what's the real depth to Bradwell entrance?

[Burnham Bob]

Looking at Tillergirl's chartlet (and noting that the shallow bar now extends between midway between the first two red buoys and the third) minimum depth is 0.3 metres. My boat draws 1.5 metres. The Bradwell Marina website says 'accessible at most points of the tide except springs' or words to that effect. Theoretically I should be able to get in and out as soon as the tide is 1.5 (that allows me a margin for error).

As a newbie at Bradwell how reliable is the tide gauge on A pontoon and does anyone have any advice? Last time we left when the guage read 6 feet and we touched the mud on the way out. Of course that could be me being off the best water.

 

[MoodySabre]

I don't look at the gauge on A pontoon as I am on F. I judge it by the height of the water on the bank behind the boat.

You just need to get used to what works for you.

Best water in the channel is supposedly a boat width in from the cans. There is plenty of water outside the cans and I always stay outside if I pushing it time wise. A line from the innermost red can to the end of the baffle is reliable.

I never go round the green buoy or out as far as the post before turning off. Get out on a calm day at half tide and pootle about. You will also get some idea of what the gauge on the post relates too.

 

[Tiller Girl]

Ah well, what is a 'point of the tide' you quoted by Bradwell Marina. : If there are 24 points in the day, then it will be accessible for the most" , e.g 18 hours in the day on springs and 22 hours for neaps. The 'most' will work, a few won't.

Now if you want to have the deepest channel, then don't use the shallowest channel; thats the one between the withies and the red cans - follow the mooring buoys. :encouragement: Now if you get to see the commercial survey that was done for the baffle wall removal, the chart will say that the Creek dries LAT. :disgust::disgust: When a survey is done, it has to be interpolate to set the Chart Datum. Personally I'm an amateur so I reconsider they have set the datum wrongly because they say it dries LAT. But it never dries - and I've seen it at LAT when it never dried. My interpolation concluded so as you said that I was saying it is shallowest at LAT at 0.3m. I think I am slightly pessimistic so there may be a little more - half a metre LAT (a wopping 0.2m more ... err 0.2m is only 8" :nonchalance::nonchalance. I draw 1.143m. I run aground in the shallow channel in the hour of LW springs. In neaps it is probable to have a meter of water so you might get all time out.:encouragement::encouragement:

Now see my software image. Have a look where the channel is (the deeper the blue the less there is). Bear in mind this data is relative - so it shows where the best water is and the worst water is! :encouragement::encouragement: Now see the picture. Pop off to the Marina and ask them to relay the buoyage in the 'deep' water channel - oh and by the way a good idea to lift the mooring debris in the line of this new channel (where the shallow channel is, I have ploughed frequently through the bar so its soft and no obstructions - i wonder what's lying on the seabed in the line of mooring buoys? ).



Sorry to be naughty of me. The simple answer is 18 hours in the day on springs and 22 hours for neaps as a pretty conservative answer. Happy New Year.

Addition - I've found the commercial survey. I probably ought not to show it publically but here goes:

[URL=http://s217.photobucket.com/user/rgaspar_album/media/Bradwell%20Commercial%20Survey.jpg.html]

Note the magenta colour all dries right across the Creek! :disgust: Scribble, nobody has ever seen it and they talk of -0.5m drying. Scribble, Sir I say! :disgust::disgust::disgust: But show where the 'deep' stuff is! :encouragement::encouragement:

 

[omega2]

Being a stink pot, with very little draught and wheels, we leave our berth with 4ft showing on the tide marker on the end of A pontoon, and creep out the first indicator are the entrance post's red and green if there is 3/4 feet of water behind it then it confirms we can proceed, go to the red can then follow the trots leaving all but one on your port side, at the end of these there is a green can, and imho it is wrongly placed, leave it on your starboard side YES STARBOARD!! then head for the withies( a bit shallow halfway there) the first red can is first enroute leave on your starboard side towards the middle of the gap to withy, and then stay in the centre of the run, be aware that at the last withy it gets shallow again, you will see the ebb tide rippling over the corner. It is all soft mud and often cleared by us (when taking a chancer) so you will be unlucky to encounter anything that will cause you damage. If the wind is from the west and the tide ebbing remember that those cans have at least 45 feet of chain under them and it is not unknown for some poor soul to pick one up so favour the sticks. By pointing North from marker post you will also see a slight mound before the water drops away quickly to about 25 feet, the two red cans on you starboard side are markers for the now removed baffle plates. As stated there is water on the starboard side of the cans but the bottom is evil there. If you are approaching then the tide marker on the post is deceiving try to see water behind the withies before entering, and even then it is a bit dodgy, do not try it on the ebb, or you are there for a long time, and your G&T will spill, if the tide is coming in then at least you will be floating fairly quickly and your drinks cabinet may be intact. LOL

 

[MoodySabre]

We are agreed about the green buoy but 45ft of chain on the red cans????Really? Why would that be - needs to be only half that.

I've often stayed outside the cans, say from the inner red can out near the two moorings, pushing my luck and never hit anything on the bottom. I have 1.7m fin keel.

Presumable you have seen Tillergirl's survey that is on the notice board near the loos. This seems to confirm that the marked channel has the least water! I recommeded the OP to get out there mid-tide on a calm day and wander about to get the feel of it.

 

[omega2]

We are agreed about the green buoy but 45ft of chain on the red cans????Really? Why would that be - needs to be only half that.

I've often stayed outside the cans, say from the inner red can out near the two moorings, pushing my luck and never hit anything on the bottom. I have 1.7m fin keel.

Presumable you have seen Tillergirl's survey that is on the notice board near the loos. This seems to confirm that the marked channel has the least water! I recommeded the OP to get out there mid-tide on a calm day and wander about to get the feel of it.

Do what you think best, I will stick to my observations, one thing though if you do hit it will tear your keel off. Ask Ray of Rose MArie how much chain we recovered off his port prop, if I happen to see you stopped I will give you a cheery wave, but you will not be able to read my mind. LOL. Consider this tidal rise on "springs" 15 feet, and three times the scope to hold bottom.

 

[Boz]

I'm not sure '3 times the depth' applies to a small can with virtually no windage or water resistance compared to a boat's hull and secured by a sinker rather than an anchor??

 

[omega2]

WHO CARES! you do your own thing, and pick up the chain.I do not want chapter and verse on it.

 

[Boz]

I reckon the Cardinal post depth indicator floats up and down with the tide it always seems to be between 11 & 12 whenever we arrive

 

[pks1702]

It can be tricky inside the marina too