St Olaves Bridge

[RS2021]

Just over a month to go before we are on the Broads. On all our precious trips we have stuck to the North, but this year we are planning to go South. ideally we would cross Breydon and head up the Waveney and then come back via the Yare. Looking at St Olaves bridge, it is given as a height of 8' at high water with a tidal range of 2'6" to 3'. We will be on a high airdraft boat (officially 8'10") and based on advice from the rangers at Gt Yarmouth YS would plan to pass Gt Yarmouth at low water. Looking at tide tables low water at St Olaves is about 1 1/2 hr later than Gt Yarmouth and travel time is approx. 2 hr. So by my reckoning we should hit St Olaves about 1/2 hr after low water. I would guess from the tidal range at St Olaves we should have clearance for our boat at least a couple of hours either side of low water, so being 1/2 hr after low water should be no problem. Is there any error in my logic? I don't particularly want to have to back track and go up the Yare, but it would not be the end of the world if we had to.

[JanetAnne]

Don't forget that you'll pass GY at slack water rather than low water arriving an hour later by which time the tide is already starting to rise.

The tide table will also offer a predicted height which will help.

You are probably not too far off though you will be arriving at St Olaves with the tide up your transom  so make your decision as soon as you see the first height marker thus giving you time to react if needed.

[RS2021]

12 minutes ago, JanetAnne said:

Don't forget that you'll pass GY at slack water rather than low water

The Rangers at the YS advise passage at low water rather than slack for a high airdraft boat. I realise this means punching the tide once past. I'll check again with them a day or so before I go when they will have a better idea of actual river conditions and weather forecast. 

[Mouldy]

11 minutes ago, RS2021 said:

The Rangers at the YS advise passage at low water rather than slack for a high airdraft boat. I realise this means punching the tide once past. I'll check again with them a day or so before I go when they will have a better idea of actual river conditions and weather forecast. 

That’s exactly the same advice that we’ve been given, with an airdraft of 8’3”.  It does mean that there’s some tide punching whichever way we cross, but rather that than having insufficient clearance.

[YnysMon]

35 minutes ago, JanetAnne said:

as you see the first height marker thus giving you time to react if needed.

Where are the height markers? I've spotted one just before the BA moorings. Is that the first one with another closer to the bridge?

[ranworthbreeze]

After edging towards the bridge at dusk with the canopy and masthead down we once cleared the bridge with two inches clearance and our air draft is 9 foot 8 inches.

 

 

[Smoggy]

I need 8'8" and normally get under with good clearance half tide or less.

[annv]

Hi RS there are moorings ether side of the bridge if you have to wait for clearance along with a pub called the Bell. John

[Smoggy]

If you have to wait downstream of the bridge there is a footpath through to the pub, or a cracking walk along the floodbank into waveney forest.

[DAVIDH]

If it helps. The moorings in the foreground are for The Bell Inn, and are post-bridge in the case of your journey. The BA moorings (pre-bridge) are in the distance, next to the wooden windmill you can see. 

[Broads01]

13 hours ago, JanetAnne said:

Don't forget that you'll pass GY at slack water rather than low water arriving an hour later by which time the tide is already starting to rise.

I'd go through at low water considering the air draft and the need to pass St Olaves.

[LizG]

Why not do the journey in reverse? Yare first then come back via St Olaves on a falling tide. If not enough headroom turn round and go down the cut. Less time and fuel wasted?

[BroadAmbition]

Why not do the journey in reverse? 

Coz it's proper awkward and you end up wi a crick in yer neck !

Griff

[Hylander]

18 hours ago, DAVIDH said:

If it helps. The moorings in the foreground are for The Bell Inn, and are post-bridge in the case of your journey. The BA moorings (pre-bridge) are in the distance, next to the wooden windmill you can see. 

Gosh I have never seen St Olaves look so glamorous.   It looks positively inviting.   Sun shining, flat calm, no boats about except those moored ,  even the Yard looks tidy.

[andyg]

Bizzare!!! I've been under that bridge God knows how many times. I've never noticed that windmill before !! My wife often accuses me of walking around with my eyes closed, she may just have a point you know 😏 I'm remember nearly getting caught out at the pub moorings one very windy day. We were on Gainsborough girl the dual steer one, it was like trying to moor a sail...each attempt I got closer and closer to the bridge. Didn't there use to be a big Toby jug sign up at the junction with the new cut advertising the pub ?? Or did I imagine that ?? 

[DAVIDH]

1 hour ago, andyg said:

Didn't there use to be a big Toby jug sign up at the junction with the new cut advertising the pub ??

You're correct Andy. It was about six foot high as I remember. I never could understand why it was there, but having read others opinions on here, it seems it was connected to a selection of houseboats moored in the connected dykes up there. Toby Holidays? Someone will know more than me.

[FairTmiddlin]

2 hours ago, andyg said:

 Didn't there use to be a big Toby jug sign up at the junction with the new cut advertising the pub ?? Or did I imagine that ?? 

Which currently resides outside the Fritton Decoy pub just up the road

(or it did when I passed last November)

 

[andyg]

See I do notice somethings lol...

[Smoggy]

2 hours ago, Hylander said:

even the Yard looks tidy.

That yard usually looks tidy, Richard is a bit of a perfectionist.

2 hours ago, andyg said:

I've never noticed that windmill before !! My wife often accuses me of walking around with my eyes closed

I've sat in the bell garden hearing some pill box hunters baffled as there should be one close by, the hexagonal shed in Richards yard across the river is glaringly obvious as a pill box surely, it was in full view at the time and they were facing straight at it.

[andyg]

2 minutes ago, Smoggy said:

That yard usually looks tidy, Richard is a bit of a perfectionist.

I've sat in the bell garden hearing some pill box hunters baffled as there should be one close by, the hexagonal shed in Richards yard across the river is glaringly obvious as a pill box surely, it was in full view at the time and they were facing straight at it.

Lol...

[FairTmiddlin]

4 minutes ago, Smoggy said:

That yard usually looks tidy, Richard is a bit of a perfectionist.

I've sat in the bell garden hearing some pill box hunters baffled as there should be one close by, the hexagonal shed in Richards yard across the river is glaringly obvious as a pill box surely, it was in full view at the time and they were facing straight at it.

Was always a pill box when I was a lad, used to cycle past it every Saturday and Sunday On my Paper round.

[Spray]

You are right there. In the late 1960's there was a boatyard up there called Toby Cruisers . I do not think it was there for long but I do remember seeing 2or 3 of their hire cruisers moored up the dyke, all  with outboard engines.

[trambo]

Toby Holidays was a holiday complex at the Waveney Farm. It operated in the early 1970s and hired mainly shore based accommodation , chalets and caravans. They also operated a small fleet of hire cruisers and an ex RAF houseboat called Mutty. The cruisers were distinctive with a dark blue and white livery. All based on a 26' hull including a centre cockpit version that slept six. They used Bradbeer as their agent. Moored in their dyke on one occasion which was narrow but pleasant.  

Fred