Rye / Newhaven

Torp

Torp

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After a bit of 'compare and contrast', please. Out of Rye and Newhaven, which would you pick? Rye is coming up cheaper and is nearer. However, both moorings will dry, and Rye's approach is longer, so if Newhaven is going to give me better/more sailing, that's a trade-off I would be willing to make. So it may come down to simply the 'feel' of the place, or other factors I have not yet considered.

Any thoughts? All insider advice gratefully received.
 
If the mooring you're considering is upriver of the road bridge in Newhaven don't forget to factor that in. Newhaven's pretty run down, I don't know Rye...
 
Torp said:
After a bit of 'compare and contrast', please. Out of Rye and Newhaven, which would you pick? Rye is coming up cheaper and is nearer. However, both moorings will dry, and Rye's approach is longer, so if Newhaven is going to give me better/more sailing, that's a trade-off I would be willing to make. So it may come down to simply the 'feel' of the place, or other factors I have not yet considered.

Any thoughts? All insider advice gratefully received.
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Rye does not have ferries. Some merchant traffic, but usually one at a time.

We are there and have been for last 6 seasons.

The Bay is good for a sail for a couple of hours. dove, Eastbourne, Brighton and Boulogne are all reasonable destinations. - p.m. me for more detailed questions and information. Don't think we are the only boat from Rye on here.
 
I dont know Rye well, so will leave that to others, except for commenting that I thought it was difficult getting up river at all states of the tide?

As for Newhaven, am not aware of any moorings for yachts of any size above the swing bridge. There are a couple of boat yards at the back of Denton Island and I think some facility for small boats but most yachts are in the marina opposite the ferry terminal. The marina has had its up and downs over the years. There is a reasonable collection of yachts and other boats in the marina. There are a few outer berths which mostly stay afloat, subject to your depth, but the majority dry or nearly dry. The entrance is still will dredged, very well protected by the long arm and available at almost any state of the weather. The area is a bit tired, as is the marina, and the scenery not to everyones taste with the scrap metal yard on the opposite key, but it does have an old fachion charm and most of the berths seem occupied when I was last there. Seaford bay is pleasant enough and Brighton and Eastbourne are easy sails. Newhaven harbour is being "re-generated" with significant investment and may change again over the coming years, with a few signs already.

Eastbourne is the other option, and not significantly more expensive.
 
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My first reaction on seeing ' Newhaven ' here was ' why on earth is someone visiting Newhaven ? ' -then I see you are thinking of basing there !

It's a god-awful hole of the first order, we used to visit occasionally when I was a boy and all I remember is the smell of pee along the breakwater; the architecture is about the same, it must be the nastiest place in Sussex.

Rye is a bit of a pain tide wise but when I've been there by road it seemed a lovely place full of history and charm.
 
I was windbound at Rye for a few days in August while waiting to cross to the Netherlands.

It was a lovely place and I met some great boaty people there. However, food and drink was expensive. The place seems thoroughly gentrified. All the cars are new and posh. I was told to look out for various celebs wandering around. This may or may not suit you.

More details over here https://tammynorie.wordpress.com/2015/08/14/getting-there-slowly/
 
Tam Lin,

oh yes I have, I had the misfortune to be spoofed into a fake job there !

Can't go into detail but -

The grottiest hotel I've ever been in by a wide margin - the ' health spa ' seemed to be a knocking shop, I saw open drug deals on a street corner, and overheard people in the next room discussing the last ' post office job ' they'd done, and I don't mean selling stamps !

On top of a complete con job with the very worst most unprofessional conditions I've ever seen - and I wheelspan away, only way I'll return is in a B-52.

Still, livelier and more architecturally attractive than Newhaven...
 
J
Seajet said:
Tam Lin,

oh yes I have, I had the misfortune to be spoofed into a fake job there !

Can't go into detail but -

The grottiest hotel I've ever been in by a wide margin - the ' health spa ' seemed to be a knocking shop, I saw open drug deals on a street corner, and overheard people in the next room discussing the last ' post office job ' they'd done, and I don't mean selling stamps !

On top of a complete con job with the very worst most unprofessional conditions I've ever seen - and I wheelspan away, only way I'll return is in a B-52.

Still, livelier and more architecturally attractive than Newhaven...
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Sorry that you had an unpleasant experience in our fair county! Your post just reminded me that Clacton is the only place I know where some of the inhabitants still wear shell suits. Only been to Newhaven once to catch the ferry and that was a long time ago. You don't make it sound very appealing!
 
rptb1 said:
I've looked at Clacton through binoculars.
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Probably the best way to see it!

On a historical note, Clacton was built by entrepreneurs from the paddle steamer companies which took visitors to the pier. Some of the local roads are named after them. 150 years ago there was nothing there. Some people say there still isn't!
 
Newhaven has a nice daysail up to Beachy Head or Brighton in the other direction, or an overnight stay at Eastbourne. Prevailing wind is SW with some swell (and plenty of gales in winter), and the occasional NE for lovely sailing on flat water. The drying moorings look depressing to me and severely limit your sailing time. The marina is serviceable, but hardly luxurious. There's a port traffic signal and a usually bored VTS plus a scary big ferry twice a day (I think) with which you don't want to share the entrance channel. The scenery is a large pile of rusty metal. Literally. Have a look on Google street view, if you haven't already. I'd consider Brighton, but then I'm biased ;-)
 
Go talk to Newhaven, they are very helpful and welcoming and have pontoons. It is ermm, not the worlds playground, but the club and harbour look good value.
Rye is more of a ditch TBH, although socially a much better place.
For a mooring, I would probably choose Newhaven if pushed economically.
 
Tam Lin said:
J

Sorry that you had an unpleasant experience in our fair county! Your post just reminded me that Clacton is the only place I know where some of the inhabitants still wear shell suits. Only been to Newhaven once to catch the ferry and that was a long time ago. You don't make it sound very appealing!
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Actually compared to the reality that awaits, I could be working for the Newhaven Tourist Board ! :)

As for shell suits, I worked with a photographer once whose main bread and butter work was on cruise liners like ' Oriana '; when they did special offer cruises the crew were aghast to find people wandering about in shell suits - that was 14 years ago.
 
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Having been in both Rye wins hands down. Yes the river is long but you can have a great sail up and down if its too rough in the bay. A short walk for stores to the town (2 mins)

Newhaven was just plain depressing.
 
Tam Lin said:
Sorry that you had an unpleasant experience in our fair county! Your post just reminded me that Clacton is the only place I know where some of the inhabitants still wear shell suits.
Click to expand...

I used to go with a team to Liverpool once or twice a year. We used to run a Scouser-spotting sweepstake: 10 points for a dodgy 'tache, 10 points for a footballer's perm, 10 points for a shell suit, 50 points for all three on one person. We always had at least one 50-pointer within a hundred yards of leaving Lime Street station.
 
rptb1 said:
Nice HM at Rye.

By the way, the chartlets in the CA Almanac are very wrong for Rye. There are no visitors moorings at the river mouth. The visitors' quay appears twice on the chartlets but is in fact in the town, here https://www.google.com/maps/place/R...e0253a3551b9:0x1d196c33cfd9fa40!6m1!1e1?hl=en

The HM said he's told them more than once.
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Yes, as a resident I know this and a bit more too.

But then it makes you wonder as you go into a new place , just how correct and relevant is the almanac entry that you are putting your trust and maybe more into.
 
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