Some while ago I entered Whimbrel onto a list of craft wishing to take part in a first for the Queenborough Harbour Trust. These good people decided to hold a festival for such craft. This was done purely on speculation in recognition of the number of traditional boats that berth within the harbour during the sailing season. The festival was supported by the Medway and Swale Boating Association (MSBA) – a web site East Coast sailors should monitor…
By the time of finalising the details, some twenty-two craft had been entered. A number of other craft pitched up for the weekend as well.
I’d had a double book event booked for the Friday preceding and could not get away as I’d liked to have done on the Friday afternoon tide … the boat was aground by the time we got to her. We slept aboard with everything ready to go for an 0500 departure. That blinking alarm is a cracker… There was a surprising amount of small craft movement out of Smallgains, Hadleigh Ray and from the Leigh/Chalkwell front – there were club meets across the way too.
Dawn breaking as we approached Grain Fort.
On the way into Sheerness Harbour my good Mate produced bacon rolls (and hot coffee – well its no good cold is it!) and these were munched as we clipped along comfortably stemming the ebb.
A bacon butty…
We were so early the harbour office was still closed … our calls went unanswered. Knowing where we were being berthed, we slipped alongside at the old All Tide landing. It later transpired that a motor vessel wasn’t coming and we were to be outside her. We got the best of it as I’ll explain later…
Gaff cutter Crow; a Dauntless 20, Linnaea; and a Kestrel clinker sloop. Whimbrel can be seen beyond.
Whimbrel looking spic and span…
Most of the craft had arrived on Friday evening but others were still arriving as I was dealing with flag hoist and top side tidying whilst, below, Christobel, ship’s Mate, was hard at it doing likewise. A little one of designed gaff cutter berthed alongside us – my only gripe were ‘his’ begrimed fenders – however the crew were the nicest of chaps.
This is us…
Five Farthings – I believe a Griffiths design. Beyond are two old motor tugs and a stem tug.
Three retired tugs operated by preservation societies as ‘yachts’ were included too. The Barking, a steam tug designed for Thames river work with lighters at the Beckton Gas Works. She was built by Pollock & Sons, Faversham. The motor tugs Kent and Touchstone were the other two.
The Finesse 24 Seaden doing a turn round the harbour…
Around the harbour there were vessels moored at points as close as possible to the centre of the event based around the floating pontoons.
Doris a Leigh bawley and a smack yacht, the Lucie B.
Swanti, a Dauntless gaff cutter, and two other traditional craft.
The Barking under steam with a ‘crew’ of punters for a trip around the harbour.
The Bwlch, a gaff cutter, alongside Whimbrel.
Two visitors stayed for a coffee as well as purchasing a book from me – fine people… The chap next to Christobel is the owner of Doris.
Visitors were soon crowding along the pontoons looking at berthed craft and going aboard those that were open. I have never known so many visitors aboard Whimbrel – I lost count, failing to keep a record. A number of them were greatly interested in my various books asking excellent questions – relieving me of a number of copies too.
As the afternoon wore on, I was ordered forward by my Mate, to try and get a few minutes rest – sleep even. I must have gone ‘out’ for another visitor came and went… After getting up early, it was tiring. My good lady told me I was on an adrenaline high!
The day was capped by the trust staff laying on a BBQ for all visiting crews. This was a superb gesture and it was also very well organised and we all enjoyed sufficient fodder to keep hunger pangs at bay! Thank you, all of you, from Whimbrel’s two crew, especially… There was even a tray of home produced cup cakes to finish with.
A glorious Sunday morning…
Come Sunday morning and craft soon began to disperse to reach home ports. The tides being morning and evening made this whole weekend well balanced.
As we said our goodbyes to Kent, the sky looked ominous indeed…
Ahead, towards the Essex shore, all was well and Whimbrel just loved it…
Thank you Queenborough Harbour Trust, this was an excellent event. Please do it again…