Stopover at Boston or Lynn?

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Ohlin Karcher

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I'm in Grimsby hopping south, and the obvious next stop is Lowestoft. But my crew is now unable to come, and GY to LT is a long run solo in this season, so I was thinking of breaking the trip in either Boston or Kings Lynn.
I know it's a detour but that's fine if if breaks up the trip into more manageable bites when I 've got no crew.
I was wondering if Lynn is an interesting place to pull into, for a day or two, or even practicable? I draw 1.6m and am fine to dry out in soft, thick mud..
It's one place on this coast which I've never visited, I just know it's an ancient fishing port, and also famous for Gostelows the smack builders, some of their gaff cutter yachts are still kicking about.
TIA for comments, about the character of the place in particular.

I was thinking of leaving the Humber on the 2nd half of the ebb, then catching the flood into the Wash.
 
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From the middle of the mouth of The Wash to Boston or Kings Lynn is about 20 miles, Wisbech is about 25 miles and Wells Next the Sea is about 15 miles. There's not much in the way of facilities in Kings Lynn, Boston is perhaps a little better, Wisbech has decent pontoons. You could wander around any of the towns and see a bit of history.

If you can fit into Wells, that doesn't add much to the overall journey distance, unlike the 40-50 miles above. There are some limited pontoon berths where 1.6m shouldn't be a problem, speak to the harbour master. Wells is a lovely little town. I'd rather stop at Wells than the other three any day of the week.
 
+1 Wells-next-the-Sea would get my vote as well.

With a 1.6m draft, and an average tide, you probably wouldn't want to arrive much earlier than 1 hour (maybe 1.5) before high water, so you would need to time your departure accordingly.

This time of year there should be plenty of room on the pontoons, during daylight you can check their webcam to see how busy it is http://www.wellsharbour.co.uk.

The website also has the latest pilotage information and is an essential read http://www.wellsharbour.co.uk/getin.htm.

As Paul suggests, it would be a good idea to speak to Bob the Harbourmaster, he could advise best on earliest safe entry time and confirm pontoon availability.
 
+1 for Wells-next-the-Sea, we are based on the Humber and Wells regular trip, HW Wells Is HW Hull and 10 hours, don’t worry about bar etc as easy at HW and Wells harbour will come out and guide you in with their harbour boat.
 
I was looking at Wells, would be after dark and it's only marked by a cardinal, which put me off a bit tbh..I should phone the HM and ask his views. I will have a harder look at the chart..and thanks a lot for the helpful advice!
 
Wells no problem in the dark, very well buoyed, the outer cardinal is the starting point and then follow the marked channel with buoyed lit all the way in. The buoys are not little ones either. You will also have local fishing boats to follow in as they wait until about -1 hour HW, if you end up there you will love the location of the harbour and the facilities are some of the cleanest around and on the floating potions.We were their 2 months ago and draft not an issue even at low water we had 1.5 m under 1.8m keel.
 
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If the wind isn't from the north or too strong you can anchor up in Holkham bay for a rest. Go in to Wells on the next tide or just carry on to Lowestoft.
 
Kings Lynn has a visitors pontoon (with electric & water) adjacent to the town centre, and various interesting old buildings (it was a Hanseatic port), Customs House (now tourist information centre), coffee shop, pub etc. overlooking the river. A couple of museums nearby, one of which is about the old fishing industry etc. Nice park also nearby.

The town as a whole is a somewhat down on its uppers, but in addition to the town centre there's there's a fair bit to see/experience.

Well buoyed approach, as the commercial port (just downstream from the town) is still active.

As Paul indicates, no 'boaty' facilities (no chandlery, etc.) but shops and other town facilities adjacent. There is a sailing club of sorts (can't remember its name) overlooking the river, but I got the (perhaps mistaken) impression it was now essentially a drinking den.

https://www.sailthewash.com/marinas-and-pontoons/kings-lynn-visitor-pontoons/
 
Others have said it all really. Wells! Unless its blowing with any north in it when the bar is dangerous. I spent a a while in Wells a couple of years ago, phoned the HM before and he arranged to meet me at the fairway buoy in the launch and escort me in. Dunno if he'd do it at night though.
the channel dries out but there's a pool to keep you afloat; HM will set you right and give useful advice, he's brilliant.
 
A lot of the channel is now dredge as they have the new outer harbour for the windcats, makes them money to spend on facilities, bar can be lumpy but would not call it dangerous in 30’ or larger boats, done it a number of times with northerlies. The fishing boats go through it all the time
 
My boat is a 12 ton gaff cutter so I don't mind a lump or two.. I'm pencilling-in Sunday evening to arrive and the wind will supposedly be in the N but presently predicted to be fairly light, F3 ish.
If the predictions firm up to suggest 15 kts wind or more from the N, so close inshore, I will consider postponing the leg.
But as the gradient wind is about NNW, it looks ( on Windy) like Flam Head etc will actually be giving a lee. Probably something the locals have known about for 100s of years..
 
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Spuddy said:
Others have said it all really. Wells! Unless its blowing with any north in it when the bar is dangerous. I spent a a while in Wells a couple of years ago, phoned the HM before and he arranged to meet me at the fairway buoy in the launch and escort me in. Dunno if he'd do it at night though.
the channel dries out but there's a pool to keep you afloat; HM will set you right and give useful advice, he's brilliant.
Click to expand...
Thanks, it will be springs so a big set to the E on a rising tide is already in my book. I note that the Reeds Almanac qualifies the bar coordinates with 'at the present time' or somesuch, which is a coded warning..
 
At HW you will not really see much of the bar, the gap in the middle is fairly wide, just don’t look to hard to the side. When we leave it’s mostly wind over tide so bumpy for 30 minutes then do, we’ve often been in and out with 25+, when you’ve done it you will think what’s all the fuss about, also don’t forget Donna nook is unlikely to be active so cut the corner and save loads of time
 
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