A little while ago, before the end of last year (2021) there was much in the media about safety around the coasts and within harbours and rivers. It was the irresponsible behaviour of watercraft owners in particular which was homed in on.

The hiatus caused by irresponsible ‘new’ owners of Personal Watercraft during the Covid-19 Pandemic has brought water safety and regulation of to the notice of the media – even the Times – and more importantly to harbour authorities.

Then, amazingly, it has been found that many authorities do not have any powers of note to deal with irresponsible and dangerous use. So, the DfT opened the subject for debate and what regulation was needed.

I picked up on some of this in a post in December 2021. See below:

The shipping and boating industries online news bulletin carried an article during November of 2021, .

I read of the Royal Yachting Association’s response to a Department of Transport (DfT) consultation paper on whether ‘Recreational watercraft should be subject to same safety obligations that exist for ship operators.’

For clarity, all leisure craft owners are subject to these regulations currently, as some have found to their cost. It is why we should all carry full comprehensive insurance. Most yacht clubs require it. What marinas require I am not aware.

However, it became apparent the Personal Watercraft (PWC) have never been included in the current legislation, making it difficult to ‘nail the blighters’ except in some cases – the Port of London Authority for instance – who have successfully prosecuted PWC owners.

The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) whilst broadly in favour of the DfT’s outline changes are wary of the encroachment of over regulation, quote, ‘the possible unintended consequences … could lead to unnecessary regulation across the leisure and recreational boating sector’.

The RYA also believe that the proposed definition of ‘watercraft’ is too broad and needs to be specific.

My thoughts are, why not a list of vessel types perhaps…

I am sure at some point the DfT will push out their finalised proposals to lay before Parliament : it will require a change in the relevant part of the Merchant Shipping Acts!

The problem is not limited to PWC’s for during August 2020 an incident in the Solent was recently passing through the court system.

A RIB being driven around on a ‘Thrills’ trip hit a navigational buoy whilst passing at speed to give the passengers a kick. One of the passengers was killed when the RIB collided with the buoy – I expect it was ‘rolling’ in the tide, something all small craft sailors are aware of when passing close to a buoy.

The RIB was operated, the news item stated, by Seadog RIB Charter Ltd. The driver has been charged with gross negligence…

Food for thought in all that we do afloat.

I was walking across the yard of the Island Yacht Club some time last year when a hail arrested my steps towards the jetties and Whimbrel.

I toddled over and was met by a grinning chap who proceeded to furnish me with a flourish of praise and thanks.

What for you might ask. Well, he had just completed rereading all of my currently published books through again as a form of lockdown therapy…

‘When’s the next one coming,’ he added without a pause.

At the time I prevaricated and mentioned doing ‘some bits and pieces…’

Then, during the year I began to receive a string of emails…

One wrote: ‘I just wanted to say how much I have enjoyed reading your sailing related books. They greatly helped me keep my spirits up during the long winter covid lockdown. (beginning of 21 to end of March 21).

Three read, two saved for winter…’

The chap went on to describe playing on an old barge near South Fambridge … apparently not much left of her. I went looking with my mate in tow on one of our weekly longer walks. Neither of us could spot any signs where SSBR Barge Compendium places the vessel’s remains (William & Arthur).

From The Netherlands I had a long email filling me in on activities achieved against Dutch covid requirements: like us they’ve had lockdowns and restrictions, if not more so.

I often sail alone and the evenings on board were a good opportunity to read your book Salt Martsh & Mud.
It was a source of reading pleasure. The pleasant communication on board between you and Christobel, the nice adventures you have, the beautiful descriptions of the voyage, the attention for nature, the continuous presence of the rich maritime past of you and the sailing area and last but not least the beautiful, playful and richly varied use of words and language in which the stories are cast, made me again and again curious about the> next chapter and your new adventures.

In short, I really enjoyed it!

While reading, I kept google maps handy and it’s surprising how well your travels can be followed then. I imagine I’m getting to know the area the book is set in quite well.

I also heard from another reader and wife, both keen sailors, with a River Deben moored boat. The email was a sweet ‘checking up’ on us with news. Within the words, the writer asked:

‘I also wondered whether you have any new publications due or which might be ‘on the stocks’ for the future? I’m currently re-reading Mudlarking having just finished Rochester to Richmond again…’

I can’t remember if I told them the truth…

Perhaps I should!

There have been other communications and messages too, however it would be churlish to go on, so to all of you: it has given me huge pleasure too in reading your kind words. The mate was in tears with a couple of the messages she saw…

The covid lockdowns have not been easy for anyone. Escapism is a good medicine, as is/was walking, and last lockdown gave me the impetus to sit and write.

The book, when it comes out, will have been a product of the winter 2021 lockdown. By its end, the book was essentially completed and is now currently going through proofreading and editing…

It has been a bit of a month down on the Thames estuary with just a few available days fit for sailing when the tide was in. I grabbed two of those…

My eldest brother was over from Canada a little while back and he hit a period of excellent weather in the east, enjoying a three day sail and another out on the tide before hightailing back to Canada as Covid-19 variant Omicron began to hit.

Over a couple of days before Christmas I was able to get afloat for a couple of sails. It at least ‘showed’ the tree off to other folk afloat. Hauling a tree aloft is a rarity these days on ships and boats.

Christmas Day arrived to another bout of windy mizzly weather – no matter I have only sailed on Christmas day on very few occasions!

Boxing Day morning our phone rang early.

I looked across at the mate as she listened … it was my sister down in Devizes about to leave for our mother’s care home. She wasn’t good…

Advice was get going!

Sadly, my dear mama died a little after eight. She went peacefully, bless her, with my sister holding her hand.

So, the the artistic sailing mum we all knew has passed on to pastures new… She has left us her memories.

I, for one, will always treasure the sketches she came up with to illustrate the first three books to follow ‘May Flower’. It was something she was superb at.

So, although it is the festive season until twelfth night for many, it is for me and my siblings (and others) a sad time too.

Sail on mum, wander the eternal shorelines and the wooded glades. Sit, ponder and sketch, for ever.

God Bless…

To all, good sailing or whatever boating you participate in. Let us all hope for a better 2022 out on the water.

Whimbrel ‘managed’ 930 nautical miles for 2021, pretty good really, considering…

I first met Max when he pitched up at my yacht club to begin working on the regular Saturday routine. He had been at it a little while without my knowledge while I was away summer sailing aboard Whimbrel.

I immediately found Max to be one of those honest down to earth guys that often seem all too rare.

Max had appeared at the club with a robust little yacht called Kate which he had sailed across the Atlantic with a ‘duff’ engine. Within months he was negotiating a purchase deal for Wendy May, a deep keeled gaffer then owned by Dick Durham.

Due to family needs (aged parent) Max had to move. So, I felt sad when he slipped his mooring and sailed Wendy May off to a distant Welsh creek.

Christobel bought this book for me as a birthday present. It was read aboard Whimbrel during the recent glorious ‘gas-less’ summer generally when up mud creeks – far removed from the blue waters of the Caribbean where most of the story is told.

I remember this ship at Battlesbridge from many years ago. What it was doing there was alien to my thinking. And, as Max tells, he needed a very good spring tide to make the passage up to the top of the tidal River Crouch. Her name: Gloria.

Max delights in telling us about the trials and tribulations in getting his ship in order. His previous boat was a little yacht kept at the Thurrock Yacht Club.

Max made it to the Caribbean via the Iberian peninsular, Los Palmas and the Cape Verde Islands. There he worked to earn enough to make repairs and ‘live’ … Max then sailed the yacht back home, alone…

Then after stops to visit family ‘down west’ he made it back to Battlesbridge taking a crew aboard to help with this bit!

There are a scattering of black & white images and an end map with some details of the routes taken.

I have sailed the high seas aboard ships, but other than a south coast passage have never gone deep sea aboard a ‘little ship’ so I found this story of great interest. It was compelling…

Max is passionate about his sailing and clearly knows his stuff.

Thanks Max, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

See: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Boat-They-Laughed-At/dp/1471043606/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3UTUKC6P3ZY05&keywords=the+boat+they+laughed+at&qid=1638976161&sprefix=The+boat+they+laughed%2Cdigital-text%2C143&sr=8-1

Published by Amazon, 2012.

ISBN: 9781471043604

Price: £7.99

I knew Dick in a childhood sort of way one does when the person appears in one’s life to crew (and work) aboard your Thames spritsail barge home.

Dick disappeared from my life and he next turned up as a ‘yotty’ working for Yachting Monthly. Dick later graduated to News Editor and had his own column, which he still has several years after his retirement.

Dick’s sweet gaff cutter Betty II is moored adjacent to Whimbrel at the same yacht club. We’ve ‘slaved’ together many hours on club work parties so I think I have got to know this author, sailor, raconteur and bloody good bloke fairly well…

I received a copy of Dick’s latest work, Turnip Road, for my birthday in June 2021. I read it during a long summer spent afloat on Whimbrel.

The book tells the tale of a young man who after working on the last working spritsail barge, the Cambria, had a wanderlust that needed to be satiated.

Dick travels across Europe, meeting people travelling in the same direction. He hitched, took buses and actually walked a little of it too…

Some of his fellow travellers became confederates in the same cause: friends on the trail, until one or the other peeled off in their own direction.

What was his direction. Well, along the ‘hippie trail’ in the main at first, but from there it wasn’t clear. He just kept on going.

The scents, smells and filth of the conditions found on the journey convey much colour. One wonders if many of the places have changed? Well, of course they will have, but what I mean is for the betterment of the people?

Dick finally made it to Sidney! The city isn’t one normally associated with such travelling but modern backpackers hike around Oz stopping at the countries cities. Dick had a sister living there, so why not…

I found the book enthralling. His power of description is something else and could possibly be termed ‘purple’ (a phrase chucked my way by someone who clearly hadn’t properly read one of my books!) but all of Dick’s books are so written.

It was a spanking good read.

Only one gripe: a few pictures would have been great and perhaps a route map…

Thank you Dick for filling in much in the way of gaps. I would like an ask! When are you going to progress that brilliant duo, Dippy and her DI?

Turnip Road by Dick Durham.

ISBN: 9798590450107

Published by Amazon. See: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Turnip-Road-Beyond-Hippie-Southend-ebook/dp/B08RZC2FNT

Paperback: £9.00

Kindle: £6.00

Apparently, the reporting of near miss incidents has fallen by a staggering near 50% over the last few years. The Port of London Authority are clearly concerned for they know that safety has NOT improved to that extent.

It is the reporting that has dropped. The PLA want river users to be proactive in reporting incidents for ultimately damage, injury or loss of life can be minimised.

There was a notice earlier in the autumn which caught my attention, but the later one first, I think…

It is about the approach of Christmas!

See: https://www.pla.co.uk/assets/19of2021-christmasdrinkanddrugsawarenesscampaign.pdf

Small chunk lifted from PLA Notice 19 of 2020…

‘CHRISTMAS DRINK & DRUGS AWARENESS CAMPAIGN As we approach the Christmas Season, the Port of London Authority (PLA) and the Metropolitan Police’s Marine Policing Unit will once again be supporting the Metropolitan Police Service annual ‘Christmas Drink – Drive’ campaign. This high-profile campaign highlights the dangers of driving whilst under the influence of drink or drugs – this message applies equally to the river as well as the roads, as the safety of vessels, passengers and crews is of paramount importance…’

The drive or emphasis seems to be on the ‘upper’ river sections but we all know that down in the estuary it is of paramount importance too!

I have a rule on Whimbrel, unwritten and unsaid, but alcohol is not served whilst underway. If a lunch stop is on the agenda, a pint is the maximum I will enjoy. My crews too.

A small snifter in a coffee on a cold day being the only deviation!

The other notice that hit me between the eyes was something which I have had recourse to use. This is PLA Notice 17 of 2020 – Near Miss Reporting.

It was after being ‘bombed’ by a RIB. We were in the shallows outside Smallgains Creek. I was on the cabin top preparing to set the mainsail. Christobel was on the helm.

The boat went ‘ballistic’ … Christobel was thrown off the tiller and across the cockpit, jarring herself. The boat slewed dangerously.

How I didn’t go overboard, to this day I do not know. I wish I had in many respects: it would have got more done about it…

Sadly, I still have waking periods at night when it pops into my head…

I will say no more!

So, I had a good look at the link. There is an incident reporting form on the small craft ‘navigators club’ site on the PLA web site.

See: https://boatingonthethames.co.uk/?__hstc=106811548.d2e9cdab5823129638d2533b97bf9d2f.1589111288148.1589187344000.1589264643408.4&__hssc=106811548.1.1589264643408&__hsfp=630254131

The section is called: Boating on the Thames and it covers all areas from the estuary up to the tidal limit at Teddington. Get yourself listed if a Thames sailor and enjoy!

I have cut a little section from the PLA document…

See: https://www.pla.co.uk/assets/17of2021-navigationalnearmissandincidents-newwayofreporting.pdf

‘NAVIGATIONAL NEAR MISS & INCIDENTS NEW WAY OF REPORTING A new way of reporting Navigational Near Misses and Incidents has been developed and is now publicly available to all River Users through our website or the PLA Tidal Thames app on your smartphone. To report a Near Miss or Incident via our website, go to pla.co.uk and click on Near Miss & Incident Reporting on the home page.’

It goes on…

‘Therefore, if you are involved or are a witness to a near miss or incident, please report this as soon as possible by submitting a report via our website or the PLA Tidal Thames App which can be downloaded…’

We were sailing over to Queenborough that day – we made it – and enjoyed a great weekend at the Traditional Boat Festival (2019).

If afloat over the Festive period, get out there and enjoy yourself, but leave the imbibing to afterwards…

For all Finesse owners this is your opportunity to meet with many more owners and see other craft within the Finesse fleet.

It is a worthwhile enterprise and great fun with like-minded souls.

The 2022 Rally is planned for Queenborough over the mid-June weekend when tides are of a friendly height.

I gather a number of craft have said they will be attending already – as will Whimbrel and her crew.

Contact details on poster picture…

Recently I updated my ‘Books’ page on the web site.

See:

Well, moving on from there, I have fantastic news: A new book is due.

Today, I signed a contract with a publisher after negotiating a book deal.

I can’t say much more at the moment but in the coming months there will be a trailer video…

Update: 7th December 2021.

The publisher now has the completed manuscript and the process begins…

During the summer we sailed into West Mersea a few times. One was over a weekend when there was a bit of a fair taking place on the carpark in front of the West Mersea Yacht Club – regatta end day, I think.

Apart from Christobel asking how she could become a fairy … the stall that caught my eye was emblazoned with the ‘word’ ENORI’ and being inquisitive, I walked over.

It turned out that the letters stand for, Essex Native Oyster Restoration Initiative. It is a collaboration between all stakeholders and others who are working towards the restoration of the traditional native oyster beds.

The native oyster does not thrive in the drying shallows but it lives in the shallower tidal waters fringing sand/mud banks and creeks.

The project has begun with a trial ‘patch’ of culch laid in part of a block which recently appeared in ‘our’ chart corrections. It is roughly in the pencilled area seen on the chart section above. It is surprisingly big, however, the section in use is relatively small as of August this year.

The native oyster has been around a jolly long time and ‘all’ shell finds in Roman (greater consumers), centuries before and after up to the disasters of the last century are of this family.

The much more widely consumed oyster now is the ‘Pacific’ which was imported to restock after the devastations following big freezes – 1963 especially which proved pivotal.

The first layings of culch – the fragmented oyster particles that the spat clings to – have been made. This bank will be fed spat and young oysters and farmed in the traditional manner.

The chap I chatted to was not only very knowledgeable but was also extremely passionate with the project. It was a great chat.

So, if you haven’t picked up on your chart corrections and marked up the ‘oyster box’ then it might be wise to do so!

And, if a lover of oysters, perhaps in the years to come, the good old native will slip down with a pint or two…

The old packing shed lives on, on Packing Marsh Island, however, the island itself is in a precarious state. Its survival appears to be at the behest of ‘regular’ discharges of shingles on its shores. I could clearly see huge degradation from my previous visit to the area two seasons ago.

I feel the native oyster has a better chance of survival…

See www.essexnativeoyster.com

During August, we’d popped up into St Osyth for a night after booking a berth with the yard at the head of the creek – home port of the spritsail barge EDME. Upon leaving we had a night in Brightlingsea to use the shower facilities and get a ‘shed load’ of laundry done!

There are a couple of smacks up at St Osyth, but it was at Brightlingsea I am ‘sailing’ to… The mate stood by during the laundry exercise more than I did, happy with her book! I was ‘sent off’ to have a poke round the waterfront…

At the heritage dock I met a couple of chaps who were just about to leave the site after a spell aboard the 1885 built smack Victory. One of the chaps had purchased her, he said, grinning. She has a ‘Thames’ number, LO111, but was built by Howard of Maldon.

I was told that it was thought she was used as a trading vessel in earlier days working for a miller on the River Blackwater up at Maldon. I wondered if this was Greens?

The old thing had lain for years up at Wivenhoe in a mud hole along the front. I remember seeing her looking rather dilapidated. Her gear eventually ‘fell down’ due to a rotten mast.

She was moved down to Brigtlingsea after being given to the smack society with the intention of making her available to a ‘fitted person’ who could undertake her rebuild. The new owner had had thoughts of motoring her round down the Swin, but the decision was made not to. Rather wise, I thought!

Her new owner said she was due to be lifted out and transported to a workshop in Erith – they being Erith YC members. The Victory is to be completely rebuilt under cover…

Another vessel in a seriously bad way was still floating. Her hull looked ripe with rot and her decks certainly were. I didn’t find out her name.

Leaving the heritage dock, I briefly looked over to the spritsail barge Dawn which was under cover having deck maintenance – re-caulking – having chosen to continue her Covid-19 sojourn…

I wandered into Morgans Yard to look at vessels in the lay up area. A few old friends were found including the bare empty and rather forlorn hull of the Colchester smack Shamrock.

At the time I thought her days were numbered, however, the very next day he old thing was loaded onto a lorry and taken to the St Osyths boat Yard for a complete rebuild.

The vessel was largely held together with strong webbing straps in an effort to maintain shape, and, I believe, just to hold her constituent parts together.

All in all, these are happy tales…

Another such tale has taken the Maldon bawley MN2, Dorana, to Eyemouth, Berwickshire, for a rebuild at a yard in the old fishing village in the Scottish Borders.

I am endeavouring to find out a little more, but no response from the local heritage centre has been forthcoming currently…

Dorana is 34′ and actually quite young: being constructed by Drake’s of Tollesbury in 1939. She has an upright transom, bawley-like, rather than the traditional highly raked Colchester type.

The vessel is similar to the Joseph T, another Maldon vessel which lay ashore at Maylandsea for many years. She was broken up last year…

Smacks and Bawley’s are always a delight to see, as are all traditional craft and owners should be applauded for their loving care and tenacity in keeping their little ships in such fine order.

I’ll certainly be looking out for the Shamrock and the Victory over the next couple of seasons…

More on the Dorana: She is indeed in Eyemouth. I contacted the town’s museum who put me onto the local boat yard. I had a response from the Marine Manager of the yard, Graham Perrins.

Graham tells me that the smack was purchased by a ‘local business man and is working on the boat at his own leisure…’

I am sure the smack world will keep in touch.