Ramsgate to Harwich

My head hurts. I've done the route a few times. Always do the inside route and creep across the 'gaps' in the sandbanks, checking the echo sounder all the time and figuring I can always do a detour along the outiside of the bank if there's less water than I would like when I get there. System seems to have worked so far. Always done it with paper charts, handheld gps and Reeve Foukes (or whatever it's called) tidal atlas. But I have a handheld chartplotter now so it should be even easier now. Have done the trip at night but only having worked out the route carefully beforehand with hour-by-hour tidal heights rigorously calculated.
 
Ramsgate to Woodbridge up the River Deben.
Leave Ramsgate early morning, motor in chilly calm to North Foreland then head just inside Kentish Knock and round North of Long Sand Head, thence towards Sunk Light Vessel, then Roughs Tower, and across the Harwich shipping lanes, to enter the River Deben by early evening, three hours after low water and amble gently with the flood up to Woodbridge to have enough water to get anywhere near the town at around nightfall.
This I did in March with high tide Woodbridge about 2030hrs (neaps). I was amazed to be able to go straight from Ramsgate to Woodbridge in one day as the tidal calculations I did before hand said I would probably have to enter the River Orwell and go to the River Deben a few days later, but a good engine kept five knots so things just unfolded in my favour.
I've always chosen the outside route across the Thames Estuary, as safer with fewer hazards to chew my lip and nails about and I prefer a longer route that is more trustworthy than all those gats across sandbanks with dire consequences if mistakes are made.
 
Sounds great! Hope all goes well with the publication process

SWMBO will be duly alerted for another present she can surprise her darling husband with...
 
Thanks to you all. I'll let you know when it's available.

I suppose Larry I might as well do that. Judy doesn't quite understand the point of sailing to nowhere in the middle of the Estuary and then coming back! Mind you I spent four hours over the Sunk Sand and the net result was that the SW Sunk Beacon fell over.

Seriously when the Sunk Beacon crumbles as well we will be sunk (sorry). Another passage made risky by rusty tank traps under the surface leaving only the flat bit near the Barrow No 2.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Be outside Ramsgate at midnight, using the Foulgers Gat, Black Deep route you should at an average of 5 kts be at Cliff Foot SHM at about 7.49am!

There now. Have I made a mistake? Dare I hit the send button?

[/ QUOTE ]

Just a minor one. Last time I passed Cliff Foot By it had a flat top and was painted red.
 
Oh Damm. A typo. Thank goodness, I haven't signed off the proof yet. I see I have it right in the text and wrong in the table. You don't fancy reading all the rest do you?

I am very grateful.
 
Any idea when it will be available and the ISBN number so I can order one.

(Judging by the amount of interest I think you can confidently go out and order your new yacht !)
 
Gosh, I know this is an ancient thread, but I’ve found it so useful: I’m leaving Ramsgate tomorrow for the Walton backwaters. First time for me, and I was able (I think) to extrapolate my timings and route. My chart (Navionics) doesn’t show channel buoyage for Folgers Gat, though. Is it still in use?
 
eonolan said:
Gosh, I know this is an ancient thread, but I’ve found it so useful: I’m leaving Ramsgate tomorrow for the Walton backwaters. First time for me, and I was able (I think) to extrapolate my timings and route. My chart (Navionics) doesn’t show channel buoyage for Folgers Gat, though. Is it still in use?
Click to expand...

Navionics does show the buoyage, are you zoomed in?

Screenshot 2021-10-08 at 08.54.52.png
 
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