Visitor Moorings
Brightlingsea Harbour Commissioners manage approx 350 resident moorings. These range from half tide swinging moorings to all tide access pontoon berths. Access to all moorings is only available by Water Taxi or your own dinghy. Please see Water Taxi page for details of service.
Applications for resident moorings can be made using the Mooring Application Form. Please return this to the Harbour Office along with the specified deposit.
Please note there is currently a four year waiting list for moorings for vessels of 28 feet (8.5m) or more and for smaller vessels requiring a pontoon berth. There is a shorter waiting list for vessels of 26 feet (8m) which can take the mud.
| Up to 20 feet (6 metres) | £8.00 |
| 20 feet (6 metres) – 26 feet (8 metres) | £9.00 |
| 26 feet (8 metres) – 36 feet (11 metres) | £10.00 |
| 36 feet (11 metres) – 42 feet (13 metres) | £11.00 |
| Over 42 feet (13 metres) on pontoons | £11.00 + £1.00 per metre thereafter |
| Smacks & Bawleys | £9.00 |
| * Less £2.00 per category between 1st November and 31st March | |
Local boats, i.e. those on moorings in the River Colne and its creeks, but not owned by BHC, pay £1.00 less per night than other visitors. Further discounts are available for boats staying for a week or more at certain times of the year and for clubs visiting with 6 or more boats.
| April, May, June, September, October | 1 week mooring = pay for 5 nights |
| July | 1 week mooring = pay for 6 nights |
| August | No Discount |
| November – March | 1 week mooring = pay for 4 nights |
| * Less £2.00 per category between 1st November and 31st March | |
NEW – Visiting boats are welcome to stay in the Waterside Marina with the benefit of walk-off access. Marina berths must be booked through the office in advance. Price includes water and electricity.
| Up to 20 feet (6 metres) | £7.00 |
| 20 feet (6 metres) – 26 feet (8 metres) | £8.00 |
| 26 feet (8 metres) – 36 feet (11 metres) | £9.00 |
| 36 feet (11 metres) – 42 feet (13 metres) | £10.00 |
| Over 42 feet (13 metres) on pontoons | £10.00 + £1.00 per metre thereafter |
| Smacks & Bawleys | £8.00 |
| * Less £2.00 per category between 1st November and 31st March | |
Clubs are requested to phone or email ahead of their planned visit to check that space will be available for the number of boats likely to require a berth. Bookings can only be taken for groups of 6 boats or more. A list of names of boats in the visiting group and their lengths should be provided to the Harbour Office either by phone or email prior to your arrival.
Information for visitors arriving in Brightlingsea by water
All visitors, from novice to experienced sailors are very welcome in Brightlingsea Harbour. We pride ourselves on our welcome in that wherever possible, visiting boats are met on the water as they enter the Harbour and are shown to a berth by members of the Harbour Staff.
Contacting us
Harbour staff can be contacted on VHF Channel 68 and visitors should call in on this channel as they approach the Harbour to request a berth. The Harbour is manned from 0800 - 2000 during high season (Whitsun to 31st August), 0800 - 1700 low season and 0800 - 1600 from 1st Nov to 31st March and you should be able to contact a member of staff on VHF 68 during these times. Alternatively, for those without access to a radio, you may phone the Harbour Office on 01206 302200 instead.
Finding a Berth
It is not possible to book an individual berth, but the chance of us not having a space for you is very small. Boats up to 50 feet (15m) in length and 8 feet (2.5m) draft can be accommodated. Outside working hours, visitors should find an empty berth in the visitor area at the western end of the pontoon nearest to Cindery Island if possible. If there are no spaces here, another empty berth may be used instead. Resident boats are issued with a ‘Back Tonight’ notice which they are requested to leave on their pontoon berth if they expect to be back the same evening. Please avoid these berths if a visitor berth is not available. A berth with no notice on it is usually available for use.
Water Taxi
Berths at Brightlingsea Harbour have no direct access to the land and therefore transport to the land is either via water taxi or your own dinghy/tender. From the beginning of April to the end of October, Ray Eggleton’s Water Taxi service runs from morning until late into the evening during school holidays and from 1700 Friday evening to Sunday evening. For exact service times please see the Water Taxi page.
Ray can be contacted on VHF channel 37/M1 or by phone 07535 508537. Outside these times Brightlingsea Harbour operates a limited water taxi service within normal working hours. Again, they can be contacted on VHF 68 or at the office on 01206 302200.
Paying for your berth
Overnight berthing fees, which include Harbour Dues, can be paid either to the Harbour Staff who collect money direct from visiting boats twice a day or at the Harbour Office. For a list of charges please see the Visitor Charges page. Discounts are available for those who wish to stay for longer periods outside of high season and for Visiting Clubs with a group of 6 or more boats. Payment can be made by credit/debit card (at the Harbour Office), cash or cheque. There are several cash machines available in the Town Centre which is only a short walk away.
