River to Poole harbour

[Franknstein]

Hi all

Just getting all the information together now for my first outing on the new boat, and want to make sure I dont have any trouble with any authority.
So I am planning on taking the family to Redcliffe Farm Camping site for a few days over august, which is right on the river and has a private slipway, so suits me quite well as I can park the trailer by our tent, and it should be nice and easy to launch on the calm river.

I will be travelling on this river towards Poole harbour, then out the harbour into the channel when I feel everything is working ok.

I know I need to pay harbour dues. All good.
But since I am using a river here (see attached pic, staying by the red line, route marked in dotted red), do I need to register with british waterways or anything - get a license to use this river? What is this river called (Frome?).

 

[VicS]

Pretty sure BW have no interest in the river Frome. No mention on their website

A bit of shock actually to discover you'll need to pay harbour dues to Poole H.C.

I learnt to sail on the Frome from Redcliffe farm many years ago. We never paid any dues to anyone ( except when we got caught by the NT warden on Brownsea Island !)

Enjoy. Its a nice spot. You can also go up river to Wareham as well as down river to the harbour.

The river and Poole harbour offer a good sized area to explore if the weather is not so good.

Find out all you can about navigating within Poole harbour before you go.


Some Charts at http://www.visitmyharbour.com/harbours/channel-west/?pg=2& if of interest

 

[colhel]

I think this is how it works,(Vic I'm pretty sure on the River Frome PHC dues are due) When you pay to launch from the slip a portion of this goes towards your harbour dues and you only have to display a sticker if you've got a mooring.

If you're worried about harbour dues http://www.phc.co.uk/about.html

Personally I'd just launch and have fun.

 

[dmmbruce]

I echo VicS's remarks. Great place to go. Do make sure you buy the local tide table, there are strange tides there. And do get a chart because although the area of water is huge, much of it is very shallow and the mud is vile! Yes I have found out for myself!

I don't think you have to pay Harbour Dues unless you anchor, moor, go alongside or use a marina. But if you prefer to be correct, it is worth ringing the Harbour Master's office which is called Poole Harbour Control. Their general office is at the marina on Poole quay.

Cheers.

Mike

 

[VicS]

I think this is how it works,(Vic I'm pretty sure on the River Frome PHC dues are due) When you pay to launch from the slip a portion of this goes towards your harbour dues and you only have to display a sticker if you've got a mooring.

If you're worried about harbour dues http://www.phc.co.uk/about.html

Personally I'd just launch and have fun.

No mention of harbour dues or even launching fees on Redcliffe Farm website ( charge for boat on trailer by tent though!)

According to the chart the Poole harbour does not include the river Frome

I think I agree launch and pay only if asked to!

 

[Franknstein]

Thanks all for your comments - I will give the harbour a ring and see whats potting.

I have been looking at the Poole charts (thanks for the link its very useful VicS).

I see some notes on these charts and have a few questions:
I'm referring to this chart:
http://www.visitmyharbour.com/viewchart.asp?chart=E638BA9DB3DD65255

1. What does the pink/purple teardrop icons mean?
2. I take it all the channels are well marked out with buoys and stakes as it has noted on the charts, so should be easy enough to navigate to them and keep at a good depth then?
3. I see a lot of the little islands etc have notes 'landing prohibited' - can I not land anywhere around Poole harbour or are there some spots I can? I used to like to land at some random spot and then go for a walk, or just take a few chairs off the boat and sit down for a while with a drink....
4. I see there is a 'boat channel' along side the Middle ship channel, is that the route I'd use to get out of the harbour? Is there a clear distinction between these two channels on the water (buoys/stakes)?
5. Are you allowed to use the middle ship channel at all?

that's all I can think of for now!

thanks

 

[cem]

Thanks all for your comments - I will give the harbour a ring and see whats potting.

I have been looking at the Poole charts (thanks for the link its very useful VicS).

I see some notes on these charts and have a few questions:
I'm referring to this chart:
http://www.visitmyharbour.com/viewchart.asp?chart=E638BA9DB3DD65255

1. What does the pink/purple teardrop icons mean?
2. I take it all the channels are well marked out with buoys and stakes as it has noted on the charts, so should be easy enough to navigate to them and keep at a good depth then?
3. I see a lot of the little islands etc have notes 'landing prohibited' - can I not land anywhere around Poole harbour or are there some spots I can? I used to like to land at some random spot and then go for a walk, or just take a few chairs off the boat and sit down for a while with a drink....
4. I see there is a 'boat channel' along side the Middle ship channel, is that the route I'd use to get out of the harbour? Is there a clear distinction between these two channels on the water (buoys/stakes)?
5. Are you allowed to use the middle ship channel at all?

that's all I can think of for now!

thanks

the boat channel is to the right of the main channel as you go out through the harbour, marked between the red channel markers and red stakes, you can use the main channel, but beware of condor ferry and things like that, best practice is the small boats channel..... on the river...make sure you stay in the middle of the stakes as you come out the river into the harbour, especially at low tide, there is not a lot of water towards the edges... if you go up river to wareham be cautious of the quay wall especially if the river is running a little faster than normal, and if using the most upstream berth before the bridge as the current can take you straight into the wall very quickly (ok i got caught out there and it cost me £80 in gel coat repair!) other than that enjoy poole

 

[dpb]

Re landing:
The National Trust dont allow motor boats to land on their property so that rules Brownsea Island out, but you could get around this by dropping anchor in shallow water and wading ashore which can be done along most of the Sourg and western shores.
All the other islands are private so you risk being shooed away if you land on them.
Places you can land are along south side of the Wareham Channel,
Various spots along the Hamworthy shore, the shore at Arne, and on the small beach just to the south of the chain ferry.
In a small boat you could probably land along the Sandbanks peninsular though this does dry right out.
Other than the above you have Salterns Marina (who charge alot but nice place for reasonable drink and eats at the hotel) and Poole Haven at Poole Quay (who charge a fiver for a few hours).
You could even pop up to Cobbs Quay but not much to walk to from there!

Very Soon the harbour mouth and whats beyond will beckon........but thats another post!
Have fun!

 

[Franknstein]

Thanks all....
So what if I'm going along the shipping channel and the ferry is coming towards me - what should I do, or not do - should I pass port or starboard?

 

[Solitaire]

Thanks all....
So what if I'm going along the shipping channel and the ferry is coming towards me - what should I do, or not do - should I pass port or starboard?

Dare I suggest this may help. Buoyage


But fundamentally you pass red to red or port to port. You keep right in channels. So Port out and Starboard Home - POSH.

 

[VicS]

Thanks all....
So what if I'm going along the shipping channel and the ferry is coming towards me - what should I do, or not do - should I pass port or starboard?

I recommend you take a good look at the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea. In particular part B before you go boating in waters where you may meet others

http://www.dft.gov.uk/mca/msn_1781-2.pdf

Also make sure you are aware of any local rules regarding the "rights of way" of large commercial vessels and the ferry across the harbour entrance

I think the purple tear drop icons you refer to are the indications of lights on buoys and other marks etc... Youll see the colotr of the bouys along with the shape is indicated as well as the characteristic of the light

Looking up some of the common chart symbols would be wise. All of course are in Admiralty Chart 5011.

You'll notice for example near the top LH corner of the chart in your link are the buoys WH3 and WH4. WH3 is a green conical ( starboard hand) buoy with a light that flashes green every 5 seconds. WH4 is a red can ( port hand) buoy with a light which flashes red every 4 seconds.

 

[colhel]

Dare I suggest this may help. Buoyage


But fundamentally you pass red to red or port to port. You keep right in channels. So Port out and Starboard Home - POSH.

On Saturday I was approaching the chain ferry, engine on and mainsail up, when the Cherbourg Fast Cat was coming into Port. I was heading to keep right when I noticed the Cat change it'd bearing slightly, straight for me, so I continued my way to Starboard but with a bit more enthusiasm . Next a PHC inflatable came racing towards me, blue lights flashing and arms waving at me to keep going right by this time I was nearly on the outer edge of the channel approaching that sandbank thing so all i could do was race towards Shell Bay. As soon i was on the channel edge the Cat steamed past, the chain ferry just started it's trip from Studland side, meanwhile I'm jibing and engine revving etc. I think it was my dramatic "Leaving Poole Harbour" moments to date.