Passage Planning Part 2

Following on from the success of yesterday’s post regarding passage planning here is a simplified version of the passage plan for the second leg of our upcoming trip from Grimsby to Lowestoft.

As with yesterdays post this is a very thinned down version of the real passage plan with many items such as waypoints, phone calls etc. missed out of the plan. It is also worth noting that everyones passage plans will be different depending on how fast they cruise, their fuel range, distances they are happy to travel in one go, hours they are prepare to cruise each day etc. So this is really only a guide to how we are happy to cruise and how we are intending to tackle this leg of the cruise with Naughty-Cal, Nitty Gritty and Blue Pearl.

Grimsby-Lowestoft– Sunday 14 July 2013

Tide Times:

HW Grimsby = 10.00am

Free flow Grimsby = 8.00am – Midday

HW Lowestoft = 2.00pm

Passage Plan:

Leave Grimsby = Approx 8am

Approx 110 miles @ average speed of 25 knots

Arrive Lowestoft  = Approx Midday

Notes:

Be on fuel berth to meet harbour master for 7am. Sign mooring paperwork and refuel ready to leave at 8am. Radio ahead to Fish Dock Island to request permission to leave yacht club basin and enter dock area.

On leaving Fish Dock and entering the Humber inform VTS Humber of your intentions (VHF CH12).

On arrival at Lowestoft radio ahead to Lowestoft Harbour Control (VHF CH14) to request permission to enter the harbour and enter Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club. In the yacht club basin the visitor moorings are immediately to the left outside the club house. Fuel berth directly ahead. Sign in at reception in yacht club building.

So there you have it. Sundays passage plan and if all goes well we should have an afternoons shore leave in Lowestoft to soak up the rays and relax before the next days cruise through the docks and down Mutford Lock on the Norfolk Broads. Thats where the real stressful part of the trip unfolds as we spend seven days dodging hire boats. But even this seemingly easy leg of the journey has to be planned around tide times and bridge lifts.