The "legendarish" Butt and Oyster

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Was watching a nice summer video of East Coast sailing and interesting to see how Dutch sailors enjoy our waters. They headed specifically for the Butt and Oyster


The text translates "If you're a real sailor you must have been to the legendary Butt and Oyster"!! Who knew it was so famous to people living in the middle of the Nederlands. Do they read our yachting authors I wonder or does it appear in their authors sailing stories? Probably so.

The next text says "The ship graveyard. The English just leave everything there until it goes back to nature." Well it might take a while but we're not in a hurry ;)
 
I was with a friend in Holland some years ago and we had gone into a marina in a fairly remote spot, can’t remember the name, he had gone off to find the harbourmaster and I was tidying up on deck when a elderly local sculled by, he paused and looked at the boat name which was xxxx of Orwell and the ensign. He then said “Ah, Royal Harwich, Butt and Oyster!”
We used to host a load of Dutch sailors every year when they raced over and then raced back in the North Sea Race. He had probably enjoyed our party a few times and also visited the Butt.
 
It makes sense to be a number one place to aim for Dutch sailors thinking about it. Can see why they love the Orwell particularly. No bar, any time safe entry, wooded hillsides and deep water mooring. Smack bang in the middle is a great pub with loads of character (even if not as much as it used to have) and great views.

Its quite different to what they have on the other side of the channel. The don't have any short natural estuaries like that, all very big river mouths, industrial zones going many miles inland and the rivers throughout Holland have well trained banks, nothing very natural about them. How lucky we are!
 
Athomson said:
It makes sense to be a number one place to aim for Dutch sailors thinking about it. Can see why they love the Orwell particularly. No bar, any time safe entry, wooded hillsides and deep water mooring. Smack bang in the middle is a great pub with loads of character (even if not as much as it used to have) and great views.

Its quite different to what they have on the other side of the channel. The don't have any short natural estuaries like that, all very big river mouths, industrial zones going many miles inland and the rivers throughout Holland have well trained banks, nothing very natural about them. How lucky we are!
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Quite so.
it is a refreshing change from what we have on this side of the North Sea.
You don’t need a pilot book to learn about Pin Mill and the Butt and Oyster. It is handed down the generations of yachtsmen.
In fact, if you leave Nieuwpoort and keep the heading of the harbour channel, ignore the TSS and the sandbanks, it takes you straight to Harwich/Felixstowe entrance.
 
I thought that Woodbridge was the chief magnet for the orange army but I am glad that they like the Orwell too. The B&O takes a bit more effort than visiting a marina, and some of the Dutch enjoy a bit of a challenge. AS said, there aren't really any tidal estualries in the Netherlands, now that the Scheldt has been tamed, and They must have lost a lot of wildlife. The Zuider Zee must have been amazing.
I went to the B&O last summer with a permitted group and had another pleasant meal, and look forward to doing so again.
 
With no disrespect whatsoever to our welcomed Dutch visitors - or to the excellent Butt and Oyster service in summer - but it is also particularly cosy in winter after a weekday working on the boat to sit in the settle next to the fire and enjoy the beer, food and view. A sense of quiet timelessness then pervades the place and I imagine that a few adventurous Dutch sailors enjoy it then ,too,
 
Hydrozoan said:
With no disrespect whatsoever to our welcomed Dutch visitors - or to the excellent Butt and Oyster service in summer - but it is also particularly cosy in winter after a weekday working on the boat to sit in the settle next to the fire and enjoy the beer, food and view. A sense of quiet timelessness then pervades the place and I imagine that a few adventurous Dutch sailors enjoy it then ,too,
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Me and a friend went on a blustery winter sail from Melton around to Snape. Arrived freezing and wet at the Plough and Sail. The pub was empty, but a roaring fire was going so we pulled a high back bench seat around to sit in front of it and draped our waterproofs over the ends. Just settling in nicely making ourselves at home, boots off and feet nicely warming. And then the maltings must have kicked out after a concert as suddenly the place was full of people in dinner jackets looking quite confused and a bit put out by our messy sprawl. People were hovering near us as though they wanted a turn in front of the fire but bugger it I thought, we'd earned it, so didn't budge. If they didn't appreciated us as a valuable bit of authentic local character that was their loss!
 
The Dutch also seem to have a bit of a 'thing' about Heybridge Basin and taking a tender up to the delights of Tesco, I suppose it's a bit like all the Brits who know where to find the beer (and pronounce) in Goes.
 
Athomson said:
Was watching a nice summer video of East Coast sailing and interesting to see how Dutch sailors enjoy our waters. They headed specifically for the Butt and Oyster


The text translates "If you're a real sailor you must have been to the legendary Butt and Oyster"!! Who knew it was so famous to people living in the middle of the Nederlands. Do they read our yachting authors I wonder or does it appear in their authors sailing stories? Probably so.

The next text says "The ship graveyard. The English just leave everything there until it goes back to nature." Well it might take a while but we're not in a hurry ;)
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SWMBO wants to know, what is a "Butt" as in Butt & Oyster
 
The remarkable thing about the Butt and Oyster is that it so much better than it needs to be given its location. Most destination pubs give up on quality because they can. All my visits to the B&O have been really impresses by the food, drink and service.
 
Dee Bee said:
The remarkable thing about the Butt and Oyster is that it so much better than it needs to be given its location. Most destination pubs give up on quality because they can. All my visits to the B&O have been really impresses by the food, drink and service.
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I've never been disappointed eating at any of the Deben Inns I've used; The Maybush, Butt &Oyster, and Coach and Horses. First rate food and drink
 
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