Friendly, well-positioned marina, walking distance to a beautiful seaside town
Burnham Yacht Harbour Marina, Foundry Lane, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, CM0 8BL. Tel: 01621 782 150. VHF: 80.
Email: admin@burnhamyachtharbour.co.uk
Rating 4/5
Location, pilotage & tips
Located on the northern bank of the River Crouch, Burnham Yacht Harbour Marina is perfectly located just up-river from Burnham-on-Crouch. On entering the River Crouch, you will need to use careful pilotage, navigating the various north and south cardinals, before paying close attention to the green lateral marks which keep you pinned to the south bank of the river. Stray the wrong side of the green buoys and you will find yourself amongst a plethora of (unlit) racing marks, and mooring buoys! You will want to stay close to the green buoys though, as the depth drops away very quickly to port.
You will pass the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club (identifiable as a dominant white 3-storey building) on the northern bank, followed by Royal Burnham Sailing Club, and Burnham Sailing Club. All of which are very active, and so if you are visiting on a weekend, expect there to be lots of racing taking place.
At fairway no.11, you will see commercial pontoons to port, and a small special mark to starboard. The yellow buoy marks the centre of the dredged entry channel for Burnham Yacht Harbour. From the green turn towards this buoy – The tide can run hard on the River Crouch, so you may need to factor that in and adjust your approach accordingly. You will need to pass close to the yellow as it marks a narrow dredged channel. You will see a pair of large metal pilings, aim for the centre of these, leaving red to port (Fl.R.10s) and green to starboard (Fl.G.10s). Pontoons are marked A to H. Note that the finger pontoons are particularly narrow, and are pretty wobbly (!) they are also likely to be shorter than your vessel. On our boat (39.9ft) the finger pontoons finish near our mid ships cleat – something to factor in when berthing.
Access
24hrs.
Radio the marina (call sign: “Burnham Yacht Harbour”) when you are near the entrance and they will advise you where to go upon arrival (there are no designated visitor berths), they will also provide codes for the marina gate and the shower/toilet block. You can also call or email in advance, the marina staff are always really friendly and helpful.
Facilities and services
Chandlery, boatyard with lift, water, electricity, WC, showers, laundry, free wifi, fuel (pontoon F).
There’s an on-site bar/restaurant (Swallowtails) which is very welcome after as long sail, and again the staff are incredibly accommodating and friendly – well worth a visit!
is well worth a visit, and is what makes Burnham Yacht Harbour one of my favourite places to visit (year-round). There’s also some fantastic circular walks which have been mapped here, which will allow you to see more of the area – again, well worth doing if you’re partial to exploring.
Things to see and do
Burnham Yacht Harbour is well-positioned, just on the edge of the town, so it’s peaceful and provides a relaxing environment, whilst at the same time, if you walk up the marina ramp and turn right you’ll find a small path which leads you down the side of the marina, past some playing fields and along the river bank. It’s a (mostly) well surfaced path, and if you follow this it will lead you to the centre of the town (approx. 10 min walk), where you will be well-serviced with a plethora of excellent pubs, and restaurants (something for every taste), many of which will deliver to the marina if needed. You’ll also be spoilt for boutique shops, ice cream parlours, coffee shops and such like. There’s also a pharmacy, 2 supermarkets (Co-op and Tesco’s), and a post office. The town is well worth a visit, and is what makes Burnham Yacht Harbour one of my favourite places to visit (year-round). There’s also some fantastic circular walks which have been mapped here, which will allow you to see more of the area – again, well worth doing if you’re partial to exploring.
My personal view
Burnham Yacht Harbour Marina is one of my favourite places to escape to. The Thames Estuary sailing makes for a fun sail, and some excellent navigational practice. The Crouch itself is very easy to navigate (by day or night). The marina is small, but has all the facilities you’ll need, and the walk to town is fun. Burnham is well-serviced with everything you need (including several excellent pubs on the front).
If you arrive by daylight, you are likely to be treated to the spectacular view of hundreds of basking seals on the sand banks as you make you’re way in to the River Crouch. Enjoy!
Note: the author has no association of affiliation with Burnham Yacht Harbour Marina. The detail and opinions expressed on this web page are purely that of the author. You are advised to always read the appropriate chart and almanac for full and up to date information