It seems a long while ago now, but we went into Faversham to attend the maritime festival where Whimbrel was an exhibit!
Just as we were leaving a mooring out in the East Swale the gas ran out – no problem: the chalndlers always has some … then the loo failed to pump out … I took it all apart. The hose was full of crud and remnants of – well, we’ll leave that to your wonderful imaginations!
A discharge hose probably around 75% chocked with limescale… Not really the mate’s fault then!
We stopped off at Iron Wharf and I purchased a new length of loo hose. A bottle of gas wasn’t available: delivery was late, but the chandler was at a stall on Front Brents on the Saturday during festival and would deliver to me … picking it up I remarked upon the bottle feeling light, but hadn’t another reference. I let it go…
The Faversham Nautical Festival…
Some weeks later with my sister and two friends aboard we berthed at Halfpenny Pier. After a wander around this historic town and a visit to the Mayflower Project one of the crew went to put the kettle on for a pot of tea. The gas ran out … now we already had an empty bottle intending to renew at Titchmarsh, there having been no where on our route where gas had been available – I thought I’d have nearly three weeks anyway! The new bottle had been connected two days only! It was the one from Faversham.
Help!
I went up to the office of Halfpenny Pier, but the pier master was about to go off duty, but whizzed down to the harbour ferry … the ferry would take me across to Shotley, wait while I got gas and bring me back. Grand.
Ah, but, on checking with Shotley, they wouldn’t sell gas unless boat was berthed in marina – what a load of tosh. Shotley is off my visit list too!
Help!
I asked at the pretty little Harwich Historical Society Office … a helpful lady gave me a taxi number saying bottled gas was sold at Morrissons down the road in Dovercourt. ‘ …thank you…’ I said, feeling relieved.
Meanwhile my sister had uncoupled the other bottle and joined me up by the road. Shutting up the office the kindly lady was surprised to see us still standing waiting for a taxi and straight away offered a lift to and back for the gas … I phoned the taxi company and an uninterested voice accepted my termination of our ‘contract’ and off we went…
On the way back we had a wonderful tour of the old part of Dovercourt with this and that being pointed out … my sister laughed afterwards: she was sure that had I not been chaperoned I’d probably have been kidnapped!
But wow, the kindliness of some people found on the waterfront can be astonishing, so whoever you are, dear lady, a public thank you from me…
Faversham Chandlery, helpful and friendly service…
Much later we (the mate and me) sailed into Faversham at the end of August after a passage down from Brightlingsea. I went to the chandlers and was welcomed as a long lost friend … clutching another empty bottle. Upon explaining my earlier problem – he remembered my purchase: it was collected at Front Brents.
Mark Dalton, the proprietor said, ‘…gas is purchased from supplier in trust and sold on in trust that the contents of a bottle is correct…’ then adding, ‘Don’t worry, I’ll take it up with Calor Gas…’
I was given an exchange with no cost.
Faversham Chandlery: www.FAVERSHAMCHANDLERY.co.uk
This certainly restored my faith in our troubled world and more to the point, in people too … thank you Mark.