Shipping Lane - Navigational Notes

Jan 23, 2026

BBK26 – Shipping Lane & Traffic Crossings

Britain by Kayak 2026 (Clockwise from Lowestoft)

INTRODUCTION & CAVEATS

This document identifies major commercial shipping lanes, port approaches, ferry corridors, and high-risk traffic areas likely to be encountered during a clockwise sea-kayak circumnavigation of mainland Britain, starting and finishing at Lowestoft.

Purpose

The dataset is designed to support:

  • Passage planning
  • VHF / VTS liaison
  • Decision-making at sea
  • Fatigue-aware risk management

It focuses on real crossing decisions, not chart replication.

Critical Caveats

  • All coordinates are notional and indicative only
  • This document does not replace Admiralty charts, Notices to Mariners, COLREGS, or real-time VTS advice
  • Traffic patterns, VHF channels, and procedures may change
  • Final crossing decisions must always consider:
  • Visibility
  • Traffic at the time
  • Tidal state
  • Weather and sea state
  • Fatigue and exposure

Recommended crossing points are conservative suggestions, not fixed waypoints. You should make your own decisions but a framework for that is:

• Be as close to 90° to traffic flow as practicable • Avoid pilot boarding areas • Avoid tight bends in channels • Be outside harbour limits if possible • Have VTS coverage • Be reachable in <60–90 minutes of paddling (realistic exposure window)

DATASET STRUCTURE

Each crossing entry includes (where available):

  • Lane / Scheme Name
  • Origin Port (primary traffic generator)
  • Lane Type (TSS, port approach, ferry corridor, etc.)
  • Notional Lane Centre (lat/long)
  • Recommended Crossing Point (lat/long)
  • Controlling Authority (VTS / Port Control / Coastguard)
  • Primary VHF Channel
  • Practical Crossing Notes

https://map.goosejuice.co.uk

SECTION 1

East Coast – Initial Leg

(Clockwise: Lowestoft → Thames)

Context: Moderate-to-heavy commercial traffic, offshore energy support vessels, and busy port approaches. Good visibility days are common — complacency is the risk.

1. Great Yarmouth Approaches

  • Lane Type: Port approaches (Outer Harbour and River Yare Harbour)
  • Notional Centre: 52 34.45N 1 45.58E
  • Recommended Crossing: 52 35.135N 1 46.694E (SW Scroby Bouy)
  • Authority: Lowestoft Port Control
  • VHF: Ch 14 (secondary Ch 12)
  • Notes: Offshore wind-farm traffic and fishing vessels common.

2. Harwich / Felixstowe Approaches

  • Lane Type: Major port approach
  • Notional Centre: 51 55.703N 1 22.294E
  • Recommended Crossing: 51 55.548N 1 19.752E (Rolling Ground Green Cone)
  • Authority: Harwich VTS
  • VHF: Ch 71
  • Notes: Extremely busy container traffic. Avoid pilot boarding areas.

3. Thames Estuary – Northern Approaches

  • Lane Type: TSS feeders
  • Notional Centre: 51 30.802N 1 1.487E
  • Recommended Crossing: 51 30.435N 0 52.384E (Sth Shoebury Green Cone)
  • Authority: London VTS
  • VHF: Ch 69
  • Notes: Dense traffic. Cross decisively at right angles only in good visibility.

SECTION 2

English Channel

(Clockwise: Thames → Land’s End)

Context: Highest traffic density of the entire expedition. VTS liaison is essential, not optional.

4. Dover Harbour

  • Lane Type: Access to Mandatory TSS and Ferry Port
  • Notional Centre: 51 6.404N 1 20.871E
  • Recommended Crossing: 51 6.404N 1 20.871E
  • Authority: Dover Coastguard / CNIS
  • VHF: Ch 11
  • Notes: One of the busiest shipping areas globally. AIS strongly advised.

5. Eastern Solent Approaches

  • Lane Type: Multiple Harbour & Port approaches / ferry routes
  • Notional Centre: 50 40.083N 0 57.17W (Nab Tower)
  • Recommended Crossings:

-Chichester Harbour 50 45N 0 54.902W (Bay Bouy) VHF Channel 14

-Langstone Harbour 50 46.32N 1 1.362E (Langstone Fairway Bouy) VHF Channel 68.

-Portsmouth Harbour 50 46.041N 1 5.261W (Boyne Conical Starboard Hand Bouy).

  • Authority: QHM Portsmouth VHF: Ch 11.
  • Notes: Continuous ferry traffic. Strong tides.

-Southampton Harbour 50 48.86N 1 15.432W (Special Purpose Bouy)

  • Authority: Southampton VTS VHF: Ch 12.
  • Notes: Large cruise ships and container vessels.

-Beaulieu River 50 46.913N 1 21.694W (Lateral Beacon Bouy). VHF Channel 68.

-Lymington Harbour 50 44.412N 1 30.478W (Lateral Beacon Bouy). VHF Channel 66.

7. Portland Bill Traff

  • Lane Type: Coastal traffic
  • Notional Centre: 50.5000 N, 2.4500 W
  • Recommended Crossing: 50 30.716N 2 27.395W
  • Authority: Portland Harbour
  • VHF: Ch 74
  • Notes: Strong tidal race. Timing critical. Take inshore channel inside The Shambles

8. Lyme Bay Ferry Routes

  • Lane Type: High-speed ferry corridor
  • Notional Centre: 50.6000 N, 3.2000 W
  • Recommended Crossing: Inshore passage across bay according to conditions eg 50 38.99N 3 14.009W
  • Authority: Poole Harbour
  • VHF: Ch 14
  • Notes: Fast inshore vessels eg Tourist RIBS with limited deviation.

9. Plymouth Sound Approaches

  • Lane Type: Port approach
  • Notional Centre: 50.3300 N, 4.1500 W
  • Recommended Crossing: Inshore of breakwater 50 20.216N 4 9.05W
  • Authority: Longroom Port Control
  • VHF: Ch 14
  • Notes: Naval movements common.

SECTION 3

Bristol Channel & Milford Haven

(Clockwise: Land’s End → Pembrokeshire)

Context: UK’s largest tidal range. Crossings are tide-driven decisions, not distance-driven.

10. Bristol Channel - Actual crossing point determined by passage plan, conditions and competence.

  • Lane Type: Commercial fairway
  • Notional Centre: 51 23.402N 4 9.629W Recommended Crossing: 51 23.402N 4 9.629W Authority: Swansea Coastguard
  • VHF: Ch 16

11. Cardiff / Newport Approaches

  • Lane Type: Port approach
  • Notional Centre: 51 22.541N 3 7.13W
  • Recommended Crossing: Option via McKenzie Light-Tower 51 22.541N 3 7.13W
  • Authority: Cardiff Barrage Control
  • VHF: Ch 18

12. Milford Haven Approaches

  • Lane Type: Major port approach
  • Notional Centre: 51.6500 N, 5.1000 W
  • Recommended Crossing: 51 40.994N 5 8.663W (West Chapel Bouy)
  • Authority: Milford Haven VTS
  • VHF: Ch 12
  • Notes: LNG tanker movements.

SECTION 4

Irish Sea

(Clockwise: Milford → North Wales → Clyde)

Context: Fast ferries + confined channels. Treat ferry routes as de-facto shipping lanes.

13. St George’s Channel Ferry Routes (Fishguard Port)

  • Lane Type: Ferry corridor
  • Notional Centre: 552 2.301N 4 59.804W
  • Recommended Crossing: 52 2.052N. 4 57.309W

14. Holyhead Ferry Concentration Zone

  • Lane Type: Port + ferry routes
  • Notional Centre: 53 20N 4 36.732W
  • Recommended Crossing: Inshore of Langdon W Cardinal Bouy 53 22.757N 4 38.653W
  • Authority: Holyhead Port Control
  • VHF: Ch 14

15. Liverpool Bay / Mersey Approaches. Ferries/Shipping and Wind Turbine Farms

  • Lane Type: Major port approach
  • Notional Centre: 53 28.185N 3 25.427W
  • Recommended Crossing: Inshore of wind farms also avoids TSS
  • Authority: Mersey VTS
  • VHF: Ch 12

16. Clyde Estuary

  • Lane Type: Estuary traffic
  • Notional Centre: 55 41.342N 4 59.384W
  • Recommended Crossing: South of Little Umbrae Island 55 42.411N 4 57.477W
  • Authority: Clydeport
  • VHF: Ch 12

SECTION 5

West Coast Scotland

(Clockwise: Clyde → Cape Wrath)

Context: Lower traffic density, much higher consequence. Ferries + tides dominate risk.

17. Sound of Mull

  • Lane Type: Ferry route across Sound of Mull
  • Recommended Crossing: 56 31.52N 5 47.662W

18. Inner Sound (Skye)

  • Lane Type: Ferry corridor
  • Recommended Crossing: 57 2.76N 5 52.036W

19. The Minch

  • Lane Type: Long ferry crossings - Ullapool to Stornaway, Skye
  • Recommended Crossing: 558 1.15N 5 38.265W

20. Cape Wrath Approaches

  • Lane Type: Through traffic
  • Recommended Crossing: 58 37.2N 5 12W

SECTION 6

Pentland Firth & Orkney

Context: A tidal gate system with zero margin for error. Timing and comms are everything.

21. Pentland Firth Transit

  • Lane Type: High-consequence crossing Recommended Crossing: Inshore of Stroma - Fierce tidal streams! 58 39.47N 3 8.801W Do your research !
  • Authority: Orkney VTS
  • VHF: Ch 11 (working), Ch 16 (watch)

SECTION 7

North Sea Return

(Clockwise: Pentland → Lowestoft)

Context: Persistent industrial traffic.

22. Moray Firth

  • Lane Type: Commercial routes
  • Recommended Crossing: West of 57 49.2N 3 39W

23. Aberdeen

  • Lane Type: Commercial and Oil/Gas shipping
  • Recommended Crossing: 57 9.168N 2 1.911W

24. Dundee

  • Lane Type: Commercial Shipping
  • Recommended Crossing: Middle Red Bouy 56 27.33N. 2 38.96W

25. Firth of Forth

  • Lane Type: Major port approach

  • Recommended Crossing:

    • Up-Estuary 56 7.586N 2 48.413W
    • Outer line: Isle of May 56 10.992N 2 33.785W

  • Authority: Forth VTS

  • VHF: Ch 71

26. River Blyth

  • Lane Type: Commercial and recreational shipping
  • Recommended Crossing: 55 6.773N 1 29.059W

27. River Tyne

  • Lane Type: Port approach
  • Recommended Crossing: 55 0.816N 1 23.75W
  • Authority: Tyne VTS
  • VHF: Ch 12

28. River Wear, Sunderland

Lane Type: Port approach Recommended Crossing: 54 55.266N 1 20.957W** VHF 11, 14

29. River Tees, Hartlepool

  • Lane Type: Port Traffic
  • Recommended Crossing: Inside of Windfarm - 54 39.163N 1 28.294W
  • VHF 14

30. Humber Estuary

  • Lane Type: Major port approach
  • Recommended Crossing: Cardinal Checker 3 53 33.072N 0 10.609W
  • Authority: Humber VTS
  • VHF: Ch 14

31. Great Yarmouth / Lowestoft (Finish)

Lane Type: Port approaches

  • Recommended Crossing: Outer Harbour: 52 34.656N 1 44.869E Inner Harbour (River Yare): 52 34.329N 1 44.503E** VHF 12

This document represents a planning framework, not a prescription. Good seamanship, real-time judgement, and conservative decision-making always take precedence.

Prepared for: GooseJuice – Britain by Kayak 2026