7 - No Lift

Very occasionally you will not be able to arrange a bridge lift. This is most likely when slack water coincides with the morning rush hour. Also if you are in a private craft and navigating at night you may be outside the manned hours (06:00-22:00 from mid April to mid October, 08:00-17:00 at other times). There are two options. The marker posts both above and below the bridge have “jug handle” moorings, so you can sail from the dolphins to one of the posts, drop the mast and paddle through to one the other side to hoist again, (forget the quant, it’s too deep), or you can opt to paddle all the way. I find the latter is more efficient. Once through, either raise the mast under way or moor to one of the "jug handle" moorings on the posts above the bridge. In a strong west wind though, you might be better leaving it for another day.