In addition to the Summer Cruise, this years August Cruise is to the Blackwater. Departing Friday/Saturday 9th of August and returning Saturday 16th of August. This trip has a relaxed pace and we will visit the major yachting and historic sailing centres on the Blackwater that we missed last year. There are two contingency days if weather proves to be an issue and also the potential for yachts to join the cruise late and/or depart early if you have other commitments. The intention is to arrange the itinerary to be as flexible as possible so the maximum number of members can take part. (Image above; Club Cruise Heybridge Basin, July 2019).
Outline Itinerary
Please note this is the first version, a further update will be issued after our berth bookings are confirmed.
Friday 8 August – Depart URYC 15.20 stay overnight at Burnham (buoy or marina)
Saturday 9 August – Depart Burnham 11.00 – 12.00, to West Mersea arrive by 16.00
Sunday 10 August – West Mersea
Monday 11 August – Depart W Mersea 09.00 – 10.00, arrive Heybridge 13.40 enter lock 14.00 on
Tuesday 12 August – Heybridge Basin
Wednesday 13 August – Depart Heybridge by 16.00, arrive Bradwell before 19.00
Thursday 14 August – Bradwell (contingency day)
Friday 15 August – Depart Bradwell 07.00 – 08.00 (via Spitway) or 12.00 – 13.00 (via Raysand) destination Burnham Marina (or URYC if you need to return early)
Saturday 16 August – Depart Burnham Marina 13.00 – 14.00 to URYC arriving circa 15.20 on
Sunday 17 August – URYC (contingency day)
Cruising Notes
Friday 8 August – Spring tides this week. HW Hullbridge 13.19, Burnham HW 12.54, LW 19.18
Depart URYC 15.20 and take the ebb tide to Burnham – stay overnight (buoy or marina)
Saturday 9 August – HW URYC 14.00, HW Burnham 13.37, HW West Mersea circa 14.00
Depart Burnham by 11.00, (or 10.00 if the wind is from an Easterly quarter). Maintain a min 3 knots over the ground, stay close to the North shore of the Crouch to minimise the adverse tide. The Raysand Channel is 8.5 miles from Burnham Marina. Time your arrival between 1 and 2 hours before HW (circa 13.30). Alternatively, leave from URYC as soon as your boat floats and motor-sail to Holliwell Point.
If you have a bilge keel yacht and you get to Holliwell Point an hour before HW, this will enable you to ‘cut the corner’ by progressively turning to the North, crossing the Dengie and St Peters Flats. If you take this short cut (saves 2 miles), simply sail in 3 metres depth of water, all the way to the Blackwater. Destination West Mersea (17 miles via Raysand Channel), arrive West Mersea by 16.00. Moorings will be allocated by the West Mersea Yacht Club tender coxswains.
Sunday 10 August – Ashore West Mersea
WMYC tenders will ferry visitors ashore during the day. Operates 08.30 to sunset or 21.00.
Monday 11 August – LW West Mersea circa 08.30, HW Heybridge circa 15.25
Depart W Mersea 09.00 – 10.00, departure time depends upon wind direction leave by 07.30 if there is a West wind, if early you can always anchor at Osea Island for lunch. Arrive Heybridge (11 miles) by 13.40 (this link takes you to the lock entry info).
Please note it’s essential to get there at least one hour before HW. Radio the lock-keeper when you arrive. Enter the lock when called forward (probably no earlier than 14.00 onwards). If it’s very busy visitors can be kept waiting for up to an hour before being given permission to enter.
If you arrive early, you may find it easier to pick up a vacant buoy and await the lock-keepers’ instructions, rather than motor in circles.
If weather fine, BBQ in the evening.
Tuesday 12 August – Heybridge basin, visit Maldon by bus or (a long) walk. Check nearby pub/restaurant opening hours for a meal ashore in the evening.
Wednesday 13 August – HW Heybridge circa 16.30, LW Bradwell 22.40
Depart Heybridge by 16.00, arrive Bradwell Marina (8 miles) by19.00. Meal in clubhouse.
Thursday 14 August – Bradwell, walks, swim etc. Dinner in the Green Man. (contingency day)
Friday 15 August – LW Bradwell 11.30, HW Burnham 17.30, HW Hullbridge 17.37
Swin Spitway route: Depart Bradwell 07.00 – 08.00 if you decide to sail back via the Swin Spitway, but leave by 06.30 if the wind is Easterly. Time your arrival at the Swin Spitway for low water (11.00). It’s 11.5 miles to the Swin Spitway buoy, then 15 miles to Burnham Marina).
Alternatively, leave at 12.30 – 13.30 to sail back via the Raysand Channel (18.5 miles).
Raysand Channel route: Leave 12.30 if the wind in Easterly quarter, otherwise 13.00. Time your arrival at the most southerly/shallowest part of the Raysand Channel (10 miles) for 15.00 (2.5 hours before HW) unless conditions are calm. Overnight Burnham Marina (8.5 miles).
Alternatively, you can sail back to URYC if the wind is not from a westerly quarter if you need to return early. Arrive URYC by 15.00-16.00 via Swin Spitway, or, 18.00–19.00 via taking Raysand.
Saturday 16 August – HW Burnham 18.18, HW Hullbridge 18.20
Depart Burnham Marina 13.00 – 14.00 destination URYC arriving circa 15.20 onwards (7.5 miles)
Sunday 17 August – (contingency day)
URYC yachts rally at Heybridge Basin 2017
Appendix 1
Burnham Tide times – issued by CHA
Date Day |
Burnham High Tides |
Burnham Low Tides |
|||||||
| AM | Metres | PM | Metres | AM | Metres | PM | Metres | ||
| 8 | Fri | 00:38 | 4.60 | 12:54 | 4.73 | 06:46 | 0.59 | 19:18 | 0.26 |
| 9 | Sat | 01:24 | 4.89 | 13:37 | 4.93 | 07:33 | 0.43 | 20:03 | 0.02 |
| 10 | Sun | 02:06 | 5.11 | 14:17 | 5.05 | 08:14 | 0.32 | 20:44 | -0.11 |
| 11 | Mon | 02:46 | 5.24 | 14:54 | 5.12 | 08:52 | 0.28 | 21:24 | -0.15 |
| 12 | Tue | 03:25 | 5.28 | 15:30 | 5.15 | 09:30 | 0.29 | 22:02 | -0.09 |
| 13 | Wed | 04:04 | 5.24 | 16:08 | 5.13 | 10:06 | 0.34 | 22:39 | 0.05 |
| 14 | Thu | 04:45 | 5.11 | 16:47 | 5.05 | 10:44 | 0.43 | 23:18 | 0.25 |
| 15 | Fri | 05:27 | 4.91 | 17:30 | 4.89 | 11:24 | 0.55 | 23:59 | 0.49 |
| 16 | Sat | 06:12 | 4.63 | 18:18 | 4.64 | 12:09 | 0.72 | ||
Times are adjusted for BST
Datum of Predictions: Chart Datum=2.35m below Ordnance Datum Newlyn.
Highest Astronomical Tide (HAT)=5.76m
Lowest Astronomical Tide (LAT)=-0.71m
Mean HW Springs (MHWS)=4.90m
Mean HW Neaps (MHWN)=3.85m
Mean LW Springs (MLWS)=0.10m
Mean LW Neaps (MLWN)=1.15m
Average Flood Time 6hrs 9m
Average Ebb Time 6hrs 16m
Appendix 2
TIDE times West Mersea
Tidal Differences
To estimate the time of tides of the destinations on this cruise (plus or minus 10 minutes) use the Burnham Tide Times in Appendix 1. Then apply the differences listed below.
Note however these differences apply to average hight tides: The greatest variations occur at the top of spring tides and at low water neaps. There are spring tides during the August Cruise.
To illustrate the AVERAGE tidal differences you might need to factor in, please compare the above high and low tide times at West Mersea with Burnham Tide Times in Appendix one.
Technically they should be less than 5 mins difference between both locations. In reality, you can see it how the difference varies during this week.
- Whitaker Beacon/Swin Spitway minus 20 minutes
- West Mersea and Bradwell are the same as Burnham
- Heybridge Basin add 20 minutes
- Hullbridge add 16 minutes
Heybridge Basin tide times = Maldon minus 5 minutes
HIGH tide times MALDON
Date Time Level (m)
10/08/2025 02:11 2.87
10/08/2025 14:33 2.88
11/08/2025 02:51 2.95
11/08/2025 15:11 2.97
12/08/2025 03:29 2.99
12/08/2025 15:49 3.01
13/08/2025 04:08 2.96
13/08/2025 16:24 3.01
Want to download or print a PDF of the August Cruise 2025, please click this link
URYC Cruise July 2019, West Mersea