The Cill Gates

There are two parallel hydraulic ‘gates’ within a permanent cill wall located at the entrance to the inner harbour. This means that water is retained at half-tide level, providing depths of between 1.0 and 2.8 metres within the inner harbour. The cill gates, which provide a navigable entrance width of 11.6 metres, open, subject to operational hours, to provide access to or from the inner harbour from approximately 3.5 hours before, to 3 hours after high tide.

Bridge Operation

The bridge remains closed when the cill gates are in the raised position. When the cill gates are in the lowered position, the bridge is opened on demand for any vessel that cannot safely navigate under the bridge.  An audible alarm and flashing orange lights indicate that the bridge is operating. When the cill gates are lowered the minimum depth through the entrance is 2.2 metres. Requests for the bridge to be opened should be made to "Torquay Harbour" via VHF Radio channel 14, by telephone +44 (0) 1803 292429.

Navigation

For reasons of safety, all mariners should exercise caution when navigating under the closed bridge. This is due to the restricted and constantly fluctuating ‘headroom/air-draft’. Navigation is only permitted through or under the central span of the bridge because the fixed cill wall presents an obstruction and a hazard. Mariners should also be aware that the base of the cill gates is proud of the surrounding harbour bed. At half-tide, on the inner harbour side of the cill, there is  2.2 metres of water over this obstruction, adjacent to the bridge.

Navigation through the Cill

Harbour traffic control signals located on both sides of the bridge/cill will indicate the following instructions: -

• Signal: THREE RED LIGHTS fixed & exhibited vertically
  Action: VESSELS SHALL NOT PROCEED - CILL GATES RAISED AND/OR BRIDGE OPERATING
• Signal: TWO GREEN LIGHTS over ONE WHITE  fixed & exhibited vertically
  Action: VESSELS MAY PROCEED – CILL GATES LOWERED, TWO WAY TRAFFIC IS SUBJECT TO AIR-DRAFT (HEADROOM) RESTRICTIONS. BRIDGE LIFTED ON REQUEST

Mariners should proceed with extreme caution and abort any passage through when red lights are exhibited.

Inner Harbour Cill Approach

Mariners should keep a sharp lookout for vessels entering or exiting the inner harbour, especially Passenger Craft and any vessels manoeuvring on or off Torquay Marina. The 5-knot speed limit should be observed at all times and wash should be kept to a minimum. Mariners must not loiter in the immediate vicinity of the bridge or the approaches.

Operating hours for the Bridge and Cill

The operating hours, subject to tide, will be as follows: -

• 0700 to 2100 during the summer – (1st May to 30th September)
• 0800 to 1700 during winter – (1st October to 30th April)

NOTE  ~ THE CILL GATES WILL BE RAISED OUTSIDE OF THESE TIMES

If you require the Cill and/or Bridge to be operated outside these hours then please contact the Harbour Office giving sufficient notice and we will make the necessary arrangements.

The bridge and cill can be operated directly from the harbour office or via a local control on South Pier.

Waiting Pontoon

There is a courtesy waiting pontoon situated on the seaward side of the cill with access to South Pier. This is STRICTLY for vessels waiting for the cill/bridge to operate to access the inner harbour.

Security

CCTV cameras monitor the cill entrance and bridge at all times. However, do please take all sensible precautions to guard against theft and report any incidents or suspicious activity to any member of the Marine Services team.

Contacting the Harbour Office

A listening watch is maintained on VHF Radio channel 14 during the cill operating hours.

Call sign: “Torquay Harbour”. You may also contact the Harbour Office by telephone during normal office hours.