The entrance to the Deben, as stated in East Coast Pilot navigation news, has had an additional buoy added. This is a round mooring buoy with a red bucket ‘lashed’ to its upper body – it is relatively small but very effective. Speaking to an owner who moors in the river, he said its been needed for some time: the gap between the two Knoll buoys is significant. See ECP navigation news for comment.

Transiting the river soon after it had been positioned a day or so after entering, I took a couple of pictures – here they are.

This shows the new buoy, marked with an ‘A’ in line with the West Knolls – several craft have been on a patch of shingle immediately to its south… This was viewed from a position rounding the Mid Knoll…

Passing the new ‘A’ buoy with West Knolls in view…

Don’t let the bar be a bar … go in with usual care and enjoy this lovely little river.

A season or so back I visited and wrote about the work being carried out at Harwich’s old Town Station goods yard. At the time the project were engaged in converting a building into a useable space creating work experience and training programmes in sundry trades in the process.: many of these are directly transferable into the marine boating industry. Things have moved on somewhat since.

The mate and I dropped into Halfpenny Pier earlier this week during the fine weather then being experienced. In strong winds this is not a place to loiter! Walking round towards the project centre I quickly spotted the signs of ‘shipyard activity’ for the new ship’s stern post stood erect, angled to her keel and held in place by a temporary support whilst the stern knee is readied for fitting. A visit was called for…

Keel and stern post in place…

I was met by Sean Day, a project team member. Sean then spent a not insignificant mount of his precious time in talking about where they were now, what was happening with the vessel and about the numbers of people who have been trained or retrained in various allied skills, that is apart from those actually needed to achieve the main aim: train new shipwrights in the skills required for major wooden ship construction. They have been helped in this by taking on board a shipwright who was closely involved with the Pioneer Project – the rebuild of the Skillinger Smack based at Brightlingsea.

Looking across the yard to the wood stack.

First I went across the old goods yard to take a look at the vessel. Sean said that there wasn’t much to see… On the way I talked to Sean about my own life aboard the May Flower, spritsail barge. And of my thirty years as a marine engineer officer … so although there’s only a keel, some deadwood and a stern post, the ship was rising up before my minds eye, stout and beautiful.

Next we visited the cutting/shaping shed where a ‘chunk’ of the new ship’s structure was in preparation. The project attended the Tendring Show recently and won a prize for traditional crafting – they took a chunk of ship along and adzed it into shape…

This was followed by a visit to a section set up to bring locals into the project. Currently this is based around a series of community art projects to create murals about Harwich, the ship and what she achieved. It was all very interesting with some exciting designs were on display and currently being worked upon.

Mural depicting the original journey…

Then things moved more n my direction – ship structure – the lofting floor! The original building when taken over was an open windowless shell. Project training renewed windows, put in a floor, screen walls and outfitting. The upstairs now has two rooms for projects and a large lofting floor. Upon that floor parts of the ship were drawn out; frames, knees and stem parts. This was exciting stuff…

Half model of hull.

The lofting floor – stem can be seen to RHS.

At this point the mate re-joined me: she had beetled off to do something whilst I… Well yes. It had taken an hour and we found her sitting quietly on a bench by the main office!

The ship has been designed to UK Maritime & Coast Authority statutes and will be fully compliant. The design has been drawn up by a leading British yacht designer, fully conversant with the rules and specialists in large yacht design: essentially this project is small in comparison to many craft now being built.

If you don’t know of this amazing project then look it up, go and visit. Two Americans walked in as we were finishing … the One Show are visiting at some point soon too. Even Essex County Council are beginning to show a little interest, mainly because both Plymouth City Council and Southampton have. The latter made a publicised visit recently…

An interesting blog can be viewed, written by James, one of the team. this is www.theshipsblog.co.uk

The replica ship centre out in the United States of America can be visited too … easier to visit their web site:

http://www.plimoth.org/what-see-do/visitor-center

The 1957 ship has recently won a major monetary award to allow a major rebuild programme to bring her up to scratch, this can be viewed at http://www.patriotledger.com/article/20140714/News/140718140

Harwich project web site: http://www.harwichmayflower.com/joomla/

Whether or not it is complacency with one’s surroundings or just a little bit of bad luck, nothing can excuse the person in charge for going aground: it is the skipper’s fault…

Here I have to take full responsibility for a little happening that overtook us upon tacking back down from Manningtree today: I sit, perched up upon high. I sailed the boat onto the edge of the sand/shingle patch, much loved by Mistley’s resident swans, opposite the quay.

Realising my touch of madness and getting no response from the power of Whimbrel’s prop, I stripped of my life jacket and jumped over, barely up to my knees on the ‘up-side’ and tried in vain to get her off … the mate joined me, bless her: it wasn’t her fault!

During our efforts to sail/motor/heave off a lady kept shouting out across the water to us … I waved calling that we were alright … I was scrubbing the by then canted starboard bottom when I realised that he Harwich inshore lifeboat was hovering close to us … a chap jumped out and came over. The Coastguard then appeared, well we heard their sirens screaming along the road first … after much assurances from us that we or the boat wasn’t in any danger, not sinking, damaged or anything else the authorities departed … they’d been called by a lady in one of the flats amongst the waterside conversions. Bless her!

The view from Whimbrel’s cockpit…

The number of times I have sailed this way always noting in my mind the ‘hidden menace’ as we have gone up stream are many, it just goes to show. The importance of vigilance and concentration are two lessons long ago learnt that need heeding at all times… I’m mortified!

The tide in the morning, high water at 0400, is a little higher than this afternoon’s. We went on around 40 minutes after, so are fairly confident in getting off! Anchor has been laid, long scope, hard off the bow … now we wait…

Postscript…

I awoke around 0200 with the first slap of the tide as it tickled Whimbrel’s clinker planks … outside the moon shone mistily through a haze over Mistley’s quayside buildings. On ‘our’ patch of sand a group of swans were deep in slumber with a number of geese honking amongst them. I looked for a while at the incoming tide watching its speed of advance over the rippled sand… The mate appeared, pulling on her coat, whilst nonchalantly looking overboard, bravado I think: I was a little apprehensive … we exchanged our good mornings!

I went below and put a kettle on … coffee was needed. I’d slept for  good four hours … the mate had fidgeted, bless …but the beverage was needed. Coffee came and went. The tide, crept relentlessly upwards. Our patch of sand and shingle diminishing rapidly, it seemed. The boat murmured, then began to ift the first sigh of relief left my body…

At 0240 the boat stirred, tensioned the anchor cable and waited … it went slack. The engine was started. The mate took my place forward (her choice) while I put the control ahead, “she’s coming…” the mate called from the bow. Indeed, we slipped into a metre of water.

later pottering down past Mistley boat yard the mate called up Thames CG to report that we were free of our prison sentence … the CG officer commiserated … and said, “At least you’re out sailing…” he keeps a boat on the Crouch. Around 0330 we dropped anchor off Stutton Ness in the company of the TSBT barge Pudge and I set the riding lamp. After a mate’s special coffee we retired again … triumphant, but still very chastened!

Even though we hadn’t called them out, we were thankful for the interest and kindness shown by the RNLI and CG – what a good job they do…

Final on this: Popping into Titchmarsh (from a mooring outside), a very kind chap who runs the ‘metal bashing shop’ lent me a length of 1/2″ steel rod to rech the top of my centre plate … it is free again and Whimbrel can get a good grip, like me…

Last week I was bumbling around the Deben with a crew other than my mate … visiting Robertson’s, because it is a traditional yard catering for traditional vessels, I was able to look round two Finesse yachts sitting awaiting new owners.

These are, firstly, the Finesse 27 Tugela, sail number 101, built it is thought in 1977 after an owner of a F24 wanted to sail something a little bigger. She has that unmistakeable ’24’ look, elongated. Her hull is not as full as the 28 footer drawn up for Alan Platt by Maurice Griffiths, which to my mind follows the ethos of his own boats…

Talking to the yard manager I was told that the boat has had some maintenance carried out by the current owner. More is required, but the boat is said to be essentially ready for the rest of the season. She is currently afloat in a tidal mud berth awaiting that new owner and a family…

Tugela

The other vessel is a Finesse 24, Mackerel Sky. I was not able to look her over above decks for she is covered over well for protection. Her hull and bottom shows that she is ready for the water – as always a new owner will find plenty to do…

Mackerel Sky

My motto with my own ownership of 30 plus years of a F24 is: use well and keep on top of cosmetic needs, repairing as and when needed to stop water ingress damage … a touch up saves much time later… it’s a boat that should be used: pretty they are, they are, however, not museum pieces.

Sitting quietly with a cup of tea writing this in Foxe’s Marina, I have the satisfaction of knowing that I’ve just completed a few varnish touch ups using the end of a finger after a light sanding and white spirit wipe, and a freshly plugged deck fastening and epoxied top has been rubbed back flush to deck and undercoated … another day a dab of deck…

The tea in the pot was still hot…

Contact Robertson’s Boat Yard, Woodbridge for details…

http://www.robertsons-boatyard.co.uk/

Ah yes, here is an edit to this post…

Attending the Pin Mill Sailing Club, for a little refreshment, I caught the part where the match report was being made … it transpires that the bowsprit and fast staysails did indeed go out to the Rocks, the slower class sailing a shortened course.” It was somewhat lumpy out there…” Peter Dodds of the Mirosa told me.

Geoff Gransden took his Edith May the wrong side of the Cliff Foot mark, sailing on for two thirds of a mile, he has told me, before turning back after a message came through from the Repertor … they would have clearly had an invincible the lead. But, you see, all was not lost: both Melissa and Niagara did the same, both however did not go back and were thus ‘disqualified’ … there being no third prize. So Repertor was awarded first and Edith May second… Ed, the Edith May’s mate, grinned broadly saying they needed to take more care of passing marks! Cally crew on the Repertor was well chuffed: she said our barge was going well and catching the Niagara…

The drama did not end there: in the slow class, Centaur was awarded first place: although she was so far back at the start she could not see that the other two in he class had gone over the line early … so she won! A good call eh!

Also at the event, Edith May was awarded the winner’s cup for the passage match and Niagara second place. The match was sailed as a ‘cruise in company’ because of the PLA’s reluctance to sanction sailing barges let loose upon there waters. It started from the Medway … why don’t they continue t do so and ‘stuff’ the PLA? The barge trades operated from Rochester (Gillingham as a start) … food for thought, surely!

Ah yes … we left Pin Mill in an absolute calm. There was the faintest of something or other stirring the bobs on several spritsail barges sleeping on the hard, but nothing like we needed to make it to the Deben bar a little after low water.

Pin Mill reflecting…

Our mooring was close to another classic, a fellow Finesse 24, Pippit. It was nice to be in anchorage with a sister … I saw a lovely varnished Finesse 21 in West Mersea a few days ago. The Deben, I knew held several of the fleet within her bosom and I was looking forward to meeting old friends.

Pippit.

Our passage up was largely assisted by the ‘iron topsail’ until the sweep of the river’s eager flow grabbed us. The bar was quiet, the shingle undisturbed, and one of the crew having only just awoken(!) exclaimed in ecstasy as we slipped in, the sun sparkling on the ripples and colouring the myriad of tide washed stones…

Waldringfield was our night time destination … we had all day! Where to I enquired of my brother. “To the top…” he said, eyes lighting up…  So, we went.

Kiboko off Robertsons yard.

By then a fickle north easterly had become more of an easterly with enough pressure to sail with absolute confidence: tacking was needed at times during the sail. We reached a little below Wilford Bridge at Melton some two hours before high water … then proceeded to reach and tack out! For a short period dark clouds shrouded us as jumpers were donned again … the breeze up the top comes in strange directions at times and this tested the helm from time to time. Just short of Waldringfield sails were dumped and we puttered along searching out a free buoy.

Tacking down past a delightful beach under the woods surrounding Sutton Hoo…

A buoy was found off the delightful sailing club where a couple of friendly members pointed me in the direction f the water tap. The buoys are not free’ though: a nominal ‘charge’ – a voluntary donation for the Life Boat Institution (a noble cause) – of £10.

Both us ‘boys’ enjoyed a an hour each sailing around the anchorage in the lug sailed tender during the late afternoon…

After a supper of a delightful fish stew cooked by my brothers partner we repaired ashore for a short walk … to the Maybush Inn for a jar.

Day one done. Grand.

Leaving my good mate at home I broke free of the Lower Thames and made passage down the Swin with my brother crewing … it was a partial darkness sail, well, light is relative and the dawn wasn’t far off for we could see the first signs lighting the tops of the low cloud that hung in the sky.

An easterly was forecasted, and sure enough it was there, but it was benign and feeble. We motor sailed with main up until reaching the Swin Bell we found we had a good slant. From then it was plain sailing to Bradwell. As is almost normal in the Swin we met one of Prior’s little coasters, deep laden with another cargo of sand or ballast for more concreting in London’s metropolis, other than her the water’s were quiet until we met several boats around the spitway crossing…

Down the Swin…

A buoy was ‘borrowed’ at Bradwell and two heads soon hit the sack! It wasn’t long though before our third ‘lad’ for the weekend neared: the good mate having collected our cousin at Rayleigh Station reported that she was on ‘passage’ to us … good girl eh! No sooner was he aboard and a cup of tea had, we set off for a quiet pootle across the Blackwater, by then sparkling under a bright sun, to West Mersea. After a beer and nibbles a supper was enjoyed at the West Mersea YC – fine it was too. My current crew said, “…quite right too…”

The Crew.

After returning to Bradwell on Sunday, my good mate did taxi service again … leaving us to enjoy a walk to St Peter’s on the Wall, a circuit of 7 1/2 miles…  We bought our dear old mum a post ard (not posted yet…). Now if you haven’t visited St Peter’s when in the area of Bradwell, you should. It is fascinating place, even after many visits. It was my brother’s first… We had an early night: a four-o’clock departure was planned (and implemented…)

Now this is a first for me … we had to motor-sail most of the way to Harwich to ensure the tidal gate was made. The winds were fickle to non existent. We did get around two hours of ‘sailing’ if that is the correct term: the tide was doing most of the work … but entering Harwich a nice gentle easterly wafted us up the pretty Orwell where we rounded to a buoy off the hard at Pin Mill.

Sun rise over St Osyths.

Bless his little cotton socks: no sooner had we finished a light repast, my brother was placing fenders and pulling the tender alongside … it was two hours before he returned. I watched as he crept around the sterns of several spritsail barges before sailing along the shore beneath those gorgeous woods … he’s just like me!

The crew captaining his own ship…

Upon visiting both of these places recently I found some changes:

For the Queenborough All Tide Landing, the charge for craft up to 27 feet is now £10, larger craft remain at £12.

The trot boat is thrown in… The boat does finish running relatively early though and it is prudent to use own tender if planning to enjoy the longer evenings ashore…

At the Medway Yacht Club there is now a charge of £5 for visitors.

Skippers/owners should make contact with a ‘boatman’ or the Bosun – who is often around the waterfront – and check mooring availability.

Payment is made at the club’s office whereupon the code for access through pontoon gate (when locked) and into club compound will be given. This code is for the shower units as well.

The charge is probably long overdue: apart from being a useful resource, they do of course have to be maintained!

The MYC floating pontoon on a late September afternoon with a somewhat threatening sky … it didn’t stop the dragon crews from racing though…

By the way, many of the dragons are now dry moored ashore, freeing some moorings. The boatman, when I was last there, told me that the boats kept ashore, and thus clean, tended to have the edge … this system is gaining popularity around our coast.

Smallgains Creek at the eastern end of Canvey Island has recently gained a new addition to the small fleet of craft fishing commercially from here. The boat, a clinker wood ‘Hastings’ type, is something of an oddity in the area. She’s a functional, neat and smart looking thing with a pole mast that is possibly designed to set a lug sail, but I didn’t see one when she passed close by my mooring as I was stowing sails a week or so back.

Canvey’s ‘new’ fishing boat…

I’d seen the boat in the distance some days earlier and wondered where she was based … seeing her up close and clearly heading for home confirmed answers to my questioning mind. I had a camera to hand too…

It looked as if the boat was being used for crabbing or, more likely, gill netting: I’d seen her along the shallows along the Chapman bank. I’ll have to try and catch her skipper and ask…

She certainly adds charm to my little mud creek.

A little job:

Out recently I looked aloft and spotted a wee problem developing to a batten pocket on Whimbrel’s mainsail. I’d gazed upwards to check the sail’s set –  a little after putting a reef in the main on the day we sailed across the Thames to watch some of the Medway Barge Match. I was sure it hadn’t happened then, and during a couple more squalls nothing more untoward was seen to be happening so we let it be, but no matter it clearly needed attention…

Later that day we goose winged across the last of the Thames ebb, down off Shoebury, and edged over from the Richard Montgomery to Southend Pier then up the Ray to a spot along the sands clear of a group of basking seals. Once anchored out came the needle, twine and palm.

The inner end of the batten pocket had clearly caught on something and he stitching had broken out, fortunately the cloth wasn’t damaged … just a case of following the machine stitching holes. Within a few minutes the job was done – ready for tea!

A stitch in time…

This is one of the skills I was taught by my mother when a mere child: it soon became my job to help and finally make repairs to May Flower’s heavy flax sails – see, The May Flower A Barging Childhood…