Sailing the shipping forecast: Unlocking the secrets of the Thames

Beyond the shifting sands and windfarms lies a cruiser's paradise. From London’s heart to Suffolk’s quiet mudflats, discover the magic

The Thames sea area extends from the northeast corner of Norfolk to the Kent coast at Deal and across to the continental coast between Petten in North Holland and Oostende in Belgium.

To the uninitiated, the whole of the area may seem characterised by shoal water, shifting sandbanks, windfarm developments, busy shipping routes, significant tidal streams and short, steep and uncomfortable seas.