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.

New flowers in early January when we were deeply in the second full scale Covid-19 lockdown were apt for what I was getting up to when not walking and varnishing dinghy bits and other stuff…

Current projects:

I do have more up my sleeve but when this will come to fruition, I cannot at the moment say.

I’ve been for some while working on a series of articles being published by Yachting Monthly Magazine and these can be found at intervals…

Update:

The articles mentioned have been trundling out. Currently one more is due to be published at some point in the magazine’s future programme.

I have also been involved with a series of short articles dealing with the ‘Ten best…’ places, anchorages, walks, city visits, etc…

On the ‘future book’ front, I spent the lockdown during the first three months of 2021 rewriting some work and putting into words a ‘breezy buzz’ that was travelling around my mind.

As the days progressed, between walking, the mate wielded her ‘red’ pen as she felt it should be, in the main it was often quite lightly. At times she dropped work back into my lap in tears…. Saying, ‘you made me cry…’

I am now in the process of finding a publisher!  

The process is often long and drawn out. It is very much like when looking for a publisher for ‘May Flower’ for I am exploring new fields…

Hey Ho!

Autumn is properly with us now in my little corner of England and sailing out on a tide has resumed.

First the Brent arrived and then the terns disappeared. Flocks of overwintering waders have arrived too. The Brent geese were a little early, I thought, signalling perhaps harsher conditions on their home territory. Home: I use loosely for they spend more time in their overwintering grounds.

September was a fine month for us and most of October, although a little windy for parts of last two weeks – gaps allowed time afloat, so I’ve no real complaints!

A gentle potter up along the Leigh-on-Sea shore and into Leigh Creek looking at the range of traditional craft ‘hiding’ away was enjoyed.

On one of the sails I passed two friends – both Finesse owners. One has a Seaking too. The chap’s Finesse is a ’21’ which he has put a new cabin on and renewed the decks.

One of the joys of autumn is the quiet upon the water and sight of the wintering bird life. I love too the colour changes taking place within the saltings as the last of the summer green fades. Along the Hadleigh downs, the autumn shades can often be slow to show, then, on a sail the hillside glows as a late afternoon sun bathes the panorama.

Sailing up past Bird Island for the first time since the spring I spotted a huge clump of cord grass growing. The island just covers at 5.0 metres (Southend). I wrote to the Port of London Authority in the spring of 2014 and drew their attention to this growing island. A tide gauge reading from VTS as I sailed by showed that the island just covered at 4.7 metres then.

I was told it didn’t exist!

Well, plenty of boats run into it!

Looks like an island of mud to me. Next year the saltings growth will increase, that’s for sure.

A survey report of 2001 showed the height in this area to be 4.5 metres above chart datum…

The silting progression is stark.

We had planned a two day heist across to the Medway together. The weather though looked a bit threatening for two nights but one was looking good. In the event the mate chose to let me go alone…

For a change, I enjoyed a glorious sail over the Thames, crossing the tide, and made it into the entrance of the Medway without recourse to the engine. I fetched across the harbour in a series of tacks before laying along the south side of Saltpan on a close reach. Marvellous!

After pottering upriver to Stangate Spit, I sailed back and made my entry into the West Swale, favouring Queenborough for my overnight stop. The Admiral’s Arm always provides a nice pint too…

Before going ashore I cooked off my supper – a Bolognese sauce – ready to reheat later.

The sunset was sublime. Queenborough – well the Medway basin as well – is a grand place to capture the sight.

After my scrummy supper and a call back to base, I sat watching a couple of hot air balloons crossing the early night sky. The moon was in full bloom, a silvery-yellow and through binoculars the surface craters were clearly visible.

With an early start in the morning a little before sunrise, I did not hang about and was soon wrapped up in my bunk, toasty, missing the mate…

The alarm shook me rigid as it warbled out of reach. Swinging my legs out, it was silenced. Pulling some clothes on I looked outside – barely a breath!

As soon as the kettle sang, first water in my tea mug then a porridge pot. These are quite good for early starts and the mate has made sure a few have been stowed aboard this last season.

The tide had been making around an hour and a half by the time I dropped off the mooring. With the genoa the boat fetched across the tide towards the Queenborough Harbour Trust’s pontoon while I hoisted the main.

The sky soon turned a salmon pink as the minutes ticked by. The wind built a little and I moved from a knot to a couple.

For a while I had the genoa poled out, but by mid Sheerness Harbour the wind became more south-easterly and I dispensed with the contraption. By then the boat was rustling along over the flood.

It was an easy sail across with the wind on the starboard quarter. A gybe near Southend Pier put Whimbrel on a run into the Ray. (Later, The City of, in honour of the murdered Southend West MP Sir David Amess who was tragically killed that lunch time. His constituency lay under the boom, across the water…)

Sailing up the Ray I did not spot any terns. I had the previous week. All gone. Autumn as far as I was concerned was bedded in.

The sands were covered as I sailed up the stretch abreast of Chalkwell Beach but a few seals were spotted in the shallows chasing fish as they were ‘swept’ over the top by the flooding tide. People that don’t know are aghast when told about the numbers that bask. The mate sometimes sends pictures to her coffee friends!

Yes, it has been a lovely autumn so far and in this little corner of the Thames estuary that I call ‘home’, I feel incredibly thankful for the bountiful beauty that those out on the water are able to witness. It is awesome in so many respects.

And too, I am lucky to have such an understanding mate. One who isn’t unhappy at being left alone on the odd occasion…

Abandoned vessels have almost become the norm around the Thames estuary shores. A news item recently in the maritime press – Leisure Marine – has highlighted the problem of the end of life for boats.

See: https://marineindustrynews.co.uk/about/

Some interesting ‘stuff’ is discussed in this industry media outlet…

It used to be common for old wooden boats to be hulked in a rill, creek or lonely piece of salting to gently rot away. The hull as it died often became the home for numerous creatures as well as a convenient perch for bird life.

I wrote an article about this in a magazine now long out of print back in 2010. It was published in Anglia Afloat in May/June 2011 issue.

I have for decades followed the fate of vessels during their end of life years. A spritsail barge hulked nigh on thirty years ago has progressed from a fire damaged hull to a broken and time ravaged ruin.

A Maldon oyster smack the Joseph T which was taken ashore at Maylandsea where a full restoration was begun, oh, some twenty years ago, possibly longer, has in the last year after many years of stagnation and abandonment, been sawn up for firewood.

Perhaps she would have better served the environment by acting as a wave break against a marsh edge to allow silts to build up, as was often the way…

Wherever one walks the banks of creeks, vessels which were once someone’s pride and joy sit neglected until taken ashore or they sink, creating a headache for other mooring holders.

Some while ago, during the first lockdown periods of 2020 there was an article in the media about a vessel that had sunk on moorings in Brixham Harbour. She became the responsibility of the harbour authority to remove. This apparently is the case and clearly the fact is known by unscrupulous owners seeking to abandon a vessel.

The means employed is often to sell a boat worthy of restoration. That owner disappears leaving the new starry eyed owner very quickly scratching ‘his’ head wondering what to do. A headache with too many jobs to make her seaworthy to move…

She sits abandoned until eventually she sinks. The harbour authority cannot trace the new owner…

It is happening – as seen on the River Medway recently where a large motor vessel clearly used as a floating caravan sank alongside Rochester Pier. Peel Ports had to have her removed.

See: https://msba.org.uk/?p=6463

Marinas hold a fair number of craft that when looked at closely are in the throes of abandonment. If the bills are being paid, the marina won’t do anything unless the boat sinks or becomes a hazard.

The biggest problem is with GRP: steel can be cut up and recycled. Wood can be sawn up and taken to landfill or burnt once noxious parts are removed.

The humble little GRP dinghy can be found sunk, half filled with mud and with saltings happily growing within anywhere you look. What do you do with them?

Apparently the EU Commission is looking at this problem. I bet too it was a British initiative from before our divorce. The directive is to come up with an industry solution by the end of 2022. Britain, will, I’m sure follow the industry guidance that falls out.

A database of ownership of privately owned vessels is being separately proposed by British Marine. Ross Wombwell, BM’s head of technical services wrote in Leisure marine News, 16 September 2021: the challenges are ‘to manage a long-term strategy to stop vessel abandonment…’ It is planned that this will go a long way (as for cars) to provide a ‘financially viable and environmentally friendly end of life disassembly and disposal.’

Food for thought for we will all, whatever type of boat we own, have to become registered owners. How this would work and how would vessels be marked are ponderable…

So, in the future, boats littering our waterfronts and abandoned in boatyards will be a thing of the past.

Hmmmmmm……. I wonder!

Sailing towards Harty ferry during the first week of September we passed by the disused Turkey Cement Works Dock on Elmley Island between Ridham Dock and Grovehurst Jetty on the ‘north/south’ section of the West Swale.

Earlier this year I had spotted a trailer-able yacht of around 26 to 28 ft out of the water at the top of an old hard once used by a short-stay yacht club. The boat, it turned out, belonged to a member of the community on Elmley island.

I spoke to the Manager of the Iron Wharf, but no light on what was going on was known.

Then I remembered, I’d had communication with the owner of the yacht, Gareth Fulton. The chap works for the nature reserve. I sent off an email…

A few days later news came that there had been a long reach excavator in use on the site and with a free day it was put to use in clearing mud and debris from the old dock bottom.

They have plans for the dock and Gareth has ‘invited’ us in on Whimbrel. It won’t be this season, but next year, a high probability.

Having been part of a family (See: The May Flower A Barging Childhood) which helped to reinstate the use of Twinney Dock in Upchurch, then two years later Callows Wharf, Upchurch, up at the head of Milfordhope Creek. I just love it when any disused facility finds a modern use.

The Turkey Cement Works have been written about in ‘The Jottings of a Thames Estuary Ditch-crawler‘ and mentioned elsewhere. The cement works on the island lasted for no more than seventy years. It supported a population of around 250 people. There was a school and church. Parts of the school can be seen in a cluster of tress towards the farm house.

I visited the dock some years ago and took a raft of photographs – thought then as others had in earlier times when a club used a slipway beside the decayed jetty, that the dock could still be useful.

Gareth promised more info, I must work on that and winkle out a little more…

Elmley Nature Reserve: www.elmleynaturereserve.co.uk

Have a staycation, the Government, media and travel industry said. great, we always have a staycation in the summer…

It was all a very good idea for the many people who normally chuck bucket loads of money into a foreign holiday. That money has been fuelling a boom in house renovations, camping, caravanning and boating in all its forms.

Apparently, tent sellers virtually ran out of gear by August. Caravans and motor homes were greatly sought after and the boat market has been, quote, ‘extremely buoyant…’

All of the above led to a greater demand for bottled gas – even for home BBQ’s. The result was almost catastrophic for an industry long set in its ‘sedentary’ ways with a relatively well known summer need.

The Covid-19 pandemic stuck a spanner in those works though: the use of BBQs went up, increasing the demand for bottled gas. Companies like Calor apparently laid off staff or furloughed them. Then as the country opened up they couldn’t keep up with demand. They didn’t have enough fillers in their depots or drivers to collect bottles.

The greatest shortage seemed to be with the 4.5 kg butane bottles and the 3.9 kg propane bottles. For us, at one point, it was dire.

We began to obtain stores for cold meals…

We had already been eating ashore far more than we ever had before. It is relatively expensive and more often than not, the quality is decidedly under par. Whimbrel’s evening food is renowned!

Moored off Methersgate Quay, I was phoning stockists with telephone numbers fed from Christobel at our laptop. That was in the first days of August, having just changed to our spare bottle.

The Woodbridge Tidemill Marina had none. In fact they hadn’t at the time had a delivery since September 2020!

One marina told Christobel that they offered to take their empties to Calor. Calor so no: it’s illegal!

I found three 4.5 kg butanes available from Calor … in Orsett. The lady on phone didn’t know where Woodbridge was and just about knew Suffolk! They weren’t going to deliver…

We had the promise of a bottle from a gardening centre on the outskirts of Ipswich … a later call said they had three bottles delivered from a large order, but no 4.5s… They even offered to let me exchange an empty with one of theirs that I was told felt ‘half full’… Kind of them!

Leaving the Deben we stopped at Harwich before going to Pin Mill and onward to Fox’s Marina in Ostrich Creek. We like it there.

The big Morrison Store in Harwich had none, so, I called Fox’s Chandlery. Yes, they had some propane. Yes they would under the circumstances exchange a butane for a propane. Thank you…

The cooker we fitted to Whimbrel a few years ago could run on either gas without nozzle changes. A correct regulator was obviously needed! We decided to make the change complete for we both had memories of a winter sail when it was too cold for our butane bottle to feed the cooker – no hot drink!

As we neared the end of August, we popped into Tollesbury Marina. Bingo. They’d had a delivery of gas the previous day and had butane and propane in the smaller sizes. They too exchanged a butane for a propane…

The rest is now history.

We arrived home at the end of September’s second week with our first propane 3.9 kg bottle in use and a spare comfortably snuggled close to it…

The Royal Yachting Association did not mention any gas shortage during the summer at all: there were no news updates down the ‘wires’…

All they seem to have been interested in was the Olympic jamborees out in Japan. As laudable it was to celebrate Team GB & NI success, the ‘common’ sailor either day-sailed between food stops or didn’t go sailing: the waters were exceedingly quiet.

We met countless boat owners in search of gas. One friend didn’t have this problem – the boat is fitted with a modern diesel cooker.

I would have thought the RYA were just the organisation who should have been making remonstrations to the gas industry on our collect behalf. I

wonder sometime why I continue to be a member…

I have written to them…

Happy autumn sailing.

Some while ago I wrote about a few of the barge-yachts I knew about and of the lovely Tiny Mite which I’d learnt had then come onto the market.

The little ship has been extensively rebuilt, sadly, however, the owner no longer has the health to enjoy his years of work.

Walking past the Leigh-on-Sea Motor Boat Club, I saw that their gate was open and several ‘old boys’ were having tea just inside the gate. I amble in for a chat, as one does…

See my post from last autumn:

Ditch-crawler looks at several barge yachts seen in recent travels…

The Tiny Mite has now sat out of the water for nearly a year, which is far too long. Talking to the members of the club I heard that several people had been to look at the little ship recently, but that no offers had been made. So, she has not yet found a new owner…

I had a walk round the outside of the hull. Cosmetic work obviously needs to be carried out. The hull looks to be sound – although there has been an opening up of some seams. She needs to be afloat!

Sadly, if a new owner does not materialise then a degradation of current condition will surely take place.

Currently, she must be a good proposition for an owner with some carpentry skills and the time to bring her back to cosmetic brilliance. As far as I know the little ship is sound and not in need of difficult work: it having largely been completed by the current owner…

There must be someone who would love to potter the estuary in her…

Since writing this the other day, Fred Cozens, the owner, has contacted for a chat. He is okay, but has a health problem which disallows strenuous activities and is the reason for selling.

Fred says that he is looking for sensible offers. He has a wealth of knowledge of the little ship and will appraise a new owner of known works that he himself would have done.

Unfortunately, the barge lost its mainsail in a blow. There isn’t a spare, but the other sails are with the barge-yacht.

The little ship has been in Fred’s care for forty years now and would suit a like-minded soul both young enough to do what’s necessary and old enough to understand. She isn’t for any starry eyed sailor…

Price: Sensible offers only! Work requirements can be priced in to an extent.

Contacts: Fred’s cousin – Steve Shelders, telephone – 01702 558976

or, The Leigh-on-Sea Motor Boat Club: www.leighmotorboatclub.com

Wow, what a success this year’s Queenborough’s Traditional Festival was.

The weather was kind and puff-ball clouds slowly crossed sunny blue skies after early morning high grey cloud cleared away. A late summer carnival atmosphere soon enveloped us all, with people wanting to visit the assembled fleet…

I’m told that nearly 2000 people visited the vessels on the pontoons. It was a great pity more owners didn’t sign up to bring their traditional boats, it was generally said… More on this later!

Whimbrel arrived before noon on the Friday. We had spent the previous night in the quiet of The Lillies under Elmley Island.

We had sailed there from Faversham, as too had the steam tug Barking which passed us some while after we were anchored up had also steamed down Faversham Creek: we had seen her up at the Town Quay.

We awoke promptly on the Friday and the mate busied herself with our tea and coffee while I ran the riding light down and shortened the anchor cable.

After a ‘scratch’ breakfast, we were away, sailing off our anchor, bound first for the bridge (to disrupt rush hour local traffic) and then to one of our favourite harbours…

In the harbour, we swung to a buoy until called alongside in time for a trundle ashore for a beer (or two) at the Admiral’s Arm.

During the afternoon, various vessels began to arrive. I knew from the mooring plan that there were not going to be huge numbers of us, however, quality was in attendance…

A couple of craft failed to pitch up…

Saturday dawned a little overcast with a high greyness through which, though, the sun could be felt. Boats not already flying bunting soon had it run up.

Before the gates were opened, we pottered ashore for a newspaper and visited the harbour market, which, for the weekend was going to be open on both days.

The market is arranged along the quay bordering the creek and was started earlier this year as Covid-19 restrictions allowed. On the way we bumped into the owners of the Edith May.

There was an eclectic array of stalls selling home baked cakes and savouries, arty stuff and other celebratory paraphernalia.

Two little starlets were given the full tour below by Whimbrel’s mate and ended up having a peak into the ship’s store locker. Wide eyes spotted goodies galore!

The two young ladies took the helm whilst daddy photographed them. I think the older one really wanted to stay…

At some point a lady from the Queenborough Yacht Club came aboard with her sister. Both were amazed at the space below and the vastness of her storage capacity.

An ‘old stager’ dating back to the end of barging, mostly on motorised craft popped over for a chat. We’d passed him with a QYC group while on our way up to Pin Mill in early August.

Nice chap and was the ‘Old man in a boat’ we followed around the edges of Stangate Creek which featured in one of my yarns – A Mystery – in Salt, Marsh & Mud.

Both of us made time to escape independently from time to time, sometimes not getting far: punters would ask questions ad want to visit.

Over on Doris, the venerable old Leigh Bawley, The owner’s partner and sister were essentially holding the fort for her owner was on duty for the day – being a harbour operative. Bless!

I just had to climb aboard the Edith May and have a chat to her owners – trouble was I ended up bringing people back to Whimbrel – old Upchurchonians!

I even managed to get out for a sail in the tender…

Early in the afternoon of Sunday, Tiny Mite needed to break way to enable her to return to Faversham. We moved off and back in onto the pontoon.

The crowds thinned, the sun waned and as I hauled our flags down, I felt a certain level of sadness for it was all over. It was a sadness tinged with the elation of a job well one. It was a success…

Early on Monday morning we set the Genoa, slipped our moorings and crept away, hoisting main when clear.

We crept out of the West Swale, past the Queenborough Spit buoy, homebound. It was around forty-six days since I sailed in with a cousin and a brother for a trip up to Pin Mill. It was the weekend of the Swale Smack & Barge Match and the weather deteriorated on Friday blowing almost a gale, but we had a cracking double reefed main sail round to Harty and to Pin Mill on the Saturday…

It all seemed a long time ago!

On the way out, Christobel grilled bacon and we had a tasty breakfast…

It was a fast passage and we went the ‘long’ way via the Nore, West Shoebury and then to the Pier, before stemming the last of the ebb into the Ray Channel.

Yes, I had a dip, much to the horror of my good mate. The boat’s bottom hadn’t had time to get dirty after our scrubbing on Mundon Point and Osea Is. beach some two weeks previously.

We were nearly home…

So, what else did we see and what were my thoughts: there were several old work boats (excluding the barge and bawley). The tugs, Barking and Kent looked resplendent and the workaday X-Pilot, a busy little ship normally.

What was apparent, from the berthing list, and the cancelation of a couple of little ships, was the dearth of traditional yachts. The harbour authority have expended a good deal of effort and the community, businesses and they themselves seem to have created a ‘highball’ cocktail that works.

More is needed closer to the water venue, to lead people on. I mentioned this…

Whimbrel has never experienced so many keen, starry eyed visitors, that is for sure. But, without more craft, or to the point, more owners coming forward and supporting the event it cannot move on.

Talking to the river’s heritage ‘king pin’ he too agreed, but was delighted with the progress made ashore especially.

Work in progress, must be the footnote.

So, please, traditional craft owners, try and make a date in your calendars for next year and show eager members of the public the love, enthusiasm and pleasure you have for your mistresses…

While visiting Brightlngsea I had a walk around the hard standing within Morgan’s boat yard.

Over the years I have followed with my camera the progress, or not, of long term projects. It has been at least three years since my last walk around and changes have happened.

The yard has undergone a few changes. Many of the old house boat type ‘wrecks’ along the shore have been removed. The hard stand has bee improved. There is a planning application for an extension out over the mud flats and increased marina space into the river – I will comment in this in a separate post…

The barge-yacht is not unique but she is unusual in having a carvel planked construction. The little ship has been in the yard for a number of years and if my memory serves, not a lot has changed since last here in the summer of 2019.

Although she looks essentially sound from the outside, sadly, the ship may have sailed her last passage.

The Colchester smack Shamrock looks as if it is about ready for the bonfire. Fear not… The day after we sailed away from St Osyth, the Shamrock was lifted onto a lorry and taken up to the St Osyth Boatyard where she is to be reconstructed…

Good news indeed!

The Hillyard I came across is also destined for St Osyth. I was talking to a chap up that way who has a large yacht alongside the quay – he acquired the vessel with a view for local cruising.

Another good news story in the making.

Time has moved on and we have passed through Maylandsea where at the Blackwater Marina there has for years been a number of projects. One was the Maldon smack Joseph T, sadly, the yard manager told me that last year she was chopped up and taken away.

The Joseph T was almost unique for there are not many of the Maldon oyster dredgers left. I am not an aficionado, so am treading on quicksand her!

At the back of the Blackwater Marina yard is a large group of vessels, perhaps once a family’s pride and joy, moldering away.

At Burnham Marina I learnt that the second hand boat market has continued to be buoyant, however, the good ship has to be in a fit state to attract a buyer…

Happy sailing!

While enjoying a couple of days tied up in Fox’s Marina at Bourne Bridge just below Ipswich, I spotted an ‘old America’s Cup yacht parked up among some other craft being worked on by their owners.

As I wandered the extensive down river end of Fox’s lay-up facilities, I came across two further America’s Cup yachts – a veritable fleet, I thought, jesting with myself. The other vessels were seemingly of a later design and both had wing type keels.

This last yacht I had spotted as we entered the marina earlier in the day: she is currently parked in the upriver outer corner overlooking the creek – Ostrich Creek, the place where Maurice Griffiths moored his first yacht, jointly owned with a couple of chums.

It struck me that the designs of these keels had filtered down into the less rarefied world of the boats built for the ‘common’ sailor…

One thing I spotted that all vessels shared was a section of trailing edge to the keel ‘stubs’ in way of the rudder. The area seemed to be composed of a ‘loose’ flap which seemed to act as a stream lining where the rudder exited the boat’s hull. It clearly was designed to ‘fail’ and be repaired for the next sail… This is just a guess!

What the names of the boats are or anything of their history I do not know, but I found them fascinating..

As I walked back to Whimbrel, I mused about an America’s Cup Match between proper yachts rather than the high tech super fast whiz bang wallop of those ‘yachts’ seen in the recent America’s Cup races in New Zealand.

Outside the harbour, what a spectacle, I thought, chuckling mischievously!

Well, why not…

It is always sad to see craft laid up ashore awaiting the return of an owner to carry on.

It is clear that very often these little ships are doomed. Ragged covers flutter around against hulls with peeling paint and open seams. Sometimes the covers no longer exist.

The collection shown are all up the River Deben at the Tide Mill marina. During my rambles with Christobel we saw many more at other yards – GRP vessels too.

I came across this Gull II class, I believe, designed by Maurice Griffiths. She has rot in her upper planking around the rigging plates. The cover is in tatters too…

In another part of the yard I came across this deep keeled – South Coast design?? – which was undergoing a refit. The cabin sides have been sanded back to bare … some years ago by the look of things. Plastic window covers have rotted and flutter in tatters where curtains should be.

Near to where Whimbrel was berthed I chatted to an owner of a large deep keeled wooden vessel. He was painting the hull in readiness for the water.

The chap has owned the little ship for about the length of the Covid-19 pandemic and is relishing getting her afloat and sailing. A number of repairs caused by the ingress of fresh water at the deck edges had been completed and the renewal of an area of side deck.

He chatted about the mast: the foot had been removed and was in process of being rebuilt. A repair at the hounds was underway too.

The yacht has an interesting past. The hull was built in Arcra, Ghana, in the mid 1960’s to Lloyds rules. A Scottish business group were the brokers and this particular vessel was initially shipped to (West) Germany and fitted out to owner’s specifications.

I walked away smiling…

Another smile swept my face when I came across a Yachting World Peoples Boat – a deep keeled version of the centre board model which was our first boat.

The boat was well covered and was essentially ready for the water.

Personally, I did not take to the method of keel construction with outer straps with a heavy chunk of ballast hanging on very long bolts.

While on a happy note, I remembered some pictures I took of a fine motor yacht ready for the water at my own club.

The boat arrived nearly three years ago and is now afloat. The owner has the cabin sides to deal with, but is progressing this on his mooring…

A fine little ship!

Her name – Swn y Mor.

Love to know more!

Well, within almost hours of posting, a sailor up the east coast based at Titchmarsh Marina came up with the goods!

The boat is remembered from a youth spent boating up the Thames beyond where most sailors go. I am told this boat is an ‘old friend’ and s highly likely to be an H. Gibbs built launch built in 1958. She had a dark blue hull, which the Island YC boat had upon arrival…

Old Lloyds yacht records give her length as 35′. She is on the historic ships register too.

Thank you Ian…

On Thursday 15th July I sailed into Conyer with my sister and two friends as none of them had been up the creek before.

We had food aboard and one of the crew got a bolognese sauce on the go on the way round the Swale. Visiting the Ship Inn, for a pre-dinner beer or two, we were asked if we were eating. My eyes lit up!

On a previous visit the mate and I had been told that the galley was being revamped and that they were finding it difficult to obtain the services of a chef, so I was surprised. We declined…

I was told that full table service and menu was now available. With this news I booked a table for six – crews of a Finesse group from my club planning a visit the following weekend.

A warning about an afternoon catered party which might still be going on was given, but would not affect the evening catering.

You can imagine the horror I felt and my fellow crews too when upon arrival and being shown to a table that the menu did not ‘exist’ for it was a scratch lunch snacks (Cheesy chips etc) and what were clearly bought in frozen pizzas.

No apology was given other than that a party had been taking place. I remonstrated and repeated the assurance I was given…

We contacted the Conyer Cruising Club, found the galley open and promptly left.

The next day, I fired off an email asking for an explanation…

It received NIL RESPONSE…

After the passage of nearly two weeks, I fired off a repeat. This also has NOT been responded to.

https://www.theshipinnconyer.co.uk/

The pub changed hands around a year ago.

I think it needs to change hands again and let’s hope a new management has the decency to respond to customers.

The mate and I are rather saddened for we have been extolling the virtues of visiting Conyer and the Ship Inn for many years.

My advice, currently, is don’t use it.

We shall not be rushing back to use the Inn. There is a prfectly well stocked Co-op in Teynham up on the old A2 – it is a pleasant walk along the old brick works tramline and up through the modern spill down to the station, which has been well walked by Whimbrel’s usual crew for some decades…

A little while ago I had a conversation with the current owner of the Finesse 24, Seaden. He asked if I could help with her sale…

At the time the owner was suffering from a ‘back ailment’ and was waiting for an operation.

I advertised her on the Finesse face book group page – private, so only be seen by members.

See: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1518607771700636

There are members within the group, supposedly looking for a boat. To date none have progressed into ownership. Several ‘new’ owners have found a vessel through this site and also the newly revamped class site.

See: http://www.finesse-owners-association.co.uk/

The web site has a ‘for sale’ section but has to be updated regularly.

There are several boats currently. Boats come up for sale then disappear of the various broker sites, either sold or taken down. Difficult to follow…

Topsail Marine is a good place to look – see: https://www.topsail.co.uk/

As is Apolloduck: https://www.apolloduck.co.uk/

Currently there appears to be no vessels on the site for sale – unusual!

I have found a F21 which has been on market for some while now…

https://www.yachtworld.co.uk/boats/1973/finesse-21-3672062/

However, back to Seaden.

I visited Conyer this last week during my sister’s cruise.

When dealing with my marina fee, I asked what had happened to Seaden as I could not see her in the mooring last seen in when staying two seasons ago (Crikey, that long – damned Covid-19!).

The office informed me that the poor little ship had taken on water and they had contacted the owner. The owner pumped her out and carried out some remedial work – sorted engine – and the boat was lifted out and chocked up.

The boat was confirmed as being for sale and it is understood from the conversation that the boat is also to be moved.

Talking to the owner, today, it may be to a private yard. I have asked for more details as to the boat’s equipment. The poor chap has been in a slow recovery from his back operation, but said, ‘…all good…’

Here are a series of pictures I took.

The overall condition of hull looks fair for age of vessel and the clear lack of attention in more recent years. The vessel is sail number 14 and was probably built in 1972.

The hull will be of mahogany, including transom and cabin sides. Decks are marine ply, sheaved with woven cloth and epoxy.

Below is a close up of some planking spring/drying in the tuck. I spotted some old filler along the edges. Looks as if some refastening should have been done some years ago and was not!

Below is a close up of some what looks suspiciously like rot. The port edge is similar. Not irreparable.

Deck edges have always been a problem for it is all too easy to sand through the sealing epoxied sheaving to the deck which is turned over shear strake and covered by rubbing band.

Dealing with damage when seen or done saves later heart ache… See articles on Finesse web site about decks and edges.

I have been told that she has a good engine.

Well, I would suggest the vessel is available at a snip of her real value. With effort and a little outlay she will give years of pleasure.

I take no responsibility for the information given and have commented on only what I have seen.

Contacts:

Swale Marina – See: http://www.swalemarina.co.uk/

Owner: Shane Hoadley Tel: 07879 417635

The price stated to me by Shane is £500.

An offer can be made.

Sailing into the anchorage at the South Deep a week or so back, I noticed something didn’t look ‘right’ on a boat that has been moored up on the mud flats below Butterfly Wharf for a number of years.

Later, after the mate had had a row in the tender, I pottered off after supper for an evening sail to look at the run of the Conyer Creek ‘overland’ passage and get a look at the withies marking the deeper gutway.

Passing the little yacht I could see a problem – there seemed to be wires hanging over her guard rails with something in the mud.

Sailing over to the mud edge to get a closer look, the problem became apparent. The boat’s mast has gone overboard and the rigging is entangled with the mooring.

I hadn’t noticed anything amiss when sailing in the ‘back’ a couple of weeks earlier, however, the gear looks to have been down a little while.

Does the owner know?

Has anyone reported it?

The likely answer, I hope, is yes and a ‘rescue’ is planned…

Or, is this yet another abandonment around the Medway and Swale waters? Boat abandonment is becoming a a pretty common feature…

Postscript:

Following my post, Swale Marina have told me that they are aware of the boat which is thought to have been abandoned.

Wanting to take two sets of friends on trips to Conyer, a Finesse group from the island YC and my sister and friends’ trip, postponed from last year, we contacted Swale marina for a berth.

Swale Marina was closed to visitors for the Covid-19 Summer of 2020 and had remained closed since. I had booked a Finesse run for July, expecting all to be well, but alas, it was put on ice for the marina had not changed its operating policy.

So, I contacted Conyer Creek Marina – yes they were content with visitors. A berth was booked.

This was a place we had often dropped into in years past, but not for a very long time. Visitors are generally berthed on an outside pontoon and one largely sits in the creek bed.

We had sailed round from Chatham on an indifferent day of cloud and some drizzly bits, but it was a cracking sail, with a good breeze all the way. The night was spent in the South Deep, a tranquil and undemanding anchorage provided winds are not strongly from the east of west, when it becomes uncomfortable.

Note: currently: June/July 2021, the Swale Marina waiting buoys are missing. Can one assume the ground tackle has been lifted: these buoys took up much of the best anchoring room.

The tides were early and late, so we departed around 0530 for the short trip up Conyer Creek.

The bed/channel of the buoyed swatch across the mud flats fronting the north of the old brickworks wharf had bee looked at from the dinghy a couple of weeks earlier – it was clear that traffic was light for only a few ‘mud scuffles’ could be seen. I could not see if all the withies were in place marking the main channel.

There was plenty od water.

One of the odd things about the creek’s buoyage is the lack of a ‘start’ buoy. The big red can does not fit into this criteria. I either line up the reds or green and head in, a slightly miscued start is soon corrected as the echo sounder finds the ‘middle’ though. There was plenty of depth for our less than a metre draft.

It has been a little while since we have been up into Conyer, for obvious reasons!

There was no wind to speak of and certainly nothing of a northerly on the forecast, otherwise I would have sailed.

The creek is, as always, very well buoyed.

For those who have not been up, do so it is simplicity in itself. Go on a rising tide…

There is a shower and toilet facility at Conyer Creek Marina. Access is via a coded gate down the lane beyond the fine waterside village inn.

Now: the Ship Inn is currently NOT serving evening food. The owners are also finishing off a revamp of the galley.

Catering staff of all sorts are seemingly in short supply – I heard an economist trying to figure this out in answer to a question on BBC Radio 4’s business news some days ago. Essentially, the belief is that staff laid off or initially furloughed have found jobs elsewhere and are contented with their new roles. But that isn’t the full story … largely over the top of my head!

Swale Marina, is, I understand from a contact in the Medway Swale Boating Association, now open for visitors and they have asked it to be publicised.

I would be very interested to know what the criteria was for remaining shut, especially in the climate of ‘stay local’ which was the order of last summer. If I get up there, I will ask.

I know of a number of groups who have tried to book and others who have not carried out plans to go this way this season.

Some semblance of normality would be a boon for all…

During a recent week away pottering around the lower Medway and around the Swale we enjoyed a couple of days up Faversham Creek savouring the delights of the historic town sitting at the creek’s head.

We berthed at iron Wharf, having pre-booked our visit.

We were placed alongside the spritsail barge Ironsides upon which Toby (yard manager) and his partner live with their son – a very friendly family.

As is the norm when in Faversham, I was soon wandering the yard. The huge mainsail off the Ironsides was laid out being given a coat of tanning. Toby and his partner were being helped by Peter Dodds the owner of the Mirosa and yard partner.

I offered to help if not finished by time Christobel and I had done some essential shopping … it was all done and going aboard as we got back!

Of course, the waterside and yard around the Iron Wharf simply reeks ‘history’ for it is all around you.

The old brickworks dock is now used to berth a myriad of houseboats.

Yes, all seen is history, but it was something else that I was talking about. I found under a cover a boat that struck the ‘familiar’ within my soul. She was clearly a Yachting World Peoples Boat. She was obviously almost ready for the water with hull and topsides painted.

The first boat Christobel and I owned was a YWPB No. 4, built c1952 in Leigh-on-Sea. Her name, Blue Tail. We have never come across her since. I have seen a deeper keeled version, at Bradwell marina, I believe.

We sailed Bluetail for around three years before selling her and putting our deposit down on Whimbrel, our Finesse 24 owned since the signature from around August 1983. A short history of the class became chapter 1 in my book, Jottings of a Thames Estuary Ditch-crawler.

On our day of departure, I spotted activity round the boat and wandered over. Sitting on an old box was the owner busy painting a coat of metal paint on the removed pulpit.

We got nattering whilst he continued with his work…

He was ‘gobsmacked’ that someone had wandered past and actually recognised his boats pedigree. ‘We had one…’ I said, adding, ‘She was number four…’

The Venture is believed to have been built in 1956, and has faired well.

What was more startling was that the owner in response to a remark I made said he’d recently retired from his post as head of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust and had worked for years around Dover. Bells began to ring.

I don’t know what made me say or think about what I said, but I blurted out, ‘The Dover Boat…’ adding, ‘we went to see her in Dover’s Museum last autumn…’

he looked at me and said, ‘Yes. I found her…’

WOW! I was talking to the famous Dr Paul Bennett.

Well it was with his No. 2. He explained that when the A20 was being rebuilt through Dover, the contractors had to big a sump inside a coffer dam which was being used for archaeological work around an old wharf front eventually found to date to Roman times.

The digging stopped for tea and the pair got down in the hole to have a poke about.

Bingo, the end of a boat was found, cut through. Its level dictated it was older than Roman (late Iron Age), but how old. Clues soon said Bronze Age…

A section was retrieved.

The museum, situated in the middle of Dover, has the part rescued from beneath the road workings as well as a scaled down replica.

We were both mesmerised by her, me, the more so and I took photographs from various angles to try and capture her.

We briefly talked about Must Farm near Peterborough – a place we are planning to visit in the autumn when on a return to ‘our’ mill in Boston for a cottage holiday.

I said that one of the things that struck me was the ‘similarity’ to so many vessels that followed – the Loire barges and the spritsail barge. Yes, the constructional details have changed, but the shape is familiar. The sritsail barge developed from the Chapman Chalk barge of the 1750s onwards an essentially open vessel with the traditional lighter sloping ends.

Well, we ended up nattering for around half an hour and the tide was coming in!

I had to excuse myself…

So, it just goes to show how things pan out when a little bit of networking is carried out, whilst poking about…

Dr Paul Bennett later headed a project to build a half size replica. It was eventually achieved with Belgian and French funding/university assistance due to a gross lack of UK interest!

The boat is kept in Dover Harbour and is taken out for regular paddles…

For interest, see:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dover_Bronze_Age_Boat

https://www.canterburytrust.co.uk/dover-bronze-age-boat

The encounter was one of the highlights of our trip, apart from the sailing of course!

My yen to read more of E. Arnot Robertson’s work came about after reading the delightful Thames Portrait, about a trip down river from the source to the sea. It was written by Eileen and illustrated by her husband Henry E. Turner.

Eileen had written many novels by this time. Her husband, Henry, was the General Secretary of a large print union – both were passionate sailors and based themselves at Pin Mill for some years, amongst other places.

Sadly, Eileen committed suicide five months after the accidental drowning of Henry in a boating accident during 1961 … a sad end to both of their lives, surely.

As the year has progressed my list of books on my ‘want’ list grew. At some point I noticed the list had ‘disappeared’ – purloined by Christobel!

We sailed away for a week of pottering encompassing my 66th birthday period – Christobel having secreted away ‘stuff’ for my day.

Our journeyings, in small casual steps took us eventually into Faversham. I had taken the precaution of booking a berth at the Iron Wharf (they like notice in any case) for we found that Swale Marina up Conyer Creek was still closed to visitors.

The weather had been glorious since before the end of May (Boy didn’t we have a God-awful May…) and I awoke on my 66th year to Christobel singing birthday ditties…

Early in the following proceedings two books came out of a rather full gift bag.

A ‘puzzle’ book from my sister alongside a half dozen ales from Wadworths! The book is all about the shipping forecast and I shall enjoy reading through and sorting out the puzzle…

The other, The Boat They Laughed At, is a recent book written by Max Liberson, coastal and ocean sailor, who currently owns Dick Durham’s old yacht, Wendy May.

Wendy May is a 25ft gaff cutter designed by Maurice Griffiths. She was built in 1936 by Williams & Parkinson, Deganwy, North Wales for Lt. Comdr. R G Wynne-Edwards R N of Aberdovey. Dick purchased her some ten years ago and sold her to Max when he had the opportunity to purchase Betty II.

Max sailed Wendy May away to Wales after a move north to the Birmingham area.

Max has led an interesting life and I am dying to find out more. This book is mainly about one particular boat. Its finding and Max’s assistance in renovating and preparing for an ocean voyage…

Both have been left aboard Whimbrel for my summer reading.

Pile two contained a book penned by the inimitable Dick Durham – Turnip Road. This tells of his ‘dropping out’ and making a pilgrimage in the footsteps of many, hippie types mainly, to the east.

It is a period of Dick’s life I know little about, having known him since he was around fourteen and myself a tad younger!

Dick was mate aboard the engineless spritsail barge Cambria when in ownership of Bob Roberts from August 1969 having just left school until October 1970 when the Cambria carried her last cargo and went into the hands of the National Historic Ship Collection (which was all but the death of her).

Dick tells me that Turnip Road covers the period of his life from April to November 1973. A period towards the end of the hippie trail life experience…

Then, one after another, I pulled out three books by E. Arnot Robertson.

One, Ordinary Families, is about growing up in and around Pin Mill in Suffolk. It was place well known by the two sailors…

The other two, Cullum and Four Frightened People, well, I fancied a challenge!

For more info on E. Arnot Robertson see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E._Arnot_Robertson

During the Covid-19 crisis, there has been a persistent ‘bleating’ on the media by people who have not been able to see their elderly loved ones in care homes. This has been an experience many of us have had to put up with for a very long time.

The furore is understandable to some extent, however, the protection of people in care homes has been, surely, paramount to ones own desperation to visit a loved one.

I last physically saw my mother at the beginning of September 2020 when I was duty bod while my sister was holidaying in Greece – sailing. It was my job to settle our mother into a care home…

Due to circumstances beyond control, a pre-Christmas visit was impossible.

It was Covid Syndrome and a a number of falls that ‘did for her’ and it was something I kept quiet about last year when being threatened so abhorrently by a local Benfleet sailor and maligned by others online.

I though, like hundreds of thousands of similarly affected people, did not resort to making a call to the BBC to ‘sob’ into a Radio 4 microphone. No, we have just got on with it and made the most of what technology offered.

Although facetime calls have been enjoyed, it is certainly not the same as an in person visit. So, with changes to the Covid-19 rules around visiting and the ability to stay with family overnight, a little while ago, we booked a visit to both!

It was just so great to see my ol’ mum!

I hadn’t even been inside her care home either, so it was a first for this too – accessing her ‘flat’ via her own door, was quite something…

After the visit, which strangely was ‘allowed’ to last one hour forty-five minutes, we drove on to my sister’s abode. I hadn’t seen her, either, for the same period either!

My sister’s ‘first’ action was to show me a stack of stuff. ‘That’s all yours…’ she said!

One of the items that appeared was a big tool box. It was something I had never had the pleasure of poking around in: when ‘summoned’ to help, I always took my own tools…

Home after the weekend, it was time to begin investigations…

Opening the box up I was hit by an all pervading aroma of tarred hemp. My eyes alighted om a ball of sail twine. I picked it up and sniffed. Yes, but no. It wasn’t that…

I lifted the top drawer out and beneath the Stockholm tar-like aroma was stronger…

Ancient pallet scrapers, a old wood level, chisel and a knife stone met my eyes. Moving some modern boxes of wall hangers and such, my eyes alighted on other familiar objects. A stitching palm…

Sitting next to the little box of goodies was the source of the heady aroma. A ball of tarred seizing twine!

Lifting the box of sewing gear out I began to investigate and spread them on our conservatory table.

A roll of flax sail cloth when opened was found to contain sewing needles and roping needles – a little rusted perhaps!

There were two well ‘run through’ pieces of bees wax. Each length of stitching twin was run through the wax to act as a preservative/lubricant. Now this is something few will now be using or will have ever used.

These were once the tools I was taught to use by my mother fifty years and more ago.

I wondered if the rather ancient palm with its many needle head holes dated back to the time my mother sewed up a mainsail for the May Flower.

Clearly my mother had had all these items since saying goodbye to the barge in 1981/2. I know she always regretted leaving certain items aboard, things that were never used by the new owners then.

This was a WOW.

A BLAST from the past which was something I least expected!

From Australia, yes. And too, from closer to home, less than 100 miles across the North Sea!

An ‘old’ Leigh man contacted me recently from far off Australia. The chap, Derek Ellard now lives down under having settled in He was endeavouring to make contact with an old friend who had once owned the barge-yacht Nancy Grey.

I knew of the past owner having met a few times over in Faversham, Kent. Ironically, his old barge-yacht is owned in that fabulous old barging port and I was able to put two old friends into contact with one another…

‘Another friend’s father commissioned the smack yacht “Secret” from Paglesham in the thirties. I named our production gaffer “Secret” for him because he was so upset to sell her. Better late than never. Classic Boat did a feature on the Secret 20 https://scruffie.com/pdf/classic-boat-secret-20.pdf

Gleefully following the Blue Mermaid’s progress – wonderful.

Our new boat, we call the Secret Trader, has Barge/Bawley features and is designed to comply with the US Jones Act regulations. She’ll take a container but only 15 tonnes or less. Also we’re getting close to sales with our Clipper 100, so it’s very exciting.’

Interesting stuff.

The boat is designed to carry a mere 15 tonnes, but that was a pretty normal cargo carried by large smacks in coastal work.

It set me to looking at the links sent to me. The ‘group’ are also fully aware of the progress with the Sea Change Trust’s Blue Mermaid.

Derek is personally responsible for a range of small craft designs under the ‘Scruffie’ badge – read the stuff.

Nice! Make a fantastic cruising vessel…

See: https://www.scruffie.com/index.html

Go Sail – this site has a range of coastal craft which bring to mind the coastal spritsail barge, boomie barge (similar to the west country trading ketches, but retaining the traditional spritsail barge’s flat bottom and leeboards) or west country schooner and trading ketch types.

Again, very interesting.

See: www.gosailcargo.com

Moving on from the smaller coastal traders an international group which work under the name ‘Ecoclipper’ have a range of vessels which are well on their way to fruition.

www.ecoclipper.org

Many ‘east coasters’ will have heard about the sail trader Gallant which berthed in Queenborough during last year’s Covid-19 summer.

Cargo was transferred to the spritsail barge Dawn and taken, first up Milton Creek and secondly up to Faversham – on separate tides.

Cargo was small, but a point was made. The Gallant operates a regular run across the Atlantic. See her web site.

See: https://sailtraininginternational.org/vessel/de-gallant

As will have been seen from Derek’s comments, the group are nearing reality in what has been called the Ecoclipper100.

The concept is heavily influenced by the Dutch who have been very pro-active in the running of sail training and similar type vessels for many years.

The design basis harks back to a Dutch clipper the Noach, built in 1857.

I found reading these web sites quite fascinating and very satisfying.

Sail cargo will probably not oust modern commercial ships but some cargo could be carried by sailing vessels. The Sea Change Sailing Trust plan to start cargo carrying during 2021.

Surely, something cleaner and less polluting must evolve…

For many years May Flower’s cabin lamp has hung in the last two of my mother’s homes, decorously, but never lit. My sister found a new shade/reflector glass for it some years ago too…

A couple of years ago, I asked my mother (after talking to my other three siblings) if she minded ‘me having’ the lamp in time: I knew a good home for it. She also thought the idea suitable too: it really belongs aboard a Thames spritsail barge.

How old the lamp is no one really knows, however, it was aboard the May Flower in 1951.

It hung for many years in the saloon aboard my sailing barge childhood home and was the first lamp to be lit when returning after dark. That done, the tilley lamps were lit in relays of two to three at a time…

Suffering from Covid Syndrome and having suffered a series of falls resulting in hospital stays, we all decided that it would be best for our dear mother to be looked after in a care home. Needs must and for her own safety and well being. It was something she always wanted to avoid and none of us were happy about it.

I and my wife Christobel were on hand for her move from hospital to her new home. Clearance of her flat commenced … the bulk of this fell to our sister who lives in Devizes!

The lamp journeyed back to Essex cocooned in a box wrapped in towels and stuff! I took it apart and cleaned the lamp/burner unit, however, there was a break in the hood support ring, which a chap at my yacht club repaired for me. The ring is of cast bronze/brass and took some ‘fixing’!

A jewellers in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, Hatton Jewellery of Elm Road, was visited and a inscribed presentation plaque was ordered. This, ultimately, they provided free of charge, knowing it was for a charity presentation.

At the end of the winter lockdown phase and we were allowed to go a little further afield, I contacted Hilary Hilajko the chair of trustees of the Sea Change Sailing Trust to say that the lamp was awaiting delivery…

A date was agreed and a Covid ‘distanced’ hand-over was made with Richard Titchener, the trusts Executive Officer and Primary skipper, in the road outside their house!

See: https://www.seachangesailingtrust.org.uk

The inscription reads: ‘Presented to Blue Mermaid and the Sea-Change Sailing Trust by Mrs Gwendoline D Ardley.’

It will be grand to see it hanging in whatever cabin it graces aboard the Blue Mermaid.

As a historical ending to this happy event, the May Flower witnessed the demise of the original Blue Mermaid near the West Hook Middle on 8 July 1941. Both barges were tacking ‘northward’ and the steel built Blue Mermaid detonated a magnetic mine … the May Flower being of wood escaped, but her crew turned back … sadly nothing of the barge or her crew were seen.

The lamp used to be the one my sister took through to her cabin, aft, for many years. She too feels the lamp has ‘gone home’…

As a postscript to this piece of news, I received a communication from the Sea Change Sailing Trust – the Blue Mermaid was making her passage to London to represent heritage Afloat in the old Royal Docks. The barge will be on show by the EXCEL Building for the bank holiday weekend.

They sailed up the Thames and got as far as Erith yesterday (Sunday 23rd May). Richard, the skipper, sent a photograph of the ‘May Flower‘ lamp lit and in use above the supper table.

Lovely. Just as it should be…

News from ‘docklockandriver’ post – the Blue Mermaid arrives in London’s old Royal Docks with her token cargo…

See: https://docklockandriver.wordpress.com/2021/05/29/blue-mermaid-delivers/