Bradwell Marina is a place oft used by many up and down the coast. It is especially useful as a jumping off point for passages northwards or southwards, as in my own case if one peruses our log books. One of the other reasons it has, over the years, proved useful is the fact that…

Time was creeping on and after loitering with intent … in Maldon, we broke free and sailed off down river to Lawling Creek, a fine place for a shoal draft vessel to rest at anchor. Rest wasn’t our reason for being there: Whimbrel’s  bottom needed a scrub. This was done on Mundon Stone, settling some 2…

During a visit to Maldon I had opportunity to get closer to a little gem of a barge yacht. I’d seen her on the water some years ago but not had a real look… How the vessel works as a sailing vessel I have no idea: down sizing, as has been done here, reducing everything in…

I’ve been adrift now for a little while and during that time some fellow clinker boats have caught my eye, so I have a clinker fest for you all… The craft types are wide and varied and by no means anywhere near a ‘collection’ – they form a small number of the type of construction that…

Ah yes, during this last week, my crew and I had a splendid tack down the Alde and Ore from above Aldeburgh before taking a long reach seawards directly out of the entrance several miles offshore. Another 24 footer puttered out after us, right on our tail, having passed us and then come back round in…

Having made a coastal passage up to the Walton Backwaters, my second port choice. Pin Mill was the original destination but when the wind tracked round from south-west to north by the time I’d reached The Naze, it was a no brainer… So here I am! Last evening I enjoyed a pleasant pottery sail from…

Transoms vary an awful lot, but do they really? Some transoms are handsome for sure, especially amongst the ‘classic’ fraternity, others less so. What they all collectively share is that the shape has a great deal to do with the overall look of a vessel, its hull lines and runs aft. Some rise up above the waterline whilst…

Around the east coast areas from Suffolk down to N. Kent it isn’t unusual to come across abandoned vessels tucked into the salting or out on some mud flat. While in Scotland recently, around the Western Isles, I came across a group of abandoned fishing vessels ‘laid up’ alongside a shallow stone built wharf. Laid…

Ah yes, we’re going to make it here this season: strangely, but for reasons rather unusual, we (I) have yet to depart northwards. A little something about a person’s 60th and a jaunt around the waters bounding the western isles’ of Scotland came first… We’ve been unfaithful! Whimbrel sailing out of Faversham on a fine…

Up Lawling Creek there has for many years been one of the friendliest little marinas we’ve had the pleasure to drop into – The Blackwater Marina. http://www.blackwater-marina.co.uk/ My mate and I recently went over to those parts, by road, for a visit to the Sea-change Sailing Trust to deposit a collection box … while there…

My next book is getting closer to fruition … I now have the ISBN and over cover details. Title: Swinging the Lamp – Thames Estuary Tidal Tales ISBN: 978-1-78155-478-2 Price: £18.99 Size: 248 x 172 Pages: 224 Plates: Aproximately 110 with a colour section of 75 plates. More details on my ‘books’ page…  

Some while ago I received a communication from the Medway Barge Match Committee asking if I would like to compile and deliver the post barge match report at the prize giving event … the mate was also asked to present the various cups and platters. We were both honoured to be asked and to accept. Historical…

A sailing friend who we (That’s the mate and me) have a lot of time for, and his mate too of course, contacted this week with news that they have sadly put their lovely Finesse 24, Josie, up for sale. The boat is sail/hull number 63 and was built at the same time, more or…

I recently added to my collection of ‘east coast’ literature in the form of Frances B. Cooke’s, London to Lowestoft published in 1906 by Imray, Laurie, Norie & Wilson, Ltd. It was a book I had little knowledge of until spotted in a book sellers listing and although I have yet to read it, it seems…

Two things came up together this year, however one, the symposium, was booked months ago so that was that really. The other was the AGM of the Society for Sailing Barge Research (SSBR) which was being held in Gravesend on Saturday… I went alone to the last event two years ago. My good mate had booked…

Calluna is Nick Hann’s ‘new’ barge yacht… See: http://nickardley.com/barges-in-ditch-crawlers-patch/ Well, Nick has been hard at work over the autumn and winter. Whilst catching a sail on the best of the bank holiday days yesterday I came across Nick testing his autopilot. Passing, we chatted for a bit … he’s not tested the shower yet, but…

My publisher, well one of them, has recently brought out The Jottings of a Thames Estuary Ditch-crawler as an ebook. See: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nick-Ardley/e/B0034NL7IY Also see: https://www.amberley-books.com/community-nick-ardley That means all three titles with Amberley Publishing are now available as electronic books. My ‘books’ page will be amended!

Yes, wishing one was actually out on the water and not merely sitting upon it are two different things. Both can be pleasurable for two reasons … sailing – puttering along if a motty boat – or sitting back with a pot of tea… neither of those were ours today: it was time to get…

For a little while I have been hard at work on a long running project, tidying up in readiness and in expectation of great progress … so, some excellent news: at the end of last week a contract for this next book was signed with Fonthill Media. The book is due to be published in time…

Before our little clinker sloop even went over to Faversham for  keel bolt renewals her cockpit floor boards were in need of some attention, by the time she sailed into her mooring at the Island Yacht Club they could be ignored no longer … but first I did the cabin floor boards – the easier…