Entering Wells Harbour

Whether approaching Wells Harbour from the Blakeney Overfalls, the South Race, the Woolpack or the Burnham Flats, you will have no difficulty in laying and holding a course for the Wells Leading Buoy, a port-hand mark that has replaced the former red and white Wells Fairway Buoy. The water, though quite shallow in parts, presents few hazards and the tides are not overly powerful. A useful homing guide is the long plantation of fir trees at Holkham Meals... Wells lies immediately at the Eastern end of this plantation.

Prior to, or on, arrival at the Leading Buoy, it is advisable to call the Harbour Master on VHF Channel 12 (Wells Harbour) for advice about entry. If you are attempting to enter at night or are unsure, the Harbour Launch is often available to escort visitors into the harbour and up to the quayside. If entering at night, a good spotlight or torch will be helpful.

All vessels are advised to approach the harbour entrance from West of the leading buoy. Vessels arriving from the East should pass the leading buoy to port before turning for the harbour entrance rather than making directly for No.s 1 and 2.

Draft
On neap tides, Wells Harbour may be entered by craft drawing up to 6' (1.75m) at high water or at most one hour before or after high water. On Spring tides, there is more scope. Vessels drawing up to 10' (3m) can use the harbour at high water and vessels of up to 1.5m draft can look at entry two hours either side of high water.

The channel
The entrance channel across the bar and into the harbour is subject to change from time to time. Although the buoyage system is relatively stable, keep a look out for temporary pellet buoys and beacons to show changes in the channel.

155° from the Leading Buoy, the large green No. 1 conical buoy flashing green and the large red No. 2 can buoy flashing red on the bar itself will be visible in most conditions. Make good a course to come between them, being aware of a strong tidal set to the east from approximately two hours before high water.

From No.s 1 and 2, the smaller buoys of the entrance channel become visible and it is better to favour the starboard side because of the considerable east going stream. From the starboard buoy No. 9 (the 'Knock'), the channel bends away towards the South East into quieter waters. The wide sweep to the eastward just past the lifeboat house must be made with the red marks close to port as the channel is quite narrow. On passing the green buoy named the 'Pool', turn to the South West and follow the buoys to the last red can buoy (No. 14) then sweep back East close to the marsh edge and follow the red beacons to the Quay.

Mooring at the Harbour
The quay at Wells runs East to West. The West end of the quay wall is reserved for visiting vessels, with some pontoon berths, and to the North East of the harbour office there are visitors' moorings which dry out on flat sand and give easy shore access. Longer term moorings are available in the creeks to the East of the quay and in the western side of the channel.

VHF
A recurring problem has been vessels not maintaining a listening watch on VHF channel 12 while inside the harbour, which can cause difficulties if the harbour launch needs to raise them. All vessels should maintain a listening watch on channels 12 and 16 while inside the harbour. A small minority of visiting vessels fail to call Wells Harbour on channel 12 before entering which can cause problems with berthing at the pontoons. It would be appreciated if visiting vessels would raise the Harbour before entering.

The Harbour Launch
The Harbour Launch provides an invaluable service afloat for all harbour users.

Vessels visiting Wells for the first time, or other vessels on request, are normally met in the vicinity of the Leading Buoy and guided into the harbour, especially at night. We know from the comments of skippers that this service is very appreciated and worthwhile to all concerned.

The Harbour Launch also helps with the maintenance and movements of moorings, navigational aids, with towing and repositioning vessels and so on. In busy periods, the launch is used for harbour patrols and last season saw the usual mix of incidents with vessels aground, breakdowns and, on a few occasions, going to the aid of tenders that had got into difficulties due to overloading and swamping. On one occasion, the occupants were not wearing life jackets because these were kept on their yacht... it is advisable to wear life jackets while afloat at all times particularly in small tenders which have little or no inherent buoyancy and may quickly sink if swamped.

Nav Aids
Nav Aids within the harbour are continually maintained and updated by the harbour commissioners and are inspected annually by Trinity House which spends a day physically here inspecting the harbour. 2007 again found our nav aids in good order and more the sufficient.

The Wells Fairway buoy was replaced by the Leading Buoy (a red can marked 'Wells Harbour') in 2006 on a trial basis. This has now become a permanent mark as all comments from harbour users and visitors have been favourable and the mark has helped to keep vessels in the deep water track while entering the harbour.

 
 

Charts AC 108, SC5164 Imray Y9, C28 OS 132 Leading Buoy Latitude 52°59'.67N Longitude 000°50'.36E Course 155° from Leading Buoy to No. 1 buoy Port Radio Call "Wells Harbour" on VHF Channel 12 before or on arrival at Wells Leading buoy. Telephone Harbour office (01328) 711646 or HM on 07775 507284 or DHM (07881) 824912. Draft Max 3m at HW Springs. Most vessel movements 2hrs before to 2hrs after HW, dependent on draft. Lights Leading Buoy Fl.(2)R.5s Starboard buoys Fl.G.3s Port buoys Fl.R.3s Mooring Contact the harbour prior to or on arrival for advice. Visitors moorings marked yellow on West side of channel just before entry to the Quay (all drying). Pontoon berths or quay wall berths may be available from the West end to the middle of the Quay (do not moor from the middle to the east end of the quay, as this area is used by commercial fishing vessels). Please contact harbour staff for advice about suitable positions for anchoring... keep the fairway and channel clear and do not anchor near the quayside, within mooring areas or in front of the Lifeboat house.