Walton Backwaters

Last time I went in (last season), it was about 0.5m shallower than the previous year, and the shingle bank on the very end of the point was clearly extending. It was approx 1.2m at low water in the area by the sharp dog leg before passing the final port channel marker inbound off the point itself.

I'd noticed in 2010, that the bank hadn't extended, but had clearly become more 'steep to' with more build up, I'm guessing that through 2010 winter and 2011, the bank has started to collapse in on itself and extend out.

Also, interestingly, the 'gat' that existed many years ago, further back up the channel, that had closed up, looks like it was starting to creep towards reopening to me. That would provide a route in and out for the water, but would be of little use to most boaters, as the water just off shore is very shallow and generally would only be available to dinghies or lifting keels that could cope with less than 0.5m depth..

I hope they get the green light to dredge, as it would be a great loss otherwise.

Eastcoastrivers started survey the entrance last year. I hope they keep it up!
 
You can't get staff can you. There is the editor conversing with his errand boy 10000km away and images passing over the Equator and Dick's painting the kitchen (again?). www.eastcostsailing.co.uk should have some images up later this morning - is it still morning there?
 
tillergirl said:
You can't get staff can you. There is the editor conversing with his errand boy 10000km away and images passing over the Equator and Dick's painting the kitchen (again?). www.eastcostsailing.co.uk should have some images up later this morning - is it still morning there?
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Where the heck are you this time? Whaddya mean painting it again? It all got delayed by the Germans!!
 
Cantata said:
Where the heck are you this time? Whaddya mean painting it again? It all got delayed by the Germans!!
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Question 1 - on that island beginning with M
Question 2 - for a man with a gliberfast boat, you're always painting
Blimey you're late, the Germans stopped interfering in the painting jobs in 1945! well as far as I remember they did.
 
On our visits in 2010 we saw a number of yachts each time anchored on the NE side of the point, in a sort of half cove - is that a better option now for a visit of just a few hours?
 
Chris Brooke, Chairman of the Walton-on-the-Naze Fairways Committee has asked me to post the following press release:
ACCESS TO THE WALTON BACKWATERS

The sands that configure the coastline on the area of the access to the Walton Backwaters have always been changing and this is an ongoing process. Twelve years ago there was a recharge of sand from dredgings on to the north end of Stone Point which was transported south to protect the beaches towards the Naze.

This sand has now drifted to the north and extended Stone Point.

Subsequently the channel has narrowed and deepened and now there is a proposal by a private organisation to move some of the sand back south to again protect the marsh and beach.

The sand may have altered but has not affected the access to the Backwaters and is unlikely to do so in the immediate future and there is just as much water as before. The Fairways Committee which leases the mooring rights to the area from the Crown Commissioners and the Walton and Frinton Yacht Club which maintains the buoyage in the channel continually monitor the area and currently are aware of no silting inhibiting the navigation to the area.
The coxswain of the Walton Lifeboat confirms that the channel has narrowed but there has been no change in the depth.

The Walton Backwaters are open for business as usual and welcome visitors from far and wide.
 
Thanks for that Jan, but we are also told that rather more care may be needed in that area than before, as described on the East Coast Sailing website as well as on ours (see link below).
 
Although these two notices come from different sources and are at slight variance, they do agree that there have been significant changes in the area of Stone Point, which lead to the clear advice that all skippers and navigators should exercise extreme caution in the area until they have determined how these changes may affect their own particular craft.
 
We (3 foot draft) went into Walton Backwaters on Tuesday night (the day before yesterday), in the dark and about an hour after low water (springish), with no trouble at all (apart from the usual of watching out to avoid the buoys that are unlit).

So they are 'open for business', and even though we were the only 'customers' in Hamford Water at the time, they laid on a troupe of five performing seals, and a chorus line of several hundred geese, to royally entertain us the next morning.:)
 
LittleSister said:
We (3 foot draft) went into Walton Backwaters on Tuesday night (the day before yesterday), in the dark and about an hour after low water (springish), with no trouble at all (apart from the usual of watching out to avoid the buoys that are unlit).

So they are 'open for business', and even though we were the only 'customers' in Hamford Water at the time, they laid on a troupe of five performing seals, and a chorus line of several hundred geese, to royally entertain us the next morning.:)
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From what I have gathered, if you went directly into Hamford water you didn't go through the narrow shallow point anyway. That is further round as you go past Stone Point and into the Walton channel.
 
Leighb said:
From what I have gathered, if you went directly into Hamford water you didn't go through the narrow shallow point anyway. That is further round as you go past Stone Point and into the Walton channel.
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Yes, we did go straight into Hamford Water.

I'll watch out for the bit you mention next time we go up that way..
 
Took Marmalade into the Walton channel last Sunday. Didn't have any problems although the channel is v narrow at stone point.
 
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