Shotley to the Deben - Advice please

[Crazy-Diamond]

In a week’s time I am planning to sail from Shotley marina to the river Deben, where we have never been before. I have read about making sure we are crossing the Deben bar at HW-2 (HW on Sunday 4th August is 1540, so crossing the bar at 1340). We intend to make our way up to Tide Mill, but the question is whether to head straight there or stop somewhere over-night on the way. On that Sunday, Tide Mill access is approx. 1330-1700hrs, we are a Moody 30, drawing 1.5m. This gives comfortable time to cross the bar at 1340 and make our way upriver to Tide Mill for before 1700hrs. I’ve measured the distance at approx. 8.5Nm.

Would we be missing out what the Deben has to offer? We’re very happy at anchor. Another factor, is getting out of Tide Mill. On 5th August the only time we can leave during the day is between 1430-1800. It may be better be at anchor for our first Deben night, and head for Tide Mill on the Monday. This still leaves getting out of Tide Mill as a possible problem as the tides get later.

Thoughts and advice appreciated.

Giles

 

[CliveG]

Hi Giles

Using the Absolute Tides App I have HW on 4th August at the Deben Bar as 15:06. (Forgot to set Summer time in the original post
You should be fine at 13:00 with a predicted 3.0m rise at that time.
I would be happy an hour earlier with a 2.3m prediction.
What I do is avoid the area on the ebb with any sort of on shore wind.

You will have quite a bit of tide flow under you for the to push you up to Woodbridge.
I would suggest heading straight to the Tide Mill going up and spend time in the river coming back down as you will be punching the same flood and could struggle to make the bar before the ebb kicks in.

If you want to stop on the way near a pub / resturant you could pick up a vacant mooring at Ramsholt - See George the Harbour Master - he will collect a RNLI donation for the use of the mooring - you will need a dinghy to get ashore.
Alternatively If you want to anchor, there is a nice spot at "The Rocks" up river from Ramsholt.

 

[STOL71]

Hello Giles,
Safest to enter the Deben on a rising tide near to HW. 2 hours after HW the drift may be too strong to get in.
Unsure about Tide Mill, but you can pick up a mooring buoy at Felixstowe Ferry.
Worth reading up on here: www.debenestuarypilot.co.uk

 

[dolabriform]

You've pretty much got it spot on. As CliveG said, watch out for on shore winds as they make the bar unpleasant. If you're at all unsure give John White a call, his number is on here: www.debenestuarypilot.co.uk

I would say go to the TIde Mill first, have dinner at the Anchor and relax. Then head out on the 5th and take a leisurely time heading back down , stopping at the rocks and / or Ramsholt overnight. That way you won't have so many tidal issues heading down river.

 

[Kukri]

As an ex Deben resident, with a spring tide you will carry about forty minutes of tide with you up the river. I therefore agree that you should start at the top by going into the Tide Mill Yacht Harbour first, and break your journey overnight on the way down the river, when you will be punching the flood tide.

You may as well plan to anchor at the Rocks and walk along the sea wall to the pub at Ramsholt. At this time of year this will involve less time in the dinghy than picking up a mooring at Ramsholt. Do look in to the church there if you have time; the village was removed in the 1920s to make way for partridges but the church remains ... with box pews and no electricity... the pub is also OK.

Plan to leave so as to cross the bar two hours before HW and you will get a helping hand back down to Harwich.

Edited to add - there are three places where you may want to take a moment to sort yourself out, so to speak, on the outward journey - before passing the fairway buoy, at Loder’s Cut, and at the entrance to the Tide Mill.

In all three cases, don’t cut the corner!

If there is water through the Loder’s Cut there is water over the sill, so no need to take chances going the long way round Troublesome Reach.

Trivia: Loder’s cut was dug in 1879. John Loder was a local printer who was sued for libel. There was a strong feeling in the town that justice had not been done, and a fund was started to pay the damages awarded against him. Being a man of strong religious views he insisted on paying the fine himself, which left the question of what to do with the money. Since the river was shoaling and there was a lot of unemployment he chose to give men work to dig the cut that is named after him.

 

[MrCramp]

I suggest you check that the pub at Ramsholt is going to be open (The Ramsholt Arms). I think they have restricted opening hours and not sure they serve food at all times. You might be better picking up a mooring at Waldringfield and going to the pub there where the food is reasonable value. The boatyard there did have visitors mooring where a dinghy was provided, at the cost of £10 I think.

 

[johnalison]

Going up to Woodbridge will be no problem. As a general rule, H or LW at the top of rivers is a lot later than at the mouth. The buoys at the top are quite small and can be hard to see if there are other boats around, bit you'll have bags of time. The Rocks is a fine place for a night's stop and used to be a good place for fossil-hunting, mainly sharks' teeth, however, it can be a bit restless in a westerly blow. Ramsholt is good, and a mooring down at Bawdsey is also one of our favourites too, where you can watch the world going by, though a trip ashore needs careful timing with the tide. I think that we telephoned the HM before getting there. Bawdsey also means that you don't have to buck the tide before leaving on the late flood.

 

[Aquaboy]

If you are happy at anchor/mooring why bother with the Tide Mill.
Think I would go in as you say and work up as far as Methersgate Quay. There are plenty of deep water moorings still empty. It really is a nice spot to spend the night
and you can dinghy into Woodbridge which frees up your tidal restrictions considerably. You could do breakfast in the station house café, highly recommended.
When its time to head home drop back to the ferry to wait out a tide but you will find it runs quite hard if you want to leave while its still flooding. Maybe go ashore around low water and have a walk and look at the entrance. The suffolk coastwatch webcam gives a brill view of the bar.

 

[fredrussell]

Agree with Aquaboy above. The Deben is such a lovely river I’d much prefer to spend a night on the hook listening to the wading birds as the sun sets, rather than sitting in a marina. Do you have to be at Woodbridge for the night?

 

[photodog]

I suggest you check that the pub at Ramsholt is going to be open (The Ramsholt Arms). I think they have restricted opening hours and not sure they serve food at all times. You might be better picking up a mooring at Waldringfield and going to the pub there where the food is reasonable value. The boatyard there did have visitors mooring where a dinghy was provided, at the cost of £10 I think.

Just for guidance, How do we spot those visitors buoys or get in touch with the yard.... we have been up there on several occasions and tried to get a buoy but never been successful... and never succefully been able to get in touch with the boatyard. Iirc they do have a sign with contact details which go unanswered...

 

[MrCramp]

As far as I know the visitors moorings did have a sign on them and maybe on the dinghy. Ring Waldringfield Boatyard during working hours for a definitive answer.

 

[Kukri]

I don’t want to do Richard Mike and co out of business but if you do want to stay afloat with 1.5 metres then Methersgate Reach is as high up as you can stay afloat.

Buoy 14 at Methersgate (if vacant) had, when it was mine, particularly serious ground tackle as it was Mirelle’s but we had to abandon it as it shoaled to about 4ft LWOS.

There is an absolute length limit of 35ft at Waldringfield.

You can land dry shod from a dinghy on Eversons’ pontoon at Woodbridge at most states of the tide. Alternatively do a Maurice Griffiths and land on the beach at Kyson Point - the hard at the boathouse is shingle all the way down. This is a particularly good spot for sea bass and the seals know this

 

[photodog]

As far as I know the visitors moorings did have a sign on them and maybe on the dinghy. Ring Waldringfield Boatyard during working hours for a definitive answer.

They put a dingy on the bouy for visitors????

Wow.


that’s why we never spotted em, If there’s a dingy on a bouy I would think the resident is away...

 

[Lucky Duck]

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?373138-Waldringfield-Boatyard

ISTR that they have stopped doing this now.

 

[Leighb]

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?373138-Waldringfield-Boatyard

ISTR that they have stopped doing this now.

We came through Waldringfield on the way back from Woodbridge a couple of weeks ago, and I am pretty sure I noticed a visitor mooring with a dinghy. It was upriver of the yard on the south side.

 

[johnalison]

There used to be a lovely village shop in Waldringfield. The view from the gents' at the Maybush was brilliant too but I imagine that has also gone.

 

[Lucky Duck]

We came through Waldringfield on the way back from Woodbridge a couple of weeks ago, and I am pretty sure I noticed a visitor mooring with a dinghy. It was upriver of the yard on the south side.

For me the prime spots were between the boat yard and the sailing club, short row to the beach and the "cliff" offered excellent shelter if the was any West in the wind.

I'm intrigued about the view from the gents toilets, I don't recall anything

 

[Sniper]

There used to be a lovely village shop in Waldringfield. The view from the gents' at the Maybush was brilliant too but I imagine that has also gone.

Long gone, sadly. It had the reputation as the best view from any convenience in the country.

 

[Cantata]

We came through Waldringfield on the way back from Woodbridge a couple of weeks ago, and I am pretty sure I noticed a visitor mooring with a dinghy. It was upriver of the yard on the south side.

You certainly did, friends of ours used one last week.

 

[Aquaboy]

Orange dinghy's with visitor on the side, If its on a mooring think its pretty much up for grabs (don't know if the yard takes bookings for them) and if its on the beach some ones using it so leave alone!