The East Ghost Town?

[FullCircle]

We have been ranging up and down the East Coast this season, and have noticed it is really empty of boats.
For the last 2 weekends, Sunday afternoon coming back into the Crouch has been a lonelty affair, whereas in previous seasons there would be lots of boats coming back in late Sunday afternoon.
Harwich area had quite a few boats out yesterday, but not hordes of them.

The swinging moorings have lots of empty buoys, and even the Burnham marina seems not as full.

I haven't even seen that many boats visiting, although our only yacht seen coming back in was Dutch yesterday.

I know the weather has not been optimal, but it hasnt been entirely rubbish either.

Are all areas like this, or is it just an East Coast malaise?

 

[shmoo]

We sail out of the Deben and you are quite right. You can find empty mooring buoys anywhere around. I don't think it’s just local either. We went down to Shoreham a couple of weeks back on a second attempt to get to our summer cruising ground of Brittany, gave up and came back. There were very few sails to be seen out and those there were NL and BE boats mostly. On the crossing from North Foreland to Harwich we didn't see one other sail.

We spent the night on the Stour waiting for water at the Deben Bar with only two other boats anchored - this must be a low number record for July night.

 

[RivalRedwing]

Called into Ramsgate on Sat pm - plenty of Dutch + a few French + quite a lot of Brits trying to get cross-channel; emptied out a bit on Sunday am.

 

[shmoo]

As you say the weather hasn't been dreadful for sailing. But its been harder work getting west down the channel than usual.

The real point for us is that there was no propect of a week sun-cream and beach once we got anywhere. That's why we gave up and came back. Actaully had great sails back on both attempts!

I think most cruising folks need a mixture of good sailing and good holiday for it work.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

By midday yesterday, Harwich was quite busy.....

But generally, I agree... the water has been very quiet this season.... all the more peace and quiet for us at anchorages I say

 

[MoodySabre]

Pretty quiet going back into the Blackwater yesterday - we commented on it at the time. A couple of hours before HW you'd expect a lot more.

I think that people have been put off by the unsettled weather and just don't trust it and are waiting for it to settle down. Could be a long wait.

Mind you, the forecast included showers for yesterday and the sun stayed out - ahead of the game /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[ChrisE]

It\'s not just the East Coast

We were in Yarmouth IOW yesterday and it was virually empty, no rafting up and all but 4 of the outside mooring buoys empty. And the weather here was good right over the weekend.

 

[alldownwind]

We just got back from 2 weeks on the Deben, Orwell, and Blackwater. Despite the overall very nice weather (yes really) it was quiet on weekdays but busy at the weekends.
East Coast malaise? I think not. We thoroughly enjoyed it, don't want any of that crowded Solent nonsense round here thank you /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[NPMR]

Fowey last week nowhere near full and absolutely no rafting up

On the other hand R Helford WAS rafted up on many of the visitors buoys and none spare on Wednesday night.

So much so that we opted to anchor and got shouted at by the beligerent moorings person, who tried to tell us we could not anchor past the Pool but before the oyster beds - as shown in Reeds, in YM cruising guide and as we and many, many more have been doing for years.

Others joined us later and he went away, still looking grumpy!

What was that all about?

They bought the moorings recently and promptly upped the charges dramatically and made the minimum charge 35'. Perhaps we were threatening his livlihood by not handing over his thithe?!

 

[cookjwm]

Have to agree - we've been commenting on how few boats -but is it not partly down to weather forecasts? They do I think err on pessimistic side and it puts people off. Having said that we've been Burnham, orwell stour etc this year on three trips and got wet at one stage every time!
On other hand both SYH and Shotley have said they were to be full at weekends.. certainly shotley was not a few weeks ago and that was I'm sure down to weather forecast -several of our party opted out because of and we had a great few days managing to doge nost of weather.
As to south coast I reckon its quiet because no one can get there from here!

 

[phatcat1]

FC, don't complain! Make the most of it.

We on Cento are off on 3 week cruise/holiday next Saturday, so it's bound to change!

 

[Artemis_C2121]

FC

Talked to the harbour master at BYH they still have 50 berths empty, fambridge is full but there are a lot of boats still on the hard virtually not movement in or out and very qt on the crouch when we have been out.

Nev

 

[stevebrassett]

Good - BYH'll have a visitor's berth for me when I go there on Wednesday, then. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[uforea]

Well, we had a week sailing from the Humber to the Farne Isles and back last week and seen only four other Yachts out sailing and one of those was Dutch, and what sailing it was, I could write a book.

Ted.

 

[Cotillion]

A couple of weeks ago we overnighted at Queenborough on Saturday and sailed up the Medway to Hoo mid-dayish Sunday and saw only one other boat. OK it was raining but mid-day on a summer Sunday and the river virtually to ourselves....

 

[Mudhook]

It does seem to have been pretty quiet on the east coast this year, but this weekend there lots and lots of Dutch boats out. Not much traffic on the Deben Sunday pm but 8 or 9 boats anchored in Hamford water Sunday night including at least one Dutchman. Maybe a dozen Dutchmen at Woolverstone. Did anyone else see the show put on for the newly commissioned Trinity House vessel Galatea in Harwich Harbour on Monday? Both Patricia and Galatea dressed overall, entering very slowly attended by the Harwich offshore lifeboat and various harbour tugs with their fire pumps going full blast... plus of course the mighty Pelagos and yours truly trailing along behind!

Regards, Mudhook

 

[Impaler]

I blame the Gummerment.

 

[Jomo]

We got back from a week out on Sunday, We got stuck in Ramsgate for 2 days, left on Tuesday for Brightlingsea, the forcast 5-6 turned into 8 (made for an exhilarating sail), we also noticed not v busy. A fair number on the Orwell in the light breeze on Sunday as we left tho'.
I imagine the weather has a certain amount to do with it !