The current buoy placement is based on a survey conducted a month prior to ours so you will notice a somewhat deeper channel has developed at a slightly different angle of approach however we would recommend adhering to the buoyage as you find it bearing in mind our survey recorded a minimum depth along this recommended track of 1m below LAT. You may also find it’s not too easy to judge your position without a clear transit. It should also be noted the shoal to the north of this ‘deeper’ channel is very steep to and won’t give you much warning on your sounder !

Our survey and beach-walk has also revealed significant exposure of hard clay shelves extending a short way into the channel in the vicinity of Barthorpes Creek. These shelves extend 1-1.5m from the bottom and could catch you unawares if hugging the beach.

We would like to take the opportunity of welcoming the Aldeburgh Yacht Club as new sponsors of this sketchmap and hope you’ll show your appreciation by paying them a visit.

Printed versions of this sketchmap will be available shortly but would remind any potential sponsors that an advertising space remains.(replacing our own U2R design placeholder)

The remaining ad slot is for 68mm wide x 62mm high, including artwork and web banner linking to your website for £300.

The downloadable sketchmap will be released on Monday 14th May, with or without a final sponsor but it would be a missed opportunity considering the level of demand from users of this website.

We would of course like to thank all our existing sponsors and welcome and thank new sponsors Aldeburgh Yacht Club for supporting us.

Please use our contact page to make an enquiry or phone 07824 506444 – we’re all waiting for you !

EAST COAST OF ENGLAND

APPROACHES TO THE RIVER DEBEN

WOODBRIDGE HAVEN LIGHTED BUOY

Amendment : Moved 225° 250 metres to Latitude 51° 58′.105N., Longitude 001° 23′.696E.

Movement effected consequent upon a recent survey.

By Order,
Captain R.H. Barker
Director of Navigational Requirements.

Trinity House,
Tower Hill,
London EC3N 4DH.

EAST COAST OF ENGLAND

APPROACHES TO ORFORD HAVEN

ORFORD HAVEN LIGHTED BUOY

Amendment : Moved 029° 490 metres to Latitude 52° 01′.850N., Longitude 001° 28′.210E.

Movement effected consequent upon a recent survey.

By Order,
Captain R.H. Barker
Director of Navigational Requirements.

Trinity House,
Tower Hill,
London EC3N 4DH.

2nd May, 2012.

This change is reflected in the download.

Following a substantial revision of the survey process, including the acquisition of a survey vessel and method of data processing and presentation, we are pleased to release for download the first Deben Entrance sketchmap of 2012.

The Deben Entrance has remained fairly stable from 2011 with somewhat more water available over the bar with a minimum depth of 1.2m on the track between the West Knoll and Mid Knoll Buoys. A shoal patch of 1.2m depth exists approximately 100m south of the Deben Buoy.

Printed versions will be available shortly.

We would like to thank our sponsors:

• Fox’s Marina
• Suffolk Yacht Harbour
• Seamark Nunn
• Tidemill Yacht Harbour
• Atlantic Rigging
• Suffolk Sails
• Marine Surveys East & South Ltd
• Deben Inns

In particular we would like to thank the generous individuals who have contributed towards maintaining this service and assisting in funding fuel, vessels and survey equipment required to gather the data in the first place.

New Berthing Pontoon in Brightlingsea Harbour

Installation of a new berthing pontoon will commence on Monday 23rd April and will last approximately two weeks. It is likely that there will be an increase in works traffic within the harbour and mariners are requested to pass vessels engaged in this operation at slow speed and with minimum wash.

Brightlingsea Harbour Commissioners will install this new pontoon between the Fisherman’s pontoon and the Town Jetty Hammerhead. The pontoon will lie almost parallel to the existing pontoons with the approximate positions of the eastern and western ends being:-

51° 48.24’N 001° 01.34’E
51° 48.223’N 001° 01.868’E

Further information may be obtained from the Harbour Office or calling VHF Ch68

Robin Cole

Brightlingsea Harbour Master

Their positions are:

Oxley: 52° 02.150 N  001° 27.800 E

Weir: 52° 02.423 N  001° 27.655 E

This means the channel marked last year remains the recognised approach with the southern approach having closed completely.

We shall be conducting a survey of the area in the next days for sketchmap release. In the mean time you can see from the aerial photograph taken a couple of days ago, the extent of shoaling which has occurred to the south. See this post …

By way of a teaser, here are pictures of the Ore and Deben Entrance taken at low water (on the 1st April 2012)

River Deben Entrance 1st April 2012

River Ore Entrance 1st April 2012

Based on initial corrected results, the current buoy placements can be confirmed as good, with a minimum depth of 1.2m at CD/LAT to be found along the track between the Mid Knoll and West Knoll buoys with depths generally in the region of 1.5m

Deep water may generally be found closer to the Felixstowe Ferry side of the channel although some caution is advised as the receding beach to the north of the rock embankment has revealed the ends of groynes which were previously under the beach but are well marked with beacons.

The full survey/sketchmap will be available online in the next couple of days (excluding the aerial photography which still needs to be undertaken)

The wreck sits approximately 0.5m proud of the riverbed in about 4m of water at half flood so not really a hazard to navigation. The overall length is around 8.5m (28ft). If anyone knows anything about this wreck, it would certainly feed my curiosity.