Why don't cruise ships visit Gt Yarmouth? :-)

[sos247]

Obviously, apart from the difficulties some large cruise ships could have negotiating scroby sands etc, I can't really see why it doesn't happen..... The idea of reinstating the Gt Yarmouth as a major commercial port seem to have failed (big time!), so wasn't anything like this ever discussed?      

 

As you can guess we have just returned back from a cruise and visited several great places, but many of the ports were quite 'industrial' areas, and you just use public transport to reach the rural places.  Okay I know this is a bit of a silly question, but there is actually plenty to keep visitors busy for a 12 hour visit..... Plus the income thats generated from a 4000+ passenger cruise ship visiting is quite high! 

 

There is a huge number of historic places to visit in Norfolk, plus plenty to do for people of all ages......, so I just curious!  

 

Princess Cruisers are now running a British Isles cruise which includes Dublin, Belfast, Liverpool & London plus a few others, so why hasn't Great Yarmouth ever pushed for this business? 95% of passengers on Princess are from the USA, Canada & China etc and these people are very passionate about visiting the UK, despite our weather!

 

Its just a thought!.......

[therealist]

My theory is it while everyone was off enjoying themselves on the sea front and taking in thr delights of regent road the ship would probably get nicked! I jest but seriously the Harbour Development seems to have been a massive failure indeed. I had heard of plans to introduce a regular ferry service to the continent, that must have been a non starter to.

[sos247]

I was very interested to find the answer to my question, so I decided to send an email to EastPortUK Ltd!!    I will keep you posted if he replies........

 

i.e.

Jamie Frater - Chief Executive Officer As CEO, Jamie is responsible for the management of all port activities with particular emphasis on the commercial and marketing functions.

Jamie has 38 years experience in the port industry working both overseas and in the UK.  He has spent most of his career working for P&O Ports and Hutchison Port Holdings, and has held CEO positions over the past 6 years working for Hutchison Port Holdings in Oman and Egypt.

[sos247]

The EastPort outer harbour price list shows they could cope! 

 

 

http://www.eastportuk.co.uk/UploadedData/Files/aTariff%202013%20-%20Outer%20Harbour%20-%20FINAL.pdf

[therealist]

Did it say anything about 24hr moorings? Do they have electric or pumpout facilities lol

Infact while on that subject isnt it a shame that a nice harbour marina couldnt be constructed in Great Yarmouth to serve the boaters on the broads, with safe moorings in an enclosed basin with all facilities. It really would make Great Yarmouth look a lot more attractive for river visitors. Maybe in my sons lifetime.

[Guest]

Wasn't one of the reasons for the failure of the outer harbour as a container port the problem with poor wind shelter ?

[diesel falcon]

And swell!!

[sos247]

Wasn't one of the reasons for the failure of the outer harbour as a container port the problem with poor wind shelter ?

 

I would have assumed that detailed & in depth weather & wind condition research/reports were carried out BEFORE £100,000s were invested? or is that just me being cynical?  

[goodall_m1]

Did it say anything about 24hr moorings? Do they have electric or pumpout facilities lol

Infact while on that subject isnt it a shame that a nice harbour marina couldnt be constructed in Great Yarmouth to serve the boaters on the broads, with safe moorings in an enclosed basin with all facilities. It really would make Great Yarmouth look a lot more attractive for river visitors. Maybe in my sons lifetime.

 

I've only passed through Great Yarmouth and turned up the Yare, but isn't the new harbour a bit exposed for access by the normal Broads boat?  

 

There again a nice marina for sea going boats would make it easier for the salties to moor closer to  where their boats were designed to be     instead of having to come down all the way from Brundell.

 

Now somewhere decent to moor on the Bure would be very useful, but I hink that attempst to provide that in the past has have failed...

[therealist]

Thats what I meant goodall , somewhere on the bure within fairly easy reach of the town centre would be good, isnt there a good bit of land at marina quays or has that been re developed havent be passed for a while now .

[Guest]

I would have assumed that detailed & in depth weather & wind condition research/reports were carried out BEFORE £100,000s were invested? or is that just me being cynical?  

 

 

Yes indeed Jason, as most people would have hoped.

 

But it appears that such a basic preparatory step was overlooked.

 

"Work will soon be under way on modifications to Great Yarmouth’s outer harbour to address the swell problem which has dogged the port during its first year of operation."

 

 

from  http://www.edp24.co.uk/business/great_yarmouth_outer_harbour_tackles_swell_1_893761  back in 2011, when it first opened...

[goodall_m1]

No Marina Quays hasn't changed... It needs pontoons there to be useful I think, as the rise / fall is obviously fairly significant.

 

Marina Quays has changed over the years, it used to be open!

 

Any marina on the Bure would potentially face tidal current speed problems as well as the rise and fall.

 

Coming down on the ebb and aiming to tie up on a pontoon that went out into the river would sooner or later end in a crash.

 

Dredging a basin in the land behind the bank , i.e. out of the river stream would possibly be easier but expensive.

You would still face potential problems where boaters went to turn in and were carried past by the current.

I had fun the last time I went to turn into the Waveney River Centre as I didn't allow for the current, and it is almost nothing there compared with at Yarmouth.

 

Pontoons along the bank with suitable ladders to allow access at low water would be useful but would they really add anything...

(And after a few years of neglect would they look like these? (The visitors pontoon at Skiathos in Greece))

[C.Ricko]

I think the outer harbour could be the reason the beach at Hemsby is being eroded at such a significant rate...

 

The best place for a marina would be outside Asda, just dig all the bank away and put floating pontoons there, it is out of the way of the river traffic unlike the other side which would require sea walls and flood defences if dug into the waste land behind it.....

[jeffbroadslover]

Sounds like a good idea to me Clive.

 

It could be a first for Asda having a marina as well as a car park!  I wonder if they would have fuel available at Asda prices. lol

 

I could imagine there could be a potential problem when mooring.......avoiding the discarded trolleys!!

[therealist]

That is a very interesting idea and one the I for one would be thrilled to see happen. Its still within easy reach of the town served by the old railbridge, on the doorstep for asda, good for shopping and equally close to the fuel station for running back and forth with Jerry Cans! If it was all done with a floating pontoon system it could be the new Yacht Station which would be brilliant for tourism, why cant the powers that be think of things like this!

[therealist]

Goodall please mind my boat whilst going sideways passed the WRC!! :-p The pontoons at oulton broad are still in good nick and they have been there quite a while.

[sos247]

I think the outer harbour could be the reason the beach at Hemsby is being eroded at such a significant rate...

 

The best place for a marina would be outside Asda, just dig all the bank away and put floating pontoons there, it is out of the way of the river traffic unlike the other side which would require sea walls and flood defences if dug into the waste land behind it.....

Didn't Jack & Dick at Bure Marine or someone look into planning for a marina? I thought the planning idea was refused???  

As you say it would be an ideal place....all we need to do is find someone who is keen is invest into the idea for the future! :      

[therealist]

I was going to say that but wasn't sure anyone would know where I meant! We cruised the Erne in 1998 and its a far better setup!

[quo vadis]

So has the recession stopped!!!

[MauriceMynah]

Yeah Quo, The recession ended years ago! The politicians are just looking for another reason why nobody's got any money. When they find it they'll let us know.

Don't ya just luv 'em eh?

[therealist]

It was completely different when I went in the late 90s. Must have all been fairly new then the locks and moorings we used are looked pristine. We hired a kilkenny class from Carrick Craft from Knockninny on the upper Erne. We lived in Lisburn at the time and seemed a good choice. I know that base has been moved to the Lower loch I believe. We had a grear time going a fair way down the shannon erne link crossing loch gardice in bad weather! Our favourite place being Houghtons Shore moorings. I fancy returning this time on one of Carricks Wexford class. I bought an updated map of the system recently which came as an A3 size book just to have a look at it. Its far more involved than the Broads having to navigate and stay in marked channels. I am suprised a hire yard on the broads hasnt taken on the Wexford class style , is it a haines hull?

[therealist]

The Caledonian Canal is on my To Do list and I am quite interested in the dutch canals also

[sos247]

I received a reply from Eastport UK Ltd.......!!  
So at least we know that Cruise ships can be accommodated at Gt Yarmouth.

I will try Gt Yarmouth council now, just to see why they haven't pushed for any cruise line business!

The good thing about cruise ships visiting would mean that the A47 wouldn't need dualling, therefore saving a great deal of money (it can be done later when Gt Yarmouth finally has some money!)

The Norfolk area has the history, plus a great deal of places to visit are within a short coach journey???

Just an idea!!      

  

 

 

 

"Hi Jason

 

We would be delighted to receive cruise ships but currently  there is no demand  from cruise lines to call at great Yarmouth, presumably on the basis that the lines don't consider there is sufficient market catchment in the region unlike for example Southampton, or Harwich with their closer proximity to London. However we assure you if cruise lines approach us then we are willing subject to capacity, to handle them in the outer harbour"

 

Kind Regards

 

Jamie Frater

Chief Executive Officer

EastPort UK

Direct Dial:  +44 (0) 1493 335530   Mobile:  +44 (0) 7553 367297  Fax:  +44 (0) 1493 857120

Email: jfrater@eastportuk.co.uk

Web:  www.eastportuk.co.uk

[marshman]

There is no real reason why Marina Quays could not work if there is a will - you dont have to have pontoons given the length of riverside wall. In the past I have never had particular trouble mooring there - the river is much wider and there is ample room to turn.

 

Behind the wall up the North end of the park there is a pitch and putt course - how about selling that off for housing and making it a precondition of planning permission that Marina Quays is made usable again? I do realise that one amenity is being lost for the sake of another and dog walkers would have to take their dogs elsewhere but there are no shortage of dog walking areas nearer the sea!! All seems a bit obvious really and would hugely improve that whole area. I cannot see any real issues other than the fact that Yarmouth Council would have to do something innovative for once but realistically that would be hoping too much i guess given their past track record.

 

Without that it will continue to degenerate and fall further into disrepair - a real shame particularly as the developers would have to pay and the Council would sort out an underused and declining area of the town. Dream on i guess - Yarmouth not especially noted for imaginative regeneration!!!

[therealist]

It a sad state of affairs really, if they have any sense when companies like Tescos and Asda (other stores are available) want to move in to the town they should say yes of course you can build your new store on our town, aslong as you make a sizeable donation to funding for local projects! If i was a town planner or council leader whoever is responsible I would feel as I wasnt doing my Job properly letting an area the size of marina quays fall into a state of disrepair. It could and should be redeveloped substantially for the boating and tourism industry which can only be a good thing for the town. I believe there are regular bus services up and down the road passed it so links to the town are already there. Could we not all get together and put a plan forward to the council