but choosing that seemed a better course than dodging stuff manoeuvring in the channel!
 
We've anchored in pyefleet 3 or 4 Saturday nights this year (as well as New Year's Eve, but I suppose that's last year) - the most recent one was the week before Easter. Once you've passed the barge, crane and assorted tugs (either side or between them), then you can completely ignore them. We've noticed no more noise than usual, all the usual birds are there, and the usual peace. I suppose it may be more noisy during the week, or if you take one of the buoys close to the barge - we always anchor beyond the moorings.
 
Thanks for the responses.............. looks like I'll be heading up the Pyefleet Friday evening.


Paul.
 
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