Conyer Creek

Conyer Creek lies a few miles to the west of Harty Ferry if making your approach from the East.

If coming from the West it lies about 3 1/2 miles past the Kingsferry bridges.

It is beyond the scope of the article is to provide detailed pilotage details for the Swale. Suffice to say if approaching from the Queenborough end the channel is deep, well marked and easy to follow to Kingsferry bridges. The new road bridge has over 24 m clearance, but the old rail bridge does not... you will have to arrange a bridge opening if you have a mast. To find out about the bridge telephone 01795 423627, or use VHF channel 10, callsign Kingsferry Bridge.

After the Bridge the channel is still very straightforward and is used by coasters as far as Ridham Dock. Continuing onwards the channel narrows and the buoyage changes direction opposite Milton Creek. If coming from Queenborough and heading towards Conyer Creek you will now have red can buoys on your starboard side and the green conical buoys on your port side.

At this point the channel is very narrow and there are extensive saltings on either side. The approach to Conyer Creek can be started from the region of the red can number eight buoy (Fl.R.2s), or you can carry on and pick up the Fowley Spit buoy mentioned below and make your approach from the East, where you'll find the best water.

If coming from the East it is a matter of following the Swale which has plenty of water and is buoyed. You can make your way to the easterly cardinal buoy Fowley Spit (Q(3)10s), and branch off to the South using the South Deep channel to access Conyer.

Once in South Deep follow the channel along and take note of a green unlit buoy that should be left well to starboard, as this marks the shallows extending to the East of Fowley Island. You may come across white waiting mooring buoys laid by the yards in Conyer. If you push on a bit with a close eye on the depth sounder you may well be able to find a snug and secure overnight anchorage behind Fowley Island. It doesn't look too promising on the chart, but even at LWS you should find patches with over 1.5 m.

If visiting Conyer Creek on a rising tide you simply push on through South Deep and you will come to a small unlit red port hand buoy. From here the channel is little more than a gutway and is normally marked with small buoys and a very small northerly cardinal mark, unconventionally created out of traffic cones...

The local navigation marks laid by Swale Marina can be found either on their website below or in our Gallery up on the right hand side of this page

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Creek markers are no longer traffic cones. There are two marked entrances to Conyer Creek, one being "The Butterfly Channel" which is marked by withies, with port and starboard top marks. This channel is on the starboard hand side of the creek entrance and is the deepest water channel.

The second is "The Cut Channel" found to the port hand side of the creek entrance in South Deep. This channel is shallower than the "Butterfly" and is marked by port and starboard lateral buoyage. Whilst shallower than the "Butterfly", it is the most used route.

Both channels meet inside the creek entrance at an East Cardinal Mark (withy with triangular top marks), and withies with port and starboard top marks continue from here up to the Marina.

The marks are positioned at the top of the channel banks, so the deepest water is in the centre (of the marks).

Once in the Creek the way is marked by posts either with round red top marks or green triangular top marks. As always the best approach is made on a rising tide which hasn't risen so far so as to cover all the banks up.