Farewell 2016, you have been kind to me, the Mate and Whimbrel this last year. But, I know it hasn’t been the same for all sailors: this last year we lost a good sailing friend a keen and long standing Finesse 21 owner, Terry. May Terry sail upon a sister on a sea perpetually soft, with a breeze to match and a quiet creek to enjoy. God Bless you mate.

Terry’s Penny now owned and sailed by his son & daughter…

Our year began early with a lift out to do bottom and paint topsides – and a small matter of a survey too – and we were off into the Medway over the early May Bank Holiday.

At the end of May we spent a glorious weekend down in Cornwall to witness the launching of the sailing barge Blue Mermaid built by Toms Ltd of Polruan. She’s been built as many of you are probably aware for the Sea-change Sailing Trust to allow all year round work with clients. Later, in July, we attended the vessels blessing at Maldon…

The Blue Mermaid slips into the water…

During June we joined my sister and family and friends in a group of eight aboard the Eda Frandsen for a week’s sailing around Skye, sailing 184 miles taking in some fantastic anchorages and ports. It was fabulous…

Aboard the Eda Frandsen.

The Finesse Rally began by Whimbrel’s crew some seasons ago now has gone from strength to strength and become a calendar event. This year the rally came back to Chatham with a good turn out – the weather on the Friday made it difficult for northern sailors to get down, but some came by road.

Rally organiser decided that instead of ‘holing up’ in Stangate we went up to Chatham on the Friday.

Whimbrel photographed by Shane Hoadley from his ’24’ Seaden in Long Reach on the Medway.

This last season we didn’t sail ‘up the coast’ but stayed around the Medway, Swale and Thames, up to Limehouse. That said, during the summer period we clocked up over 650 miles…

The Reminder dwarfed by a cargo ship in Gravesend Reach.

Our trip up the Thames was brilliant with stops on the way making it a a voyage of several days. The last time I did this route we had little forays into Mucking and Cliffe creeks. On the way home after a wonderfully hot spell in London we had a grand thrash down to Erith where we rested. It was planned for I’d a long term plan – a visit into Dartford and Crayford creeks. We had been by road to a wharf at the head of Crayford Creek during the spring and I’d got permission to berth … so that was that. We did!

In Crayford Creek…

Leaving the creek we made passage for The Ray, staying out on a buoy to berth the following morning. It was a splendid end to our summer cruising. But, of course, it wasn’t the end of our sailing for there were weekends on the Medway and Swale during September and October…

One of the joys was a new event organised by the Queenborough Harbour Trust – previously written about. Others were sailing with family and friends aboard. This last year my brother Graham who was over from Canada had a decent stint aboard with my friend Graham (What a pair) sailing together…

The two grinning ‘Grahams’ …

My sister and two friends, other brother Andrew and his partner came for a sail. Finally Andrew and friend Graham … it the ability to take family and friends afloat to enjoy the salt, marsh and mud that gives as much pleasure as sailing with my Mate. She, fortunately, is ‘happy’ to give up her rightful place too. Bless-.

So, to close, here is a picture that will soon be mere history … Kingsnorth Power Station has entered its sunset moment: soon it’ll be ‘dropped’ like Grain’s was this autumn…

Kingsnorth Power Station – notice the light through rhs building. It was nearly all gone!

Lastly, good sailing for 2017 to you all.