Mooring at Yarmouth Yacht Station, coming from the southern rivers

For comfort and safety, the best time to arrive at the Yacht Station, is at Slack Water, or in the hour or two after. You can check your cruise duration, and the estimated time of Low and Slack Water on any given day, by using our distance calculator. You will be crossing Breydon Water to get there, which in itself can be quite exhilarating, but also a challenge (with a small C). Breydon Water, is a large expanse of tidal water, which stretches for around 4 miles from it's junctions with the Rivers Yare and Waveney. Most of it is not navigable at any state of the tide due it being shallow in large areas.

Keep between the marker posts

To keep you in the only navigable channel across, posts have been erected. You will see green topped posts on your left and red posts on your right hand side. As long as you keep between this "track", you will not run aground. They lead right across Breydon, to the point at which you turn left, up the River Bure, which takes you to the Yacht Station. It's not uncommon to see boats aground, outside this marked track. These are crews who have either ignored the need to keep within the posts, or have let their concentration lapse for long enough, to veer away from the channel. Such crews have to either wait until the next tide (some 12 hours later), re-floats their boat, or in some cases, where this may not occur, have to employ the use of a rescue boat (at their expense) to get them off the mud. It's rarely life threatening, but it is inconvenient and usually an expensive mistake to make.

Breydon Bridge and coming alongside

Following the marked channel, you will pass under Breydon Bridge, a large structure carrying road traffic across Breydon. Pass under the span to the right of the main channel, (it's marked) then prepare to turn left at the yellow post. Don't be tempted to cross before it, as some do, only to find they run aground here. As you will likely be cruising down Breydon with the last of the ebbing tide, you will notice the difference in speed once you turn past the yellow post, and on up the Bure (which of course, may also still be ebbing depending on when you arrive). The available headroom currently under the bridges, is shown on a river gauge here. Compare it against the required height shown on the plaque attached close to your steering wheel.


Your speed will reduce considerably, but this will aid you when coming alongside at the Yacht Station. There should be ample headroom to pass under the two bridges, before coming across the Yacht Station on the right hand bank. Continue on until you see where you wish to moor, then come alongside. If you would rather have assistance with mooring, call the Yacht Station on 01493 842794 at around the time you pass under Breydon Bridge. The staff will then watch out for your arrival, assist you with mooring and tie up your ropes for your stay.

I'm aware that all of this sounds complicated and stressful, but really, it's just common sense and once you've passaged through the first time, you will wonder what all the fuss was about. Just observe the tide times, keep within the posts, and the passage through Yarmouth, will become second nature. Above all, if in any doubt, just call the Yacht Station for advice. They are instructing people all day long, and won't let you get into a pickle!

Please read the Yarmouth from the North article for assistance with your return journey.