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Images: 8

Helford River (to Gweek Quay)

Channel, West

The Helford River is a beautiful stretch of water that is relatively undeveloped, and offers only modest facilities. The entrance faces east and when the wind blows from this direction unless you are well upstream things can become a bit uncomfortable, however shelter from the West is complete.

It is close to Falmouth, and many boats based there make a pleasant day sail to the Helford River a regular outing. As with many stretches of water in the UK, a shoal draft boat drawing less than 1.5 m is ideal for exploring this "Ria". There are no marinas but well maintained visitors moorings, some possible anchorages, a couple of boatyards at the end of drying creeks, two sailing clubs, a few pubs and a general store. Not a place for the yachtsman or motorboater to stock right up, but peaceful little haven well worth a visit. ... read more

Welcome to visitMyHarbour.com, the gateway to explore UK harbours online

This site is an online pilotage guide, here to provide timely and detailed information about the various ports, harbours, estuaries, rivers and inlets around the coasts of the UK. Each harbour has pilotage details, free large scale charts, Quick links to all our nautical charts , and photo galleries. It is designed to be of maximum use to all harbour users and specifically skippers of small craft, power or sail. ***Tip: When viewing charts, press F11 for a "Full screen" viewing experience, and press Prt Sc to copy to your clipboard !***

Area Pages now online...We've already covered many harbours, so the area pages are designed to help you move around between them. They include the coastal charts required, plus all the pilotage details you will need, including the NP Tidal Flow Charts to enable you to plan your passage and work with the tides. Click below to view area coverage:

Wales and North West England
Bristol Channel
Channel West, Scilly Isles to the Solent
Solent
Channel East, (North Foreland to The Solent)
North Kent, Swale and Medway
Thames and Estuary
East Coast (Great Yarmouth to R.Roach)
North East England (St Abbs Head to the Wash)

The site provides a general description of each harbour, discusses the tactics involved in an approach from sea, where to get moored up (with all options considered and prices covered), the facilities you will find for the boat and crew, and finally a brief run down of eating and drinking places ashore. Naturally local weather forecasts and tides are covered, and even local launching places for trailer sailers are included. If you're visiting new UK harbours shortly, or thinking about the next season, why not check them out online first... you really will find all the details you need here...

For completeness we are now including links kindly provided by www.ports.org.uk for coverage of smaller or commercial harbours that we havn't covered for one reason or another. Although not a pilotage guide, the links provide useful background and historical details, plus harbour authority contacts. Access these via the area coverage pages.

In short if you're a boat owner or have a love of the sea you're sure to find plenty of interest here. We have literally thousands of links to anyone and everyone connected with the sea, harbours, boats, yachts, marine products and services... not forgetting sea angling and dive charter boats. Check out...The Visit My Harbour Marine Business Directory ...it lists almost 4000 marine businesses, search by area, harbour, category, or any mixture of these. The articles section is also proving popular, with many subjects covered, and it is here you will find tide tables for many harbours too.

By the time you get back afloat again we will have many more harbours and marine businesses covered, we're working on W.Scotland and Northern Ireland right now. We hope to encourage you to discover new and interesting cruising grounds next season. Right now, we've got all the new tide tables up for the whole of 2010 and into 2011, so if you need to do a bit of forward planning check them out.

Click here to see 2010 tide tables

All tranquil in Spain...we think NOT.

If your mind is turning towards Med cruising again, in spite of the warnings given in our last article on the subject, this will make you think twice about living onboard in Spain !  The Spanish, with their ecomomy on the ropes, are looking for an easy target to get some money and it could cost you your boat if you don't know the rules. They are starting to vigourously enforce an EU law that has been virtually ignored there till lately. It could involve impounding your boat, collecting taxes and "fines", and selling it if you don't pay. It's all perfectly legal, and is likely to drive liveaboards away in droves...

Overstay your welcome and loose your boat in Spain