Thinking of visiting the Blackwater this weekend, what is the state...

[neale]

.....of the Ray Sand channel these days? Been a few years since I have been north from my Crouch base.

I'm in a MoBo so only need about a metre and half.

Thinking of visiting Brightlingsea, good plan? If not, where else would forumites recommend in the area. Been to Bradwell on many occasions so looking for somewhere different this time.

Thanks all.

 

[DRANNIE]

went accross an hour after high tide last friday. I think we got down to about 3 meters.

 

[Athene V30]

I cross up to 2 hours before HW with 1.4m draft and at / near springs don't have less than 2m under the keel.

Brightlingsea is a great visit. Call B'sea HM on approaching the North Cardinal buoy on the first pontoon to starboard on VHF #68. He will usually meet you and take you to your berth. Jon runs the Water Taxi (# 37) 9am to 11pm at weekends £1 per person each way. If you like a curry contact the Kovalam on 01206 305555 to book a table as gets very busy, or have a take away. Not sure as to other eating places as if I eat there it is always a curry (and will be there on Sun evening!)

 

[tillergirl]

Curiously I intend to go tomorrow to do a bit of an amateur survey but I won't be able to crunch out the data unless I'm lucky before next week. I think it's clear there is no defined channel there anymore - 12ft in 1900, 1 and a half fathoms in 1923 (yes I know that 12ft - just being flash), 2-3ft in 1956!.

I do have some data courtesy of Rockhoppa of these parishes of a passage he did over the sands a few weeks ago. If you pm me with an email address I can send it to you bearing in mind it was an 'amateur' plot done with yacht equipment. It is a word document with some screen grabs from his plotted which I have added to Imray's digital pilot. If it is of use to you I can retrieve the Lat Long to go with the plots although that will take me a little while to do, so let me know if its of use.

He draws 1.1m and at the shallowest part had 1.3m under his keel just about half an hour before HW. Don't foget that HW at the Ray Sand is about 27 minutes before HW Sheerness or 27 minutes after HW Walton.

Photo from earlier this month! Mobo and white dots in the Whittaker Channel