Great Yarmouth

[j.sabourn]

Once again trying to clear out drawers cabinets boxes etc, etc. are unearthing relics of the past and one is a notebook I kept notes of about Yarmouth when working out of there. Some of these mean nothing to me at present , so am Trying to recollect them. Someone who knows the port maybe can correct.
Entrance 200 m wide between N and S piers , extends 2.5 cables west before sharp bend to N ( Brush Quay) 1971 least depth 4.3 metres in entrance and slightly greater depths inside. Temporary shoaling may occur in entrance during strong easterly winds when depths of less than 1 metre may be expected.
Then is notes on directions and rates depending on outgoing and incoming spring rates of 2.25 knots.
Traffic signals
Two black balls vertically or an amber fixed light = No vessel shall enter port.
No. Vessel to enter when main lights at S pier and Brush point ldg. Lights are extinguished .
What the one I can’t remember is . When in the In Going stream ....
Light exhibits 4 fl. Ev 10 secs
The colour of the light is altered with the rate of the stream, rate less than 1 knot ..orange lt.
Rate more than 1 knot ..violet light
I cannot remember this last one and find it hard to believe I never entered the port during darkness.
So the likes of Thomas who used these.ports a lot and think still does , was I drunk when I made these notes . JS

[Ivan Cloherty]

Not drunk John, just prudent and meticulous

[Roger Millard]

Hello JS although there is a pound shop in the background and the addition of an outer harbour, nothing has changed since i was there in the 50s/60s hopefully the link will help as a reminder.
The lighthouse we used as a heading when entering through the pier heads a coastguard lookout on the port pier head at present manned by NCI volunteers. R.
7 images in cluster Brush Quay in TG5303 :: Geograph ... (if you copy and paste the link it should open)

[thomas michael]

hi john sabourn #1
good evening, your notes on great yarmouth,as meticulous as they are, and whether they where wrote drunk or sober, where wrote with all the skill and professional experience you would have gained at that time, as i remember that entering yarmouth has its own particular way of putting you through a ordeal in winds from the south and anything backing to the north, but the river yare with i believe its seven hour ebb, and a shallow entrance in bad weather could make it extremely dangerous,but and the last time i was there was when i was dropping my son off at putfords offices on waveney road lowestoft, twenty five years ago and we spent a couple of days back and forth between great yarmouth and lowestoft, remembering my days gone by,
tom

[j.sabourn]

It was mainly that light which changed colour with the tidal speed I wondered about as can’t remember ever taking any notice of, and wouldn’t have written it down if it wasn’t there . Seems a bit modern for those days of 40 years ago. Drove down past Boston Putfords place within the last 10 years , which couldn’t remember 40 years ago. At least thought it was their place as had ships tied up there, this though was on the Yare. Cheers JS .