Dover

Dover is entered by the Western or the Eastern Entrance, from the Dover Strait, where a Traffic Separation Scheme carries over 400 commercial vessels a day. Inside the breakwaters the ferry berths lie at the Eastern Docks, and the Western Docks hold the three cruise berths, the Outer Marina and, through a lock, Wellington Dock. Every movement within a mile of the port and inside the harbour is controlled by Dover VTS.

Dover VTS monitors VHF 74. A yacht calls when two miles off, giving her name, position, destination, dimensions and any defects, and calls again about 200 metres off either entrance for permission to enter, which is not usually given before then. Three red lights at the entrances mean do not proceed without specific permission, and the traffic signals are obeyed without exception.

Leisure craft pass through only where they will not impede ferries or commercial traffic. A yacht crossing the harbour from east to west keeps well south, close to the Southern Breakwater and clear of the ferry and cruise berths. The Outer Marina entrance runs inbound and outbound convoys, with no two-way traffic, and inside it the marina answers on VHF 80. Entry under sail alone is not attempted, and in south-westerly gales a steep, confused swell can build off the Western Entrance.

The speed limit is 8 knots in the Outer and Inner Harbours and 4 knots in the marina. In the Strait, Channel VTS, run from Dover Coastguard and CROSS Gris-Nez, broadcasts on VHF 11 every hour, or every half hour in poor visibility, and vessels of 300 gross tonnes and over report under the CALDOVREP scheme.

Pilotage is compulsory within the harbour and for one mile beyond its seaward limits for vessels over 50 metres, and for vessels over 20 metres certified for more than 12 passengers, carrying dangerous goods in bulk or hampered. Holders of a Pilotage Exemption Certificate are exempt, and a pilot is strongly recommended for anyone unfamiliar with the port.

The pilot is booked through Dover VTS on VHF 74 at least two hours before reaching the pilot station inbound, and an hour before departure outbound. The pilot boards 3 miles due east of the Eastern Entrance, at 51°07.28'N 001°25.29'E, and a vessel does not close within 3 miles without VTS permission until the pilot is on the bridge.

Dover lies in shipping forecast sea area Dover, issued at 2300, 0500, 1100 and 1700 UTC, and in the inshore waters area from North Foreland to Selsey Bill. Dover Coastguard broadcasts maritime safety information on VHF 62, 63 or 64 after an announcement on VHF 16, with the main broadcasts at 07:10 and 19:10 local time, and NAVTEX from Niton covers the Strait.

Visibility in the Strait is often poor. The port closes when the wind in the harbour is sustained above 55 knots from between south-south-west and west-south-west, no vessel moves when it is sustained above 40 knots, and movements are restricted when visibility falls below 500 metres.

The fuel berth in the Tidal Harbour, run by George Hammond, has red and white diesel and petrol on a 50 metre pontoon. It is open 06:00 to 18:00 from May to September, and 06:30 to 10:30 and 15:30 to 17:30 from October to April.

The marina has 16 amp power on every berth and 32 amp on the larger berths, with laundry, showers and a 50 tonne hoist in Wellington Dock. It is cashless, and non-UK food waste is arranged with the office. A yacht arriving from outside the United Kingdom flies the Q flag until Border Force has cleared her.

Dover Priory has high-speed trains to London St Pancras in about an hour and five minutes, and the port gives Heathrow as 95 minutes and Gatwick as 78 minutes by road. LeShuttle runs from Folkestone to Calais in 35 minutes.

Buckland Hospital in Dover has an urgent treatment centre open 08:00 to 20:00, and the nearest emergency departments are at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford and the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital in Margate.