The Wapping Group’s annual show is about to start … it runs from Monday 29th February to Saturday 4th March 2016. It is at the Mall Galleries, just off Trafalgar Square.

Times are 1000 – 1700 Monday to Friday and 1000 to 1600 on Saturday.

Call Mall Galleries on 020 7930 6844. www.mallgalleries.org.uk

Also see my Facebook page.

The brochure shows some great pieces of art work – we have never been disappointed with this show. Often mentally spending a bag full of dosh!

Ah yes. My good mate was off on a wander across country driving a cousin of mine to see my aunt. It was an errand to help out a cousin of mine, in the main, but the mate has a soft spot for her and my aunt too… Bless her.

So, when the cats away the mice come out to play, and boy did this little mouse have a good time. Shortly after being ‘left home alone’ I closed my files and stopped ‘work’ to put a lunch box together: forecast for the day was grand, in fact its grand for the whole week, and that means only one thing. Let’s go sailing…!

Dropping my bag into the back of the car with two 5L cans of diesel to go to the boat, I dropped the hood back on the little MG – its so spring like now. Reaching the creek I could see the tide caressing the mud edges with little ‘poppling’ wavelets. It was higher than expected – get a move on I urged myself.

Covers are removed and the jib is heaved up on deck, then the all important kettle is put on. It isn’t long before the burgee is shaking itself out and fluttering aloft. The breeze is north-westerly, barely force 3. Forecast said, W bec NW 3-5 … fine & dry. Sunshine 8 deg C…

Brent flying across my bow…

I have time for a wash around the sides of the boat to sweep away a modicum of mud splatters: we’ve had a shower since I was last out, a little over a week ago. Then, as the kettle burst forth into its ‘train’ like song, the boat lifted. I made my drink as a fellow club member called, ‘Going out…?’

Beating round the ‘cut’ – the deep water channel round Bargander Sand. A friend’s house is on the hill…

‘Want to come…’ I offered. He declined saying it was too cold. ‘Get away … feels like spring…’ I say, grinning at him. He heads for home. A burst of astern and we’re out into the creek … forward I go and its, up mainsail … back to correct the helm, and up jib. Back aft the engine ceases to rumble beneath my feet and I’m in tranquillity… There’s no one around, except upon the ‘heights’ of Canvey, astern to the west.

Oh, but I’m not alone: all around are Brent. Waders skitter on the remaining mud edges within the creek. Above gulls are in flight. A pair of deep black crows wheel about too and across the saltings the unmistakeable calls of pewits are heard. A small group lifts, their wide wings beating the air in that seemingly lazy fashion. I’m in bliss and I’m sure they are too…

Downs colours…

‘Where to…’ I ask myself as the boat creeps out of the creek. Letting loose a shiver in the breeze, I say, ‘Benfleet…’ for it’ll give me a workout with a little tacking. I settle to the task. The tide is running fast. I hear the radio mention something about 0.3m above prediction … not sure where: Bird Island is still uncovered liberally coated by bird life.

Over on the downs I see a multitude of colour. The sky has deep blues and cloud with whites to grey s to almost black within them. Those hills though have new life in them, soon it’ll spring forth in shades of green. Yes spring is nigh.

I head for home!

Reaching the Benfleet Yacht Club, once or twice needing judicious use of the engine, I bring the boat right round for a broad reach with the wind abaft the beam, down towards the open estuary… a friend calls out, I wave and  salute the club…

Dunlin and knot cavort over the flooded Two Tree’s saltings while others wheeled in drifts around me…

Coming past the eastern end of Two Tree Island I round up, drop and stow the mainsail, before running off for my home creek. Its a down wind berthing, not advisable in the breeze blowing, so I start the engine and drop the jib.

I’m grinning from ear to ear as I walk away from my good little ship, yes, I’ve a feeling spring is in the air, even if we’re likely to get a bit colder first…

Hi All,

So very sorry … Swinging the Lamp is going to be late off the press.

I’m disappointed, yes, but since, as I said to someone recently, I’ve been working on this project for a considerable number of years and after having to wait upon my other main publisher for qualification of a ‘verbal yes, don’t worry’ becoming a sustained period of silence culminating in my removing the book from them, I’m not phased!

In the meantime, I have been taking advantage of the weather to move my next project along its contracted course into the hands of my publisher: it’s due to drop through their postbox in January 2017.

The Book Inn, Leigh-on-Sea have agreed to do a launch for Swinging the Lamp – watch this space, my facebook page or local press for details. Hopefully this will be during March…

I’d forewarned a friend of mine that today looked good for a sail … I’d got out on Tuesday this week rather unexpectedly, which made it all the nicer!

My friend popped ’round’ after my return having been hard at it, up the road from me, digging his allotment… We had a pot a pot of tea and a scone with some rather delicious strawberry jam, home made, of course… It was funny for the next day, both wives met at a U3A event … my friend was treated to scones that evening. Apparently it was a struggle and he’d finally admitted to already having one…!

Anyway, although he’s afloat in a ‘new’ vessel, it isn’t local currently so the chance of a sail in his own waters was gladly grabbed… The forecast was SW 1-4 becoming 0-3! Arriving at the creek we found absolutely no breeze blowing. A remarkable change from Monday when it was 60 knots from the west… Sails were readied and hoisted and they hung, limply, whilst we sipped some soup. The boat lifted and we were away, puttering out of the creek over a glassy flood whilst munching on home cooked ham sandwiches – bliss!

Puttering out over a glassy flood…

Out in the creek’s entrance I saw a little grebe diving for its lunch. We motored on for a little while then tried sailing whenever there seemed to be any air movement … after gently motoring further eastwards for a little while longer the unmistakeable ripples of the tiniest nature from an easterly zephyr were seen caressing the waters surface. The engine was switched off … it stayed off too.

My friend was grinning from ear to ear as the wind rose and a chuckle could be heard along the clinkered waterline.We watched for ages as a seal, with its head swivelling back and forth, watched us. It stayed in view for quite a little while – once we were followed across the flats here by an inquisitive critter!

All of a sudden Leigh beach arrived off the bow and a tack was prudently made, not wanting to go ashore for an ice cream! The breeze settled into an East South-easterly and we settled into a comfortable sail whilst sipping tea and enjoying a ‘Danish’…

My crew enjoying a cuppa…

Over towards the Leigh marshes at the eastern end of Two Tree Island, Brent were dabbling along the edges chomping on the rich food that abounds here – until they’ve decimated it.

Out in the Thames, a stream of shipping was on the move. A huge container ship, not one of the biggest though, was met by two tugs. ‘Into London Gateway,’ I said! Another sail was seen too – through my ‘glasses’ I spotted  ‘Old Jack’ – he’s nearly 90 and still sailing. It’ll be me in time too, I hope!

The sun glinted upon the river in a mass of dancing diamonds…

Looking towards the Kent shore the sun glinted upon the river in a mass of dancing diamonds. It was fabulous. Then for a short while a single cloud sat between us and the sun … boy did the temperature seem to drop. It felt positively icy. We kept on, hoping to clear it! Eventually, as we were heading out past Canvey’s marshy point which was covered by the tide, we were once again bathed in the suns warming rays.

‘We’ll tack eastwards a bit,’ I said, ‘then drop the main and run for home.’ My crew nodded and tacked.

Out towards Leigh, in the Ray, two power craft were weaving and dancing over each others wash waves, clearly enjoying themselves. My friend said, grinning, ‘probably using more fuel than you use in a year…’ I laughed. I do use fuel…

I dropped and stowed the main as my pal steered for home. Fenders were readied and I dropped the jib halyard onto the deck ready for a quick let go… It was tranquil sailing in. Two men at peace with the world, happy being little boys, again!

My crew ready to let the jib run…

We crept into the creek against the ebb while geese dabbled in the saltings and several flocks of waders swung through the air high above, waiting for the first fresh drying patch to appear and begin a feeding frenzy…

I’m helming again and my pal goes forward, halyard in his hands, waiting. Closing my mooring, I call, ‘Okay…’ and down it runs and we slip alongside.

‘That was great…’ my friend said. Tonight he’ll have a rosy glow … I have too!

Favourite ships, well, perhaps not in the complete sense: one, the dear old Cutty Sark, isn’t actually a ship any more.

The other is an imprint within my childhood memories of life on the River Medway, the Arethusa, or as she is known now, the Peking, a German built nitrates carrier, before she became TS Arethusa owned by Shaftesbury Homes.

The May Flower and Arethusa along the Upnor waterfront in 1951. (Ardley family collection)

The 1911 built Peking ended her trading days in 1933 when purchased and refitted for her school ship duties. Thereafter her only sailings were to a dry dock, usually in Chatham Dockyard, every now and then. In 1975, the charity deemed the ship unfit for further use … however, she was bought by the South St Seaport Museum. They ‘dished’ her up and re-rigged her as she would have been in her trading days.

From the ‘Lovely Old Ships’ web site – probably a skyphotos print – when the ship was at Upnor.

Unfortunately the museum’s base is to be redeveloped and the vessel hold has been sold or moved elsewhere. The Peking is one of the vessels to go. Her future has looked bleak, but a saviour has appeared. The ship is to be taken back to Germany and refurbished in a regeneration of the Hamburg (old) waterfront where the ship was built.

It isn’t likely that she will sail again, but at least she’ll be afloat and be maintained as a ship…

Unlike my ‘old’ friend the Cutty Sark. I walked past this building recently, in the midst of the Greenwich waterfront, and all I saw was a glass bubble with a set of towering sticks and string poking from the top. It looked like something, a ship, probably, that had partially escaped its bottle!

Now, recently I heard of some interesting news: there is a group wanting to build a sailing replica of the Cutty Sark, this is the Cutty Sark 2Sail Foundation.

I have copied off their mission statement…

Mission

• To create interest and educate the public in the traditional skills of composite/wooden shipbuilding. And preserve our maritime heritage for future generations by building a replica of the clipper “Cutty Sark” as a sea going vessel.
• To promote education in the art of operating and maintaining ships under sail by providing training in seamanship to young people of all nations.
• To promote sail-powered shipping as an environmentally friendly alternative form of transport.

It all sounds something for the good.

The cost, currently, Between 19 to 24 million GBP, now that is less than the pounds sterling spent on that old building, which will need redoing in the future…

Image from Cutty Sark 2Sail Foundation…

You can look at their web site for more information.

http://cutty-sark.org/

One can only wish them well. The ‘leader’ has already had built two replicas currently sailing the seas, these are the schooner Peter and the frigate Shtandart.

Tall Ships Festival – Greenwich:

Two items have come to my attention, well, I’ve known awhile, but the latter is now going to happen too, rather than being an idea.

In 2014 the Tall Ships came up the River Thames to Greenwich – Whimbrel was sailing down river as most of the vessels came up and it felt strange being on the end of many camera lenses: we were tacking down through them all!

A Polish 3-master berthedat the upper end of Blackwall Reach…

It was an amazing sight, however, I felt that we should have stayed up ‘in town’ to get a better feel for what was going on.

One of the vessels passed as we approached Greenhithe for an overnight stop.

The 2017 event is over the Easter weekend, 13th to 16th April with ships departing on the 16th. The ‘race’ finishes in Quebec on 18th July 2017… One can go on line and look up details, as they’re currently known:

http://www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/info/100003/community_and_living/1589/tall_ships_festivals

Battle of the Medway:

The second event is taking place on the River Medway in June 2017. This is to commemorate the Dutch raid on Chatham (& Sheerness) which took place in 1667. It was a time of strife between the governments of Holland and England (& Scotland) over trading – the spice islands. We ultimately gave up a little island in what is now Indonesia for New York!

The British and Dutch have had an exceedingly long partnership, and this commemoration furthers that cause. But this was a time when we were unprepared: the guns in Upnor Castle had no balls!

A huge number of Dutch yachts are expected to visit the river during the festival. I understand that measures are being taken to increase river berthing, up amongst the ‘lights’ to cope with this…  If you want to be there, keep an eye on the web site of the Medway & Swale Boating Association: this is where you’ll get information. This is an almost essential web site to watch: http://msba.org.uk/

See you there…

Swinging the Lamp – Thames Estuary Tidal Tales

Publishing date is now 25 February 2016.

Here is the publishers press information sheet…

From the Cruising Association – Kent Area secretary Clifford Mickleburgh.

 Winter Warmers 2015 – 2016 [2^nd Thursday of each month starting after supper at 8pm] both members and non-members are

very welcome and are held at:

The Dog & Bear, The Square, Lenham, Kent, ME17 2PG. Tel: 01622 858219.

The members usually meet for a drink and a meal prior to the talk … book direct.

Pub is part of the Shepherd Neame Group situated 8 miles East of Maidstone off of the A20 in the village square. The food is very good,

The staff are helpful and cheerful…

The Talk

We then follow Nick and his mate on a passage around the east coast’s rivers between N. Kent and mid Suffolk aboard their Finesse

24, Whimbrel. As they wend their way, weaving in and out of muddy creeks, Nick especially watches as the world passes slowly by,

wondering… Once at anchor, we find that Nick is just as likely to continue exploring in a lug sail dinghy, sometimes ‘dragging’ his mate

with him, to search for the lost world that rests amongst so much of our salt, marsh and mud…

Well, if you’re available, then come along and join this experienced and friendly group for the evening, and my talk…

Ah yes, I’ve been on the verge of becoming fractious: we’re half way through the season of Advent, well on the way to Christmas and my inner self, never mind the mind, knew that it had been a little while since I’d communed with my little boat … other than resealing a couple of windows.

As always, I’ve been watching for a change in the weather patterns we’ve been ‘enjoying’ of late – lots of sunny and blowy days! Then on Saturday I detected the first sign … Sunday was going to be quiet, but unfortunately, a HP ridge brought mist and mizzle – yuck – but today looked good!

Sailing out of Smallgains Creek…

Getting out at this time of the year is one of the supreme joys of keeping the boat afloat and active and I must say I’m currently glowing with the exhilaration of it. It wasn’t stressful, hard work or anything like that, just, just grand.

My good mate was otherwise engaged at a U3A carol service where she was doing a one of the readings … so couldn’t come along. Shame: she would have enjoyed it…

The wind was a light southerly, round a force 3, so with sails set I slid out of the mooring with the engine ticking over, as she swung, the wind filled my genoa and away we went, tripping over the tide at a sedate pace. Boy was it a grand feeling, to be under way again. I was like a little school boy with a bag of mint humbugs…

Around the outer end of the creek over the saltings on the point flocks of waders were carrying out a dazzling aerial display, swirling and changing direction in their wonderful random way. I was mesmerised

Ballerina’s of the sky…

I was soon travelling faster with the tide having chosen one of my favourite winter routes, up through the saltings to the other Island club, The Benfleet … passing Bird Island a flock of knot and dunlin lifted off leaving an array of Brents poking and prodding at the glutinous surface. This patch of mud doesn’t cover until around 4.85m of tide now…

Dunlin and Knot lifting off from Bird Island.

The one remaining boat in this upper part of the Hadleigh Ray Channel, better known as Benfleet Creek, is still flouting the pollution rules – flying the remnants of plastic bags. They’re well shredded now – perhaps one should hope the owner eats the fish with the biggest bit within its belly!

Whimbrel having a go at sailing herself…

Sitting back and enjoying my lunch sandwich and a cup of soup, I watched as flocks of Pewits lifted off the saltings edges. They seem to have such a lazy manner of doing it, unhurried, almost whimsical. Then, when up amongst the moorings of the Benfleet YC, I watched as tiny grebe popped up, shook its head casting a little shower pattern in the water before diving once again, surely, it was in search of its lunch too…

Approaching the club house of the Benfleet YC.

Upon turning off the ‘Benfleet’ I found the wind to have too much east in it. On went my trusty little diesel engine to get us clear. It was soon shut down returning the world to the quietness of the afternoon. The sky’s cloud cover had been threatening to break and reveal the sun- it did. Wow, its low rays dazzled and danced upon the  creek’s surface.

The sun’s rays dazzled and danced…

I was able to nip forward and get a shot up the mast to frame Whimbrel’s bit of Christmas cheer, courtesy of St Michael’s Church in Daws Heath … its the top metre or so, but does look good and is being put to good use!

Whimbrel’s mast head dressed for the festive season…

Sailing on past the end of Canvey Island, I rounded up, briefly, to drop the main and get a couple of lashing round it. Then there was just a little time left before the first of our creek’s buoys were reached. It was quiet. A motor boat had puttered noisily out before turning and heading back in again – at least ‘he’ was out …

Reaching into the creek…

It was time to say goodbye to the outer waters and think about my approach to the mooring. I wanted to sail in and did…

Shortly after berthing the kettle was put on to look after itself while I began to tidy away. Leaving the foresail to be bagged I amble below to make a beverage: it had been chilly.

Whilst sipping away at my hot drink, I leaned on the hatch top watching the tide recede for a little while, munching on a slice of Dundee cake … Oh yes, it was a glorious sail.

The weather for the next week looks dire again, pink to dark red on XCweather, up to 50 odd mph… Boy, am I glad I grabbed at this opportunity!

Goodness me, hasn’t it been a windy month!

One good thing comes from this aspect of the past month or so: I’ve done a lot of work towards my next book, the one to follow in the path of Swinging the Lamp. Although it isn’t folowing in the same fashion as my previous works: that part of my writing life has ended … I’ll say no more for the time being.

Last night, looking at the weather I told my Mate that we should be able to grab our last autumn sail: the metrological winter begins in a few days. Looking ahead, from Saturday onwards the wind strengths are in the ‘red’ on XCweather – the web site I monitor.

‘We going then…’ my mate asked me as the forecast beamed out from BBC Essex. And this time, at 0657, the current presenter didn’t cackle on about trivia keeping the weather person, usually one of the ladies, waiting… This presenters persistence in doing this has forced me to cast my loyalties aside. I cannot listen to the inane clap-trap that now ensues from this local radio station, in particular … so the joys of R4 bring life to us over the morning coffee. But, yes, this time we got the coastal forecast… Having got that off my chest!

‘Yes’ I said decisively. The mate grinned – not sure why.

We were able to enjoy a woodland walk first before heading towards Smallgains Creek. Reaching the boat first, after fairly scampering round our mooring walkways, I was busy removing the cockpit cover and as the mate came along our jetty finger I heard her say, ‘…you alright Whimbie…’ I had to smile: she is always saying that I’m the sentimental one…

The covers were soon stowed and the sails readied. ‘Ah’ I said, casting off the main’s first reef: it had been left in after my last sail two weeks and a day ago. It was fairly breezy then. Today there was a gentle W-NW 2-3. A bit of a change from the 5-8s we’ve been ‘enjoying’ of late.

Clearing the mooring the mate soon had the genoa up and it pulled us nicely over the tide. That done she was given the helm while I set the main. That got us moving a little faster… Brents bobbed about along the edges of the saltings and over the point, eastwards, a flock of waders were resting on the banks of shingle in the saltings.

Gently tacking up past Two Tree Island…

Several motor boats came trundling out behind us and the mate deftly moved the tiller to bring the boat closer to the channel’s edge, before cutting inside at a point she knew the boat could safely go. I was by then busy swishing the sides down to clean of mud splatter from the small amounts of rain we’ve had. I hate having dirty sides! Looking up I commented, ‘Bit shallow here…’ tailing off quietly.

My mate heard me though, and her answer, ‘Is it a problem … we’re not aground…’

Shut up Skipper and let the helm alone, I quietly thought to myself!

Leaving the creek the mate handed over and put the kettle on and passed out hot drinks. I was aboaut to hand back the helm but she said, No, I want to watch the world go by … it’s so beautiful…’

My good Mate watching the world go by…

It was a drifty sort of sailing: one moment we had a fairly decent breeze which heeled the boat a little and sent a wash creaming down past her clinker edges, then it would disappear making it difficult to tack … this, and a lack of concentration, caused me to drag the plate in the mud a couple of times – something rarely done on my jaunts this way!

Off Two Tree’s bird hides my Mate said, ‘Look … that boat … its flying shreeded plastic bags…’ It was too. It’s one of the two I’ve pointed out before. (Our esteemed Royal Yachting Association is still to respond to my letter about this, in respect to their stance on it…) Plastic particulates are a big worry to those who monitor the world’s oceans and the food chain within it.

Sarasota Sunshine’s owner should feel thoroughly ashamed…

For a while we sailed blissfully onwards with a spring tide doing most of the work! Clearing the Salvation Army Jetty remains the wind shifted (It nearly alwys does here – its those hills!) and we were on a reach. A little way past I turned. For a short time we made over the tide … then a bouy, already passed twice, was about to be passed again as the wind died to nothing and the water around us turned to a glass-like!

Flocks of Brents overflew us in several packed ribbons…

I looked at the Mate and said, ‘Engine please!’

‘You sure?’ she asked, looking at me cheekily.

It was started … and stayed on until we berthed, although we did get another fifteen minues sailing a little east of the point on a reach ito the creek. I left the iron beast running: the battery probably needed a charge.

Sails were dispensed with as we puttered into our quaint little creek, past lines of moored craft and empty slots: our lay-up pound is just about full.

Its days like today that make staying in the water one of the joys to be treasured during the long season when most are tucked up in ‘bed’ for the duration until the days lengthen and they awake to the fact that all those jobs still haven’t been done!

That in mind, I have two windows to reseal: just started leaking since last aboard … I have my piece of plastic to fasten over, waiting in my workshop, and they’ll be done, one by one, over the next couple of weeks. Next week even, whilst the gales blow!

The view across the Island Yacht Club’s saltingas as we walked away from the boat…