SW Sunk - details now available

[tillergirl]

I have added a download on the Updates page of my web site at: http://www.crossingthethamesestuary.com/page6.html

Fourth item in the Downloads list.

UKHO have been very helpful and have provided information that the two FOULS shown where the swatch way now is, are at 6.1 and 5.3m respectively. So this appears to be a nice 'deep' viable swatchway conveniently positioned for Fisherman's Gat. Beware that it does bring you out straight into the Precautionary Area and that the Black Deep will be getting progressively busier. But you will have to cross it somewhere!

I hope this is helpful.

 

[Athene V30]

Thanks Roger. Looks a better option than the Barrow No2 crossing.

It pains me to say it but trying to use Foulger's Gat south to north at night a couple of weeks ago was a nightmare - in all the light pollution I could not see long sand outer and in the end having got to within half a mile of the buoy by GPS I gave up and came through Fisherman's, so this crossing is ideal.

 

[ex-Gladys]

Thanks Roger. Looks a better option than the Barrow No2 crossing.

+1, all your hard work is much appreciated

 

[ianfr]

Brilliant Roger.
Many many thanks for all your work.

Ian & Jo

 

[tillergirl]

No problem. I think this is certainly ideally positioned for Fisherman's which has always been my favourite. We must all remember that the PLA try to discourage us from using Fisherman's (and indeed the Black Deep and Princes Channel) and so be careful to stay out of the way. Not that I have had the conversation but I am sure they realise that the Black Deep has to be crossed somewhere - and there is plenty of room in Fisherman's well clear of the marked buoyage (I would have been intrigued to see HMS Bulwark passing through that narrow gap between Nos 1 and 2.

The UKHO have copied my email exchange with them to the PLA as the 'Authority' for the area but their responsible officer is out of office until Monday so it will be interesting to see their comment. Now if they needed to move the Barrow No6 and Black Deep No 7 north-east that would be convenient.........

 

[Athene V30]

If PLA want to discourage leisure traffic from using Fisherman's can they bring some weight to play on Trinity House and the Windfarm Operator to:

a) Beef up the lights in the Long Sand (various) SWMs
b) Cut down the background light in vicinity of Foulger's Gat
c) Paint the turbine bases red / green, in line with direction of buoyage, either side of best route through Foulger's Gat

Who to approach though?

 

[tillergirl]

Well the guy I am waiting to hear from in the PLA who is back on Monday is a good start. I'll let you know what transpires. It might just be as easy as telling Trinity House. Do you want me to see if I can find a name in TH?

I always though that painting the bases red or green would be a good idea. Probably there is an IMO convention requiring them to be yellow wherever they are in t'world.

Frankly I don't understand why they thought the dog-legged avenue was necessary. If they had kept B14 and done away with B15 and omitted A14 and put in an A9, they would have the same number of turbines and we would have (a) a nice straight line (b) go through the best water and (c) we could save the country the expense of a buoy because it would only need two SWMs. But what do I know?

 

[philiphurst]

Having had a couple of unnerving experiences crossing the SW Sunk in the past it was with some trepidation that I used the Foulgers route for the first time today.

I was en-route to Calais for the classic festival. Conditions were near perfect and excellent progress was being made with a little help from the engine which then sounded an overheat warning off North Foreland. Being too much of a wimp to attempt an entry to Calais Bassin Carnot under sail I opted for the sensible option and returned to the Blackwater. So, through Foulgers twice in one day and I can't say that I particularly enjoyed the experience. There is something completely wrong about sailing through a wind farm.

The suggestion that the bases of the relevant turbines should be painted red or green is spot on. I found it very easy to become disorientated and it must be much worse in the dark.

It was pure bad luck that Roger Gaspar posted his chart one day too late for me. Roger; in an age where society is becoming more and more selfish/self-centred the efforts you make and then share with the rest of us are exceptional. Sincere thanks from a grateful follower.

 

[Koeketiene]

; in an age where society is becoming more and more selfish/self-centred the efforts you make and then share with the rest of us are exceptional. Sincere thanks from a grateful follower.

+1

 

[tillergirl]

You are all very kind but I actually enjoy doing it. That might suggest I am a little odd but in the words of Fowler, those who like oddities are fine provided they don't force them on others.

Foulger's twice in a day is quite enough. Shame I didn't know you were going I could have give you some rough guidance 24 hours earlier. Still it's there for next time.

I'll put some comments together for Trinity House, the PLA and the London Array. Phillip your comments strike a chord with things said by one of our former YC Commodore's who is an experienced Ocean sailor. He expressed unease in good visibility and added that he would not go near the place in fog.

 

[Supine Being]

What is found odd going through there at night (apart from the badly lit marks) was that, approaching from the South, the turbine to port at the entrance has yellow lights at the base. Then, when you get in the avenue, the turbine to port at the dog-leg also has yellow lights which seems to suggest a pattern. Then, when you turn to starboard through the dog-leg, you spy another turbine with yellow lights so you wonder if you should also keep this to port... Wrong! I don't know what it is but it has nothing to do with Foulgers.

My advice would be to plot your course and trust your compass bearing. I can see the turbines with yellow lights marked on that chartlet now, but I've no idea what they are supposed to signify.

 

[Cantata]

............... I can see the turbines with yellow lights marked on that chartlet now, but I've no idea what they are supposed to signify.

They appear to be standard fit on these windfarms to mark the 'edges'.

 

[tillergirl]

They appear to be standard fit on these windfarms to mark the 'edges'.

Yea, that's the point of them. I suspect nobody has tried to light a way through a wind farm before. To be honest a line of either red or green lights on every other turbine base would do. But I think they would think that gives licence to come right close to each base but of course there is a 50m radius advisory caution zone around each one so they would like that. I think the point about the yellow light is a good one. As I understand it lighting/marks are supposed to be inherently intuitive so if you are completely lost you stand a chance of making the right decision. But if you can't see the safe water marks....

Peter, what was the principle cause of the light pollution you mentioned? Was it just a general summer's night/moon or something else? It occurs to me that going between the Inner and Middle SWMs at night, keeping an eye on your x-track error is pretty crucial less the tide carries you down to one side. Any comment on that?

 

[Mariner69]

Thank you for all your efforts.

Looking at the BA Chart 1607 there is 6 metres of water at CD to the north of the Fisherman's Gat Precautionary Area.

It is clear of the restricted channel and leaving the Long Sand Mast close to the north should be a suitable route.

You can also call London VTS on VHF 69 and let them know what your intentions.

So far as I am aware, there are no restrictions in using the routes (freedom of navigation) so long as we do not impede the big boys being in the main less than 20 metres and/or sailing vessels.

Is there any problems with that logic? I haven't had the opportunity to check the Permanent or 'L' Notices of the PLA so may be wrong.

 

[Bru]

Foulgers looks intimidating and far from attractive to me compared to sidling along the edge of Fishermans just outside the bouyed channel (either side)

I can't see me choosing to go through the windfarm in daylight, I wouldn't consider it at all at night

 

[Sheff]

Apologies if this has been mentioned elsewhere but................ just plotted the positions of the new buoyage in Foulgers and noticed that the distance from Long Sand Inner to Long Sand Middle is 3.5 nM so it's no wonder people are having difficulty navigating visually through that maze. It's a long time since I went through Foulgers on the old buoyage but I'm sure the safe water marks weren't that distance apart.

I'd just like to add my thanks for the latest SW Sunk info as it means leaving the Blackwater I don't have to head up to Barrow No.2 and then battle through Foulgers. As long as the SW Sunk remains a viable crossing it's Fisherman's every time for me!

Paul.

 

[tillergirl]

Found this in relation to the marking of wind farms. It relates to the marking of the North Hoyle wind farm but the similarity is obvious and it is clear there is a sort of convention:

"The lighting and marking specifications for North Hoyle Offshore Wind Farm were provided by Trinity House Lighthouse Service and the Civil Aviation Authority. The turbines are marked in accordance with these requirements, as follows:

Each structure is painted yellow to 10m above H.A.T. (highest astronomical tide)

The four corners of the wind farm
flashing yellow lights, 2.5 seconds, 5 nautical mile range, at a height of 10 metres above H.A.T.
fog signal Morse (U) 30 seconds
radar reflectors
red aviation navigation lights, on turbine nacelle

The turbines in the middle of all sides of the wind farm
flashing yellow lights, 5 seconds, 2 nautical mile range, at a height of 10 metres above H.A.T.

In addition to these measures, all turbines are individually numbered at the base of the tower and on top of the nacelle."

Of course approaching from the south-est at night, we are confronted with being able to see at least 4 x Fl Y (of which three are Fl 5s), the South Knock and Outer Fisherman.

On the distance apart of the old Foulger's Gat buoyage, checking on an old chart, they were 2.9nm apart so they are a little bit more apart. I have tried to think through distance/visibility of that size of buoy and I think that over 3nm apart you would have trouble seeing the far buoy from right by the near one. I think it's at less than 3nm that that size becomes visible from the cockpit of MAB (obviously I don't have the height of a stern cabin to lift my height of eye). Am I right about that? I am basing this on my memory of dropping down from the ne corner of the East Barrow sand to the Barrow No 6. I think it is just visible from that point which is 2.6nm. Views anyone?

 

[Athene V30]

Peter, what was the principle cause of the light pollution you mentioned? Was it just a general summer's night/moon or something else?

Roger, the light pollution was the wind farm. There were many fixed yellow lights, not just the edge flashing yellow. Perhaps if that is all that was there it would have been easier to spot the SWM. By the way the fixed reds for aviation can appear as flashing as the turbine blades rotate, but we managed to work that one out!!

 

[tillergirl]

Thanks Peter, I'll email TH tomorrow. I did wonder if the fixed yellows were still there. I knew they were there during the construction because I was on a commercial flight one night and you could see the whole patch lit up from 25,000ft.

 

[Cantata]

The London Array looks like Oxford Street at Christmas on a clear night from the cliff-top near my house at Hernia Bay.
Fixed yellers certainly permanent. The Kentish Flats farm (soon to be extended) has them too.