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Pilotage
into Watchet Harbour Marina Watchet
is fronted by a rocky foreshore which dries out for half a mile. The harbour is
tidal and the outer harbour dries completely. Pleasure steamers can be
accommodated on the West Pier and other small pleasure vessels are allocated
designated areas. The
entrance to the harbour lies between two breakwaters and is 28 metres wide. The
breakwaters are marked with a lighthouse and beacon. The
navigational guidance published in the Macmillan Reeds Nautical Almanac is: Navigation:
Waypoint 51o12’.00N
03o18’.80W,
028o/208o
from/to
harbour entrance, 1.1M. Rks/mud dry 5ca to seaward. Beware tidal streams 4-5kn
at sp offshore and around W pier hd. Culver Sand (0.9m) is approx 6M NNE, marked
by ECM and WCM lt buoys. 5M E of harbour are Lilstock range target buoys. DZ No
2 SPM buoy, Fl Y 10s, bears 030o/3.2M
from Watchet. Lights
and Marks:
Two unlit radio masts (206m) bearing 208o/1.6M
from harbour entrance are conspic approach marks. Hinkley Point nuclear power
station is conspic 7.3M to the E. W pier hd FG 9m 9M on Red (R) tr. E pier hd 2
FR (vert) 3M. © Nautical
Data Ltd. Reproduced from The Macmillan Reeds Nautical Almanac 2001 with the permission of Nautical Data Ltd. There
is a port radio station at Watchet, on which a listening watch is maintained,
and which can be contacted on VHF Channel 80. Tidal
Streams It
is advisable to approach Watchet Harbour less than 1½ hours prior to high
water. During
the marina access period the flow across the harbour entrance is predominently
westbound and attention must be given to this flow when approaching the harbour
entrance. Marina
Access Control Vessel
movements through the marina lock gate are controlled by traffic light signals
which are as follows: Traffic
lights facing into the harbour (sea) “Sea
side” traffic lights consist of three red lights and three green ones. When
the green lamps are illuminated vessels
may proceed through the gate with caution. When the red lamps are illuminated it
means that vessels shall not proceed. Traffic
lights facing into the marina “Marina
side” traffic lights are intended to control the traffic leaving the marina
into the outer harbour. They have similar form and function to those traffic
lights facing “sea side”. Charts
and Waypoints Admiralty
chart no. 1165 Harbour entrance - 51o11’.00 N. 03o19.64 W
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