classic jenny
Active Member
Thinking of visiting the marina in June for a few days. Anything I should be wary of when coming from up channel. Also ball park figure for 33ft yacht
Visiting portershead
- Thread starter classic jenny
- Start date
tonyone01
Well-Known Member
We would need to know where you are starting from to be able to answer your question ?
SteveSarabande
Well-Known Member
Not many places up channel, Lydney or Sharpness.
SteveSarabande
Well-Known Member
Portishead prices are on their website
classic jenny
Active Member
From up channel I meant coming up the channel from Devon /West Wales.
bitbaltic
Well-Known Member
To try and be helpful:
Portishead is easy to enter above half tide and the navigation is simple to enter the lock- stay clear of the firefly buoy and the isolated rocks inside it, then make straight for the lock entrance. On approach or departure beware the strong race that can develop between Portishead and Clevedon in wind over tide conditions (ebb tide against the prevailing westerlies but also flood tide against easterlies). If you are a newcomer to the Bristol Channel you need to know that it is completely futile to attempt to punch the tide- not difficult or awkward, just impossible- as far up the channel as Portishead, so make your approach on the flood. Consider where you are approaching from- Cardiff is 3hrs sailing short of Portishead, is the nearest leisure craft port and is the only all-tide (nearly) port of refuge in the inner Bristol Channel. Ie unless you are very sure of your plans, consider staying a tide at Cardiff before sailing up to Portishead.
No idea of fees. We berth there for free as Quay Marinas Berth holders from Penarth. It is a trans-Europe marina so 50% off for scheme members.
Portishead is easy to enter above half tide and the navigation is simple to enter the lock- stay clear of the firefly buoy and the isolated rocks inside it, then make straight for the lock entrance. On approach or departure beware the strong race that can develop between Portishead and Clevedon in wind over tide conditions (ebb tide against the prevailing westerlies but also flood tide against easterlies). If you are a newcomer to the Bristol Channel you need to know that it is completely futile to attempt to punch the tide- not difficult or awkward, just impossible- as far up the channel as Portishead, so make your approach on the flood. Consider where you are approaching from- Cardiff is 3hrs sailing short of Portishead, is the nearest leisure craft port and is the only all-tide (nearly) port of refuge in the inner Bristol Channel. Ie unless you are very sure of your plans, consider staying a tide at Cardiff before sailing up to Portishead.
No idea of fees. We berth there for free as Quay Marinas Berth holders from Penarth. It is a trans-Europe marina so 50% off for scheme members.
Birdseye
Well-Known Member
Portishead has only one lock and the marina is arguably too big so there can be queues getting in and out at busy times. With a high tidal range, there is no flexibility to delay locks and timing is therefore important. The town itself is a modernised commuter area for Bristol so not really very attractive. Both Bristol itself and Cardiff are IMO pleasanter and more interesting places to visit.
Allan
Well-Known Member
I totally agree with everything said so far. The speed of the tide, especially around half tide, cannot be overstressed. If you take the outer route and turn across, ensure you turn early and are going fast enough or you'll be taken past. Inside the Firefly buoy there is a back eddy that catches some people out. Once in behind the pier it all calms down and there's plenty of space to ready yourself for the lock. The Bristol port CO. publish a leaflet at https://www.bristolport.co.uk/marin...vice/recreational-craft-navigation-guidelines.
It's not as good as the previous one as that had my boat on the front!
The Bristol channel is no worse than anywhere else, it just moves a little faster than most.
As I live in Bristol and sail from Cardiff, I totally agree with Birdseye's comments about them being better places to visit. The trip up the Avon makes Bristol the better place to visit, in my opinion. If you do visit Bristol, head to St Nicholas market for the best pies at Pieminister.
Enjoy,
Allan
It's not as good as the previous one as that had my boat on the front!
The Bristol channel is no worse than anywhere else, it just moves a little faster than most.
As I live in Bristol and sail from Cardiff, I totally agree with Birdseye's comments about them being better places to visit. The trip up the Avon makes Bristol the better place to visit, in my opinion. If you do visit Bristol, head to St Nicholas market for the best pies at Pieminister.
Enjoy,
Allan
Last edited:
classic jenny
Active Member
Thank you for the replies. I have come in and out of the channel a few times so the tidal elevator is not new to me. Was more curious about the access locally and it seems that firefly is the one to watch.
classic jenny
Active Member
P.s looking at portishead as wil be visiting friends in Bristol and didn't fancy the time/tide restraints of the river Avon
rafiki_
Well-Known Member
One thing to keep an eye out for is the commercial shipping in and out of Avonmouth. These big ships move remarkably quickly, and keep to a narrow channel called the Kings Road. This is buoyed, so your best bet is to keep just out of this channel. The lock into the marina operates 3.5 hours either side of high water. Locking in is quater to and quarter past the hour, locking out is on the hour and half hour. I have only had to queue once, locking in after the Holmes Race. Best to book to lock out, locking in is first come first served. They will squeeze 6-8 boats into the lock when busy, but it is an easy lock to use as the pontoons float, and there are plenty of cleats.
bitbaltic
Well-Known Member
Would agree. Picturesque as Portishead is not, the Avon and the floating harbour are very constrained and coming and going from Bristol can mean spending interminable periods at unsocial hours stuck in the Cumberland basin (read, beneath a ring road flyover). I am not sure that is much of a trade off for the flexibility of coming and going above half tide at Portishead.
Allan
Well-Known Member
We'll have to agree to disagree! I've never spent too long in the Cumberland basin. Portishead is only a little more accessible than Bristol and is now like mooring in a concrete valley! I really enjoy being close to the centre of the city. I understand it's not for everyone, but twice I've successfully sailed up the Avon, CYC used to have the Avon challenge every year.
Allan
jwilson
Well-Known Member
Unless it is near low spring tide you would need a deep draught to have a problem with the Firefly rocks. If you are coming up channel with the tide there will be water enough. Look at a chart. If arriving at half tide going outside the Firefly buoy will probably tend to sweep you past the dock entrance towards Avonmouth.
bitbaltic
Well-Known Member
Quite true that the Firefly rocks are deep enough not to be much of an issue, but I am not in the habit of recommending people sail over an isolated rock when they don't have to, whether it is likely to be dangerous or not. The rocks are also well to the west of the pier; I normally round up under engine to drop sails at firefly then motor without issue to the pier. At other times I've cut inside the rocks without issue, so it's hardly a big problem- but I think your idea of being swept ineluctably up-channel is unfounded, much less 'probable'. You might manage something such if you tried to round Firefly and sail into the pier without the motor- but even then I think you'd have to make a hash of it.
Birdseye
Well-Known Member
You are missing something a bit special there. The trip up the Avon is very pleasant indeed on a nice sunny day and its quite historic too. Whats more it lands you in the centre of a big city with all the facilities only a short walk away - the theatre for example. Bristol is a destination, Portishead is a marine NCP.
Allan
Well-Known Member
Lioness
Active Member
Having just started my second season mooring in Portishead Marina after two seasons with a berth at Bristol Marina I think each location has pros and cons which you might wish to take into account when planning your trip.
IMHO Pros:
Portishead: 7 hours easy access, modern facilities, secure pontoons, quite/still berths,
Bristol: In the heart of a large city with plenty of things to see and do.
Cons:
Portishead: Marina surrounded by new build apartments, Limited number of things to see and do
Bristol: Noisy/wash affected berths, Many visitor moorings are unsecure, Poor/Old facilites, 2 hour/limited access
IMHO Pros:
Portishead: 7 hours easy access, modern facilities, secure pontoons, quite/still berths,
Bristol: In the heart of a large city with plenty of things to see and do.
Cons:
Portishead: Marina surrounded by new build apartments, Limited number of things to see and do
Bristol: Noisy/wash affected berths, Many visitor moorings are unsecure, Poor/Old facilites, 2 hour/limited access
Sneds
Well-Known Member
We kept our boat in Bristol for 12 years or so and moved it to Portishead for better tidal access
Plus we now have Bristol as a destination!
Plus we now have Bristol as a destination!
trapezeartist
Well-Known Member
I berth in Portishead and I have to say I don't even know where Firefly Rock is (close to Firefly Buoy, obviously). So I imagine I've passed over it a few times.
In addition to what has already been said, I would add two points.
1. There is an old derelict wooden pier close to shore on the east side of the lock entrance. At higher states of tide part of it is (just) underwater. You really don't want to hit that, so look at the line of what you can see and project it out another 30m or so to guesstimate where the unseen bit is.
2. If you have to wait for a lock-in the easiest thing to do is to park your keel in the mud on the inside of the mudbank just east of the end of the pier. That way you have about 10 minutes before you float off again to furl the sails, put out the fenders, boil the kettle, etc without having to either go around in circles or worry where you're drifting to. (Don't do this on a falling tide!!!!)
In addition to what has already been said, I would add two points.
1. There is an old derelict wooden pier close to shore on the east side of the lock entrance. At higher states of tide part of it is (just) underwater. You really don't want to hit that, so look at the line of what you can see and project it out another 30m or so to guesstimate where the unseen bit is.
2. If you have to wait for a lock-in the easiest thing to do is to park your keel in the mud on the inside of the mudbank just east of the end of the pier. That way you have about 10 minutes before you float off again to furl the sails, put out the fenders, boil the kettle, etc without having to either go around in circles or worry where you're drifting to. (Don't do this on a falling tide!!!!)
