The safety of your vessel and those aboard it is your responsibility. Familiarity
with the chart of the river, an understanding of the uses of the aids to
navigation and times and heights of tide is essential for the production
of a meaningful passage plan. The Trustees have produced a small booklet intended
to provide basic information to help boaters wishing to navigate in the Severn
Estuary which may be obtained here
Further useful guidance and information aimed more specifically at vessels wishing to undertake the passage between Sharpness and Bristol, including procedures for navigating in the vicinity of the busy Avonmouth and Portbury docks may be obtained here download the Guidance Notes for Small Craft
On spring tides keep to the main channel and time your transit when inbound
to avoid arriving at Sharpness
too early and avoid the risk of grounding and being overturned on the sandbanks.
Do make sure that you understand the functions of buoys and navigation marks. DO NOT use buoy locations as GPSwaypoints. Keep off the buoys and beacons - this narrowboat sank and the owner was presented with a large
bill for recovery work and repairs.
On neap tides keep to the main channel and be aware of the draft of your
vessel and the heights of sandbanks and other obstructions such as the Oldbury
reservoir wall.