Which port should I head for

[robinborton]

As someone with limited sea experience and wanting to plan a passage down the Thames estuary and over to Holland/Belgium which port would you recommend I head for and any tips would be most welcome.
All responses gratefully received

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[alpha]

Wow, what a question...

Before we tackle an answer, can you say a bit more about your boat and crew - what speed do you expect to make, how far are you happy to cruise in a day, etc...

Give us a little more to work on!

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[robinborton]

Apologies
The boat is a 26ft Aquador and will cruise comfortably at 20kts.with a fuel range of 150 nm.I will have a crew of one also with limited experience.I would aim to leave London Bridge on an ebb tide and would not want to be at sea much more than 5hrs.
Thankyou for reply

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[jimg]

I am going to Holland in 4 weeks from Dartmouth. We plan to cross over around Dover ( want cheap diesel all the way! ). We plan to stop overnight at Nieuwport in Belgium for duty free fuel, then enter Holland at Flushing ( Vlissingen ) the next day. I suggest you get a copy of "Cruising Guide to the Netherlands" from Imray to start with, that tells you all and which Dutch charts that you will need.

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[miket]

We have cruised from the Thames to Holland/ France on a number of occasions.

Our first stop is usually Ramsgate which is roughly 90 miles from Teddington. The 1st 30 miles are relatively slow so if you are starting from London you may wish to go further (Dover?)
Unless the weather is particularly good, go from Ramsgate, inside the Goodwin Sands to SW Goodwin Lightship (think it is still there). across to one of the CA buoys on the French side near to the Calais channel then up the French coast to Nieuwport. Very well buoyed and lots of bolt holes up this coast if weather deteriorates or any problems.
From here it is a relatively short hop into the Westerschelte (Flushing).
You can enter the Walcheren Canal here and up to Middleberg, which is superb, but you may find it less frustrating (waiting for umpteen bridges to open) to continue up the Westerschelte a little further where you will find on your left a much larger less interesting canal that takes you straight into the Ousterschelte near to Goes. Visit Goes - brilliant. you can now make a circular route ending at Middleberg and out at Flushing.
Once into the Dutch inland seas it is almost like cruising on inland waters although they can roughen up on occasions.
You should allow a minimum of 2 weeks and preferably more. Wonderful cruising.

Pheran of this site is currently based in Holland and would I am sure have more current recommendations.

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