Wells Harbour
Encyclopedia
Wells Harbour is located in the town of Wells-next-the-Sea
in the county
of Norfolk
, England
. The harbour is 21 miles west of Cromer
, 34.8 miles north of Norwich
and 123 miles north of London
. The harbour lies north of the A149
between King’s Lynn and Great Yarmouth
. The nearest railway station is now at Sheringham
for the Bittern Line
which runs between Sheringham
, Cromer and Norwich. The nearest airport is Norwich International Airport
.
Coast. It is used by a small fishing fleet
and by visiting commercial and fishing vessels, including vessels engaged in surveys, crew transfer or safety boat operations. The harbour also caters for a growing number of leisure craft which are both local boats and an increasing amount of visiting craft. Coastal trips to see the seals
at Blakeney Point
and chartered fishing and diving trips
are also available in the high season. Berthed at the quay is the historic vessel Albatros. The vessel is used for a variety of functions including charters, cruises and sometime just as a venue for entertaining.
at Wells for over 600 years. The harbour is protected by salt marsh
es behind a sand bar
. Because it is a natural safe haven from the unpredictable North Sea
weather
the Port of Wells was one of England's major harbours in Tudor
times and a thriving, centre for shipping
and maritime industry in the 19th century and early 20th century. The stone quay side was constructed in the early 20th century as were many of the large building and tiny yards and dwellings still seen to this day on the quay side. In 1976, the Wells Harbour Railway
was constructed to link the town with the beach and Pinewoods Holiday Park. It replaced a withdrawn bus service.
C28: The East Coast - Harwich
to Wells-next-to Sea. A course should be made for Wells Leading Buoy
, keeping to the port side of the marker for the deepest water over the sand bar. Vessels arriving from the East should come close to the buoy or pass it to port before turning for the harbour entrance rather than making directly for Buoys Number 1 and 2 in the channel. On arrival or prior to arrival at the leading Buoy it is advisable to contact the Harbourmaster
for advice about the approaches. The Harbourmaster can be contacted on channel 12 (Wells Harbour). Depth at the entrance and at the quays is 3.04 metres to 3.66 at high water.
system on the channel can usually be relied on to stay constant. A look out should be made for temporary pellet buoys and beacons to show changes in the channel. 175 degrees in from the leading buoy is a large conical buoy Number 1 flashing green
and the large red
Number 2, can buoy flashing red on the bar itself are both visible in most weather
conditions. It is advisable to make good a course between these buoys until the smaller buoys of the channel become visible, after which it is better to favour the starboard side because there is a considerable east going tidal stream across the harbour entrance from approximately two hours before every high water. From the starboard buoy No.9 known as the 'Knock', the channel bends away towards the South East into considerably quieter waters. The wide sweep to the eastward just past the lifeboat
house must be made with the red beacon
s close to port as the channel is quite narrow at this point. On passing the green buoy named the 'Pool', turn to the South West and follow the buoys to the last red can buoy (Number 14) then arc back Easterly close to the marsh edge and follow the red beacons to the Quayside.
up to 10 feet (3 m) can use the harbour at high water and vessels of up to 1.5 metres draft
can look at entry two hours either side of high water
. On neap tides the Harbour may be entered by craft drawing up to 6 feet (1.75 m) at high water or at most one hour
before or after high water
.
with security surveillance
which can be used year round as well as for storage in the winter. The facility can be found at the east end behind the sea wall close to the slipway
. There is 15 metres of quayside which are used for craning and hard standing. The site is covered by security lighting and there are electricity and water hook up points.
Wells-next-the-Sea
Wells-next-the-Sea, known locally simply as Wells, is a town, civil parish and seaport situated on the North Norfolk coast in England.The civil parish has an area of and in the 2001 census had a population of 2,451 in 1,205 households...
in the county
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
of Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The harbour is 21 miles west of Cromer
Cromer
Cromer is a coastal town and civil parish in north Norfolk, England. The local government authority is North Norfolk District Council, whose headquarters is in Holt Road in the town. The town is situated 23 miles north of the county town, Norwich, and is 4 miles east of Sheringham...
, 34.8 miles north of Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
and 123 miles north of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The harbour lies north of the A149
A149 road
The A149 is a major route in Norfolk, linking Kings Lynn to Great Yarmouth. It runs via the coast rather than on a more direct route such as the A47. The eastern section runs through The Broads.-Kings Lynn to Wells next the Sea:...
between King’s Lynn and Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
. The nearest railway station is now at Sheringham
Sheringham railway station
Sheringham railway station is a timber halt in the town of Sheringham in the English county of Norfolk. The station is the terminus of the Bittern Line, operated by National Express East Anglia, and is 49 km north of...
for the Bittern Line
Bittern Line
The Bittern Line is a railway line from Norwich to Cromer then Sheringham in Norfolk, England. It is one of the most scenic in the East of England traversing the Norfolk Broads on its route to the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the North Norfolk Coast. The line is part of the Network Rail...
which runs between Sheringham
Sheringham
Sheringham is a seaside town in Norfolk, England, west of Cromer.The motto of the town, granted in 1953 to the Sheringham Urban District Council, is Mare Ditat Pinusque Decorat, Latin for "The sea enriches and the pine adorns"....
, Cromer and Norwich. The nearest airport is Norwich International Airport
Norwich International Airport
Norwich International Airport , also known as Norwich Airport, is an airport in the City of Norwich within Norfolk, England north of the city centre and on the edge of the city's suburbs....
.
Description
The Harbour is on the North NorfolkNorth Norfolk
North Norfolk is a local government district in Norfolk, United Kingdom. Its council is based in Cromer. The council headquarters can be found approximately out of the town of Cromer on the Holt Road.-History:...
Coast. It is used by a small fishing fleet
Fishing fleet
A fishing fleet is an aggregate of commercial fishing vessels. The term may be used of all vessels operating out of a particular port, all vessels engaged in a particular type of fishing , or all fishing vessels of a country or region.Although fishing vessels are not formally organized as if they...
and by visiting commercial and fishing vessels, including vessels engaged in surveys, crew transfer or safety boat operations. The harbour also caters for a growing number of leisure craft which are both local boats and an increasing amount of visiting craft. Coastal trips to see the seals
Earless seal
The true seals or earless seals are one of the three main groups of mammals within the seal superfamily, Pinnipedia. All true seals are members of the family Phocidae . They are sometimes called crawling seals to distinguish them from the fur seals and sea lions of the family Otariidae...
at Blakeney Point
Blakeney Point
Blakeney Point is a shingle spit on the coast of North Norfolk north of the village of Blakeney in the English county of Norfolk. It is managed by the National Trust as part of its Blakeney National Nature Reserve and within the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.-Description:Blakeney...
and chartered fishing and diving trips
Underwater diving
Underwater diving is the practice of going underwater, either with breathing apparatus or by breath-holding .Recreational diving is a popular activity...
are also available in the high season. Berthed at the quay is the historic vessel Albatros. The vessel is used for a variety of functions including charters, cruises and sometime just as a venue for entertaining.
History
There has been a portPort
A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
at Wells for over 600 years. The harbour is protected by salt marsh
Salt marsh
A salt marsh is an environment in the upper coastal intertidal zone between land and salt water or brackish water, it is dominated by dense stands of halophytic plants such as herbs, grasses, or low shrubs. These plants are terrestrial in origin and are essential to the stability of the salt marsh...
es behind a sand bar
Shoal
Shoal, shoals or shoaling may mean:* Shoal, a sandbank or reef creating shallow water, especially where it forms a hazard to shipping* Shoal draught , of a boat with shallow draught which can pass over some shoals: see Draft...
. Because it is a natural safe haven from the unpredictable North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
weather
Weather
Weather is the state of the atmosphere, to the degree that it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy. Most weather phenomena occur in the troposphere, just below the stratosphere. Weather refers, generally, to day-to-day temperature and precipitation activity, whereas climate...
the Port of Wells was one of England's major harbours in Tudor
Tudor dynasty
The Tudor dynasty or House of Tudor was a European royal house of Welsh origin that ruled the Kingdom of England and its realms, including the Lordship of Ireland, later the Kingdom of Ireland, from 1485 until 1603. Its first monarch was Henry Tudor, a descendant through his mother of a legitimised...
times and a thriving, centre for shipping
Shipping
Shipping has multiple meanings. It can be a physical process of transporting commodities and merchandise goods and cargo, by land, air, and sea. It also can describe the movement of objects by ship.Land or "ground" shipping can be by train or by truck...
and maritime industry in the 19th century and early 20th century. The stone quay side was constructed in the early 20th century as were many of the large building and tiny yards and dwellings still seen to this day on the quay side. In 1976, the Wells Harbour Railway
Wells Harbour Railway
The Wells Harbour Railway is a gauge railway at Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk, United Kingdom. It is long, running between Wells Harbour and Pinewoods. Both steam and diesel locomotives are used.-History:...
was constructed to link the town with the beach and Pinewoods Holiday Park. It replaced a withdrawn bus service.
Approaches
Approaches to Wells can be made from Blakeney Overfalls, South Race, The Woolpack or Burnham Flats. Details on Imray ChartNautical chart
A nautical chart is a graphic representation of a maritime area and adjacent coastal regions. Depending on the scale of the chart, it may show depths of water and heights of land , natural features of the seabed, details of the coastline, navigational hazards, locations of natural and man-made aids...
C28: The East Coast - Harwich
Harwich
Harwich is a town in Essex, England and one of the Haven ports, located on the coast with the North Sea to the east. It is in the Tendring district. Nearby places include Felixstowe to the northeast, Ipswich to the northwest, Colchester to the southwest and Clacton-on-Sea to the south...
to Wells-next-to Sea. A course should be made for Wells Leading Buoy
Buoy
A buoy is a floating device that can have many different purposes. It can be anchored or allowed to drift. The word, of Old French or Middle Dutch origin, is now most commonly in UK English, although some orthoepists have traditionally prescribed the pronunciation...
, keeping to the port side of the marker for the deepest water over the sand bar. Vessels arriving from the East should come close to the buoy or pass it to port before turning for the harbour entrance rather than making directly for Buoys Number 1 and 2 in the channel. On arrival or prior to arrival at the leading Buoy it is advisable to contact the Harbourmaster
Harbourmaster
A harbourmaster is an official responsible for enforcing the regulations of a particular harbour or port, in order to ensure the safety of navigation, the security of the harbour and the correct operation of the port facilities.-Responsibilities:Harbourmasters are normally responsible for issuing...
for advice about the approaches. The Harbourmaster can be contacted on channel 12 (Wells Harbour). Depth at the entrance and at the quays is 3.04 metres to 3.66 at high water.
Channel Navigation
The channel over the bar and into the harbour changes from time to time although the established buoyageLateral mark
A lateral buoy, lateral post or lateral mark, as defined by the International Association of Lighthouse Authorities, is a sea mark used in maritime pilotage to indicate the edge of a channel....
system on the channel can usually be relied on to stay constant. A look out should be made for temporary pellet buoys and beacons to show changes in the channel. 175 degrees in from the leading buoy is a large conical buoy Number 1 flashing green
Green
Green is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 520–570 nanometres. In the subtractive color system, it is not a primary color, but is created out of a mixture of yellow and blue, or yellow and cyan; it is considered...
and the large red
Red
Red is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–740 nm. Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared , and cannot be seen by the naked eye...
Number 2, can buoy flashing red on the bar itself are both visible in most weather
Weather
Weather is the state of the atmosphere, to the degree that it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy. Most weather phenomena occur in the troposphere, just below the stratosphere. Weather refers, generally, to day-to-day temperature and precipitation activity, whereas climate...
conditions. It is advisable to make good a course between these buoys until the smaller buoys of the channel become visible, after which it is better to favour the starboard side because there is a considerable east going tidal stream across the harbour entrance from approximately two hours before every high water. From the starboard buoy No.9 known as the 'Knock', the channel bends away towards the South East into considerably quieter waters. The wide sweep to the eastward just past the lifeboat
Lifeboat (rescue)
A rescue lifeboat is a boat rescue craft which is used to attend a vessel in distress, or its survivors, to rescue crewmen and passengers. It can be hand pulled, sail powered or powered by an engine...
house must be made with the red beacon
Beacon
A beacon is an intentionally conspicuous device designed to attract attention to a specific location.Beacons can also be combined with semaphoric or other indicators to provide important information, such as the status of an airport, by the colour and rotational pattern of its airport beacon, or of...
s close to port as the channel is quite narrow at this point. On passing the green buoy named the 'Pool', turn to the South West and follow the buoys to the last red can buoy (Number 14) then arc back Easterly close to the marsh edge and follow the red beacons to the Quayside.
Draft
During Spring tides Vessels drawingDraft (hull)
The draft of a ship's hull is the vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the hull , with the thickness of the hull included; in the case of not being included the draft outline would be obtained...
up to 10 feet (3 m) can use the harbour at high water and vessels of up to 1.5 metres draft
Draft (hull)
The draft of a ship's hull is the vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the hull , with the thickness of the hull included; in the case of not being included the draft outline would be obtained...
can look at entry two hours either side of high water
Tide
Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the moon and the sun and the rotation of the Earth....
. On neap tides the Harbour may be entered by craft drawing up to 6 feet (1.75 m) at high water or at most one hour
Hour
The hour is a unit of measurement of time. In modern usage, an hour comprises 60 minutes, or 3,600 seconds...
before or after high water
Tide
Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the moon and the sun and the rotation of the Earth....
.
Quayside Facilities
Off Beach Road there are easy accessible pontoons available for mooring. The pontoons provide electricity hook ups and fresh water points. Fresh water is also provided on the main quay. There is a diesel refuelling berth available on the tide. On the quayside there are bulk disposal bins for refuse. There is also a facility for the disposal of used engine oil at the east end of the Harbour. There are also toilet and shower facilities for the use of visiting crews along with a laundry. There is also a sewage pump-out point. The car parks are pay and display. Permits can be purchased for all these facilities from the harbour and information for pilotage and navigation in the area is also available.Storage Facilities
Wells has a purpose-built secure outdoor compoundCompound (enclosure)
Compound when applied to a human habitat refers to a cluster of buildings in an enclosure, having a shared or associated purpose, such as the houses of an extended family...
with security surveillance
Surveillance
Surveillance is the monitoring of the behavior, activities, or other changing information, usually of people. It is sometimes done in a surreptitious manner...
which can be used year round as well as for storage in the winter. The facility can be found at the east end behind the sea wall close to the slipway
Slipway
A slipway, boat slip or just a slip, is a ramp on the shore by which ships or boats can be moved to and from the water. They are used for building and repairing ships and boats. They are also used for launching and retrieving small boats on trailers and flying boats on their undercarriage. The...
. There is 15 metres of quayside which are used for craning and hard standing. The site is covered by security lighting and there are electricity and water hook up points.