One of the never ceasing amazements that we, as sailors, have the honour to feast upon is our diverse wildlife. In winter as I sail off the eastern end of Canvey Island a seal will often as not pop up to say, ‘Hello … ‘ and follow lazily in Whimbrel’s wake, until, I believe, I’ve…

There is a whole myriad of ways of enjoying boating and with it comes a responsibility of some sort or other. Seen out recently was a sweet little clinker motor boat based at my own yacht club at the eastern end of Canvey Island. She is a John Leather design and as comely as she…

A good friend of mine called me up to asked if I’d read the Telegraph … that was a couple of days ago. Anyway, it was to tell me that Jack Holmes’ obituary had appeared. Sorry to say, I hadn’t known that he had died. He and I were both Leigh – on – Sea…

The Finesse Class which my Whimbrel belongs has enjoyed fifty odd years of sailing. My book, The Jottings of a Thames Estuary Ditch-crawler tells the tale of Finesse Yachts and builder Alan Platt, in chapter 2. I’ve enjoyed my little sloop for 31 years now and aim to continue along that path for many more…

My ‘man’ in New Zealand sent me this link to a YouTube film he made whilst aboard Whimbrel back in 2012 – I’ve seen it before but not been able to post a link, so here it is. It was taken during a gentle sail up Benfleet Creek on a sluggish afternoon tide with a…

My friends in New Zealand sent me a few views of the abandoned hulk of a coastal scow. These craft were once a common sight around the coasts of New Zealand – especially the North Island. I was sent a long time ago a picture of, I believe, one of the last scows. The above…

One of the joys of being part of the ‘great unemployed’ is the ability to use facilities that are there for all of us. The Mate and I have been regular participants at a series of monthly lectures/talks at the Essex Records Office in Chelmsford since the dear girl’s retirement from gainful employment at the…

There is a welcome piece of news on the web site of the Medway & Swale Boating Association: See: http://msba.org.uk/?p=1423#comment-8032 Work is being carried out to put it back into operation. A new pontoon has arrived and the link span is being reinstated. Berthing of spritsail barges and other pleasure craft to embark/disembark passengers will…

The future of the Queenborough All Tide Landing appears to have been secured. While in Queenborough last week doing a talk at the yacht club the commodore told me that there were still a few issues to iron out, but that broadly an agreement had been entered into with the Queenborough Harbour Trust. It is…

Last year Hoo Marina was bought out by the Port Werberg (Swann Marine) Group and the marina was made out of bounds to visiting yachts. For me this was a blow: the mate and I have been going into the basin most summers for several decades. I knew the area as a boy too and…

While aboard the Gransden’s Edith May last weekend the mate and I sat at a table which already had several people, a lady and two gentlemen, seated enjoying their luncheon. Jane Gransden, when taking our order, asked if we’d been introduced … we soon were. http://www.edithmaybargecharter.co.uk/ Ed at work… The lady, Linda Moffat, had a…

The last ‘Brick’ Barge… I was in Kent to do a talk for the Queenborough Yacht Club … on my barging childhood and sailing life. It was silly not to pay a visit to old friends Geoff and Jane Gransden – we saw Ed too, which was nice, scraping and priming Edith May’s decks –…

I had a thoroughly enjoyable trip to London with the good mate on Sunday. We had been invited to the official opening of the annual exhibition of the Wapping Group of Artists… It was grand. The exhibition at the Mall Galleries is open from 1000 to 1700 until Saturday 1st March (last day closes at 1600). If you…

During a walk this week round ‘the Wakerings’ in Essex, a secluded and out of the way place even though Southend looms close, I came across a wharf I’d been looking for. During the walk we found something else I found a little disturbing too. It is something the authorities must, surely, be aware of……

It seems a long while ago now when I was in the Cotswolds with the mate on a tour of west Wessex… It was about the time of the first of the long line of lows that have struck Britain this winter. I seem to remember it came ashore in Devon and Dorset… It was a…

I ordered some books from one of my publishers recently … delivery was arranged as per normal – with specific leaving instructions to leave in a specified dry place, if out. Upon the mate and I returning home from a weekend away, we found amongst the mail on the door mat a delivery note – out…

It was with much sadness, I’m sure, that many sailors will have learnt of the death of the Reverend Christopher Coutauld, one of Britain’s finest public spirited philanthropists. Christopher died at his home in Gosfield, Essex, on the 11th January 2014. My thoughts and that of the mate are with his family. Christopher, after initially…

During a ‘passage’ depositing family in Cambridge, doing the Anglia Afloat mini boat show in Suffolk and going on to Norwich to see an exhibition of East Anglian art at the Sainsbury Centre, the mate and I visited all our sister counties… The display of works at the Sainsbury Centre, buried deep in the conglomeration…

A little while ago I had a ‘discussion’ with a Finesse friend about boat shows … I last went to a major show, around 15 years ago, I think! Once one has what suits them what is the point in wandering, aimlessly, around looking at row upon row of very expensive craft. Now don’t get…

The 2014 Essex Book Festival is nearly upon us … a veritable feast of events are listed in the festival menu this year. I shall be taking part in multi-author event on Wednesday 26th March 2014 at 1400. The session is around two hours long with a break. The event has been titled: Schooldays, Heydays,…