Salty Bottoms Summer 2011

[Guest]

Don't see any need to do Queenborough on the way back as we should be able to carry tide back up the coast. How about London to Brightlingsea. Would prefer the Deban to Ipswich if one had to be cut.

[senator]

No need to do Queensborough twice was just saying it could be done on the way up or down with the lock times available

St Kats- Bightlingsea will have to work out time wise as I think there is a bar on the creek, Bradwell is more or less all states and we will need to be calling there if we are running from London for fuel, maybe possible to wait there for the tide to go on to the chosen marina, if we are leaving early doors then we will be round at Bradwell around mid day with very little water to get into any of the tidal ports.

[MY littleboat]

Don't see any need to do Queenborough on the way back as we should be able to carry tide back up the coast. How about London to Brightlingsea. Would prefer the Deban to Ipswich if one had to be cut.

What and miss a night out in Isaacs? :

[baz1033]

hi people

out of the whole trip I have asked to visit one place and the rest I dont mind and the place is Brightlingsea, so if you could include it some how that will be nice.

[senator]

Wasn't suggesting we skip it Barry, just that timing wise we will not have enough water to get into it when we arrive so we will have to tie up somewhere and wait for water to get in.

Leaving London at HW in the morning will mean the tide is running with us but will have gone out by the time we get to Brightlingsea, have left the pilot book on the boat but from memory there is a bar on the creek at Brightlingsea so we will have to wait for enough water somewhere. we will also be a bit tight over the spit to the wallet so will have to be careful and make sure of calm enough seas to cross there.

[senator]

Could also just drop the anchor and wait outside if the ground is ok.

Just looking on Google Maps and it is a fair shunt from Bradwell to Brightlingsea.

[senator]

Little bit more,

Brightlingsea Harbour claim that the visitors pontoon is all states, the visitors or infact all harbour pontoons are not connected to land so it is a tender ride or the harbour taxi but there is also a Marina run by the Harbour commissioner on behalf of the marina owners, it is basically at the end of the visitor pontoon but has a sill at 1m above chart datum so you would need 2m of water minimum to get in and out.

Both the Marina and the visitors pontoon seem to offer cheap moorings with the marina at £2 per m per night and the Harbour at £11.50 a night.

[senator]

Does anyone want to do Tollesbury? it would be fairly easy to do a night at Tollesbury after a night at Brightlingsea but it would make it a bit difficult for Ipswich as you only have about an hour before and after high water access.

[Guest]

Assuming us slow boats lock out by 8am we should get to Southend around low water and through the estuary at slack. We should push a bit of tide up to the Wallet to see us over and ride the tide into Brightlingsea arriving 2 hours after low.

Happy to do two nights in Brightlingsea so that you can do Tollsbury, will give us chance to get our fast boats out.

[senator]

Don't think Tollesbury is really an option due to departure time to run to the Orwell being too early unless someone specifically want's to go there.

We can drop into Bradwell or Gillingham on the way from London for fuel so not an issue, there is a dinghy landing stage at Brightlingsea or the Harbour Taxi, again I don't think the Marina there is going to be an option due to timings for arrival and departure. Should prove a good area for ribbing as long as the wind isn't out of the East as it is effectively a big bay. think there is a nice beach there as well but not sure whether you can land a dinghy on it as it may be classed as from sea.

Mark do you know the score there?

If leaving London 1 hour after HW I would say even at 10 knots you are going to be at the Wallet Spitway around low water maybe a trip up river on the Thames first would aid the timings? We left Gillingham at LW last year and only had 1.5m over the spit if I recall correctly, if you are a local I think there is deeper water about 200 yards South of the markers but would prefer not to guess where it is, a fairly good sized windfarm working vessel crossed at the same time as us and I would have said he was drawing enough to be scary if he was in the same depth as us but he did cross further South.

[Guest]

Low water at the Wallet that day should be around 10/10.30 I don't think we will travel that far in two hours mate.

If the wind blows hard from the East I think the ribs will be the least of our worries

[senator]

If the wind blows hard from the East I think the ribs will be the least of our worries

Very true.

[Guest]

Had a chat to Ian today and between us we came up with this.

Suggested Itinery

Saturday Night Lowestoft

Sunday Night Titchmarsh

Monday Night Titchmarsh

Tuesday Night Queenborough

Wednesday Night St Kats

Thurday Night St Kats

Friday Night St Kats or Limehouse

Saturday Night Limehouse

Sunday Night Burnham

Monday Night Tollesbury

Tuesday Night Tollesbury or Brightlingsea

Wednesday Night Brightlingsea

Thursday Night Ipswich

Friday Night Woodbridge

Saturday Night Lowestoft

Moving from St Kats to Limehouse give us the chance to lock out at a time that suits us for the trip to Burnham which is all states and also to collect diesel or have a run up the Thames. The extra night in London gives us three full days there and alows us to be flexible on departure if weather dictates (also not quite so early start chance to check weather). Burnham to Tollsbury at just before high water should alow us to take a short cut and get in to Tollsbury with water. Tollesbury for two nights or Brightlingsea depending on preference. Leaving Brightlingsea (all states) before high so we can ride tide up to Ipswich.

Jonathan

Any thoughts please

[MY littleboat]

Looks good to me although I had hoped to see Nieupoort or Oestend in there somewhere!

[Guest]

Follow Barry and you might just Gav

[Guest]

Sounds like a plan

[baz1033]

Follow Barry and you might just Gav

i am using my i phone so im ok lol.

Trip looks good to me. At last or maybe not we will see

[baz1033]

Thinking about it i cant see portsmouth in there

[Guest]

Thinking about it i cant see portsmouth in there

No but you can see bloody Brightlingsea, don't push it

[Guest]

i am using my i phone so im ok lol.

Trip looks good to me. At last or maybe not we will see

The plotter on the iphone is a fantastic piece of kit until someone rings and you just know we're gonna ring ya

[senator]

Think it is a trip that works for everyone now and should give a bit of flexibility if the weather turns on us.

Took a long time to sort but with the exception of Portsmouth and Nieuport I think we have everyones stops in. May be only short stops on the way back but all the destinations are within reach of Lowestoft for a long weekend so if any of them are particularly liked we can always go back as a Salty's trip at another time.

Now we can get on with the passage planning if everyone is happy.

[Guest]

Just need Mark to have a look.

[senator]

And Col & Lou, sure they won't be able to resist it when they see. Think Col has to work Saturday but happy to wait for him till he gets to Lowestoft Sunday, As long as he waits for me on the run to Titchmarsh.

[MY littleboat]

The plotter on the iphone is a fantastic piece of kit until someone rings and you just know we're gonna ring ya

Or maybe a good time to mention that your iphone doesnt have a REAL gps chip in it and gives a gps position from a 3G signal - no signal - no position!!!! So Yes, you can aim for portsmouth if you want, you'll still be sitting going around in circles as soon as the signal drops!!!!! lol

[MY littleboat]

And Col & Lou, sure they won't be able to resist it when they see. Think Col has to work Saturday but happy to wait for him till he gets to Lowestoft Sunday, As long as he waits for me on the run to Titchmarsh.

Dont worry Ian, if you leave Sunday with Col you will still catch up before the others get there by my calculations