Stone Point Survey

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nortada

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A recent survey by the Harwich Haven Authority has confirmed significant changes at Stone Point with the channel currently narrowing & shallowing in the area of the No 16 PHB (Plumtree).

Fuller details & a copy of the survey are available in the latest addition of the East Coast Sailing e-Mag Thread.

However, to provide as much detail as possible at different states of the tide, vessels anchoring at, or transiting this area may like to share their experiences.
 
I'm hearing that the area behind No 16 PHB, where anchoring often takes place when the area is busy, has shallowed dramatically, leaving less space, so expect the anchoring a bit further up Walton Creek towards No 11 SHB to get busier.

A Shotley resident was telling me last weekend that the channel is now sufficiently narrow that its become one way at a time... and that there is confusion about allowing the boat going with the tide to proceed first.... causing chaos, and boats running aground!
 
Don’t think the anti-collision regs cover this situation?

If vessels entering & exiting look is if they are going to pass in the narrow area between No 9 & 11, it would seem sensible if the boat heading the tide gives way to the one running with the tide. Stemming the tide gives much more control & manoeuvrability than the one running before.
 
Has anyone got a direct link to the survey chart.
I would like to be able to zoom in on it and don't seem to be able to in the WFYC page.
 
CliveG said:
I would like to be able to zoom in on it and don't seem to be able to in the WFYC page.
Click to expand...

Not sure why you are having a problem with the WFYC one. However, you should be able to save a copy from WFYC, open with Adobe Reader and view and zoom that way.

As I set the page up I would be interested in knowing your computer set-up to try and identify the problem you are having and possibly being experienced by others.
 
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To provide some indication of how narrow the channel has become around No12 PHM (Plumtree), both Captain Pete & I have taken photos but as yet, we have not managed to get the perspective right & the definitive picture.

In my case the fear of imminently going aground introduced significant camera shake!

We will keep trying as a picture clearly showing the alignment of No14 PHM, No9 SHM (Smooth Finish), No16 PHM (Plumtree) & No11 SHM (Ingle) would be useful.

Perhaps the Old Gaffers could assist with a photo, taken from their nice stable platforms, on their way in for next weekend’s (21/2nd) Swallows & Amazons Meet-up at the WFYC Pond.

Good start to a great weekend – possibly they could order some sunshine!

Other may like to enter the “competition”.

Sorry bit of Fred Drift.
 
Re:- The zoom problems on the WFYC site.

With so many different computer set-ups out there I have set up the WFYC website using Adobe Reader as the standard default pdf reader. From feedback I have found that for Windows systems installing the latest version of this tends to solve the problem in most cases. But it has to be the default reader on your system. I cannot say how other pdf readers will perform.

There is an Adobe Reader version for Mac users also. I believe when this is installed the pdf files are required to be download before they can be accessed. Not having used Macs that much I can only go by what others have told me.

I know this is not a IT helpdesk site - so apologies if this appears inappropriate for this site.
 
We visited Stone Point on Saturday and met with Barbican Bill.
There were quite a few boats anchored off the point.
We anchored just off the normal area for pirate weekend.
When the new flood started boats were sheering all over the place and quite a bit of re-anchoring took place, at 23:00 or there abouts.
In the end I was un-happy with the situation and went further up the Walton Channel to pick up a buoy.
That was fun in the pitch dark!

Sunday morning we left about bottom of the tide with a gestimate tide hight on 0.7m
going though the narrow neck at the end of Stone Point with our full 1.5m draft we bumped the bottom a couple of times.
The ebb was still running and we were pushed ove the lumps by the flow.
We had a minimum depth of 1.7m on the run to Pye End following that exit.
 
Last year we anchored above or near number 11... Seemed more sensible!

Bit muddy on the foreshore at low water... But plenty of room..
 
CliveG said:
and quite a bit of re-anchoring took place, at 23:00 or there abouts.
Click to expand...

As reported in another thread Clive, I only had to re-anchor in the dark (with you and your crew aboard amongst others, and 3 dinghies in tow!) because of inconsiderate anchoring close to my stern on the part of a third party. Unfortunately there was a nasty overlap when we swung to the flood.

I shall add 15mins to this year's night hours.

It was springs, and the tidal flow was pretty awesome. Noteable were the differing flow rates close to the shore compared to the centre of the channel, which were clearly visible, and were well illustrated by the varying rates of progress made by dinghies and Drascombes sailing out.

The Swallow Island, sorry Horsey Island, side of the channel where we re-anchored was subject to a strong eddy, so much so that Santana faced upstream in the flood.

There was only one row of anchored boats which meant the fairly dramatic shearing about, even on the part of reasonably hefty long-keelers, was not in itself a problem. On bank holidays (& pirates weekend etc.) when the anchorage is very busy and there are at least two parallel rows of boats anchored it could be a real problem.

One Bavaria 30 dragged badly on the ebb, and a friend woke at 03.00hrs to find it effectively rafted to his boat. Between them they managed to resolve the situation without too much difficulty, and we all had a good humoured discussion about it on the beach in the morning.

The narrow entrance caught out a substantial Dutch yacht (40+ft?) - they were unintentionally parked on the sand at the tip of the point, only getting off moments before you raised Sirenia's anchor at 23.00ish. Their Dutch ensign was visible thanks to their stern light. We feared the worst when their nav lights and yours seemed to merge in time and space!
 
I was there last week, when it was fairly neepy and to be frank it was perfectly normal with no problems at all, i anchored in my usual spot and was still there in the morning.
 
Hi All,

Thanks for the info & sharing your experiences.

Sorry to hear that some of you had 'an exciting night'. I to have dragged at Stone Point, not nice, but that was a few years back.

David

If possible, could you advise, where is your usual spot & did you experience any eddies or broken water at certain states of the tide?

I will bring all of you comments to the notice of those who are looking to a solution.

Please keep the information coming as it all helps to give as fuller picture as possible.

Rather than anchor over night on the Point, I would either pick up a buoy in the Walton Channel or enjoy a quieter night on the hook further up Hamford Water.

ps I was the drivers of one of the safety boats covering the OGA Race last weekend around Horsey Island when all the 40 or so dinghies managed to clear Stone Point against the spring flood about 1 hour before high water.

So far as I know, it didn't raise any comment at the wash-up after the Race
 
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The normal place for the Pirate weekend gathering is at the North end of the area that floods on high tides.
That is about 150m south of the actual point.
Boats areound us seemed to be swinging all over the place.
This was on a predicted tide hight of about 2.0m on the flood.
at 23:45 on Saturday 21st July.
 
Clive G thanks for the info.

Tendring District Council has published the following Press Release:

New bid to improve popular leisure boating channel in Walton backwaters

18/07/2012

Urgent investigations are under way in a bid to improve a popular and well-used channel for leisure boats in Walton Backwaters.

A recent survey by Harwich Haven Authority (HHA) has revealed reduced depths and the narrowing of the channel west of Stone Point.

This is making it difficult for deeper draft vessels to get through at lower states of the tide. It might also present a problem when two or more vessels are passing each other at the narrowest point.

Now a number of local stakeholders have joined forces in a bid to find a solution to the problem of the channel silting up.

The aim is to come up with both a short term and long term answer which will make the area more navigable for a longer period.

HHA is to hold talks with its contractors to see whether a particular type of dredging operation can be used to create an unimpeded passage for yachts and other boats that wish to access the Walton Backwaters at any time of the year.

The Environment Agency has also pledged to seek out mapping information that might help to identify the extent of the recent changes.

The stakeholders – which include the Environment Agency, Tendring District Council (TDC), The HHA, Titchmarsh Marina, Walton Fairways Committee, Natural England and local yachtsmen – got round the table for talks on Friday.

The HHA shared the results of its survey carried out at the end of June which revealed depths of as little as 0.5metres where a bar has been forming across a pinch point in the channel.

The survey was undertaken in consultation with the Hamford Water Management Committee and other stakeholders.

Neil Stock, Leader of TDC, said the Walton Backwaters is a vital part of the leisure offer for both residents and visitors to the District.

“We will encourage and work with the various partners to come up with a solution to the silting up of the channel which leads to both Titchmarsh Marina and Walton and Frinton Yacht Club,” he said.

“It is important that yachtsmen and boat owners are able to access and exit this area as freely as possible.”

Looks hopeful that help is at hand
 
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