Yes! We made it today. Up at 2:45 am, a dawn departure from Sharpness, flat calm conditions all the way, into Portishead Marina for 5 hours, then on up the Avon (tidal) to the Floating Harbour. There's lots more to tell, but its very hot weather, we are badly in need of a drink (or two).....
The alarm went off at 2:45 and we stumbled out of bed for a slightly non-routine start. After seeing to the dogs and a cup of strong coffee we began final preparations not knowing what lay ahead. The water tank vent opens inside the front locker, so that needed taping up to avoid possible ingress of dirty estuary water, the front doors would be taped too, but not until we left the tidal basin moorings. The cratch cover was put down in case of rough water. At 3:50 am our companion boat, Spuyten Duyvel with Harvey and Ellen aboard, appeared moving silently down the canal looking impressive with all navigation lights on in the darkness. We joined them and crept towards the low swing bridge at the entrance to the docks. There was relief as an impressive screeching and scraping sound signalled movement and soon we were creeping across the dock basin looking for the lock. We breasted up at the lock and our long lines were tied off on the dock-side. An initial relaxed atmosphere suddenly racked up a notch as it appeared that a freighter due in that morning was earlier than expected and the lock was needed, so without our pilot the lock was drawn down - a long way. As the gates opened we had the impressive sight of the bows of a very large boat passing the entrance of the tidal basin in order to turn and stem the tide prior to entering. We did as instructed and waited on the pontoon for high tide and our pilot, some 45 minutes away but with the interest of seeing this huge ship inch its way into the dock. The dawn light and clear sky gave it all a magical air. The freighter was the largest the docks could accept and it was interesting to see it have to move across the lock so that one gate could be closed at a time. With five minutes to go our pilot appeared over the top of the wall and climbed down the ladder to join us. He introduced himself as Ken and we elected he should join Harvey and Ellen because they did not have VHF and were only two up. First a question about our engine sizes, preferred settings and speeds and within a minute we were on our way. I had previously programmed the route into a Garmin GPS72 and was intrigued to find that Ken didn't follow the route to the letter, but kept close to the Eastern shore line initially. This I found out later was to take advantage of eddy currents in the last of the rising tide. There is obviously plenty of water then. Past the power station we crossed to the Western side and the bridges came into view. It was reassuring to see the lead markers and various buoys we had been instructed about in the video, but again we did not follow them exactly as again Ken was, as he put it, "following the water" to get the best speed. Our peak speed over the ground was 10.3 mph on the approach to the upper Severn Bridge where we saw whirlpools and lots of upwelling in the water, but none of this affected the boat. It was a flat calm all the way. The "Shoots" were really much the same but our speed was less, about 9 mph. Ken then took a direct line Portishead Marina from the new bridge. Harvey said afterwards that he was on the mobile phone quite a lot, so I guess that he had cleared this route with Bristol VTS. (I used my VHF to confirm no traffic as technically I was responsible for my boat, not the pilot). Perhaps the most dodgy part was the approach to Portishead Marina as the channel is quite narrow with mud banks on one side. It would also be quite easy to get swept past by the falling tide. The lock chamber is impressively large and deep, with mooring pontoons inside. Having sector gates, the inrush of water is impressive. The front of our boat got covered in foam. Portishead Marina charges £15.50 for the privilege of going up and down for 5 hours stay and at 14:00 we were in the lock again this time to be let out into a rising tide for our cruise up the Avon. Once out into the tidal stream, we set course for the South Pier Lighthouse and when close enough to avoid the shallows, turned up river. The approach to the City Docks at Bristol from the tidal Avon must be the most attractive in the country through the steep sided gorge and with Brunel's magnificent bridge as the final flourish. Having radioed ahead, the lock was ready for us, and once up through into the floating harbour we found the dockside and water buzzing with activity. Our most exiting and ambitious trip yet thus ended with us mooring on the wall in Bathurst Basin, now home to the Cabot Cruising Club.
Comments