What's at Rye, East Sussex?

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Victoria Sponge

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We're probably intending to go into Rye on our trip around to Cowes in the summer. Does anyone have any information on berths and facilities please.
 
Lady Celestial,

have a look at Dylan's KTL films, I seem to remember he covered Rye.

I've only ever visited by road, which may well be the way to do it !

I can't help thinking of the tale of Dennis Thatcher talking to journalists as their aircraft approached Canada;

" Do you people know what's in Canada ? "

" Err, No Sir "

" **** All, that's what's in Canada ! "

I do believe Rye has some interesting history if you can make it ashore over the mud, and when you reach civilisation - Chichester harbour - do give me a call...

Andy
 
Visitors berths are against the Strand Quay which is pretty much in the centre of the town. However these do dry out and access into the river is around HW-2 to HW which has always put me off visiting in the past.

Edit - If you can get hold of a copy of South Coast Cruising by Mark Fishwick there is a lot of detail on the navigation and the berthing options as well as on the history of the place. As he managed it in Temptress which draws over 2m I really should give it a go.
 
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Digbydog said:
The Windmill & The Ypres Castle. I hope they are still there. Have a pint for me, for old times sake. :)
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Strand Quay is in the centre of the town. Great fish and chip shop next to Strand Quay. Old cobbled streets in places, antique shops of varying quality, loads of smuggling history, cream teas, second hand bookshops, pubs, all types of restaurants...

Great walks down the river to the sea and along the coast.

Camber sands for the kids on the east side of the river
 
Only been once, to collect a long keel wooden yacht from way up the river.

Great place to practice your tide heights, lifting keel sounds perfect.

I remember it as a really nice, pleasant visit.

Hope you enjoy your call.

CS
 
With a lift keel you'll have no problem getting right up to Strand Quay on the tide. Occasionally our friends from across the channel arrive en masse, so it's worth a call ahead just to make sure there's not a 'Club visit' which will mean little or even no berthing space up in town. It is possible to lay alongside way down by the harbour entrance on the starboard side at Admiralty Jetty where there are visitor berths near the Harbour Masters office. It's a long hike into town from there though, unless you go up river in the dinghy to the Strand.
If the weather is not good and onshore, if you're a stranger, I would advise staying out and running on to Eastbourne or round Beachy Head into Newhaven. Beware the covered (at high water) training wall on the starboard hand off the entrance.
In fine weather with a good tide, no problems and I think you'll find the little town interesting..:)

A couple of summers ago some visitors from across the channel, for some unknown reason didn't allow for the Strand Quay to dry out. Much falling over, tangling of masts and strange Oodehoop!! type curses. But all the locals weighed in and we hauled everything upright for them. As someone has already mentioned, a good place to get your tides about right..
 
We took our 32' lift-keeler into Rye round Easter 2010 - when all the planes were grounded by the ash cloud, so we felt smug having gone sailing instead! As you do, we called in at the Admiralty Jetty to pay the Harbourmaster, who was very helpful and offered us two nights for the price of one (which was cheap anyway, for those accustomed to the Solent). Having said that, the visitors' heads at Strand Quay were still in winter closure mode (but there were public loos there, and we only stayed one night so managed without a shower).

Getting to Strand Quay was easy enough for us. The berth is alongside a wall and is v. muddy - no chance of an anode change at low water as we couldn't see the propeller, let alone get at it! The town is lovely, with good pubs, a small castle and some interesting historic buildings. The chip shop was good, and in the morning there was an excellent farmers' market at which we bought some fabulous sausages…

When it was time to go, we waited longer than we expected for enough water to reach us to float us out of our mud scoop, but eventually we were off, no problem. Next port of call was Eastbourne (on our way back to the Solent). All in all, I'd recommend Rye.
 
When it dries the bottom against the quay wall is at 45 degrees, leave the keel down or the boat will slip away from the wall. Last time we were there we used an ajacent lamppost with a slip line round the mast. Good luck.
 
hi, my boats moored at rye, you can enter the river 2 hrs before high tide if its the first time here i would recomend entering at high tide this makes it easy to tie up at the harbour masters office. sometimes during springs their can be 6 knots of tide. i never have a prob entering the entrance in bad weather the currant can push the boat about a bit but we just aim straight down the middle. it takes 20 mins to get to strand quey from the entrance.
they have been dredging for the last 2 wks so the strand is nice and flat. i dont know if the fees changed but it was £10 a night. but a nice place to visit
and plenty of room for visitors.
 
Lady Celestial said:
We're probably intending to go into Rye on our trip around to Cowes in the summer. Does anyone have any information on berths and facilities please.
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Rye - not to be confused with Ryde. been there a couple of times. access and exit are tide-restricted - see guide books. approach from Rye Fairway buoy - look at depth gauge on entry for height of water over bar.

once inside river it is easy (provided near HW) - you have to visit harbourmaster at Rye Harbour but otherwise dont stop there but go on up to the town.

Rye is delightful and very ancient. main hotel takes pride in the fact that its latest refurbishment was in 1479!

berth alongside at Strand Quay - harbour master will tell you which side he wants you to take.

at LW it is mud with a trickle of water in the middle but the mud is so soft that it will accommodate a fin keeler of moderate size if need be. so you should have no problem with a lifting keel.

take care to berth alongside a ladder - you will need one at LW. you may find that when you sit on the mud you are some distance from the quay so it pays to stay on the boat adjusting ropes till you settle.

washing facilities are clean and comfortable but not extensive. they are a slight walk away but on the quay nevertheless.

there is enough in the town to occupy you for at least 2 days/nights if you are interested in history.

restaurants etc are numerous and range from the excellent to the ordinary. local fish and scallops are to die for!!

will be there again this year from 15 - 18 June - when will you be there?
michael minnitt
 
wizard said:
Strand Quay is in the centre of the town. Great fish and chip shop next to Strand Quay. Old cobbled streets in places, antique shops of varying quality, loads of smuggling history, cream teas, second hand bookshops, pubs, all types of restaurants...

Great walks down the river to the sea and along the coast.

Camber sands for the kids on the east side of the river
Click to expand...

Also read the E F Benson 'Mapp & Lucia' books/ audio bks, to get some fun out of it too. You can still see the venues:)
Oh and watch out when you drop below the quay in town , for the gulls nicking the hot chips orf the grockles, dropping them into the cockpit- we thought some chav cull was doing it, and oi piled up the ladder wiv boathook to confront - a grockle family well strafed by the gulls on the benches, wiv the kids in tears:D:D
Just loike Brixham, in IMHO;>)
 
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