Return after years

sailaboutvic

sailaboutvic

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Hey well it's been lot of years since I sailed the east coast .
Well it's time to return , and come Oct /Nov we be sailing back to Ipswich .
So what changes on the Orwell, Deben,alde , Blackwater's?
As anyone gone out with a shovel and made the entrance deeper?
Can you still pick up a free mooring buoy for the night?
Are all the good anchoring spot taken by mooring buoys ?
Spill the beans guys
 
Look at East Coast Pilot for up to date charts of the Deben and Oare entrances. Look at Crossing the Thames Estuary for surveys of many East coast areas. The latter is the great work of Tiller Girl (Roger Gaspar) who posts each week the Notices to Mariners here for the East coast and the Belgium and Dutch coast.

No free mooring pickups in West Mersea and sometimes you will get caught for a charge on the visitor buoys in Pyefleet Creek.

Enjoy your return to these parts.
 
sailaboutvic said:
Hey well it's been lot of years since I sailed the east coast .
Well it's time to return , and come Oct /Nov we be sailing back to Ipswich .
So what changes on the Orwell, Deben,alde , Blackwater's?
As anyone gone out with a shovel and made the entrance deeper?
Can you still pick up a free mooring buoy for the night?
Are all the good anchoring spot taken by mooring buoys ?
Spill the beans guys
Click to expand...

Welcome back Vic, we have been back a year‼️

How long have you been away❓

Answers for the Walton Backwaters

What’s changed in the last 20 years - not much.

Stone Point plenty of water in the buoyed channel. Foundry Reach still usable around high tide.

Unlimited free anchoraging in Hamford Water, Kirby Creek etc.

Plenty of free buoys in the Walton Channel.

Walton Yacht Haven - completely revamped but access limited to top of the tide.

Vic, if you pitch up in these parts, I’ll buy you a beer.??

Cheers Chip
 
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If you are interested in the Ray Sand soonest, PM as I can send you a draft chartlet there pending collecting a little more data before the month is out.
 
nortada said:
Welcome back Vic, we have been back a year‼

How long have you been away❓

Answers for the Walton Backwaters

What’s changed in the last 20 years - not much.

Stone Point plenty of water in the buoyed channel. Foundry Reach still usable around high tide.

Unlimited free anchoraging in Hamford Water, Kirby Creek etc.

Plenty of free buoys in the Walton Channel.

Walton Yacht Haven - completely revamped but access limited to top of the tide.

Vic, if you pitch up in these parts, I’ll buy you a beer.??

Cheers Chip
Click to expand...
How long away , a bloody long time Chip , TBH I never thought I be back sailing north.
We cut all ties from the east coast when I sold the boat we kept in the UK for the odd winter sailing on the few weeks we are in the UK , that was 2008 .
But circumstances brought us back .
We still cruising and living on board but in Netherlands At the moment , we might make Denmark before our sail back , we see .

As for you buying me a beer , I think you own me more then just one beer after the years I kept you and other entertain with my posting/spelling and grammar. Ha ha ?
 
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Welcome back, altho’ we have retired from boats sadly. Regarding the Orwell/Stour you can anchor in the bay above Parkstone also off Erwarton above or below the Ness. Orwell lots of spots to anchor, nothing much has changed there I don’t think. Moorings to pick up, probably OK off Wrabness, others may correct this we have only stopped for lunch. Various moorings above Levington, but a recent thread does advise that some may not be very secure, it was our regular spot to overnight before a early morning tide. Pin Mill you may be OK, altho’ I believe Gus has been known to charge a fee. Don’t try the MDL moorings, they will definitely sting you!
 
sailaboutvic said:
How long away , a bloody long time Chip , TBH I never thought I be back sailing north.
We cut all ties from the east coast when I sold the boat we kept in the UK for the odd winter sailing on the few weeks we are in the UK , that was 2008 .
But circumstances brought us back .
We still cruising and living on board but in Netherlands At the moment , we might make Denmark before our sail back , we see .

As for you buying me a beer , I think you own me more then just one beer after the years I kept you and other entertain with my posting/spelling and grammar. Ha ha ?
Click to expand...

OK as it’s you - 2???
 
Leighb said:
Don’t try the MDL moorings, they will definitely sting you!
Click to expand...

Recently overnighted on one of MDL's moorings close to marina and was charged £15 for the night. Very short row ashore, had use of the nice toilet shower block, refuse disposal and could have topped up with water if needed. I felt that was OK value.
 
Crowblack said:
Recently overnighted on one of MDL's moorings close to marina and was charged £15 for the night. Very short row ashore, had use of the nice toilet shower block, refuse disposal and could have topped up with water if needed. I felt that was OK value.
Click to expand...
That's aBout £14.50 more then I want to pay :)
 
nortada said:
,
Do MDL charge the same in all of their marinas❓
Click to expand...
No idea, tend to use anchorages, moorings when I can due to long keel interesting behaviors. With Wolverstone I just called them up and asked if they had a mooring for the night, mainly because I wanted to go ashore.

Mostly I'll pick up a mooring at Pin Mill and stay on the boat.
 
Tomahawk said:
Next thing is they will put in for planning for developing the boatyard for housing. Call me a cynic and I will accept the compliment.
Click to expand...
Far from being a cynic, I think you are a realist. When MDL first acquired Woolverstone many years ago they applied for planning to build flats on the cliff overlooking the river. That was turned down by Babergh as a “NEVER” , but times move on and companies can get away with all sorts these days. I believe Berth holders are concerned that their objective is to make it “unprofitable“ and then use that to justify redevelopement.
 
Meanwhile there is tons of space to build housing with a lovely view of the river which would be highly valuable.. but it is forbidden because the fish and seals get upset at seeing houses. Leasatways that is the only sensible reason I can think of to be so negative about the most imortant of all human needs to be protected from the elements and environment
 
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