New to boating? Where to go in your new boat plus some boating tips! River Exe Café

New to boating? Ok, you’ve now got your first shiny new boat and might be wondering about what places of interest you can visit in our area.

Well, we are pretty spoilt for choice and in this article I will try and give you one idea for a day trip out in your boat travelling from Teignmouth.

Before we start, if you are the owner of a tablet (PC or iPad), I would recommend downloading the Navionics ‘Boating’ app (previously just called Navionics) as this is a terrific app for exploring our immediate area.

The app requires a GPS signal to function. If you’re an iPad owner then, providing your model is one with a data chip installed, (usually advertised as WiFi + Data) then you’re good to go, as the data chip also provides the GPS function you need. Android users will need to check their spec as I am not familiar with that particular platform in tablet form.

If anyone is using this app and would like me to write an article explaining how it works, then let me know in the comments section below.

The app also has some extremely useful real-time tidal info which comes in handy if you are on a drying out mooring, such as those found at Ringmore.

Another great app is ‘Windy’ which is one of the best, if not the best, weather app out there.

It is worth delving deep into the app and spending some time getting to grips with all the info at hand. It will also show you the majority of coastal webcams across the globe plus real-time satellite data etc.

Exmouth – River Exe Café – approx. 8 nautical miles

Click on thumbnails below to expand

The River Exe Café is definitely worth a visit or two. Pick a nice sunny day with a flat calm and it really is a great day out.

Just turn left after the last green buoy out of the River Teign entrance and head north east (approx. 042 degrees).

This would be a good time to get a ‘radio check’ on Channel 65 from Teignmouth NCI (National Coastguard Institution). This is a volunteer group stationed at Eastcliff tasked with looking out for all water users.

You should, at the very least, have a working marine radio on board as part of your safety kit. Most sensible boaters will also carry a handheld VHF radio as a backup.

Remember to have your radio(s) listening on Channel 16 and do not use this channel to chat to friends on other boats. You can call them up on this channel but then instruct them to switch to another working channel, other than 16.

Here is a list of: Marine VHF Channels

You will now pass Teignmouth Pier, Parson & Clerk rocks (see pic below), Dawlish town and then Dawlish Warren.

If it’s your first trip to Exmouth then make sure you head for the first of the buoys marking the channel entrance to Exmouth and the river. (See chart below). There are a series of 10 well marked buoys to keep you clear of Pole Sand. Just remember to keep Green buoys to your Starboard when entering an Estuary or River and keep them to Port when exiting.

On reaching the Café the wind and tide may be fairly strong so make sure you have fenders out to protect your pride and joy however, you will need to see which side of the Café pontoon you will be berthing on before you put out the fenders. It’s probably also a good idea to have ropes ready forward & aft (front & back!) which you can quickly throw to anyone offering their help on the Café pontoon.

Just remember to put the nose of the boat ‘into’ the tide. Never try and manoeuvre a boat with the tide pushing you from behind. Sometimes the wind will have more effect on you than the tide, so try and get a mental picture of how the wind may affect you. For instance, will it help to blow you onto a pontoon/mooring buoy, or blow you away from it? Use the wind to your advantage whenever possible.

Tip! At high & low water the tide is at its weakest, so it is much easier to berth alongside a pontoon or mooring buoy etc.

If you’re new to boating, and this is your first ‘parking a boat in public’ exercise don’t worry or panic if you get it wrong. Just go around and try again. Even experienced boat handlers sometimes get it wrong so there is no disgrace if you mess up a couple of times. Just do any manoeuvres as slowly as possible and take your time.

As with any boating trip, always be aware that the weather can quickly change and what started out as a flat calm can become a messy chop if the wind picks up. There’s nothing to worry about, it just means you may have to travel a little slower on the way home.

River Exe Café – https://www.riverexecafe.com/

To book a table – https://www.riverexecafe.com/book-a-table.html

Tel: 07761 116103

If you’ve enjoyed reading the above and would like to see more places of interest featured, e.g. Cary Arms – Babbacombe, Torquay, Brixham etc. then post a message in the comments below.

Also, if you’ve visited the Exe Café and would care to share any useful info for others to read then again, please leave your comments below.

Paul

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