Skipper Information

Every vessel is required to have a nominated skipper whose responsibility is the safety of his or her crew and that of other harbour users. You should read the Good Practice Guide on this website. You must carry a minimum of third party liability insurance. We strongly recommend that skippers access appropriate training schemes.

ENTERING BLAKENEY HARBOUR

Please read the information provided below very thoroughly.

The entrance to Blakeney Harbour from open sea should be treated with considerable caution! Providing there is little or no ground swell, the harbour is usually safe to enter if there is any South in the wind direction. However, winds from other directions, particularly North and East, can create a dangerous short steep swell over the Bar and on the surrounding constantly shifting sandbanks.

Vessels should not attempt to enter or leave the harbour before checking swell conditions. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO ENTER OR LEAVE THE HARBOUR BEYOND 2 HOURS EITHER SIDE OF HIGH WATER.

VESSELS INTENDING TO ENTER OR LEAVE THE HARBOUR FOR THE FIRST TIME SHOULD ALWAYS CHECK THE LATEST ‘NOTICE TO MARINERS’ AND/OR PHONE NEIL THOMPSON ( 07929 181138), HENRY ARCHER (07786 092405) OR WILL DARBY (07795463943) FOR UP TO DATE LOCAL PILOTAGE INFORMATION.

If vessels are planning to leave the harbour on one tide and return on the next, they should carefully check the wind forecast and swell predictions by logging on to the links below. There are no low water safe havens along this stretch of coast, so once vessels are at sea, there is a commitment to remain at sea for at least 6 - 7 hrs before there will be sufficient water to re- enter Blakeney Harbour, by which time a heavy swell may have developed making entry very hazardous and unsafe. Vessels entering or leaving the harbour should refer to the buoyage map which gives details and positions of buoys, lights and shallow areas. Vessel owners should be aware however that sandbanks are constantly shifting in and around Blakeney Harbour, particularly during periods of stormy weather. BHA endeavour to move buoys to reflect changes when they occur, and navigation warnings are regularly posted on this website.

The entrance to Blakeney Harbour from Blakeney Bar beside the Hjordis wreck beacon is well buoyed with large and conspicuous BHA-maintained starboard and port hand buoys at the entrance leading to smaller but still easily visible buoys through the more sheltered waters leading towards the main harbour (known as 'Blakeney Pit'). All the larger outer buoys are lit at night, and many of the inner smaller buoys are also lit, enabling vessels to enter Blakeney Pit at night from the open sea, during periods of settled weather and low swell conditions.

Blakeney Harbour consists essentially of two areas of protected water at low water. Firstly, the area known locally as the 'Lower Harbour' appears as open sea at high tide, but as the water recedes, a vast area of sandbanks are exposed to the West and East, with Blakeney Bar to the North. Between these areas of sand is the Lower Harbour, a long stretch of water running North to South which provides a safe haven in any weather with stretches of reasonably deep water to allow vessels to remain at afloat at anchor during the low tide period, sharing this stunning location with usually in excess of 1000 seals! The Lower Harbour is generally safe and protected from open sea swell from approx 3 hrs after HW to three hours before the next HW, allowing vessels to move from the Lower Harbour to Blakeney Pit before swell from the open sea makes conditions uncomfortable or dangerous to remain in the Lower Harbour area.

Blakeney Pit, at the Western end of the harbour,is the deepest section at HW ,but the majority of the harbour, including most of Blakeney Pit, dries at LW, with just limited areas of shallow water in Blakeney Pit at LW. The entire harbour is approx 3 miles long running East to West from the entrance channels to Blakeney and Cley (via the River Glaven), to the entrance channel to Stiffkey Freshes which is where the River Stiffkey enters the harbour. The entrance channel to Morston is situated approximately half way up the harbour.

Morston Creek is the busiest, and deepest of the four channels leading into the harbour (but is congested during the summer months with numerous seal trip ferries and other craft of all types). Access to Morston Quay is possible approx 2 hrs either side of HW for shoal draft vessels.

The entrance channel to Blakeney is long and winding but is marked by numerous BHA green can buoys, which should be left close to starboard. Access to Blakeney is restricted by tide heights, but it is possible for shoal draft vessels to enter approx 1 hr either side of HW during Spring tide periods, but there is no, or very limited, access during Neap tides.

The entrance channel to Cley via the River Glaven is also limited by tides, with access broadly similar to Blakeney. There is currently an ambitious project in hand to restore Cley Old Harbour quayside adjacent to the iconic Cley Windmill, and to dredge and widen the upper reaches of the Glaven approaching the quayside. The entrance to the Glaven River is clearly marked by numerous BHA red can buoys which should be passed close to Port.

The entrance to Stiffkey Freshes creek at the West end of the harbour is unmarked and access is not advised unless you have walked the area at LW to note the location of the narrow access channel. Again access is restricted by tides - but for shoal draft vessels access is usually possible approx 1.5hrs either side of HW during Spring tides, but very restricted during Neap tides.

Boat owners are strongly advised to walk the Harbour at LW to check the location of access channels, and buoys beacons. It is a stunning area to walk and explore, and safe to walk during the period 2 hrs either side of LW. The ground is mainly hard sand or shingle. A certain amount if wading is required in places, but shorts or waders are fine for a thorough explore of the area, however, we would strongly advise walkers to seek local advice.

 See our live weather conditions and forecast for Blakeney Harbour

 See our ‘Sea State’ page for local coastal swell conditions and forecast (which uses Cromer data)

VISITOR MOORINGS IN BLAKENEY HARBOUR

All moorings in Blakeney Harbour are drying. The harbour is becoming very congested with moored vessels during the summer months, and therefore visiting vessels are strongly advised to book one of the visitors moorings for a rental of £10 per night payable to BHA. Please contact Neil Thompson on 07929 181138 or 01263 741172.

Alternatively, visiting vessels can anchor free of charge in the harbour, please make a donation to BHA who provide and maintain all the buoyage and beacons in and around the harbour, using volunteer labour and limited funds. Before anchoring, vessels are strongly advised to seek advice from BHA regarding the best areas to anchor.

Visiting vessels are not advised to attempt to access landfall at Blakeney or Morston Quays. Blakeney Quay is very congested with moored vessels, some lying three abreast at the quay during summer months. There are no quayside mooring facilities at Morston Quay, which is very busy at all times with seal trip ferries coming and going.

Visiting vessels should access landfall at Morston or Blakeney quays by tender (with outboard motor) from their moored or anchored vessel in Blakeney Harbour. See harbour map on this website for location of facilities at Blakeney and Morston.

For visitors moorings contact NEIL THOMPSON on 07929 181138 or email info@blakeneyharbourassociation.co.uk

For advice regarding anchoring, contact NEIL THOMPSON on 07929 181138

‘NO MOORING‘ AREAS IN BLAKENEY HARBOUR

For some years now the BHA has been promoting a voluntary moorings ban at the Western end of the harbour, West of a line between the South Sands beacon and the Old Lifeboat House. This voluntary ban has worked well and enables fishermen to grow and harvest mussels unhindered in this area and creates clear water for safe waterskiing and other water sport activities.

We are very aware of the considerable concern that exists about the number of moorings in the harbour.  This has been highlighted in the 2020 BHA Members Survey and requests from the Blakeney Sailing Club and Norfolk Etc sailing school for the Eastern end of the harbour to remain as free of moorings as possible to enable sailing races and sailing tuition to operate safely.

With this in mind, BHA has decided to promote a ban on any new moorings being laid at the Eastern end of the harbour, in the area highlighted on the map below. If you are looking for a mooring, or thinking of laying a new mooring, please contact BHA for advice.

Please expand this page on your screen to see more detail on this chart.

LAUNCHING BOATS IN BLAKENEY HARBOUR

There are two public slipways at both Blakeney and Morston Quays. The slipways at Blakeney are steep concrete, and at Morston are less steep and gravelled. There are no charges levied for the use of these slipways so please make a donation to BHA to help with the cost of maintaining these slipways and the harbour buoyage and beacons. All this work is undertaken with volunteer labour and BHA's limited funds.

Shoal draft vessels can be launched approx 1 hr either side of HW during Spring tides at Blakeney, but during Neap tides launching of vessels other than dinghies should not be attempted at Blakeney.

Shoal draft vessels can be launched at Morston approx 2 hrs either side of HW Springs at Morston, and 1hr either side of HW Neaps.

For advice about launching locations and BHA donations for use of slipways, please contact NEIL THOMPSON on 07929 181138.

HIGH SPEED POWER BOATS / WATER SKIING

There is no speed restriction in the harbour to the WEST of a line from the South Sands Beacon to the Old Lifeboat House ( blue building) on Blakeney Point. This area can therefore be used by high speed power boats for water skiing. However we request that these vessels avoid operating at high speeds between the red channel marker buoys and the end of Blakeney Point (where the seals are basking). We also strongly request that water skiers do not use the channel marker buoys as a slalom run - we have had several buoy lights badly damaged by ski ropes clipping and damaging the top sections of these lights!

SAFETY ADVICE

Please refer to the guidance notes attached to the Harbour Map on this website for local safety advice. For safety advice regarding vessels, please contact the RYA or RNLI (contact details on this website, attached to Harbour Map). For general local safety advice, please contact NEIL THOMPSON on 07929 181138.

The BHA has maintained, preserved and protected the harbour voluntarily for over fifty years.