Sailing round britain

[LittleSister]

You have to admit that the view across the marshes at Southwold is breathtaking

Yes, that'll be the marsh gas (methane).

Apart from the knackered pontoons, dodgy fishing boats & sheds, of course.

You mean it's unique olde worlde maritime character? That's the only thing that enables you to tell it from all the other muddy creeks.

Not to mention the road to get there if coming from the sea front.

That's the best bit about Southwold harbour - keeps a goodly proportion of the riff-raff away. Without it, it'd be hellish.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Yes, that'll be the marsh gas (methane).



You mean it's unique olde worlde maritime character? That's the only thing that enables you to tell it from all the other muddy creeks.



That's the best bit about Southwold harbour - keeps a goodly proportion of the riff-raff away. Without it, it'd be hellish.

It was a pleasure if nerve wracking on the first visit to enter. I even made sure the anchor was free to run and the bolt croppers were handy should we get swept down onto the footbridge. In the end all went well which was just as well.

 

[Daydream believer]

That's the best bit about Southwold harbour - keeps a goodly proportion of the riff-raff away. Without it, it'd be hellish.

I went there on my Brompton E bike. The puddles were the full width of the road so there was no way around the edge . One had absolutely no idea how deep each hole was. Some were very deep.I found a branch & proded them. I could not always ride right on the edge as the holes had steep sides. Not exactly helpful with the small Brompton wheels.
I the end I went back to the town & came in via the other road.

 

[LittleSister]

I went there on my Brompton E bike. The puddles were the full width of the road so there was no way around the edge . One had absolutely no idea how deep each hole was. I can asure you that some were very deep, as I found a branch & proded them. I could not always ride right on the edge as the holes had steep sides. Not exactly helpful with the small Brompton wheels.
I the end I went back to the town & came in via the other road.

So it didn't quite work in your case.

That's the best bit about Southwold harbour - keeps a goodly proportion of the riff-raff away. Without it, it'd be hellish.

I'll mention to them that they need to dig more holes on the other approach!

 

[B27]

I went there on my Brompton E bike. The puddles were the full width of the road so there was no way around the edge . One had absolutely no idea how deep each hole was. I can asure you that some were very deep, as I found a branch & proded them. I could not always ride right on the edge as the holes had steep sides. Not exactly helpful with the small Brompton wheels.
I the end I went back to the town & came in via the other road.

If you tell them there's deep water on the East Coast, they'll start charging for it.

 

[Daydream believer]

If you tell them there's deep water on the East Coast, they'll start charging for it.

A benefit of global warming, if the sea level rises then. So not all bad news is it?

 

[Bristolfashion]

That's the best bit about Southwold harbour - keeps a goodly proportion of the riff-raff away. Without it, it'd be hellish.

Reminds me of Miles Jupp's joke that he likes Sainsbury's because it keeps the riff raff out of Waitrose!

 

[Greg2]

The video is a good watch and very informative as it is something I would like to do. With a boat called 'Crazy Diamond' I also enjoyed the background music!

 

[mattonthesea]

None of these Round Britain ever visit the delights of my home town Bristol Channel. East coast sailors would almost feel at home here; there's more mud I'm sure, although we do have depth (well at least half the time). Nothing can prepare you for your first time leaving Cardiff on your way upstream. You arrived in 10ish metres of water. On lock out you slowly realise that you're on a muddy lift; the walls keep rising above you until the sky is a small patch above. You exit into a tiny channel where you have to compensate for the already fast moving trickle of tide. The channel markers are high and dry! You look seawards and all you can see is mud. Miles and miles of mud. You enter out onto this brown land, parts of it visibly disappearing as the tide rises. Coming out into the main channel your heading needs to be 40 degrees off your desired track. The water is brown. One of your crew uses the heads and the flush is now brown. Your whole world is brown.
You relax, until you realise that there is a big ship coming up behind you and their channel is very close to Portishead Point! The tugs are coming out to meet the ship and your calculations are whether you can get to Avonmouth before it, or will you have to hold against this five plus knot current and possibly miss the lock in at Bristol. You get ahead of it and now search for the entrance to the Avon. You scan the acres of mud; somewhere in that brown-ness is a channel. Brain screaming that you must not overshoot, your eyes finally pick up the transit posts. But that can't be right; they're taking you up against the wall! With relief you skirt the banks of mud and, yes close to the wall, make your way in and ready for the next transit. The rest of the way is a doddle.

Why more sailors don't make their way here I just don't understand. It's only a 300 mile detour

 

[Bristolfashion]

None of these Round Britain ever visit the delights of my home town Bristol Channel. East coast sailors would almost feel at home here; there's more mud I'm sure, although we do have depth (well at least half the time). Nothing can prepare you for your first time leaving Cardiff on your way upstream. You arrived in 10ish metres of water. On lock out you slowly realise that you're on a muddy lift; the walls keep rising above you until the sky is a small patch above. You exit into a tiny channel where you have to compensate for the already fast moving trickle of tide. The channel markers are high and dry! You look seawards and all you can see is mud. Miles and miles of mud. You enter out onto this brown land, parts of it visibly disappearing as the tide rises. Coming out into the main channel your heading needs to be 40 degrees off your desired track. The water is brown. One of your crew uses the heads and the flush is now brown. Your whole world is brown.
You relax, until you realise that there is a big ship coming up behind you and their channel is very close to Portishead Point! The tugs are coming out to meet the ship and your calculations are whether you can get to Avonmouth before it, or will you have to hold against this five plus knot current and possibly miss the lock in at Bristol. You get ahead of it and now search for the entrance to the Avon. You scan the acres of mud; somewhere in that brown-ness is a channel. Brain screaming that you must not overshoot, your eyes finally pick up the transit posts. But that can't be right; they're taking you up against the wall! With relief you skirt the banks of mud and, yes close to the wall, make your way in and ready for the next transit. The rest of the way is a doddle.

Why more sailors don't make their way here I just don't understand. It's only a 300 mile detour

Well, we're Bristolians and on our UK circumnavigation and we are definitely coming in to Bristol. We're at milford haven right now - Agnes has slowed us down.

Anyway, you've made it sound so attractive!

I reckon if you don't do the Bristol channel, it's not a real circumnavigation!

"Mud, mud, glorious mud......"

Any tips, hints and tricks gratefully received!

 

[oldmanofthehills]

Well, we're Bristolians and on our UK circumnavigation and we are definitely coming in to Bristol. We're at milford haven right now - Agnes has slowed us down.

Anyway, you've made it sound so attractive!

I reckon if you don't do the Bristol channel, it's not a real circumnavigation!

"Mud, mud, glorious mud......"

Any tips, hints and tricks gratefully received!

All cross tide operations need you to head 45 degrees into tide.

You need to be able to do 4.5knots in all circumstances until you learn the cunning tricks, or you can be irretrevably swept pass turning point.

You need extra long warps for Bristol lock and the HM is grumpy wanting his harbour tidy and possible free of actual boats.

Mud in water can give false readings telling you you have 2m when you expect 15m.

The big boys cant move out of your way and cant stop. They have maybe 0.5 m clearance on the 14m high tide. So keep to edge of channel but avoid the banks mid ground which shift and are not recently surveyed

And if you run aground on mid grounds dont anchor as it will pull you under. Just wait at odd angle till water come back.

No sharp pointed rocks so all fun

 

[mattonthesea]

You need extra long warps for Bristol lock and the HM is grumpy wanting his harbour tidy and possible free of actual boats.

I only hinted at that but, yes. The staff are very helpful though.
Don't be put off; it is fun, just tiring the first time. The Clifton Suspension Bridge is a wonderful sight from the river; and all the road traffic across the locks is stopped, just for you. They tend to hold the early boats in the pool, after the first swing bridge, until the last lock in, or until the tide has dropped enough to open the stop gates (sort of flood barrier) before opening Junction Swing bridge. If so I use my 20m lines to tie up to the bollards on shore! Talk to the staff; they'll tell you what's what.
This is a useful guide. But I keep just outside the eastern side of the channel once past Steep Holm. Recreational Craft Navigation Guidance | The Bristol Port Company

Another useful thing I do is to plot waypoints as decision markers. Working backwards from Portishead I mark where I'll need to be, at what time, in order to make the next waypoint. So that could be "off Clevedon an hour before HW Avonmouth." Etc. And I underestimate my boat speed. That way I can change plan early. It can be quite nerve wracking to wonder if you'll make destination before tide turns as it won't just take more time; you have to turn back.
If springs and missing out Cardiff you could be doing 12kts SOG past the Holm's!

 

[oldmanofthehills]

If progress too slow you can tuck into Portishead Pool if you dont mind drying out at really odd angle, though beware of fouling your anchor, and I have stayed in pools in the river Avon just above M5 while waiting for next rise. There are also pools in Woodspring Bay near the shore though I might not advise strangers to seek them.

Anyway you can leave Cardiff at LW most tides so no real issue getting up to Bristol as does even need much wind to complement the tide to give you the lift. Just dont run into Outer Wrach on the last of the ebb and defeat your cunning plan, as 5 of us from Lydney managed long ago