The notices have two digits each for the number of the notice and the year it was issued, for example Notice No 41/10 means notice 41 of the year 2010.

You should check these events as they're in force for the safety of all harbour users and will help you make the most of your visit to Bristol Harbour.

Events in Bristol Harbour

28/23 Plimsoll Bridge: Essential upgrade work 18/09/23 and 19/09/23

No bridge swings will be available at Plimsoll Bridge on these dates:

  • Monday 18 September 2023
  • Tuesday 19 September 2023

This is because of essential upgrade work taking place on Plimsoll Bridge.

This will affect all vessels with an air draft exceeding 5 metres.

Should you intend visiting Bristol over this period and are concerned about this notice contact the Harbour Office for more information.

27/23 Diving survey on the Feeder Canal

On the 8 September 2023 a diving survey will take place on the Feeder Canal between Avon Street Bridge and the Silverthorne Lane Footbridge.

A Dive Boat will be in attendance. You must follow instructions given by the Dive Team.

26/23 Open water swimming events at Baltic Wharf

Open water swimming will again be taking place at Baltic Wharf, Bristol Harbour.

Swim sessions will take place on Saturday and Sunday mornings between the hours of 8am to 10am.

Open swimming weekends:

  • 9th and 10th September
  • 16th and 17th September
  • 23rd and 24th September
  • 30th September and 1st October

These events will have segregated swim courses with lifeguards, safety boats and is only available for competent swimmers who have prebooked.

Please be aware of this event and follow all navigation and instructions given by the safety boats.

25/23 Survey of Finzel's Reach Bridge

On 13 September 2023 a survey will take place on the underside of Finzel's Reach Bridge.

A floating platform will be moored underneath the bridge restricting the navigable width. This platform will move along the bridge span as the survey progresses.

A Safety Boat will be on site. They will be listening on Ch73 and will regulate navigation.

You must follow their directions.

24/23 Diving operations at SS Great Britain landing stage

A dived survey of the quay wall will be taking place at the SS Great Britain landing stage on the 25 of July 2023.

To facilitate works, the Cross Harbour Ferry will be operating from the West end of the pontoon.

Appropriate warnings of diving activity will be displayed. Please navigate with extreme caution in the area.

22/23 Scouring operations Cumberland Basin update

Further to Notice To Mariners 43/22, scouring operations in the Cumberland Basin have been cancelled on:

  • 19 June 2023
  • 4 July 2023
  • 18 July 2023

This is due to the Harbour Festival pontoons being in place.

The next scouring operations will be on the 2 August 2023.

See Notice To Mariners 43/22 for all other scour dates this year.

16/23 Temple Island River Wall Repairs in the New Cut

From June 2023, repair works will commence to the Temple Island River Walls in the New Cut between Totterdown Bridge and Bath Roundabout Bridge.

Upon completition of the works a further Notice to Mariners will be raised.

Mariners must proceed at a slow speed, navigation with caution in the area.

13/23 Events in Bristol City Docks

Find a pdf list of events happening in Bristol City Docks (164 KB) .

11/23 Netham Lock summer operating times 2023

Monday 27 March 2023 to Sunday 29 October 2023.

Hours of operation: 7am to 10pm

Vessels are advised to arrive at the lock at least 1 hour before it closes to ensure passage through the lock.

10/23 Prince Street Bridge summer operating times 2023

Monday 27 March 2023 to Sunday 29 October 2023.

Mariners wishing to pass east or westbound through Prince Street Bridge with a vessel that exceeds the clearance height may arrange to have the Prince Street bridge swung on:

Monday to Friday, at:

  • 09.30am
  • 10.30am
  • 11.30am
  • 12.30pm
  • 1.30pm
  • 2.30pm
  • 3.30pm
  • 4.30pm
  • 6.30pm
  • 7.30pm
  • 8.30pm
  • 9.30pm

Weekends and bank holidays only, there are 2 extra swings at:

  • 8.30am
  • 5.30pm

Mariners are advised that priority swings will be given 3½ hours prior to high water to 1½ hours after high water.

Outside these tidal times, the above-published swings will be at the discretion of the Harbour Master.

Swing requests within the tidal period should be made at least 1 hour in advance and can be made to the Harbour Office by:

  • phone: 0117 9031 484
  • VHF Radio Channel 73 call sign “Bristol Floating Harbour”

Vessels entering from seaward may also make arrangements with the Marine Services Supervisor at Cumberland Basin by:

  • phone: 0117 927 3633
  • VHF Radio Channel 14 call sign “City Docks Radio”

09/23 Harbour Office summer opening times 2023

From Monday 27 March 2023 to Sunday 29 October 2023 the Harbour Office will be open 8.30am to 4.30pm, every day of the week for:

  • general enquiries
  • licensing
  • the purchasing of commodities

Duty officers will remain on duty 7.30am to 10pm, to carry out dock patrols and will be on call to respond to emergencies only.

The Baltic Wharf slipway may be locked after 5pm if the duty officers are not in the area.

An emergency telephone service (0117 903 1484) will continue to be available during operational hours, option 2.

Reminder for all potential users of the slipway

In order for a short-term navigation licence to be granted to use a powerboat or sports boat in Bristol City Docks, you must provide photographic proof of identity. Failure to produce this will result in a license being denied. You can purchase short-term licenses through the Sail Bristol app.

43/22 Scouring operations Cumberland Basin 2023

Scouring operations in the Cumberland Basin will take place at the following times.

January 2023

  • 6 January at 12 midday
  • 9 January at 1.30pm
  • 23 January at 1.30pm

February 2023

  • 6 February at 1pm
  • 20 February at 12.30pm
  • 22 February at 1.30pm

March 2023

  • 8 March at 1.15pm
  • 21 March at 12 midday
  • 23 March at 1.30pm

April 2023

  • 6 April at 1.30pm
  • 19 April at 12.45pm
  • 21 April at 1.30pm

May 2023

  • 5 May at 1pm
  • 19 May at 1pm

June 2023

  • 5 June at 1.30pm
  • 19 June at 1.30pm

July 2023

  • 4 July at 1.30pm
  • 18 July at 1:30pm

August 2023

  • 2 August at 1.30pm
  • 17 August at 1.30pm
  • 31 August at 1.30pm

September 2023

  • 15 September at 1.30pm
  • 29 September at 1pm

October 2023

  • 16 October at 1.30pm
  • 27 October at 12 midday
  • 31 October at 1.30pm

November 2023

  • 14 November at 12.45am
  • 27 November at 12 midday
  • 29 November at 1.30pm

December 2023

  • 13 December at 12.15pm
  • 15 December at 1.15pm

During these operations, note:

  • before the scour it may be necessary to increase the level of the harbour by up to +0.25 metres
  • the water level in the floating harbour, Feeder Canal and River Avon upstream of Netham Lock may be reduced by as much as 0.5 metres during the period of approximately 12 hours from commencement of each scour
  • strong currents will be experienced in narrow bridge ways and especially Prince Street Bridge, Totterdown Junction, in the Feeder Canal at Netham Lock
  • vessels proceeding upstream against the current must give way to vessels coming downstream at all bridge ways, Totterdown Junction and at Netham Lock
  • all vessels when approaching Prince Street Bridge, Redcliffe Bridge, Totterdown Junction or Netham Lock must sound one prolonged blast of their whistle from either direction

9/22 Quayside events 2022

We have many quayside events which may affect visitors' moorings. Contact the Harbour Office on 0117 903 1484 or email harbour.office@bristol.gov.uk for more details and directions on entering the harbour.

8/22 Water sport activity sessions

Baltic Wharf Sailing Club racing

June to September: Saturdays, 11am to 1pm.
February to December, 1pm to 4pm.

Baltic Wharf Sailing Club training

First Saturday of each month, 11am to 1pm

Baltic Wharf Sailing Club event

Every Wednesday, 11am to 1pm.

Baltic Wharf Cadet and Social Sailing

May to September, every Wednesday, 5:30pm to 7:30pm.

All Aboard Youth Sailing

April to October, weekdays and evenings at Baltic Wharf.

All Aboard

Sailing and powerboat tuition throughout the year, at Baltic Wharf.

Bristol Canoe Club

Tuesday and Thursday evenings throughout the year, from Baltic Wharf to Netham.

Bristol Rowing Club

Throughout the year, Albion Dock to Netham and River Avon.

Ariel Rowing Club

Throughout the year, Netham to Hanham.

Guides Association

Evenings and weekends at Redcliffe Wharf.

Scouts Association

Evenings and weekends at Baltic Wharf.

TS Adventure Sea Cadets

Evenings and weekends, from Baltic Wharf to Narrow Quay.

Young Bristol

Water sports throughout the year at Pooles Wharf.

Bristol Gig Club

Gig rowing throughout the year, Bristol Marina to Netham.

26/19 Cumberland Basin: new BST locking times

Cumberland Basin Locking procedures will be changing from 1 July 2019 until further notice.

During British Summer Time, services will no longer be routinely provided between 10pm and 6am (unless during Spring Tides or other operations).

This is so harbour staff can be more effectively deployed. You must give a minimum of 48 hours' notice if locking operations are needed between these hours, so we can ensure docking staff and bridge operators are available.

Notice to Mariners 27/17 (Notice required for Plimsoll Bridge Swing) is unchanged: 48 hours' notice is needed for vessels that need Plimsoll Bridge swings, day or night. To arrange these services:

  • Call the Docking Deputy Harbour Master: 0117 9273633
  • Email: docks.office@bristol.gov.uk
  • Call the Bristol Harbour office: 0117 9031484
  • Call emergency control: 0117 9222050

27/17 Plimsoll Bridge Swing

With immediate effect from 31 March 2017 a 48 hours' notice is required for a Plimsoll Bridge swing.

This will affect all vessels of a height above float level of 5.8m entering or leaving Bristol City Docks.

The Deputy Harbour Master can be contacted on 0117 927 3633 and between tidal watches a message can be left on the answering machine.

This restriction will remain in force until further notice.

30/14 Short term licences: Netham Lock

The duty lock keeper at Netham will not be able to accept any cash payment for short term licences. The only method of payments will be by debit cards, credit cards or cheques.

31/11 Safety boat cover for water events

Any Water Events held in Bristol Harbour will need to have adequate safety cover provided and must have permission from the Harbour Master prior to the event happening.

Contact information

Harbour Office

Underfall Yard
Cumberland Road
Bristol, BS1 9NE

Opening Hours

Open for general enquiries, licensing and the purchasing of commodities daily (except Christmas Day) as follows:

Summer (BST)

Harbour Office: Monday to Sunday 08.30am to 4.30pm

Emergency Service: Duty Officers are on call between 07.30am and 10.00pm

Winter (GMT)

Harbour Office: Monday to Sunday 10am to 3pm

Emergency Service: Duty Officers are on call between 9am and 5pm

VHF Radio

Channel 73, call sign BRISTOL FLOATING HARBOUR.

Email: harbour.office@bristol.gov.uk

Tel: 0117 903 1484
Fax: 0117 903 1487