Free as the Wind Sailing Magazine

From the North, find either the Knoll (N. Car Q) and then follow round the Eagle (G QG) to the Colne Bar buoy (G QG); or cut the corner by going North of the Eagle and even the Colne Bar buoy to the river. If you are going to do the latter then be sure to plan your course to suit the draft of your boat and the state of the tide. From here head for the Inner Bench Head (Fl(2)R) and the Colne Point No 1 buoy(G), these are accompanied by the yellow Fishery buoy to the West.

From the South via the Swin Spitway In the this case find the Knoll as above and follow that route into the river.

From the Blackwater either follow the buoyed channel until you get to the bar buoy, or cross closer in to Mersea Island, keeping clear of the Cocum Hills shoals.

	Make your way up the buoyed channel, passing well clear of the No13 (Fl G) as it dries at LWS, until you can see Bateman's tower on the shore. In front of this you should be able to make out the S. Cardinal Brightlingsea Spit Buoy, it starts to get shallow after this, around a metre at LWS.
As you approach the cardinal you should be able to make out the leading marks (041 deg. T) upon the north shore, they have been enhanced in our picture, roughly on a line between the cardinal buoy and the red can on the Brightlingsea side of the creek. At this point you should be close to the Brightlingsea Spit Cardinal, do not be tempted to cut the corner.
The southern, St Osyth, side of the channel is marked by a green cone, deeper water is to the south of the channel.
	By now you should be able to make out the line of moored boats with a N. Cardinal beacon. If you haven't done so then call up the harbour master on Ch 68, he may well be about in his dinghy and will lead you to a berth, if you're short handed and he has time he may well help you moor. Be aware that you may have to run down the length of the pontoon and perform a tightish turn at the bottom with the current running at upto 3 knots.

Brightlingsea Harbour Pilot

by Jeremy Hoyland