Titchmarsh marina with a 2m draft - easy right?

[MagicalArmchair]

We have been coming to the East Coast for years, however, the lack of deep water in some places has put us off some magical places, such as Titchmarsh, with its access to Walton on the Naze for the kiddies to dig sand castles.

Our plan for tomorrow is thus:

• Depart SYH 13:00
• 5.1nm Arrive at Pye end at 14:10 - 2.9 meters over LAT
• 10nm Enter Titchmarsh at 15:10 - 3.4 meters over LAT
• HW Harwich: 16:10

We arrive on a rising tide, with plenty of margin for error to take into account the high pressure.

https://eastcoastpilot.com/Stone Point 2019 Sketch.pdf

Anything I have missed here? Anything I should watch out for? Alarmingly, the number 16 bouy in the above doesn't match up with Navionics charting in any way. Navionics putting it in the mud, the drawing about putting it in the fairway?

Edit: Chartlette vs Navionics: 2 new photos by Mark Ryan

In the Charlotte the 9, 16 and 11 bouys are almost in transit, in the Navionics chart, they are not. I'm guessing number 16 has been moved since Navionics data has been updated?

Note the tides are neaps, should I wait for a suitably spring tide perhaps? Walton Backwaters [Expanded View] - East Coast: pilotage, charts, photos and marine business listings here they suggest waiting for a suitable rise of tide, hmmm.

 

[johnalison]

Don’t fret yourself. You are supposed to be enjoying it. Just mosey in any time after half tide and enjoy the scenery.

 

[MagicalArmchair]

Once I have been in once or twice in the new deeper boat said fretting with abate. I was just about to cancel the trip if I’m honest, being that they are neaps and to stay put. We will be back in summer where they won’t be neaps.

 

[MagicalArmchair]

On reflection, off we go. Look for the boat stuck in the mud off pie end...

 

[AntarcticPilot]

At Stone Point, follow the buoys, NOT the chart. The ECP chartlet is the best available, but it can change there. Don't go too near number 14; it shallows rapidly north of it, and don't try and cut corners.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Further information! The harbour master at Titchmarsh reckons that if you get past Stone Point, you'll be fine to enter the marina. I draw 1.6 m, and I reckon that even at springs I'm ok more than an hour either side of low water, though I need to keep a close eye on the depth. You should be fine 2 hours either side of low water.

The marina entrance is deepest on the port side entering - I've touched bottom when keeping to starboard near low tide. There's usually a depth gauge on the starboard pontoon as you enter, but it has been out of commission recently and I don't know if it has been fixed. You can always use the VHF to contact the harboumaster if in doubt.

Titchmarsh is quite a way from the flesh-pots of Walton, such as they are! Maybe 2 miles walk, part of it up a steepish lane. A taxi would be worth considering.

Getting up to Walton is another matter, and I don't think you'd make it with 2m draft. I can only do it for maybe half an hour either side of high water springs, and I only do it when I'm getting work done at Halls. My experience is that the shallowest point is just after the entrance to the yacht basin, but obviously it depends on finding the deepest channel. If heading for Halls slip, DON'T cut the corner from the yacht basin to the slip. The chartlet on the ECP website is a good guide, but as always, believe what you can see.

 

[johnalison]

We find the shallowest bit is outside Titchmarsh, near the end of the outer pontoons. There is a bit of a horse/bar near the entrance to the Twizzle that is a bit deeper and it is shallow in places where the Walton channel meets the Twizzle, so better keeping to port on the way in, though one is supposed to keep to the right-hand lane.

 

[MagicalArmchair]

Thank you for the assistance. What a wonderful marina it is - well worth plucking up the courage for.

I never saw less than three meters on the whole way in. I cocked up at number 9 buoy and managed to cut that corner entirely , even then I had plenty of depth.

Titchmarsh entrance

 

[johnalison]

Thank you for the assistance. What a wonderful marina it is - well work plucking up the courage for.

I never saw less than three meters on the whole way in. I cocked up at number 9 buoy and managed to cut that corner entirely , even then I had plenty of depth.

Titchmarsh entrance

So you did. That was clever. I’m sorry that I forgot to tell you about our famous mooring hoops.

 

[MagicalArmchair]

We came from the West side of SYH that is plagued by the same delightful hoops. All our clever mooring aids were no use - back to mark one "leap off and hope".

Such a friendly marina, we are looking forward to the beach day tomorrow. I am less looking forward to exiting on even neapier tides on Thursday, although there isn't much in it. Today was a rise of 3.6 metres, on Thursday its 3.3 metres, so as long as I retrace my steps we will be fine. I might not even cut off the number 9 buoy on my exit...

 

[BabySharkDooDooDooDooDoo]

We came from the West side of SYH that is plagued by the same delightful hoops. All our clever mooring aids were no use - back to mark one "leap off and hope".

Such a friendly marina, we are looking forward to the beach day tomorrow. I am less looking forward to exiting on even neapier tides on Thursday, although there isn't much in it. Today was a rise of 3.6 metres, on Thursday its 3.3 metres, so as long as I retrace my steps we will be fine. I might not even cut off the number 9 buoy on my exit...

I think a trip to Woodbridge tide mill would be in order ?

 

[Marmalade]

I think a trip to Woodbridge tide mill would be in order ?

We've taken Marmalade into Titchmarsh, the TideMill and Heybridge Basin - to name but a few. It's all do-able if you're happy to time your approach on the tide. I do sometimes envy the crews who can slink in, floating on a wet flannel, at any tide state - but there are other advantages to a deep fin keel. We, like you, will have to remain slaves to our tide tables!!

 

[MagicalArmchair]

What does Marmalade draw? My old boat drew 1.5 meters and we ran aground just outside Tollesbury right at the top of the tide with the dog barking his nut off . I rowed the anchor out a little way and dragged us back into the fairway and got in thankfully... With Mirage I had discounted the likes of Woodbridge that we would never be able to enter again. We had some lovely times in Woodbridge in our old boat. Perhaps I should look up their tidal heights again and reassess...

 

[BabySharkDooDooDooDooDoo]

We've taken Marmalade into Titchmarsh, the TideMill and Heybridge Basin - to name but a few. It's all do-able if you're happy to time your approach on the tide. I do sometimes envy the crews who can slink in, floating on a wet flannel, at any tide state - but there are other advantages to a deep fin keel. We, like you, will have to remain slaves to our tide tables!!

Indeed, with a decent spring tide I found places like Woodbridge, Tollesbury and Heybridge basin perfectly doable with the kind of draft being talked about here.

It hadn't previously occurred to me that there would be any issue at all with Titchmarch provided one didn't try and leave or depart too near low water.

What does Marmalade draw? My old boat drew 1.5 meters and we ran aground just outside Tollesbury right at the top of the tide with the dog barking his nut off . I rowed the anchor out a little way and dragged us back into the fairway and got in thankfully... With Mirage I had discounted the likes of Woodbridge that we would never be able to enter again. We had some lovely times in Woodbridge in our old boat. Perhaps I should look up their tidal heights again and reassess...

To take the weekend just gone as an example - according to the tide forecast published on the Tide Mill's website there was just over 2.7m over the cill on Saturday dropping to 2.5m on Monday but still IMHO plenty of water.

 

[PeterWright]

Hi Magic Chair,

Marmalade is I believe a Moody 44 and so has a design draft of 6' 6" or 2.01m. could draw a tad more with cruising clobber on board.

Our Moody 425, Wild Thyme, has a design draft of 6' 0" (1.83m) and actually draws about 1,85m with full tanks and a lot of clobber - she has been in and out of the Tidemill harbour many times - we do tend to avoid neaps because clearance over the cill is then questionable but otherwise have no problem other than the need to get down river sharpish when leaving to avoid trying to cross the bar with little clearance on a falling tide.

From my observations, the tide gauge at the cill shows about 2 cm more than the actual depth available - perhaps the top of the cill is not level.

In Brightlingsea the "deep water" moorings (the HM's description) alongside the pontoon find us settling into the mud at low water to the extent that the rudder locks solid. In West Mersea, we get allocated the furthest down river buoy, because of displacement rather than draft, but the WMYC taxi ashore is great in non Covid times. Bradwell is OK at above half tide but the berths between fingers are too narrow so we get a hammerhead.

We haven't ever taken her into Tollesbury and wouldn't consider Maldon or Maylandsea because they dry out.

Peter.

 

[Slowboat35]

We came from the West side of SYH that is plagued by the same delightful hoops. All our clever mooring aids were no use - back to mark one "leap off and hope".

Stainless Steel Mooring Buoy Snap Hook | GS Products

Works a treat...

 

[MagicalArmchair]

We had a wonderful time in Titchmarsh. On the exit, where I got the buoys right and didn't cut any corners, we didn't see less than four meters even on the lowest neaps of the month. It was the highlight of our week away on the East Coast. I wouldn't think twice when returning to the river.

Wonderful river, wonderful marina stuffed full of wonderful people and iced cream. What's not to like? Thanks for all the advice.