Cruising Around Dartmouth

ENTERING DARTMOUTH

 

Dartmouth is deep, sheltered and easy to enter. The approach is from SSE, leaving Castle Ledge green buoy to starboard and the red Homestone buoy to port. Two south-cardinal buoys guard the dangers on the east side of the approach around the Mew Stone.

 

Opposite Kingswear Castle leave Checkstone red buoy to port, steer through the narrows and follow the river upstream. Opposite Bayard’s Cove, watch out for the Lower Ferries whose floats are towed alongside with tugs – they need room to manoeuvre. The Higher Ferry, half a mile further up, is paddle-driven on two cables that sink down behind it, so wait to pass at least 50m astern. Dart marina is just beyond the Higher Ferry on the west shore.

 

At night: The white sector of Kingswear leading light brings you safely in from the south-east between the Homestone and West Rock buoys and then through the castle narrows.

 

DARTMOUTH APPROACH WAYPOINTS

 

WP1	Homestone clearing, 1 cable SE of Homestone red buoy 50º19.52'N, 03º33.45'W
WP2	Dartmouth approach, 1 cable west of Castle Ledge green buoy 50º20.00'N, 03º33.28'W
WP3	Dartmouth entrance, 200m SW of Kingswear Castle 50º20.45'N, 03º33.72'W
WP4	West Rock clearing, 4½ cables 230º T from Mew Stone SE tip 50º19.75'N, 03º32.47'W
WP5	Mew Stone south clearing, ¼ºT from Mew Stone SE tip 50º19.82'N, 03º31.76'W
WP6	Eastern Blackstone clearing, 2 cables SE of eastern rock 50º20.05'N, 03º30.99'W

Datum WGS 84

Useful contacts for Yachtsmen

DART HARBOUR AND NAVIGATION AUTHORITY

Dart House, Oxford Street. Tel: 01803 832337. Channel 11, call sign ‘DART NAV’. Yacht Taxi Tel: 01803 832337

Mob: 07970 346571. Channel 69

YACHT CLUBS

Dartmouth YC, South Embankment. Tel: 01803 832305

Royal Dart YC Kingswear Tel: 01803 752272

 

CHANDLERS

DMS Chandlers, Noss on Dart. Tel:01803 833772

Shipmates, 2 Newcommen Road. Tel: 01803 839292

Darthaven, Brixham Road, Kingswear. Tel: 01803 752733

 

CASH POINTS

Lloyds TSB, Spithead

HSBC, 18 Duke Street

Nat West, 2 Duke Street

 

TOURIST INFORMATION

Dartmouth and District visitors Information Centre

The Engine House, Mayors Avenue. Tel: 01803 834224

Image courtesy of Princess Yachts International PLC

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