SW Sunk, still passable?

[Gitane]

About to head out for Ramsgate and beyond. Has anyone tried the passage through SW sunk this year?

Are last year’s waypoints still valid or have things moved?

 

[tillergirl]

No info yet this year. I got delayed last week but am planning to do it next Thursday. That'll be the day that is sunny, 70 degrees and calm. XO Gladys is standing by.

 

[Gitane]

No info yet this year. I got delayed last week but am planning to do it next Thursday. That'll be the day that is sunny, 70 degrees and calm. XO Gladys is standing by.

Thanks,

Given that, maybe foulgers gap will be the better option, assuming I can get around the diving vessels working on the wind farm.

 

[tillergirl]

I would have thought the odds are with you at Foulger's. It would be only a 'coincidence' of two bordering turbines being under maintenance at the same time tht would close it, and in fairness they have never talked about closure. I have to say that I would be surprised if the SW Sunk swatch had moved over the winter. Last year it was showing no signs of gradual closure. I think in the 1970/80's it stayed in that position for about 15 years.

 

[tillergirl]

XO Gladys and I did the SW Sunk today (I noted that 3 Burnham boats went through yesterday heading for Ramsgit). I haven't crunched the data yet but we thought last year's wpts were fine (albeit we thought there are changes in the profile of the swatch and other wpts might be better). I hope to produce the chartlet tomorrow.

 

[tillergirl]

I have crunched the data and the swatch is fine. Arguably the SW Knoll has moved a tad to the North while the Middle Knoll has similarly retreated. The 2020 suggested waypoints are still feasible but I would recommend that the western and central waypoints are slightly to the north to retain the distance from the SW Knoll. Soo Downloads (the first item) and the chartlet is there and has the new coordinates.

The western side remains the deeper side but the depths on the eastern side have also remained as before - all much over 3m+ at chart datum. We were there at the last three hours of the flood and the flood ran hard through the swatch from the east to the west. That provided a quite impressive tide rip (XO Gladys says 'overfall', I say 'tide rip') round the edge of the SW Knoll. XO Gladys said it was cos of the 'overfalls' that he couldn't steer straight, I say ..........

The tide rip wasn't a problem for normal navigators cos you would keep away from the edge of the SW Knoll (very, very steep edged) and the best passage times twixt the Essex Rivers and Ramsgate would keep you away from that last three hours of flood. We ran over the edge right at the last run at HW and on what was a windless time everything was back to normal and nice and flat.

And finally a economic note, we didn't see one ship in the Barrow Deep or Black Deep and saw only one distant Ferry in the Princes Channel in the murk!

Happy passages,