Some years ago whilst we were stopping at Maylandsea (Blackwater Marina), we met a couple who were aboard a catamaran. They hailed from The Gibraltar Point Sailing Yacht Club, south of Skegness.

‘Tucked just inside Gibraltar Point…’ the chap said, grinning. The club is at the southern foot of the febrile Lincolnshire coast in a narrow twisting mud creek which was once a haven for coastal shipping, with a port at Wainfleet. It’s also the northern point for ‘my’ inshore waters forecasting area – Gibraltar Point to North Foreland, but generally too big for inner Thames use.

It has been a place that I have always wanted to visit…

The ‘port’ of Wainfleet and its haven have long been reduced to a muddy creek through shifting saltings and an ever extending sand bar at Gibraltar Point. The village was given a drainage by-pass too to help prevent flooding.

The couple, let’s call them ‘John and Sandra’, had sailed down round the Norfolk coast to cruise the Thames Estuary waters. They were waiting for a window to start heading back, which we assumed they had achieved in time…

This all took place around a decade ago.

So, back to the present. We were on our way to Kings Lynn whilst on a touring holiday based in Boston (staying at a working windmill). Passing over the Fosdyke Bridge over the River Welland, I spotted sea going craft moored in the fast flowing silt laden river. I pulled into a pub car park which led to parking for mooring holders.

Walking towards a parked vehicle with a couple loading sail bags into back of their car, I stopped to natter …

Sadly, I learnt, the chap had died and the boat sold. The couple I met were still in touch with the lady ‘Sandra’ and promised to pass on the condolences of Whimbrel’s crew – giving our names. I hope they do this: they were a friendly and happy couple.

Later in the week we finally made it to Gibraltar Point and I had a walk around the creek edge looking at some of the moored craft belonging to the local club.

The moorings are fore and aft to the creek bank and without being rude, were of a ‘rickety nature’ in general, some more so than others. Some were clearly more substantial and had the look of ‘owner’ build rather than a common club system. The creek’s width was barely wide enough to turn some of the craft.

It was lovely to visit Gibraltar Point, saddened by the earlier news but pleased to see ‘yachting’ taking place in such a wild and ‘desolate’ yet beautiful place.

Rest in Peace ‘John’…