Notices to Mariners
Local Notice to Mariners No. 3/11
Proposed New Berthing Pontoon in Brightlingsea Harbour
This Notice is being promulgated as a consultation with stakeholders on the above proposal.
Brightlingsea Harbour Commissioners are proposing to install a floating pontoon 69 metres in length and 2.5 metres wide between the fishermen’s pontoon and the Town Jetty Hammerhead. The pontoon will lie approximately parallel to the existing pontoons and approximately 30 metres from it and 65 metres from the Hammerhead. The approximate positions of the eastern and western ends are:
51° 48.24’N 001° 01.34’E
51° 48.223’N 001° 01.868’E
It is intended that the pontoon will be installed later in 2011 and will provide, in the long term, permanent berthing for the traditional fishing smacks which are part of Brightlingsea’s marine heritage and thus provide a showpiece for the Harbour.
Thought has been given to ensuring that dinghies and dayboats will still be able to sail to and from their moorings past the pontoons at all states of tide and that there is minimum interference with access to the other pontoons and moorings in South Channel.
More information about the proposal is available from the Harbour Office.
Comments are invited about these proposals prior to a licence for the works being applied for.
The closing date for comments is 28th February 2011
Local Notice to Mariners No. 2/11
Conduct of Vessels in the River Colne and Brightlingsea Harbour.
This Notice cancels Local Notice to Mariners 5/09. This Notice is being promulgated to minimise the risk of potentially dangerous wash from vessels transiting the River Colne and Brightlingsea Harbour.
It offers guidelines on the conduct of vessels navigating in close quarters with other vessels, particularly where one or more of the vessels are small.
All larger and faster vessels should be aware of the large number of small vessels using the River Colne and Brightlingsea Creek and adjust their speed accordingly to avoid creating heavy wash which could be dangerous for small vessels navigating or engaged in sailing and fishing in the Estuary including the area below Buoy 13.
Notwithstanding the above, it is incumbent on all vessels, large or small to navigate in a manner which avoids nuisance to other users and disturbance to the wildlife within the Estuary SSSI.
It is recommended that small vessels plan and execute their passage where possible to avoid close quarters situations with the large and fast vessels which navigate within the buoyed fairway.
In line with local bye laws it is an offence for vessels to produce unnecessary wash within the harbour limits and to exceed the statutory speed limits in both the River and the Harbour. In some cases vessels may need to reduce speed below statutory speed limits to prevent wash when passing other vessels at close quarters. Vessels should navigate safely in accordance with the International Collision regulations in particular (Rule 6) Safe speed, (Rule 9) Narrow channels, (Rule 8) Action to avoid collision.
In cases where vessels persistently contravene local bye laws regarding excessive speed and wash, Brightlingsea Harbour Commissioners will take action which may result in refusal of mooring facilities and possible prosecution of offenders.
VHF Communication
For the safety of all vessels in the River Colne all vessels fitted with a VHF radio and navigating in the River Colne above the Inner Bench Head buoy should keep a listening watch on VHF channels 16 & 68.
Other vessels should be called on VHF channel 16. If other vessels cannot be raised on channel 16, vessels may be called on channel 68. Vessels in contact with each other should then switch to a mutually agreed working channel. The vessels working on the wind farm listen on both VHF channels 16 & 68 but use a private channel for calling and normally use channel 6 for intership communication.
Local Notice to Mariners No. 1/11
Dredging Operations in Brightlingsea Harbour
This Notice should be read in conjunction with Local Notice to Mariners 1/10.
Dredging in North Channel has been completed. A channel has been created with a width of 14 metres and a depth of 0.75 metres below CD from the Town Jetty Hammerhead to the new fuel facility off the Pioneer Trust site just beyond Morgan’s Boatyard slip.
Dredging is continuing in South Channel in the immediate vicinity of the pontoon moorings. A dredging barge is operating during daylight hours and a pipeline extends from it to Cindery Island. The pipeline is partially afloat and partially submerged and its position will change as dredging progresses. The dredger shows the “restricted in its ability to manoeuvre” daymark plus a fixed white light by night. The floating section of the pipeline is marked by unlit buoys.
Night time navigation between the western tip of Cindery Island and St Osyth Creek in South Channel is not recommended until the dredging operation has ceased. All vessels intending to navigate this area of South Channel should advise Brightlingsea Harbour prior to entering South Channel for the latest information regarding obstructions to navigation and should proceed with caution at all times.
Staff are on duty in Brightlingsea Harbour from 0800 to 1600 every day and can be contacted after hours in an emergency on 07967 505854.
