Charts
BR. Admiralty; 2669, 3653, 60, 2845, 5604.
SHOM;            7158, 6934
ECM;               1014

Imray;              C33A.

Stanfords;        2, 7,16, 26.

Datum: WGS 84

The latitudes and longitudes refer to World Geodetic System 1984.

Tides: -0400 Dover: ML 3.5, Duration 0545, Zone 0 (UT)
Tidal Differences for other ports based on HW Braye

·  Cherbourg +52 mins.,

·  St. Peter Port ,Guernsey -40 mins.,

·  St. Helier, Jersey -45 mins.,

·  Carteret -36 mins.,

·  Diélette - 30 mins

Swinge Notes

·  Dangerous overfalls develop on flood and ebb tides, in particular when the wind is against tide conditions

·  Keep to the south side - calmest area is close to Corbet Rock

·  Always navigate the Swinge at slack water which is + 2.1/2 hrs HW or LW Alderney

Race Notes

·  Always navigate the Race at around slack water which is + 2.1/2 to 3 hrs HW or LW Alderney

·  If you miss the tide from either direction, anchor in Longy Bay to await a fair tide

Burhou Island
Burhou is a bird sanctuary, and landing is prohibited between 15th March and 27th July.

Navigation & Approach
Approaching Braye Harbour, care should be taken when using the Swinge or the Race; strong tidal streams (up to 9 knots in the Swinge and 11 knots in the Race) can create dangerous overfalls, especially with the wind over tide. It is recommended to use these passages at or near slack water (+2.1/2hr HW & 2.1/2hr LW Alderney).

The tides run to the NE between +2.1/2 hr LW and +2.1/2hr HW, and to the SW between +2.1/2 hr HW and +2.1/2hr LW. Apart from the strong tidal streams, Alderney has many rocks around it. The safest approach to Braye is from the NE.

Shelter
Good in Braye Harbour, except in strong N-NE winds and occasionally in a heavy SW swell.

Lights and Marks
Alderney Lt. Ho. Fln (4) 15 sec. Fog Signal; Horn (1) 30 sec. Braye Harbour Ldg. Lts. Both Q synch, lead 215° into hbr.  Co-located daymarks, both W cols, orange triangles, lead 215°. From the NW, Iso WR 4s at Château à l'Etoc, visible arc R 071°- 111°, W 111° - 151°, in line with Alderney Lt. Ho., 111°, clears the submerged ruins of the Breakwater. There is a light, L F1 10s, at the remaining end of the Breakwater.

The Harbour Fairway is marked by 5 buoys, QG and QR at its outer end, and Q (2) G 5 sec, towards its centre, and QG (3) and QR (3) 5 sec on approach to Little Crabby Harbour.  The Commercial Quay end is marked by 2 FR (vert) lights and the entrance to Little Crabby Harbour by FG and FR lights.

Anchorages
There are a number of other anchorages around Alderney, in addition to Braye. None provide any facilities, and all are only safe in calm weather and/or offshore winds. Clockwise from Braye these are : Saye - sandy bottom. Longis Bay - sandy bottom, dries a long way out, a good place to wait for fair tide in the Race. Telegraph Bay - on SW point of island, small sandy bay that dries from half-tide down, holding patchy in sand and heads of rock. Hannaine Bay -S. of Fort Clonque , a good place to wait for fair tide through the Swinge. Burhou - the Lug, SW end of Burhou, below half-tide on the SW stream.

Harbourmaster, Customer, Coastguard, Lifeboat, etc.
Harbourmaster, Customs, Lifeboat and VHF station - all at the Harbourmaster's Office, at the SW end of the harbour. Weather forecasts and reports at the Harbourmaster's Office or on VHF from Alderney Radio, which can also supply a Radar VTS and RDF service. Here are no Coastguard stations in the Channel Islands. The Harbourmaster's office fulfils this function in Alderney.

VHF Radio
Call 'Alderney Radio', VHF 16, 74. The Harbour launch also listens on Ch.74, call 'Harbour Launch'. If not obtainable, call St. Peter Port, Guernsey (Ch.16,20 ) or CROSSMA (French Coastguard, CH 16, 13, 80, etc )

For detailed information regarding Braye Harbour: click here

Information about the RNLI Alderney Station    

The 2006 Tides Table can be downloaded from the Braye Harbour page. Click here