Cruising
Overview
Benfleet Creek provides a gateway to the Thames Estuary and beyond. For local cruising (just a few hours away), we have the Rivers Medway and Swale with their wonderful creeks, towns, pubs and anchorages. A bit further afield (a short day sail), there are the superb cruising grounds of the East Coast Rivers. For a great summer cruise, we are not too far away from the northern coast of France and Belgium and the vast inland waterways of The Netherlands. The one advantage of cruising from our drying tidal creek is that it makes you get out there; to make use of a full day or weekend away sailing. Many of our members have worked the tides for most of their life and still enjoy our unique position. We hold a number of weekend 'cruises-in-company' throughout the summer, many with a drink and BBQ, or a meal ashore, providing a good social get-together.
Typical BYC cruise destinations are:
- Calais - The annual Calais Rally takes place on the late May Bank Holiday weekend
- Chatham Marina
- Medway Yacht Club
- Stangate Creek
- Up the Thames to London - St Katherines Dock Marina or Limehouse Basin
- Harty Ferry
- Queenborough
- Burnham on Crouch
- Brightlingsea
Calendar of Cruising Events
Full details of all future BYC 'Cruising' events can be found in the
BYC Calendar
The above link connects to the BYC central events calendar, but has been filtered to Cruising Events only
Alternatively, you can download a PDF copy of the Benfleet Yacht Club Tide Table Booklet from the link below
Tidal predictions for Southend-on-Sea contained in both the BYC website and members printed handbook are computed by software developed at the National Oceanography Centre, UK. Copyright Reserved
Cruising outside UK waters "post Brexit"
Please visit the External Links page on this website for specific details when:
a) departing and returning to the UK
b) entering the EU via the port of Calais (France), and
c) entering the EU via Nieuwpoort (Belgium)
Additional information. Please treat the information below as 'guidance only'. Both the regulations and the current understanding of them are constantly changing.
On 31st December 2020 (Brexit transition day), the UK left the European Union. UK cruising sailors now face a whole new raft of regulations and restrictions when venturing across the channel, including the following:
The UK is now treated as a "Third Country" by the EU. For most UK citizens, visa free visits to any of the 29 EU Schengen countries will be limited to 90 days in each rolling period of 180 days. So, a 10 day long Skiing trip in March will potentially affect your extended summer cruise in EU waters (reducing it to 80 days only). Take the last day of your planned 'summer cruise', then count backwards over the past 180 days. Also make an allowance that you may get stuck in a foreign port due to bad weather, which may take you over the 90 day limit.
You may have to enter the EU Schengen area via an official "port of entry", although some smaller harbours in North Brittany, France, have implemented their own registration systems using forms available which can be submitted and returned approved by email. Visit the particular harbour website to download the "PAF" form and obtain further details. Although once 'check-in" you are free to travel throughout the entire EU Schengen area.
You must also get your Passport stamped when both "entering" and prior to "exiting" the EU. The latter being very important in order to 'stop-the-clock-ticking': the count on the number of days that you have stayed within the EU. You potentially face being fined, or other penalties being imposed, if the 90 days are exceeded.
In Calais, you will need to walk (or bus) round to the 'new' Ferry Port.
However, if entering or leaving via Dunkirk, the Police Au Frontier office is located 11 miles away in the ferry port Dunkirk West.
Arrival in Bologne, despite being a port of entry, may result in a rail journey to Calais (this has actually happened to a number of people).
In Nieuwpoort, Belgium, the Boarder Police office is located in the VVW yacht marina: just a few yards from the marina office.
New electronic control systems are currently being introduced for entry into and exit from the EU; although these currently (March 2026) do not exist to support entry by leisure yacht.
1) EES (Entry and Exit System) - The EES will record the movement of non-EU citizens across the Schengen Zone (SZ) borders and ensure that the 90/180 day requirement is adhered to. This will eventually replace the manual stamping of passports with an automated system to record personal, passport and location details.
2) ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) - The ETIAS will give border control authorities the ability to ensure that those entering the SZ are no security threat to any country in the bloc a travel authorisation for those not required to obtain a visa to enter the SZ.
When both entering EU waters and returning to UK waters, you must now fly the Yellow "Q Flag" (but in France, "only" when you have something to declare).
HMRC advise that you to carry evidence of the yacht's VAT status on board when venturing overseas. Note: the VAT issues relate to the 'movement of goods' (the boat in this case), whilst the Schengen travel restrictions affect the movement of citizens.
If you do not hold private health insurance, ensure you carry the UK "Global Health Insurance Card" (GHIC), formerly known as an EHIC.External Links to Cruising Guides and Advice
Download various navigation chartlet's from the East Coast Pilot website: compilers of the East Coast Pilot Guide Book including entrances to the River Deben, River Ore and Walton Channel "Stone Point"
Harwich Haven Authority - Containing navigational information for the ports of Harwich and Felixstow and the River's Stour and Orwell plus surrounding area's
Navigating the Thames
London VTS - VHF "Port" Radio Channels
River Thames and Thames Estuary covering the "Port of London" areas. Port working channels are as follows:
- VHF Channel 69 - covering the seaward limit (approximately the Margate-Harwich line) to Sea Reach 4 buoy.
- VHF Channel 68 - Sea Reach 4 buoy to Crayfordness.
- VHF Channel 14 - upstream of Crayfordness and including the Thames Barrier Zone.
- The Callsign for all Vessel Traffic Services centres is "London VTS".
Thames Flood Barrier
Navigation procedure and guidance - see the "Downloads" section below
Visit Conyer Marina and Conyer Cruising Club
Swale Marina and Conyer Cruising Club welcome visitors all year round and deep mud berths are almost always available. If you are thinking of visiting, call the Marina on +44 (0)1795 521 562 and they will advise you on berth availability and accessibility relative to your draft.
Conyer Cruising Club and Swale Marina
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