Author: Web Admin

Ships Blog 8/4/2014

Morning all, hot off the Yachting Monthly press:

Gravesend Sailing Club, established in 1896, celebrates the opening of a new pontoon on Saturday 3rd May.

The club – opposite Tilbury Fort on the River Thames is a useful stopping off point for cruising yachts visiting St Katharine’s Dock hard by the Tower of London. From here it is a one-tide sail to Tower Bridge.

For more information see: www.gravesendsailingclub.co.uk
Read more at http://www.yachtingmonthly.com/news/536365/new-pontoon-for-thames-sailors#dUsyFRZRzx8CZGjX.99

And from the East Coast Pilot:

Foulgers Gat Buoyage to be reinstated as of 2nd April

The Long Sand Inner and Outer buoys, removed in 2011 for the London Array construction, are to be returned, together with an extra third buoy, on or around 30th April.

Details as follows:

Long Sand Inner: 51° 38’.775N  001° 25’.435E; Spherical; Red and White vertical stripes; Morse “A” 15 seconds.

Long Sand Outer: 51° 34’.610N  001° 28’.338E; Spherical; Red and White vertical stripes; L.Fl.10 seconds.

Long Sand Middle: 51° 35’.600N  001° 26’.450E; Spherical; Red and White vertical stripes; Iso. 5 seconds.

Better day today in the harbour with plenty of sunshine at the moment. Wind here in the marina averaging around 10 to  16 knots and westerly as forecast. However out of the shelter of the harbour its blowing around 23 to 27 knots. Forecast looking quite good for rest of the week, wind dropping off before the weekend. Last week we had the Dutch tall ships visit Ipswich for an overnight in the wet dock before leaving on the Friday. Don’t forget for your diary the Shotley Point Yacht Club ‘Grand Boat Jumble’ here at the marina on Friday 18th  April 10 till 2pm, admission free.

New Extension to Landguard Quay – NTM

Afternoon all, fresh of the press from Harwich Haven Authority concerning the new extension to Felixstowe Landguard Quay

Harwich 2014

Haven
Authority No. 09
www.hha.co.uk

Notice to Mariners

HARWICH HARBOUR
FELIXSTOWE BERTH 9 QUAY EXTENSION

Mariners are advised that on or about the 8th April 2014 the dredger Shoreway will commence dredging for the Felixstowe Berth 9 quay extension project. Initial work will be to remove soft silts from the Landguard approach area which will be disposed of at the Inner Gabbard disposal site. Other work later in the project will include the placing of reclamation material and the excavation of stiff clay. Further Notices to Mariners will be issued to cover these operations.

The plough dredger Baloe and the survey vessel Shamrock will be supporting the operation.

Detailed dredger movements can be obtained from Harwich VTS on VHF Channel 71.

Lights and shapes as required by Collision Regulations will be exhibited and a listening watch on VHF Channel 71 will be maintained throughout.

2nd April 2014

CAPTAIN N GLENDINNING
HARBOUR MASTER

Ships Blog 2/4/2014

DSC_0108-600-x-400Welcome to the midweek Ships Blog. Bright hazy sunshine after quite an overcast start. This pattern seems to be staying pretty much the same  for the next few days with winds from the East going round to the South West over the weekend. Also there will be a little more wind as well in the next few days. We still have the dredger ‘Shoreway’ working in the harbour. The Environment Agency’s survey boat ‘Thames Guardian is due in the marina this evening staying a few days as part of her normal rotation of surveying in the Thames.

In the yard boats already launched are ‘Pennifold’ and the ex sea school motor boat ‘Finesse II’ which is on brokerage. A reminder for everyone if you are down at the marina during the week working on your boat then always ‘touch base’ so to speak with Andy and Craig in the yard just so that you can park any vehicles you have out of the way of the travel hoist. As you will appreciate things are getting busy with boats being lifted back in for Easter.

Ships Blog 1/4/2014

DSC_0102-600-x-400 DSC_0099-600-x-400Morning and welcome to Tuesdays’s Ships Blog. Beautiful day today with bright sunshine and the temperature already climbing the thermometer. The sunshine continues for tomorrow but not much wind about for the whole of the week, no good if you want to sail but great for the fishing boats and motor boaters!

We are still on Spring tides and today’s predictions are:

HW 13.46 4.17M and LW 19.22 0.30M so predicted depth of water over the sill will be 1.8M at low water.

In the yard the lads, Andy and Craig are busy launching more boats. Going in today so far are ‘Frejya of Orwell’, ‘Charisma’ ‘Samphire and ‘La Boheme’. On the way to work we managed to get a snap shot of the mist over the fields adjacent to the village of Shotley and the river Orwell.