Local notices to mariners

Local Notices to Mariners contain important information on:

• temporary navigational directions and/or restrictions, and
• notification of water-based events in the harbour

The notices are numbered consecutively with two digits each for the number of the notice and the year it was issued, for example Notice No 25/07 means notice 25 of the year 2007.

Please take the time to study these pages as they are in force for the safety of all harbour users and will help you make the most of your visit to Bristol Harbour.

Events in the City Docks

To find out about how events in the harbour in 2011 will affect mariners please read Local Notice to Mariners Nos 1-24/2011 (pdf, 123 KB)

No.25/07 Quayside Work at Temple Back

Mariners are advised that ongoing quayside works are taking place at the above location until further notice.

Yellow warning buoys will be placed along the length of the development site 6m from the quay wall and will be illuminated at night.

Mariners are requested to keep a sharp look out when navigating in this area and proceed at a slow speed.

No.30/07 Demolition Works on the Former Brewery Site

Between Bristol Bridge and St Philips Bridge

Mariners are advised that until further notice demolition and development works will be taking place at the above location.

Covered scaffolding will extend approx 3m from the buildings into the harbour.

Yellow buoys that will be lit at night will be placed around the area to highlight the extent of the restriction into the harbour.

Mariners must keep clear of the buoyed area and navigate with caution.

No.34/10 Hotwells Pontoon Traffic Signal

Notice is hereby given that the Hotwell Pontoon Latitude 51° 27’. 08N Longitude 002° 37’. 56W Upper Light (Docking Signal) has been replaced with 3 F.R./ 3 F.G. vertically disposed and is fully operational.

No.39/10 Water skiing sessions 2011

Restriction to Navigation – Floating Harbour

During the following times water skiing organised by the Bristol Water-ski Club, will take place in the Floating Harbour between Junction Lock and the Albion Dry Dock. Restrictions to navigation apply during these times. These times have been programmed so as to minimise inconvenience to vessels engaged in tidal transits.

Note: Stop Gate Tides - Water sking will be stopped to permit vessels to leave Cumberland Basin when the stop gates are removed.

Yellow buoys will be positioned in the vicinity of SS. Great Britain, Albion Dockyard, Pooles Dock and Old Junction Lock to indicate that water skiing is in progress.

Mariners must not proceed beyond these buoys without clearance from the Harbour Master.

If required, there may be a ten-minute suspension of water skiing, to allow vessels to pass through the Waterski area. These will be, on the half hour, when the finishing times are 12.30 hrs and on the hour, when the finish time is 13.00 hrs.

Vessels that have urgent need to navigate through this area outside of these times, should first contact the Harbour Master’s Office on VHF Radio Channel 73 or by telephone 0117 9031484 to seek a suspension to water skiing. Alternatively, they should make contact with the Harbour Master’s vessel that will be stationed at the eastern end of the course. Vessels wishing to leave Bristol Marina can make contact with these officers through the Bristol Marina Office.

Fishing is prohibited in this area whilst water skiing is taking place.

No.41/10 Building works at Finzels Reach

Building works at the old Courage Brewery site are continuing until further notice.

A tower crane will be working across the harbour during the building works but will be limited to carrying loads 10m from the quay wall at any time.

Steel pontoons are installed along the working area connected to the quay walls.

Yellow buoys will be installed to create an exclusion zone around the works and will be lit at night with yellow flashing lights.

Mariners must not navigate within the exclusion zone for any reason at any time and are requested to keep a good look out when passing these works at a slow speed.

No.31/11 Safety boat cover for water events in Bristol City Docks 2011

From 28th March 2011 the Bristol Sailing School under licence from the Harbour Master’s Office will carry out safety boat cover for Water Events and Water Skiing Sessions held in Bristol Harbour.

During these events the Sailing School Staff will be acting under the same powers of Safety and Navigation Control as any of the Harbour Master’s Staff and as such all directions given should be abided by.

No.32/11 Harbour Master's office closure

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that from 1st June 2011 the Harbour Master’s Office will close daily at 1900hrs.  The Duty Officers will remain on duty until 2230hrs, during summer operating times, carrying out dock patrols.

Therefore, it will no longer be possible to obtain any commodities from the Harbour Office after its time of closure.

The Baltic Wharf slipway will be locked after 1900hrs if the Duty Officers are not in the vicinity.

If you require any assistance or access please still call the Harbour Office on 0117 9031484.

REMINDER FOR ALL POTENTIAL USERS OF THE SLIPWAY:  In order for a short-term navigation licence to be granted to use Bristol City Docks, photographic proof of identity must be produced for identification purposes for the use of power/sport boats.  Failure to provide proof of identity will result in the licence being denied.

No.34/11 Scouring operations Cumberland Basin

Scouring operations in the Cumberland Basin will take place at the following times.

During these operations please note:

1. The water level in the floating harbour, Feeder Canal and River Avon upstream of Netham Lock may be reduced by as much as 0.5 metres during the period of approximately 5 hours from commencement of each scour.
2. Strong currents will be experienced in narrow bridge ways and especially Prince Street Bridge, Totterdown Junction, in the Feeder Canal at Netham Lock.
3. Vessels proceeding upstream against the current must give way to vessels coming downstream at all bridge ways, Totterdown Junction and at Netham Lock.
4. All vessels when approaching Prince Street Bridge, Redcliffe Bridge, Totterdown Junction or Netham Lock must sound one prolonged blast of their whistle from either direction. 

No.37/11 Netham Lock – winter operating times

Notice is hereby given that the following dates will apply.

Monday 26th September 2011 – Sunday 25th March 2012
 
Hours of Operation – WINTER 0900 –1645 hrs
 
Vessels are advised to arrive at the lock at least one hour before it closes to ensure passage through lock.

No.38/11 Procedures for Prince Street Bridge winter operations

Winter period operating times commence Monday 3rd October 2011 – Sunday 25th March 2012.

Mariners wishing to pass east or westbound through Prince Street bridge with a vessel that exceeds the clearance height may arrange to have the Prince Street bridge swung at the following times (All times GMT).

• 0830 (Weekends/Bank Holidays only)
• 0930 hrs
• 1030 hrs
• 1130 hrs
• 1230 hrs
• 1330 hrs
• 1430 hrs
• 1515 hrs
• 1615 hrs

Swing requests should be made at least one hour in advance and can be made to either the Harbour Office Tel No: 0117 9031484, VHF Radio Channel 73 Call sign “Bristol Floating Harbour” or vessels entering from seaward may also make arrangements with the Dock Master at Cumberland Basin Tel: 0117 9273633 or VHF Radio Channel 14 call sign “City Docks Radio”.

*NB Unless there is a prior booking the bridge will not be manned for operation, and therefore, mariners giving less than one hour notice may have to wait until the following published time.

No.40/11 Maintenance work on dock wall - Temple Backs 

Maintenance work will commence on 8th November 2011 on the dock wall in Temple Backs adjacent to the DAS Insurance Building.

This work will take place for the next 6 weeks where two temporary pontoons will be positioned at this location.

Diving operations will also be carried out at various times to enable the work to be completed. 

Mariners are requested to keep a good look out when navigating in this area and proceed at a slow speed.

No.41/11 Scouring Operations Cumberland Basin

Scouring operations in the Cumberland Basin will take place at the following times.

During these operations please note:

1. The water level in the floating harbour, Feeder Canal and River Avon upstream of Netham Lock may be reduced by as much as 0.5 metres during the period of approximately 5 hours from commencement of each scour.
2. Strong currents will be experienced in narrow bridge ways and especially Prince Street Bridge, Totterdown Junction, in the Feeder Canal at Netham Lock.
3. Vessels proceeding upstream against the current must give way to vessels coming downstream at all bridge ways, Totterdown Junction and at Netham Lock.
4. All vessels when approaching Prince Street Bridge, Redcliffe Bridge, Totterdown Junction or Netham Lock must sound one prolonged blast of their whistle from either direction.

No.42/11 Christmas Day 2011 – harbour arrangements

Notice is hereby given that: -

Cumberland Basin Entrance Lock, Plimsoll Swing Bridge and Junction Lock Swing Bridge will be closed to vessels following the PM high tide duty on Saturday 24th December 2011 until the start of the AM high tide duty on Monday 26th December 2011.

Prince Street Bridge will be closed from 1615 hrs on Saturday 24th December 2011 until 0830 hrs on Monday 26th December 2011.

Netham Lock will be closed to vessels from 1645 hrs on Saturday 24th December 2011 until 0900 hrs on Monday 26th December 2011.

The Harbour Office will be closed from 1800 hrs on Saturday 24th December 2011 until 0730 hrs on Monday 26th December 2011.

No.43/11 Finzels Reach - building works

Building works are being carried out on the wall between Bristol Bridge and Finzels Reach.

Scaffolding will be constructed at this position protruding 2 metres over the Floating Harbour.  

Yellow buoys have been installed to create an exclusion zone around the works and will be lit at night with yellow flashing lights. The scaffolding will also be lit with yellow flashing lights.

Mariners must not navigate within the exclusion zone for any reason at any time and are requested to keep a good look out when passing these works at a slow speed.