Tollesbury to Ramsgate again.

[Thresher]

Hello everyone, I am looking for some advice. I want to sail from Tollesbury to Ramsgate. The pilot book recommends crossing the sand bank (Sunk I think, I haven't got the chart here) close to HW or at least on a rising tide. My problem is that I want to leave Tollesbury at HW, which means I will reach the Sunk sand bank at LW (I would wait until the tide is rising), then get down to Ramsgate as quick as I can before the tide turns against me.
My boat is 27 foot and a bit slow at 4 knots. It will be springs when I make this trip.
I would like to know:
1. What strength of tide do I face approaching Ramsgate if it turns against me?
2. Am I mad to even think of skirting sandbanks in the Thames estuary at LW springs? although I have a Yeoman plotter.
3. How does everyone else do it?

Thanks in advance.


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[ex-Gladys]

why not just hike down to Brightlingsea from Tollesbury (that gets you out of the Marina at HW) then start your trip from Brightlingsea

<hr width=100% size=1>Larry Botheras

Anderson 26 "Amber"

 

[FullCircle]

The Sunk Beacon at LW anything is a bit of a boat park. Not recommended at all. And it slooshes through that gap, quite a wondrous sight to see the swirling waters. I cannot recommend your course. However, you could leave Tollesbury at half tide rising, and punch the tide round to the Whitaker. That would give you fair tide all the way to Ramsgate. I went from Burnham to Ramsgate in a shade over 9 hours in a 22ft doing just that last year.
PS Edinburgh Channel is gone.....from the chart, but is still there to be navigated. I guess most use Fishermans Gap now.


Jim


<hr width=100% size=1>Second Chance - First Love. I still need a 7m Luff Spinnaker & Pole for 22 footer!! Help!

 

[squidge]

Hi there is a good 3.1kn 2 hr after high water dover, Springs. on your nose.
Ive been there and its not much fun as it can get a bit bumpy when its wind over tide.
Oh and keep a weather eye out for fishing pots as you close on the forland.
Regards
Squidge

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[AndrewB]

Don't even think of going across Sunk sand at SW Sunk beacon close to low water. When we surveyed it last June, we found no more than 0.8m LAT, less than charted.

But there is sufficient water to cross near Barrow no 2 buoy, south of the old Little Sunk beacon - now gone, beware the stump which is awash at low tide. Then across Black Deep and south through Foulgar's Gat which is now marked by a buoy at either end.

The tide is at its strongest around North Foreland, it will virtually stop you if you get it wrong. But if you are able to cross the estuary on the ebb, then you will catch the flood as you arrive which will give you a nice lift to Ramsgate. The tide runs hard across the entrance to Ramsgate, enter with care.

What you describe is the optimum passage plan from the Blackwater and Colne to Ramsgate but it does need care. I would not try it for a first time in a strong wind between N and E. The safe alternative is the 'inshore' route down the Swin to the Warp, and then south-east through Princes Channel, but this does not work so well on the tides.

 

[Mirelle]

Don\'t start at HW!

Get out of the marina on the previous HW, anchor in Mersea Quarters and get your head down, then make your passage on a rising tide.

I echo the advice about NOT trying the Sunk Beacon swatch, and for a first passage I would go down Swin and through the Princes' Channel. This works out as flood down to Cross Sand, ebb to the Foreland, flood into Ramsgate. Use the tide, don't fight it.

<hr width=100% size=1>Que scais-je?

 

[tillergirl]

Well there's no doubt that the SW Sunk is getting shallower or at least it was last year but assuming you draw 4ft? and get there on a rising tide a couple of hours after low water, I think you will be ok. Generally speaking I aim to be at the Swin Spitway about an hour or so after low water there (this means plugging a bit against the tide until you are round the East Barrow Sand) but means that you have a couple of hours of tide over the SW Sunk swatch. You should do a search on this forum for the exchange of info about depths and their position last summer but I found 8 and a half mimimum depth , 2 and a half hours after lwo water. But then to got to find the swatch which is to the SW of the beacon and not close by it. Then up to Fisherman's Gat, through it and head for North Foreland. By plugging the tide out of the Blackwater, and keeping a 4 knot average, you will have a favourable tide down to Ramsgate. I haven't checked but if my mental arithmetic is right, you'll get the best of the tide down to Ramsgate. Last year I averaged 5 kts while a chum averaged 4 kts in the first part but the extra tide he got down past North Foreland brought him in less than an hour after us. Another chum in a Moody 29 from Tollesbury came through the SW Sunk swatch ok and I think he draws a foot more than you even after visiting the Deben Bar!

There are, of course, no guarantees that the Sw Sunk depths haven't altered either for the good or bad over the winter.

You'll be surprised quite how well marked it is and in settled conditions and reasonable vis its quite fun.

When are you going?

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[sailorman]

fishermans GAT

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[Mudplugger]

I'd confirm what Tillergirl says, didnt have a problem coming thru SW Sunk last year and had plenty water under us @ 2hrs after HW.( Draw 5'6'') advantage of using the old N.Edinburgh channel, is the lift from the tide, providing you time it right.

<hr width=100% size=1>Tony W.

 

[Gunfleet]

Of course, if you wanted to do the tidal calculations and rang the range officer (the number is on your chart) you could go through the Rays'n and over the Maplin firing ranges, which is a big shortcut and takes you nowhere near the Sunk. Please don't wear a tea towel on your head while doing this. For some reason the army don't think it's funny.

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[squidge]

John, iam surprised they didn't start using you for target practice!
v amusing though.

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[Thresher]

Thank you all.

Now that I'm fully armed with info I will procrastinate until the day and look at the forecast. If all goes to plan it will be the 11th of June.

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[Gunfleet]

I'm serious, Squidge. It's perfectly possible to sail across the range. You just have to ask first.

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[AndrewB]

The SW Sunk route is good up to half tide, and even beyond, though I saw overfalls there with an easterly wind last year, which looks a bit alarming. Tillergirl is right that it is likely to have changed over the winter, but in recent years that route has tended to get shallower.



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