Whitby?

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Ohlin Karcher

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I'm hopping down the NE coast from the Tyne to Brittany and wondering if Whitby is a good place to spend the night, any good or bad experiences, or is anyone based there? I've read Henry Irving's pilot and the almanacs, ( the tide serves very well for getting in there, maybe not quite so well for leaving to the south). I'm just trying to get a feel for the place really. Will have two crew who will require a pub..TIA
 
Watch a few episodes of ' Heartbeat ' ( repeated most days on Sky 119, don't ask how I know ) to get a feel for the place, which seems good to me - not too sure about the coastal waters though, think apart from there I'd stand well off and make haste.

The Dracula goth fans may be around, if Goth crumpet is to your taste - it was mine and I mistakenly married one, if you have the option go for the quick easy death but don't give her your boat keys and / or wallet :rolleyes:
 
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A famous chippy is the Magpie. Plenty of pubs too. They have man eating seagulls there though. Watch out.
 
There is a nasty cross current at the entrance, but once in the harbour is well sheltered. Watch out for debris carried down by the river - we caught a lump of tree in our propeller just as we were congratulating ourselves on a safe entry. There's a waiting pontoon for the bridge that lifts to allow acces to the marina in the inner harbour; the hours when that operates are limited, I think - working hours only. A LOT of Fish and Chip restaurants; all seem to be pretty good! The Old Town is interesting to walk round, and of course the Abbey.
 
I was based in Whitby for years and am still a regular vistor. Its a great place to visit. The swing bridge gives access to the marina and opens on request on the half hour and hour for two hours either side of high water - day and night. The last opening is 1 hour 50 minutes after high water to give the bridgemen time to wash before going home !
Marina facilities are good and there is a good chandlery (Coates Marine) and repair yard.
The coast from Hartlepool to Whitby runs roughly West-East and Whitby harbour faces roughly North making it dangerous in strong Northerlies. In these conditions go to Scarborugh which is about 16 miles South and helpfully faces S meaning that when one of these options is bad the other is good.
On this coast the tide runs down the coast from roughly 4 hours before to 2 hours after high water. So the rule of thumb is when going S leave well before HW and when going N leave well after HW.
I go up and down this coast regularly and find the best way S is to stay over in Scarborough and leave well before HW to get round the tidal gate of Flamborough Head. I then do a 20-24 hour leg directly to Lowestoft heading in a straight from 2 miles off Flamborough to the Cockle Buoy . The N sea between Flamborough and the Norflok coast is very busy with lots of shipping coming in and out of the Humber so you need to be alert.
Hope this helps
 
Halo that's extremely helpful, and thanks to all of you for the comments.
I've never visited these N.Yorks places so it's genuinely exciting, it feel like years since I've entered a totally strange English harbour..in fact it really is years!
 
Whitby is also a terminus of the North York Moors Steam Railway. A very pleasant trip to Pickering through 24 miles of glorious countryside if the weather turns foul and you are holed up there. :encouragement:
 
Ohlin Karcher said:
I'm hopping down the NE coast from the Tyne to Brittany and wondering if Whitby is a good place to spend the night, any good or bad experiences, or is anyone based there? I've read Henry Irving's pilot and the almanacs, ( the tide serves very well for getting in there, maybe not quite so well for leaving to the south). I'm just trying to get a feel for the place really. Will have two crew who will require a pub..TIA
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f you get tired, I suggest you pull in to Hartlepool Marina. Easy mooring on sheltered pontoons, and loads of good restaurants very close. Asda in sight. Plus fuel, water, showers, and a lift out crane if you need it. Just check lock-in times re tides, but it's manned 24/7.
 
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If you do get to Whitby you will see plenty of homage to Captains Cook and Scoresby but don’t miss out on looking into Captain Jack Lammiman and the Helga Maria.
 
elton said:
f you get tired, I suggest you pull in to Hartlepool Marina. Easy mooring on sheltered pontoons, and loads of good restaurants very close. Asda in sight. Plus fuel, water, showers, and a lift out crane if you need it. Just check lock-in times re tides, but it's manned 24/7.
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And the Trincomallee
 
Halo said:
In these conditions go to Scarborugh which is about 16 miles South and helpfully faces S meaning that when one of these options is bad the other is good.

I go up and down this coast regularly and find the best way S is to stay over in Scarborough and leave well before HW to get round the tidal gate of Flamborough Head. I then do a 20-24 hour leg directly to Lowestoft heading in a straight from 2 miles off Flamborough to the Cockle Buoy . The N sea between Flamborough and the Norflok coast is very busy with lots of shipping coming in and out of the Humber so you need to be alert.
Hope this helps
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I thought Scarborough dried or has very limited depths?
 
Champagne Murphy said:
And the Trincomallee
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Absolutely! The ship and museum ensure I will put into Hartlepool even in perfect weather, I love all that stuff.
Here 's a piccy of a 30-pounder on the frigate Jylland (a bit like the Warrior, steam + sail) in Denmark, with my boom visible below. This cannon fired a blank at noon, and it literally shivered my timbers!
 

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Scarborough has a visitor pontoon which does not dry although you have to stay close to it as it shelves up after about 5 m away. Access is about 3 h either side so less restrictive than the bridge at Whitby
 
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