Tips for Sustainable and Wildlife-Friendly Sailors!
The Green Blue is the UK’s sustainable boating community, where you can find information on how to be a greener boater, learn how to maintain your boat, find eco boating products, and join their campaigns (which include helping marine creatures, protecting sea beds and keeping waters clean).
Read our post on how to keep dogs safe near water (many harbours are not dog-friendly).
A partnership between Royal Yachting Association and British Marine, it plays an important role in helping the millions of recreational and professional boaters on our waters, to help protect the water, sea beds and marine creatures – fish, seals, dolphins, porpoises, whales and basking sharks.
You can also learn more about electric boats, and report abandoned end-of-life boats, to prevent them polluting the water.
The Resource Directory includes everything from organisations that can collect rope for recycling, to eco-friendly boat cleaning products, hull protectors and water purifying machines.
The Green Blue’s Boating Pledge
- Minimise noise. Especially important in water, as noise travels further and disturbs birds and wild creatures. Never sail through birds or creatures on the water, as this can split mothers from their young.
- Minimise Wash. This can uproot vegetation and cause soil erosion, and even cause damage to other boats and loosen their moorings.
- Keep to Speed Limits. This helps protect local birds and wildlife. It’s also good to reduce fuel use and maintain engine efficiency, as well as of course reducing risk of collision. If you see wildlife, slow down to a no-wake speed and use binoculars to view from at least 300ft.
- Don’t Throw Anything Overboard. Even milk from coffee can cause bacteria in the water, and an orange peel takes 2 years to break down. Keep it all on board and dispose/recycle when you get back to shore. Secure bins (so items don’t blow into the water).
Other Useful Green Boating Resources
- Greensail has a free sustainable sailing guide, which covers managing greywater and blackwater, and how to avoid anchors damaging sea beds.
- Sea Clean is Europe’s first brand of waterless boat cleaning products, with info on how to clean boats and professional services (launder microfiber cloths in a microfiber filter, to prevent water pollution).
- Delphis Eco is a good brand of commercial cleaning products, some of which are good for boats (like toilet cleaners and de-greasers).
- Download the guide on using anchors with care, to prevent harm to seagrass (home to endangered sea turtles and seahorses). Advanced mooring systems has developed mid-water floats that elevate chains from sea-beds, leaving seagrass undisturbed. Respect voluntary no-anchor & no-access zones.
- SEAFLEX is an elastic mooring solution for docks, pontoons and other places, that can be secured in locations exposed to extreme weather.
Tips for Wildlife-Friendly Sailors
- Green Blue offers a free e-book on boating near wildlife. Don’t exceed 4 knots when close to shorelines and banks. Slow down to no-wake speed if you spot wildlife, lower voices and turn off music.
- Don’t drive through pods or groups of creatures and avoid jet-skis (all can injure and separate creatures from their young). Follow DEFRA Marine & Coastal Wildlife Code (do not chase, harass, touch or feed creatures).
- Take the 5-hour course at WiSe Scheme to teach you how to protect wildlife at sea. Graduates receive a certificate to display on literature.
Tips for Fishing Boats
- Avoid using methods that trap other creatures, and also avoid over-fishing.
- Monomaster is a nifty invention that unlike some fishing line recycling bins (which can tangle birds) keeps tackle safe, until you dispose of it in a proper recycling bin.
- Fishing for Litter has worldwide volunteers, who fill up bags at sea, to recycle at port. Fleets in England have removed hundreds of tonnes of marine litter from oceans (along with textile and scrap metal, which can be sold for extra income.
Exploring England’s Beautiful Boat Harbours
A recent vote plumped for Blakeney (Norfolk) as England’s prettiest harbour. Previously used to transport spices, the local saltmarshes are stunning, and the area is also popular with native grey seals
As an island nation, England is home to many harbours and marinas. So what’s the difference? Simply put:
- A harbour is a sheltered place to safely moor boats.
- A marina provides direct walkways to pleasure boats.
- Docks are enclosed areas in ports, for berthing ships and loading/unloading goods.
Ships would often moor at piers, and artificial harbours were first built during the 1944 D-day operations. Read our post on how to be a sustainable sailor! And to keep you safe, read about lovely lighthouses and helping heroic lifeboat crews.
Dogs are not allowed in some harbours, so check first. Read our post on keeping dogs safe by the seaside.
Mousehole: Cornwall’s Picturesque Gem
This tiny harbour near Penzance is just 7 miles from Land’s End. It’s so tiny, that it can only take tiny boats! It’s also tricky to get into, due to weather and rocky islands.
It’s popular with wild swimmers who often brave the cold waters, drying off on the small sandy beach, before using the stairs to return to the village full of ancient alleys.
One nearby resident was Dolly Pentreath (she died in 1777) and was the last person to speak Cornish as a first language (not much is known about her, other that she could swear very well!)
The seas near Mousehole can be treacherous. In 1981, all 8 volunteer lifeboat crew died (along with 8 others) while trying to save crew on a coaster vessel that had run aground, after seawater got into the fuel tank.
Today the village has a local train named after the boat’s crew. Within one day, local volunteers had formed a new lifeboat crew.
Lynmouth: Where Rivers Meet the Sea
This Devon town is a seaside resort with a nice harbour. The coast faces the Channel Islands, and the cliff features a beautiful funicular powered railway.
In 1952, it suffered England’s worst flood, when 34 people died (and 100 buildings were destroyed). So much rain fell in nearby Exmoor that the river burst its banks. Today the overflow area is built to take more water, so hopefully this can never happen again.
The Deep-Sea Harbour of Southampton
This port city has a strong sailing history, dating back 1000 years. Ships often docked it, as it was protected from the fierce waves of the English channel. As trade grew, so the ship-building trade.
Of course, today it’s most known as being where the doomed Titanic ship set off, in 1912. Thousands of people gathered to say farewell to the largest and luxurious liner of its time, which ended in disaster, when an iceberg struck, before it reached New York on its maiden voyage.
Today Southampton is still ‘the sailing centre’ of England, with lots of yacht clubs. Although set in a fictional town, the drama series Howard’s Way was mostly filmed here, on the Solent.
Lymington: Sailing Hub of the Solent
The affluent town of Lymington (which has a ferry to Yarmouth on the Island of Wight) shelters boats in marinas on the Solent. People cans stroll along the cobbled quay, and watch boat masts sway on the tide. This is pretty near the Hampshire New Forest.
Whitby: A Sad Heritage and Dramatic Coast
Whitby Harbour in Yorkshire is now a popular tourist site, where you can walk 1999 steps to visit the ruined abbey. But the harbour story is rather sad. This used to be England’s centre for whaling (some sailors would even bring back polar bears, from hunting trips).
Avoid Jet Skis (to protect birds and marine creatures)
A few years ago in England, nobody really used jet skis. But now like elsewhere in the world, many people zoom through the water on these ‘sea scooters’, causing havoc to marine wildlife (singer Kirsty MacColl was even killed by one, while on holiday with her children in Mexico).
They may seem fun, but many councils are now banning the use of jet skis. As well as often attracting ‘boy racer’ types (who often have no concern for wildlife), driving jet skis through water can harm and kill marine creatures, and also separate mothers from babies underwater.
It’s illegal to intentionally disturb wildlife (including gulls), so report such incidents to the police , Crimestoppers (anonymous) and British Divers Marine Life Rescue.
- In Looe (Cornwall), locals put up warning signs, to protect its Atlantic grey seal population.
- Hundreds of people have objected to the issue of personal water craft licenses in Deben Estuary (Suffolk), which could harm local wildlife.
- In Northern Ireland, there is an outright ban on jet skis in some areas (after reports of harm and anti-social behaviour).
How Jet Skis Affect Birds and Marine Wildlife
- Many marine creatures (like dolphins and whales) communicate by singing or echo-location, so a jet ski roaring along can be terrifying (like loud underwater fireworks) and can even cause ear problems and bleeding on the brain.
- Nesting sea birds (including puffins) can abandon their eggs, leaving chicks vulnerable to predators or storms.
- Shallow waters near shores often act as nurseries for young fish (and feeding grounds for birds). So the wake left from jet skis, can stir up sediment and uproot vegetation, destroying critical habitats.
- Many creatures (like seals) have to come up for air, which can result in collisions with jet skis. Same with birds that fly low over the water (the energy used to fly away from jet skis can leave them too exhausted to hunt for food).
- Sea turtles are slow-moving, so cannot escape in time (same with manatees abroad).
Welsh TV wildlife presenter Iolo Williams has been very vocal about people who use jet skis, calling some of them ‘idiots’ who plough through a raft of seabirds on a puffin sanctuary near a North Wales Nature Reserve. He wants such riders to have to be issued licenses, just like for car drivers.
Safer Alternatives to Jet Skis for Wildlife
Of course, you don’t ‘need any alternative’. But if you like ‘playing on the water’, instead consider:
- Kayaking: Quiet paddling lets you glide, without scaring wildlife.
- Paddleboarding: Like kayaking, paddleboarding keeps noise levels low.
- Snorkelling and swimming: These activities let you enjoy the ocean, without engine noise disrupting the environment.
Florida’s Actions to Save Manatees (sea cows)
Jet skis are very popular in Florida, a place where manatees (sea cows) often swim (as well as in the Caribbean). These gentle creatures move slowly and have to come up for air, so often are at the danger end.
Save the Manatee Club does wonderful work, educating the public on why to avoid using jet skis. It even offers free warning signs for Florida shoreline home owners, so boaters can be reminded what to do, when passing by.
The Shipping Forecast: England’s Bedtime Lullaby
Good, Occasionally Rhyming is a selection of poetry and writing about the Shipping Forecast, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first BBC broadcast.
And now, the Shipping Forecast issued by the Met Office
Often described as the nation’s bedtime lullaby, the Shipping Forecast has long been a favourite listen in homes on chilly evenings, even if you’re nowhere near the sea and don’t sail a boat.
The precise reading of marine weather around the British Isles has often been forgotten, by those who instead value the gentle rhythm and curious wording as a charming way to induce relaxation and sleep.
The 31 areas take us on a virtual voyage that starts with the Shetland Isles and Norway, zig-zags down the North Sea, scoots west along the English Channel, sails by the coast of France, Spain and Portugal, via both sides of Ireland, up to the west coast of Scotland and even as far as Iceland.
Forties, Dogger, German Bight, Humber, Thames, Dover, Wight. These words speak to us like a spell, nonsensical in their substance, but enchanting in their delivery.
Since it first broadcast in 1925, the Shipping Forecast has captured the nation’s heart. This is a love letter from Britain’s literary landscape, to this iconic radio broadcast.
That’s the end of this shipping bulletin.
Moderate Becoming Good Later is a deeply moving story about one man who attempts to sea kayak the areas of the BBC Shipping Forecast, familiar to anyone who grew up listening to BBC Radio 4.
Often described as the national lullaby, the shipping forecast is a source of dependability and calm in an often chaotic world.
And has charmed millions of listeners, and aided generations of seafarers across the decades:
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in west. Weather. Rain or showers, perhaps becoming thundery. Visibility: good, occasionally poor. Fair Isle..
No stranger to weathering a storm (after living with a rare life-limiting medical condition, architect, lecturer and kayaker Toby sets out to explore the areas of the Forecast.
Taking him to the both tranquil and harsh teas, he finds the real people, places and stories behind the familiar names and imagined environments: and along the way discovers what anchors us to each other.
The book is written by Toby’s sister from his extensive notes and recordings, after his untimely death from liver cancer age just 40.
This is both an epic (sometimes choppy) adventure with old friends and new, plenty of wildlife and the ever-present sea.
What a special book. A manifesto for living, loving and laughing, whatever life’s storms and forecasts bring.
A guide for us all, whether we are embarking on voyages of our choosing, or dealing with waves and storms dealt us. Sarah Outen
Katie Annice Carr is an artist and university lecturer. After the death of her brother, she decided to finish telling his story that he so clearly wanted to share after finding extensive notes of his trip.
She lives in Barcelona, Spain.
The History of the BBC Shipping Forecast
The Shipping Forecast provides vital weather info for 31 sea areas surrounding the British Isles. Including wind speed and direction, visibility, atmospheric pressure and sea state. A valuable toolkit for sailors.
First aired in 1861, it was conceived by Robert FitzRoy, the founding force of modern meteorology. Today, satellites, buoys, and weather stations all play a part in collecting this information. It airs four times daily, and is also now accessible online and with apps.
Where Can You Sail to from England?
These are just a few places you can sail to from England, for foot or vehicle passengers. For private crossings, read our post for sustainable sailors!
Some dogs may find ferry crossings stressful. If you take them with you, check policies of each operator before travel. If needing to take pets abroad (say emigration), Eurostar does not allow pets (bar guide dogs) from UK.
Le Shuttle offers a 35-minute crossing from Folkestone to Boulogne (your pets stay with you in the car, and there is a pet-friendly check-in, just follow the paw prints). Le Pet Express offers a pet-friendly shuttle service from Ashford. Byway has a good post on dog-friendly travel in Europe.
Sailing from England to Isle of Wight
There are several ferry routes from England to Isle of Wight. You can alternatively take a hovercraft from Southsea/Portsmouth (around 20 minutes and better for the seabed, as they ‘glide’ over the water, rather than disturb the sea bed like propellors – the HoverPaws refreshment station provides water and rest):
Ferry times are:
- Lymington to Yarmouth (40 minutes)
- Portsmouth to Fishbourne (45 minutes)
- Southampton to East Cowes (1 hour)
Sailing from England to Isles of Scilly
Resembling the Caribbean Islands, the Isles of Scilly are just 23 miles off Cornwall’s coast, although seas can be rough, in evidence from the number of shipwrecks (one lighthouse even blew down a storm, and had to be rebuilt).
The ferry leaves from Penzance, on the far west of Cornwall near Land’s End, the journey takes almost 3 hours.
Sailing from England to the Channel Islands
You can sail from a few places to the Channel Islands, which are nearer France to England. Crossings are a few times a week (but not every day):
- Poole to Jersey takes around 4.5 hours
- Poole to Guernsey takes around 3 hours
- Portsmouth to Jersey takes around 9 hours
- Portsmouth to Guernsey takes around 10-11 hours
Sailing from England to France
There are several crossings to France, especially from southeast England as it’s only 20 miles or so to Calais, though trips from Sussex to Dieppe are much longer. Plan ahead if a private boater (the English channel is one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes).
Popular routes include:
- Dover to Calais (around 90 minutes)
- Folkestone to Boulogne (around 90 minutes)
- Dover to Dunkirk (no foot passengers, around 2 hours)
- Newhaven to Dieppe (around 4 hours)
- Poole to Cherbourg (around 4 hours)
- Portsmouth to Caen (around 6 hours)
- Portsmouth to Le Havre (around 5.5 hours)
- Plymouth to Roscoff (around 9 hours)
- Portsmouth to Saint-Malo (11 hours – overnight ferry)
Sailing from England to Ireland
Weather in the Irish Sea can change, so check before travel, as times can change or ferries can even be cancelled for safety. These crossings are notoriously choppy:
- Holyhead (North Wales) to Holyhead (around 4 hours)
- Liverpool to Belfast (around 8 hours)
- Fishguard or Pembroke (Wales) to Rosslare (around 4 hours)
- Cairnryan (Scotland) to Belfast or Larne (around 3 hours)
Sailing from England to The Netherlands
There are a few ferry crossings to The Netherlands (there are no longer any sailings from England to Ostend or Zeebrugge in Belgium).
There are also no longer passenger ferries from Newcastle to Sweden (the last one got cancelled due to not enough passengers and Swedish environmental laws – there is a freight ferry from Immingham (Lincolnshire) to Gothenberg but as a passenger costs nearly £1000!)
There are presently three direct routes to The Netherlands:
- Harwich to Hook of Holland (around 8 hours)
- Hull to Rotterdam (11.5 hours)
- Newcastle to Amsterdam (16 hours, overnight)
Sailing from England to the Scottish Highlands
You have to visit the Scottish mainland, to take ferries to the Scottish Highlands. Some of the most popular routes are:
- Skye (there is also a bridge, along with direct car ferries)
- Mull (the car ferry takes around 45 minutes)
- Mallaig operates ferries to the small isles of Eigg, Muck, Rum and Canna
- Skye has ferries to the Outer Hebrides (North Uist, Harris and Islay
- You can also catch ferries from Scrabster and Gill’s Bay (near John o Groats) to Orkney.
- You can take ferries to the Shetland Isles from Orkney or Aberdeen (much longer – around 12 hours – these isles are closer to Norway than London!)
Due to being a coastal nation (with lots of changeable weather and hazards like rocks and cliffs), England has many lighthouses. Some are no longer in use (used for tourist information or even holiday homes).
But many are still working lighthouses, although most now operate automatically from Trinity House, rather than by a lighthouse keeper.
Not all lighthouses have red and white stripes (this is done to make them stand out against white cliffs, which is why say Beachy Head lighthouse is this blend of colours). Other lighthouses are white, and some are tall and others short and fat!
Black Nore Lighthouse in Portishead (Somerset) is currently now in jeopardy from ending up as a holiday home (or being knocked down) due to lack of funds (it’s not covered by Trinity House, instead a local community looks after it).
The unique latticework frame was specially designed to reduce wind resistance. If no-one is found to care for it, it will revert to being owned by the Crown (King Charles III).
A Brief History of English Lighthouses
Lighthouses in England date back to Roman times, when fire (before lamps) was used to guide seafarers. Later came lighthouse keepers whose job would be to keep the lamps burning, though of course it was a solitary job.
The ‘Scottish lighthouse mystery’ that has puzzled people for years, was recently probably solved. Three men working in the Highlands mysteriously disappeared, while keeping watch in a lighthouse. It’s now believed that one was swept to sea, and the other drowned, trying to save him.
In 1514, Henry VIII (not a very nice man who kept beheading wives and did awful things to the Catholic Church) did do one good thing, and that was to create Trinity House. Which today is still in charge of maintaining and protecting England’s lighthouses.
Noteworthy Lighthouses and Their Stories
Smeaton’s Tower (Plymouth) is one of England’s best-loved lighthouses, named after John Smeaton, who used interlocking stones to build it, to withstand strong waves.
Burnham-on-Sea (Somerset) is a curious ‘lighthouse on legs’ that is raised on nine wooden stilts. It was built to warn ships to keep away from dangerous sands (you may know that Weston-super-Mare and other areas are home to dangerous sinking mud).
Start Point Lighthouse (Devon) sits on one of the most exposed areas of the English coast. Built in 1836, the fog signal building collapsed in 1989, due to coastal erosion. A free-standing alternative now stands in its place, protected by a retaining wall.
Greenwich Lightvessel is England’s moving lighthouse, a ship fitted with lamps and fog horns. This striking red ship once guarded the busy Thames approach. Now retired, it’s a reminder of the genius of lighthouses.
Southwold Lighthouse is unusual, in that it stands within the town, near high street homes and shops.
Recently, a rare job came up as a lighthouse keeper, asking for someone with a good head for heights, happy to work alone, able to change lightbulbs and must like seagulls!
It’s not for everyone, but many people happily live on a houseboat, and many others dream of doing so. It’s also in modern times, one alternative to a huge mortgage on a static home.
Living on a barge does require a bit of study to learn of rules and regulations. But if done right, you can wake up to the gentle lapping of water and sunlight glinting above, and views of ancient s tone bridges.
See below for tips on dog safety.
Most houseboats are moored, though you can also travel around England, once you learn how to use a lock. Years ago, canals carried goods from London around the country. Today, these same waterways are mostly used for holiday boating, or people who live on barges.
The Basics of Living on a Canal Barge
England has around 2000 miles of canals (most people live within a few miles of one). After buying a quality houseboat (an average £50,000), you then have to add mooring fees (around £2K to £5K per year) and other costs.
All houseboats in England must meet legal requirements of the Boat Safety Scheme (BSS), an inspection certificate that’s renewed every four years to check for gas, fuel, electrics and fire safety. Canal & River Trust is also required for use on most English waterways.
If you plan to keep moving, apply for a continuous cruising licence with the Canal & River Trust. You will need to move at least every 30 days, covering varied stretches of the system. Those who want a fixed home base might opt for a permanent mooring.
Boats under 57 feet should fit any lock, but also think if you want a bedroom, and storage for bikes and supplies. Some now offer solar panels to cut emissions and costs, and other offer compact modern kitchens, slim-line fridges and fold-out tables, to make use of limited space.
Etiquette Rules on Canals & Rivers
- Living on a houseboat requires that you check weather and water conditions at Canal & River Trust.
- Speed limits on canals are usually 4 miles per hour, but slower (near walking pace) near fragile canal banks, or nesting wildlife.
- WiSe offers a short course (just a few hours) to become a wildlife-friendly boater. Also read our post on sustainable sailors!
- Dispose of waste correctly with pump-out stations for toilets (avoid dumping oil, litter or antifreeze in the water). The Canal & River Trust operates regular waste points for refuse and recycling.
- Register your boat and display the license, and also have third-party boat insurance. Respect mooring limits to avoid fines of up to £1000.
- Yield to oncoming boats at narrow bridges, and sound your horn if needed. Report litter and pollution to Canal & River Trust.
Mastering Canal Locks
- Locks simply raise and lower the water, and most are operated manually. Always approach slowly, then open the gate paddles with a windlass, letting water in or out to balance levels.
- Push open the heavy wooden gates, and guide the boat inside. Close the gates, then fill or empty the lock, using ropes to keep your boat steady. Empty the chamber or raise the water, then exit when levels match.
Barge Safety Tips (including for dogs)
- Never leave a boat loosely secured in a lock, and wear a life jacket.
- Carry first aid supplies, torches with spare batteries and a charged mobile or VHF radio for Canal & River Trust calls.
- Use non-slip bats and boots to help avoid accidents on deck, and never use antifreeze anywhere near pets or wildlife, it’s lethal).
- Ensure boats are fitted with smoke alarms, fire extinguishers and carbon monoxide detectors, that meet BSS standards and are checked often.
- Humanely train dogs and use quality dog lifejackets. Dogs must be micro-chipped (use up-to-date non-dangling tags). Make a note of the nearest vets, if needed.
Floating Home: Lessons from a Life Less Ordinary
Floating Home is the story of the author’s decision (after travelling across 26 countries over five years, following the loss of his father) to take to England’s waterways on his beloved narrowboat (The Rman Rose).
He discovers not just human connection and community, but finds peace amid the transformative power of compassion. A book to gently guide readers to think outside the norm, and begin to life on their own terms.
