LNTM 02 2019 – Vessels at Anchor

ANCHORING OF VESSELS WITHIN DART HARBOUR LIMITS

The main anchorage within Dart Harbour is to the East (Kingswear) side of the large mainstream admiralty mooring buoys. There are other anchorages further up river, clear of the main channel. For further information on these areas or anchoring advice please consult a River Officer or enquire at the Harbour Office. Vessels are permitted to anchor in these areas, but skippers must be aware of the risks associated with anchoring in a relatively confined area where there can be strong tidal streams.

Skippers of all vessels that anchor at any anchorage within Dart Harbour must abide by the following conditions:

• Vessels at anchor in the anchorage, or elsewhere, are to display the appropriate day and night lights, shapes or signals.
• Vessels must be capable of weighing anchor without assistance and moving at notice appropriate to the conditions or as required to do so by Dart Harbour.
• Vessels are not to anchor close to any buoy or mooring so as to make contact with or foul such apparatus in any way. Skippers are reminded of the charted ground gear on the sea bed in the anchorage, used to secure the mid river buoys.
• Skippers and competent crew (those required to move the vessel) are to be onboard during the first turning of the tide after anchoring and are not to leave the vessel until they are certain that the holding is good and that the vessel will not interact with other vessels, moorings and pontoons. The vessels is not to be left unattended when inclement weather is forecast or when the forecast tidal stream may make the anchorage unsafe.

Vessels discovered that have been moored without their skippers complying with the above conditions may be removed for safety reasons and a charge will be made.

Mark Cooper
Harbour Master

10 January 2019