Practical Boat Owner - February 2016

Southwold and the River Blyth

➜

The entrance has a minimum
depth of 1.1m at chart datum.
Aim to sail midstream through the
harbour mouth until the channel
opens up, at which point turn to

starboard and keep close to the

knuckle. On reaching the former

Commercial Quay, turn to port

and run straight up the harbour to

avoid the very shallow water along

the southern bank. To keep out of

diffi culty, you should stay within

3m of the recently refurbished

quay, which is now used by

larger visiting craft including the

occasional Thames sailing barge

and sail training ships as well as

those requiring red or white diesel.

The starboard mark at the end of

the quay highlights the point at

which you should move back to

the middle of the channel for the

voyage up the harbour towards

the visitor moorings.

Even though a 4-knot speed

limit offi cially applies within the

harbour, this should not be taken

at face value. Experience has

demonstrated that it is impossible

to set a speed limit that minimises

wash without endangering boats

at certain stages of the tide.

Therefore, all users of the port

are asked to act responsibly and

keep their wash to a minimum

at all times. This is particularly

important when passing the

small wooden open rowing boat

that Dani Church operates as a

ferry between Walberswick and

Southwold. This popular summer

service has been run by her family

since the Second World War,

when Dani’s great-grandfather

Robert Cross (better known as

‘Old Bob’) started taking troops

across the river in his boat. If the

weather takes a turn for the worst,

Dani occasionally uses a more

modern GRP open workboat as

a temporary replacement for

the traditional rowing boat to

maintain the service.

Walberswick

Despite its modest waterfront,

Walberswick was a bustling

port trading in cheese, bacon,

timber, corn and fi sh from the

13th century through to the early

20th century, when severe silting

triggered its decline. These days,

the village’s main waterside

activities centre around the

age-old East Coast pursuit,

enjoyed by generations of

children, of fi shing for crabs along

the edge of Dunwich Creek. At

times it feels as though the village

has been colonised by celebrities,

with Richard Curtis, Martin Bell,

Geoffrey Palmer and Paul Heiney

all owning holiday homes in

Walberswick. Another of the

village’s former residents, Emma

Freud, used it as the setting for

her novel The Sea House.

Those who catch the ferry or

follow the footpath to Walberswick

Southwold

Southwold SC

Quay

Q.R

Fl.G

2F.G

The Knuckle

Fl(4)WR

Lighthouse

Bailey bridge

River Blyth

Reydon

Quay

Walberswick

Gun Hill

Buss Creek

Pier

Walberswick

Common

Southwold

Common

Marine

Services

Tinker’s Marsh

Reydon Marshes

Gun

Hill Cliff

2m

NM

0 0.5

Dunwich

Creek

Chart not to be used for navigation

SOUTHWOLD

This rowing boat acts as a summer ferry

between Walberswick and Southwold

The Tearoom & Restaurant can be found on the edge of Walberswick green Children fi sh for crabs at the edge of Dunwich Creek

The occasional ferry