The seemingly prolonged ‘saga’ of the bits and bobs, such as spars, rudder, floorboards and tiller, that needed attention during this winter has eventually come to an end. There will some varnishing of the dinghy’s gunnels and seats to do – preparatory work was begun on that back in October – in the spring.

See earlier news:

Ditch-crawler continues his dinghy maintenance whilst enjoying other thoughts…

Ditch-crawler does some ‘end of season’ dinghy maintenance…

So, now the last item, the mast, has had a few days to harden off properly, I thought it time to return it to the creek. Christobel was out, so the MG had to be the carrier … it was at least dry, but only around 2 deg C out … the little car’s heating takes nearly half the journey down to start pumping any real heat, but hey, I’m a rough, tough old coot (as me mate keeps telling me!).

The mast reaches the creek!

The sail has been bent back onto its spars, the halyard set up and foot tack – all is ready now for a sail!

Two views of the rig…

 

Whether or not the sides of the dinghy need a touch up, I’ll leave until the spring to decide.

Yesterday my good mate, Christobel, knuckled down and machined up a ‘sock’ to go over the end of the mast: when all is stowed and cove on, the top end of the mast has always poked out allowing a slow deterioration in preservation coatings. With a couple of eyes and a lashing all can be secured…

The sock…

The sock fitted …

Here is the builder’s own dinghy, a forerunner of mine. These are 9′ 6″ in length lug rigged on an un-stayed mast.

Alan Staley in the ‘dinghy match’ at the Swale Smack, barge and yacht regatta last August.

The dinghy, named Twitch by Christobel on being asked for a name by Alan Staley when it was nearing completion, is now in her 25th year. She was completed in 1994.

The hull was moulded by a grp specialist and Alan Staley’s yard finished her off and made the spars. The sail is the original from Wilkinson, then of Conyer, but now based in Faversham with a loft at the old shipyard industrial estate. (The cover too – but it needs renewing though!)

See: http://www.alanstaleyboatbuilders.co.uk/

The dinghy was the finest £1200 I ever spent: she has given 25 seasons of joy. She’s able to carry four adults with ease under oar. She will sail with two aboard, as my youngest brother discovered when he and his partner were sailing aboard Whimbrel. Alone she is a dream. Under outboard power she is very able too.

See link for Wilkinson Sails: http://wilkinsonsails.co.uk/

The little boat has trotted along behind Whimbrel for around 900 nautical miles this past year, so, with her own forays with myself, Christobel rowing, and family members trotting around in her, she’s in all probability done in excess of 1000 miles. She was a bargain!

Had the tide been in, I’d have slipped out for a sail. I’d surely have had a cold bottom, but what the hell!

During 2017 I was awakened to an advert purporting to advertise our Whimbrel for sale … it turned out that a seller had utilised a picture of our boat to sell theirs!

The then owner made contact to apologise for using Whimbrel’s mug shot … however, the adverts wording showed knowing people all wasn’t so simple! The chap, a pleasant character, even attended the Finesse rally held in Brightlingsea that summer.

I later found the boat at a yard in Walton and took photographs.

When seen in 2017, her accommodation outfit had not been fully reinstated.

The boat, Tarantella, a sister Finesse 24 was purchased by an experienced sailor called Ron who had among much sailed aboard another Finesse 24 for a number of years whilst being boat-less. He was looking to get back into boat owning with a project and Taratella fitted the bill. Sadly, however, over the past 18 months personal well-being problems have forced Ron and his wife to admit that they’ve owned their last boat…

At the time her decks were open and stripped back ready to receive new sheets of ply …

Tarantella as seen in 2017.

The current owner has sent me the following details and pictures of Tarantella:

FOR SALE

Cutter Rigged Finesse 24 – Tarantella

Tarantella in 2011 as seen in Classic Boat magazine.

I have a Cutter Rigged Finesse 24, for sale, see photograph (taken in 2011 for Classic Boat), which has undergone an extensive rebuild last summer. But, due to deteriorating health I am unable to pursue the project so am looking to sell her.

The key elements of the refit, which has been undertaken professionally include;

• Replacement of rotten deck beams, addition of several strengthening beams, plus reinforcement of the gunnel/deck edge.
• New marine plywood Main deck and Cabin top.
• New Stern Tube, Propeller Shaft and Cutlass Bearing.
• New cockpit sole framework,
• New Main hatch runners and surround.
• Complete stripping a repainting of hull and superstructure.
• Engine overhauled.

Tarantella, re-decked and hull painted – initial coats varnish to cabin sides too … just needs finishing.

The mast with its rigging, full suit of sails, rudder, bowsprit, engine and internal furniture (removed while replacing several broken ribs, a split plank and “tightening up” the hull) are all in store. There is also enough glass matting and epoxy resin to sheath the deck and cabin top, if required.

Tarantella is current stored in Brightlingsea.

Ron is open to sensible offers.

For further details please call Ron on 07900 685320.

Update: 27th April 2019 – Now Sold!

Outside it is cold and bitter, although not freezing. A strong north-westerly has hit bring cold air down from the north. We had snow last week, but it didn’t feel cold and before that fell I’d enjoyed two lovely sails in bright (warm even) conditions – it was zero degrees on one day – and here I am, munching a cox’s apple from an Essex orchard, thinking about things…

After doing various jobs to Whimbrel’s tender, including re-painting the interior, I realised that with the passage of time, the mast too needed some work. Perhaps I’d not looked at carefully enough…

See earlier blog: https://nickardley.com/ditch-crawler-does-some-end-of-season-dinghy-maintenance/

Doing dinghy maintenance – repainting the hull interior.

But before I get into this, it occurred to me that the month for an event, once the doyen of British Yachting, has passed all but passed by: The London Boat Show used to be held during the second week of January. It was held at Earl’s Court from 1957 to 2004 when it transferred to the Excel Exhibition Centre in 2004. The first was held at Olympia in 1956.

The London Boat Show has been under threat for a number of years with a falling attendance record! In 2002, there were around 152, 000 punters and in 2016 it dropped to around 90, 000. In 2018 it changed to a 5 day format from the original 10 – or long standing – and figures crashed to around 52, 000 people…

The 2019 show was to take place 9-13 January, but was cancelled.

Why? Well, yes indeed, why! My personal thoughts lay with a market saturated by pressure to secure orders for new craft – clearly manufacturers (builders??) need orders to survive. The whole business has moved so far away from a chap and his wife popping down to a local boat yard where they know ‘little’ cruisers are built for a reasonable price. Now it is all sleek marketing, factory runs and ‘hotel-like’ outfit where the thought of a muddy hand getting through the door (companionway) brings horror to some. P.S. where else does one wash their hands…

So, it is my view that with a saturated market and marinas up and down the coast stuffed with immobile craft, the peak has been reached. There are literally thousands of ‘2nd hand’ craft awaiting new or first owners. Many of these boats moulder and fester at the back of a yard or on a mooring, draining money from an owners pocket everywhere.

Some seasons ago, well before various magazines got onto the band-wagon, I did a feature about decent and usable second hand craft awaiting sales at a yard in Woodbridge – bargains galore sat ready for a buff up. For a ‘small’ amount of capital a prospective owner had a wide choice and with a little effort all or most would have ‘dazzled’ as she swung on a mooring, ready…

And then there is equipment … the world wide web has brought the shop counter to ones desk or lap and at a tap of a button that new set of charts or electronic equipment is whizzing to your delivery address, so why go to a show!

When was the last time I went – quite frankly, I can’t remember, but I think I’ve been to the London event twice in the last 25 years. If that is anything to go by, it clearly had little attraction for me or others, clearly!

It is well known that the sailing population is aging with a lack of fresh ‘combatants’ coming up astern, with that in mind the Medway and Swale Boating Association’s bi-annual seminar this year is to focus on this phenomena. I’m not so sure much can be done. It’s like the industry – ‘yachting’ for now seems to have peaked and will decline to an unknown level, but it’ll still be there for those that want it.

Hey ho!

The mast arrived home in my MG with the hood down in early January after a sail in Whimbrel. It was scraped and sanded and put in the conservatory to dry – where else!

Fetching the dinghy mast home…

Sanded and drying out…

Funny how long these jobs can last: each coat needs to dry before applying the next. The mast had large areas stripped back to bare wood and around six coats of thinned varnish were applied, thickening as I went along. It finally had two undiluted coats.

Work ongoing…

Finally, after a couple of days drying, the mast was dressed with the halyard and burgee hoist, ready for the dinghy. All I need to do now is get it back to the club and, hopefully, on a sunny day have a little (cold) sail out in her again!

Mast dressed!

My good wife has been ever so good, not once complaining of the all pervading smell of white spirit and paint working its way around, even though the conservatory door was shut! Last week she had a friend in for coffee and chat … I moved the mast out into the dining room, before hi-tailing to the boat leaving conservatory window open and heaters on high! Christobel said, it was absolutely fine…

My father once built a canoe in his mother’s kitchen … I know people use the same place for winter jobs … and even spare bedrooms. lets face it, its better to be in the warm!

I for one shall continue all of this for as long as life allows me…

It came to pass when I was afloat with my youngest sibling in mid December that Whimbrel took on board some water into her bilge … a rare event. I thought it was the stern gland, but on other hand seemed to be way too much for that alone.

See: https://nickardley.com/ditch-crawler-enjoys-a-december-sail-with-a-sibling/

Sibling in silhouette…

On my next outing, I discovered upon shutting the engine down that the sea water pump was leaking from its shaft seal. There isn’t much that can be done about such an event other than either renew whole pump, overhaul and fit new shaft seal, and probably shaft too … much else besides, ending up paying even more out. It’s the way of the world, unfortunately, that a complete renewal is cheapest option. But, still expensive…

So, I did a search for places dealing with Yanmar spares – my usual source in Brightlingsea was, to say the least expensive without VAT added! Other places were worse or around the same. But, up popped a place sitting in the St Georges Channel between N. Island and the R. Mersey … the Isle of Man.

BottomLine Marine Engineering Company – seems very much like French Marine, both into engines and chandlery.

See: https://bottomlinemarine.com/

And, https://bottomlinemarine.com/prod_cat/P_genuine-yanmar-sea-water-pump–2ym15-3ym20-3ym30-new-style–12899042510_7382.shtml

I’d already dropped French Marine an email and was awaiting a response when I contacted Bottom Line … I had a response over the immediate period before the New Year with a sizing query. As did French marine later.

The question was, what pump was fitted to my Yanmar 2YM15. An updated pump came out a few years back … my engine was fitted (by me) in 2011. And, hey presto, it had the newer type which has a slightly larger diameter pipe inlet than the discharge 19.5 and 17 mm respectfully.

I ordered a new from Bottom Line as well as a set of belts. Packing and delivery is free over orders of £50… It was so simple – no logging into an account (done through email) and able to ‘guest’ use paypal (Hate this organisation!), including UK taxes (VAT).

I had an email telling me it would arrive either on the Tuesday or Wednesday last week. It arrived at 1115 on the Wednesday morning.

Old pump removed.

I was down at the boat around 1300. The new pump was fitted a little after high water at around 1430 and the engine run for 20 minutes.

I’m a very satisfied customer indeed, and so is the old girl!

I should have given the bilge space at the front of the engine a clean while pump was off: it is not easy to get at. I must chuck a bucket of water down there and brush around…

New pump fitted.

Looking down on the job … note: belt cover still to fit.

The above illustration shows how tight it is to get at the job … it was done largely by feel, utilising my ingrained engineering skills from those far off sea-going days spent keeping ‘ancient’ Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships going!

So, thank you ‘Bottom Line’ for your excellent service…

Whimbrel seen sailing back into creek and her mooring (beyond) with engine silent… Picture: Alexander Ardley

Cost: less than others before VAT added … say no more.

Some years ago, I wrote to the head of BBC regarding the punctuality and ‘clarity’ of the weather bulletins they were putting out at self-imposed specified times to fit in with the reader at the Norwich BBC weather centre. I was told that I could fill out a complaints form…

At the time, BBC Suffolk gave out the forecast including the coastal (N) at around 10 to 0700, 0800, 0900, 1800 and 1900. BBC Kent were placed at 5 minutes past the hour along same/similar times. BBC Essex fitted in at 5 to the hours given. All at very useful times.

During the late 1990’s and into the first decade of this millennium, BBC Essex ran the Thames Estuary forecast; Suffolk, one for ‘off’ Harwich with a northerly addition if different along the upper Suffolk coast (which is relatively short) and Kent, bless them, has always tended to or do give the Inshore Waters Forecast from the N. Foreland to Selsey Bill … since most ‘Kent’ sailors sail along the northern side of that county, that seems ‘daft’ … and aboard Whimbrel, when in Kent waters, Essex with the Thames estuary forecast was listened to, which was perfectly acceptable.

Latterly, BBC Essex has now moved to 3 minutes to the hour. Where Kent sits I quite frankly don’t currently know. The north coast of Kent gets very similar weather to the south of Essex so ‘we’ don’t worry. I’ll be interested to see what has happened up in Suffolk when next in their waters.

Sometimes it is probably better to actually ‘sniff’ the air…

In more recent times with the 3 minutes to the hour forecast from BBC Essex, one is met with a continuance of the diatribe from the programme content, very often, until time runs short or there isn’t sufficient for the slot to happen. Additionally, when the forecast is given, it invariably comes as the Inshore Waters, which covers the area Gibraltar Point (North side of Wash) to the N. Foreland – a huge area! It is often called the ‘coastal’ but clearly isn’t when later looking up on the BBC web site.

Since I communicated with BBC Essex the service, which is supposedly a Public Service, has fallen into lamentable disrepair and I have virtually abandoned the listening to local radio as a result (never mind the incessant physco-babel that emanates).

Interestingly, some weeks ago before Christmas 2018, I saw a piece in the Saturday edition of the Times newspaper headed, ‘Local Radio takes a hit as more listeners switch off’ – well what a surprise!

The BBC Essex figures have dropped from 236, 000 to 160, 000 over the past five years. This household being one if not two of them!

Clarity and brevity are important too in the issuing of these forecasts. I can well remember on BBC Essex a ‘telling off’ being given to a co-presenter by the other (senior?) when the reading of the details was interrupted … the transgressor was told in no uncertain term that the information was important and that people relied on it. That ethos has died!

What isn’t appreciated by the presenters and production staff is that not everyone has a smart phone and can dial up instant info, and not all listeners sit within the signal strength to be able to do so. That is especially relevant to the coastal seafarer.

Yes, there are other methods of gathering the information – Coast Guard broadcasts – but not always conveniently slotted.

I wonder how much of the switch-off is due to ‘dumping’ of the public service elements along with the ‘clap-trap’ one is hit with now?

The second of January ‘dawned early’ as our alarm clock buzzed at a little before 0630. Christobel made our morning beverage whilst I headed for some ablutions. Both done, we headed off for a sail!

The tide was a neap with high water a little after 0930 and we walked round towards our Whimbrel as dawn truly broke in the east beyond Southend’s pier, clutching the makings for breakfast, I reveled in it. There was a light breeze from a northerly direction – this later became north-westerly under the Hadleigh hills.

Sails were readied and Christobel got the bacon on to sizzle … soon aromas were filling the air around Whimbrel as the tide crept upwards. The boat lifted and with a burst of astern we slid into the stream. Christobel helmed whilst I hoisted sail. The sails took over and we began tracking over the flood, outbound. The bacon, meanwhile, sizzled alone…

Bacon and egg rolls on their way…

No sooner than we had reached the outer limit of the Island Yacht Club’s moorings and our repast was ready!

Clearing the moorings with Brents in the shallows.

Ah yes, this is the life, scrumptious…

A tasty bite…

Clearing the creek we set a course towards Benfleet up Hadleigh Ray. All was quiet. Nothing else but birds were stirring beyond. Cloud away to the east blocked the sun’s appearance, but the light was increasing rapidly.

Morning light…

For a while, we both quietly chomped! And, I tacked the boat lazily with the flood under her round some shallows over a submerged island of sand. Licking my fingers and passing words of satisfaction to Christobel, we were both suddenly startled by a noise astern. We looked in wonder as several independent flocks of small wader, dunlin and knot surely, whirled past.

One of our passing flocks.

Another came by on the other side…

We watched as one lot weaved, wafted and danced over the Two Tree Island saltings before, in a tornado-like mass they settled within the enclosure of the island’s nature reserve. ‘The noise,’ my good Mate said, ‘it’s a susurration – yes a whisper but louder, like the swish of a breeze in the reeds.

Waders funneling earthwards … with some lapwings above.

Passing ‘Bird Island’ we saw that it was coated with feathered life. How lucky we are, I thought, to be able to witness all of this at such close quarters.

The western end of Bird Island.

We continued to tack west towards distant Benfleet. Clearly seen, in the light, were the myriad of masts with their clinking halyards standing stiffly to attention aboard the Benfleet club’s craft sitting in their winter’s resting places. When ‘east’ of Canvey Island point, the light plays with the masts on boats at the Island YC too … looking astern, they were in silhouette.

The level of ‘Bird Island’ has risen inexorably over the past decade. Passing London VTS crackled into life with a half-hourly update … the level was 4.8 m at Southend  and I estimated that the mud just covers at 5.0 m. Close by the tide was well into the cord grass infested edges of Marks Marsh Island. Grass would be growing here, in the middle, soon surely.

We tacked onward, coffee finished. The gnarled stumps of General Booth’s Wharf was passed by. It’s posts sporting several statuesque cormorants, which dutifully lifted heavily into flight in search of the mornings next meal. Over on the sea wall, by then fairly close to, several groups of walkers wandered past. Some, with dogs prancing about and yapping at everything and nothing, others clearly on a post New Year route march!

Passing some further creek shallows west of the old jetty – again swarms of waders lifted and alighted at random.

Astern, I thought I saw a distant sail, but in the light wasn’t sure, but the sun was about to clear the cloud layer out seaward.

Across the water, a silvery ‘pathway’ tinged with a little gold heralded the sun making its appearance…

Christobel helming…

Beyond the sea wall hidden from view the almost continuous whoosh of the morning’s commuter trains could be heard … our ‘boy’ would have passed by as we came out of Smallgains. Well done son! On our other beam, Canvey Saltings were passing by. Every now and then a curlew could be seen, ‘hurtling’ arrow-like, loosing its eerie call. I watched as a small flock of peewits lifted, ‘crying’ as they did so, with their soft and lazy looking wing beats fluttering, butterfly-like, across the marsh. The marshes had been looking drab, but with the sun’s appearance colours were heightened … it won’t be long before the first flush of green appears.

As high water approached, we turned for home. And yes, ahead (now) I spied another sail! It can be seen under Whimbrel’s jib.

The scene just after we turned for home…

The sun had by then truly appeared and above was blue with some fluffy white stuff burning away. The distant boat passed by, motoring with her jib sheeted in tight. We all called our greetings and were quickly separated again.

The Christmas spirit…

One of ‘Santa’s’ little helpers took our picture…

Heading towards Canvey’s eastern point and the entrance to Smallgains Creek…

Outside our creek the mainsail was stowed and we slid quietly over the ebb inwards. I hung the fenders … our first sail of 2019 was drawing to a close.

Christobel going forward to her post, arms flapping like a puffin!

‘Ready to lower,’ I called…

As, outside, the creek was dotted with little groups of Brent geese. There seems to be a vast number this winter. The ones seen ignored our passing as they foraged along the marsh edges on the northern side of Smallgains.

The jib flutters deck-wards…

With way on the boat, we slid into out waiting berth. Either side of us were two wooden friends. Christobel said, ‘Now then Whimbie … you can tell them all about it…’ Our neighbours are Dick Durham’s Betty II and Gypsy owned by fellow Finesse 24 sailor, David, who lives on the hills above these waters and, probably, saw as he enjoyed a ‘late’ breakfast!

Upon arrival at the moorings some three hours earlier, I overheard Christobel having a conversation with Whimbrel  – they have this ‘strange’ bond …

Slipping home…

Yes, it was a gorgeous sail. Gentle and nice, another of those to remember, surely…

Ah yes. I called my youngest brother up about a couple of ‘family’ matters and casually mentioned that I’d been looking at the weather for a weekend window … ‘Doesn’t have to be a weekend…’ came the instant reply, adding, ‘I’ve got loads of leave left over…’

I was soon recontacting with news that there was a decent window of opportunity dangling in front of us during the coming week …

‘I’ll check at work on Monday…’ was the response.

And, bingo. It was on.

The weather forecast showed sublime sun filled days with light winds on the Tuesday and more on Wednesday, before it turned ‘nasty’ again late on Wednesday night. My good Mate, Christobel, immediately began listing all the stuff I’d need to take: the boat has been stripped of bedding and comfort stuff.

 

Storing…

Tuesday came round quickly and my brother (Andrew) duly appeared in time for a coffee and a natter en famille before Christobel dashed off for a ‘coffee yarn’ with some mates! We were soon on our way ourselves: there were a few items to pick up at the grocers.

Reaching the creek a little before noon, we got the dinghy sorted out … its floorboards needed refitting as they’d been removed to allow sanding and painting of the boat’s insides – the weather hasn’t been conducive lately. P.S. It is done now! That done we hightailed round to Whimbrel to get her ready and stow gear.

Boat ready … awaiting the tide.

It was crystal bright and the sun felt warm on the cheeks. There wasn’t a drop of breeze and the creek’s incoming water was mirror flat. It was very sluggish, but eventually made to the point where I suggested to my crew that he could collect the dinghy … Andrew happily set off with the trolley we had used, ‘home’, too. Meanwhile I titivated bits around the boat and got myself organised and set all the navigation equipment working – the chart on the table!

A happy sailor…

It wasn’t long before the dinghy arrived ‘oared’ in superb ‘Cam’ fashion (Andrew rows in an ‘8’ on the Cam with a group of ‘oldies’…) although I think he missed the sliders…

Andrew arrives with the dinghy – looks like he wanted to tow Whimbrel out…

We then awaited the tide … drinking coffee and nattering. He’s been ‘good’ and has finally got his PSA test sorted out – all done and dusted and all clear. Well done Andrew…

Eventually Whimbrel stirred as the tide made and we slipped out. There was little to no wind! A light south-easterly was forecast, but was conspicuous by its absence. Clearing the island’s point outside Smallgains Creek the throttle was increased and we cruised at a little over 4 knots, heading directly for the distant ‘mass’ of Sheerness. I was relegated to ‘tea boy’…

In mid channel we had to ‘dally’ for a ship bearing down on us at speed. It wasn’t clear which side of the ‘reds’ it was going to go … it went outside as we loitered close by No. 6 (S) red buoy. The big ships go inside and smaller ones outside. The West Nore Sand fell astern as we picked up speed in the shallower water over the Grain Flats – a breeze too seemed to at last appear. Not much, but enough…

Creeping into the River Medway…

Passing over the flats inside the Grain Fort in a little under two metres of sea water we were sailing properly. Grand. I still didn’t get a hand on the tiller! In the distance out past a beacon marking the Grain power plant sea discharges (Gas powered plants…), I spotted a black ‘mass’ ahead. As we tracked closer It was clear that this was a rather large and angular chunk of flotsam, and of some length. There were bits of it beneath the water … it looked like a bit of ‘barge’ to me! We’ve had some high tides and stuff not afloat for many months, if not longer, has probably floated free.

I called up Medway VTS and reported the danger. The length was about the same as Whimbrel’s, so at least seven metres…

The response that came over the radio was, I would say, disinterested … I expected more. Later another vessel reported what we had seen. No work boat was seen to leave the Camber – where port boats and RNLI boat live – in the time it took us to creep towards and eventually past the Queenborough Spit buoy.

I later contacted The Medway & Swale Boating Association after placing a comment on a post about new conservancy charges (Known as the ‘Peel Tax’ – after Peel Ports, the river’s operators) and in response Tony Lavelle wrote:

Thank you for the information and photos. That long floating log might have been the one that used to be near the rowing club at Rochester . It came adrift some time ago and I thought it had been retrieved.

At our recent AGM I had a conversation with Stephen Balmain who was representing Peel Ports. He used to be on the VTS team before it moved to Liverpool .

 They used to have their own work boats but now they have subcontracted to Briggs Marine. Though we had been assured at a previous MSBA meeting that 8 rubbish clearance sorties had been completed, Stephen confirmed that none of these went above Halling! The build-up of debris in the upper reaches from Snodland to Allington is quite hazardous to navigation.

I don’t think it was anything to do with Rochester Rowing Club’s loss…

Sailing into the River Medway.

Photograph taken at same time … sun is setting and my helm is in silhouette… 

It was grand to be sailing rather than listening to the ‘growl’ of the diesel beneath the cockpit floor. We were making 2 + knots at times over the young ebb and both felt disinclined to hurry things along. The sun had set by then, but the sky, being clear, kept us lit up. I lit the cabin heater for a chill had set in.

Andrew took us down the eastern line of moorings, at my prompting, and we fetched close to the wind past the old jetty beacons. A mooring line was ready prepared … halyards cast onto the deck…

Down the line … all ready for a buoy pick-up off the pontoon ahead…

Hooray! I managed to wheedle the tiller from my crew’s hands for the final run into the buoy … I’m sure he wanted to have a go … but with a deft snatch he had the buoys mooring eye captured and I went forward to drop sails…

Below, we soon had another pot of tea to hand with a hunk of cake – Paul, it was a moist wedge of my 2017 Christmas cake saved for a ‘rainy day’ and it was divine! During this period I set to and got the makings of our supper on the go. Our plan was to go ashore for a couple of jars and return later, which we duly did. I have to say, both of us like pickled eggs and two each of those were enjoyed with crisps as a ‘starter’, plus of course some tasty beer – all at The Admiral’s Arm.

Moments before sunrise…

We had a quiet night, apart from a coaster slipping through the moorings and a couple of fishing craft – leaving noisily. My first job was to get the heater on, then the kettle. My crew remained asleep, seemingly! It was a spectacular sunrise. There was a gentle breeze from the south-east still.

 

The sun appeared in glorious brightness…

Breakfast finished, all was cleared away for a leisurely sail off the mooring just before the tide turned. The previous evening I left ‘our’ mooring fee in the box for the harbour trust, as directed and expected. Many don’t bother, I have been told, but many ‘boaters’ don’t. What they don’t appreciate is that you’re on camera, never mind the fact that it is essentially stealing!

Clearing the harbour, we enjoyed a sparkling sail clear of the Medway and then across to the Phoenix unit off the West Shoebury Buoy. This bit of WW2 wreckage is often described as ‘The Mulberry Harbour’ which of course it clearly can’t be: the harbours (their remains) are over on the French beaches. Many people don’t realise that the harbours were made up from hundreds of the Phoenix Units and other parts!

I was still ‘tea boy’…

A spanking sail across the Thames…

Goose-winged, running westwards towards Southend Pier…

After entering the Ray and clearing the tricky shallows now in ‘residence’ there, we rounded up and dumped the mainsail and ran on under jib. Over on the Ray sand bank were around two-dozen seals, basking in the sunshine. The heads of some ‘youngsters’ were seen too sieving the shallows for a fishy lunch. It’ll be one of this lot which, surely, will follow me across the Leigh shallows as winter progresses when I’m out there – always a special sight. I think ‘they’ go for disturbed bottom fish as the boat passes…

‘My’ local seals…

Our creek was looming ahead, but we needed a further hour of flood to enter so a buoy was borrowed for the short while. I was ‘dispatched’ forward for this operation and I didn’t let my crew down! We stowed the sails and covered mainsail and hatches … then went below for some hot tomato soup!

My crew was having to hi-tail back to Cambridge: he was in charge of the evenings club row … he was ready dressed … he made it too!

Yes, we both had a grand time of it. These things are the sweeter at this time of the year – something to savour over a toddy later…

Thanks Andrew!

Links:

http://msba.org.uk/

http://www.admiralsarm.co.uk/

http://www.queenborough-harbour.co.uk

 

Some time ago, I seem to remember it was the spring, but can’t find anything in my files to substantiate this, I had an email from a chap who wanted some advice about selling his father’s Finesse. His dad had passed away leaving the boat to the family … I responded asking for various details saying that I could post on the Finesse facebook page and also on my blog … I didn’t get any further communication or thanks – this happens a lot!

I let the matter rest…

However, recently, up popped a Finesse 21 for sale in Gillingham – well she’s at the boatyard down along the Lower Rainham Road at Mariners Farm, which has use of one of the old barge wharves along that shoreline of the River Medway. Gillingham is ‘close by’…

See: http://www.marinersboatyard.co.uk/index.html

All pictures in this post are from Les Long, a Lower Halstow YC member and are used here with his permission. My thanks are profuse … I owe you a beer!

Georgina propped up and covered over.

I can’t even remember the name of the person who contacted, however, now that the boat is formally for sale at Clarke and Carter, I thought I’d investigate a little further: the boat seems to be in relatively good condition. The pictures jogged a distant memory for she’s a boat I remember seeing over a number of years on the river and I believe she was moored for a period in West Hoo Creek.

See also: https://www.theyachtmarket.com/boats_for_sale/1691041/

Here are a series of Les’s pictures:

The starboard bottom.

Port bilge with stub bilge keel – these are much shallower than those fitted to the ’24’.

Aft end…

Now, I understand that the boat’s cover shredded and she was ‘uncovered’ for a little while. A cockpit cover isn’t apparent, yet the cockpit is in a remarkably good condition. The boat has been out of the water for four to five years.

Cockpit forward bulkhead to starboard and companionway door (half of).

Engine controls.

Inside starboard locker – bilge pump. Note shredded cover material!

Fuel tank located beneath the poop deck inside locker.

Engine exhaust outlet elbow – note no dribbles!

Engine control lever, sited to port.

Gas locker.

This is the only view I was sent of the deck – being the poop. Some ‘green weed’ has grown … but is likely to be cosmetic. I am not able to say what the deck edges are like…

The engine is an older version one cylinder Yanmar. It looks as if it has suffered from ‘getting wet’. This is so easy to avoid by fitting an internal ‘lid’ over the engine as i have done on my own Finesse 24.

The journey now goes below where some damage due to water ingress will be seen around the forward end of the cabin top. This is probably due to corner beading to deck coming loose. Early lifting and resealing and refastening could have prevented this. She looks to be in generally good health apart from that problem though.

Electrical control panel.

Bilge in way of the centre plate case in main cabin.

Further bilge view… Water will be fresh! It hasn’t leaked out, but fresh isn’t good inside a wooden boat!

The starboard berth looking forward.

‘Galley’ arrangements – simple and probably suited to craft.

Looking into the fore cabin – it would appear that a berth could be made to port. Note loo to starboard.

The loo…

Note discolouration of forward face of coach roof side. Whether or not this is still a problem, only an inspection will say.

Well thought out forward storage. Chain locker is in here too.

Cabin side (inside). 

The boat is cutter built, but not rigged as such. She seems to have a single roller headsail set to her bowsprit. Spars are wooden. Condition – unknown.

Looking up the mast…

I am told that her hull/sail number is 41 – this fits with her build date of 1966.

Full details of the vessel and such are on the two web sites mentioned. From the pictures I have seen of her she is certainly worth looking at. Nothing seems bad, although the forward leak needs attending to, and the boat looks ‘sound’. The price of £2,500 is pitched for her to go, but I wouldn’t be surprised if an offer wasn’t accepted: it is costing to keep her there!

Go on…

And, during the late spring of 2019, someone did … the boat’s life, for the time being, has been secured.

As a distraction we jumped on a train last week and went to Barking … mad? No, we’d enjoyed a talk at the Essex Record Office History Group earlier this autumn and placed ‘a must do’ in the diary. The talk was about Eastbury Manor which is situated in the centre of Barking a little to the east of the church and abbey remains which are nearer the mainline station.

The visit certainly had a ‘nautical’ interest…

Eastbury Manor was built in the mid 1500’s after Henry VIII pulled down the abbey and confiscated all abbey lands. The land was broken up and sold off … Eastbury Manor became the centre of several farms with lands extending down to the Thames along Barking and Halfway Reaches. The manor enjoyed close access to a waterway which ran into Barking Creek (River Roding), this was Mayes Brook – it has been rerouted over the centuries, but comes out more or less in same place through a sluice. The waterway here to the east was a large shallow lagoon called the Rant. Its ‘basin’ is probably the same which filled during the infamous ‘Dagenham Breach’ in 1707. A pool still remains by the Ford Works here on the river’s shores.

Map of area – section from NT display.

Produce was shipped out via the waterway passing the manor close by. This was rerouted at some point during remodeling of the manors grounds, removing a convoluted loop. It is reputed that some of the infamous men involved with ‘The Guy Fawkes’ plot came here by water. One of the men’s sister was married to a ‘Lord’ who was apparently tipped off by someone still unknown and had the under-crofts of the Houses of Parliament inspected.. I was interested for it was up the creek we sailed in Whimbrel a few seasons ago when I was writing ‘Rochester to Richmond‘…

A straight on view of the manor house.

The house now sits in the midst of a ‘council’ estate and is completely hemmed in … this happened between the two world conflicts during the 1920s. The house was one of the earliest purchases by the organisation which ultimately became the National Trust. But, the house was let out for other purposes including use as a museum. The Trust has at long last realised that it isn’t only the large estates outside conurbations that need to be ‘visit friendly’. They’ve also done this with a house in Rainham.

One of the upper rooms.

The ‘painted room’ a rarity…

Much of the house isn’t furnished other than sparingly, yet, some of the rooms have survived as 1600s artifacts whilst others are as found and date from a refurbishment soon after 1900, when only part of the house was used as such. the building was largely a ‘barn’ for a long time! Also, it was once owned by the Whitbread family and used for compressed animal feeds used by shipping – for a period up to around 1800. The ‘beer’ family – I couldn’t find out.

There is a lot to see and take in. It is very much a worthwhile exercise…

Leaving the manor we headed back towards the town centre and the old dock area. An old tide mill building still stands at the inner end of the dock. Its driving wheel is lang gone. It was until recently a card factory, but is up for sale.

The mill building…

At this top end there are two runs of water from the river inland – there would have been a sluice… Between the two river runs is an island. The road along here has street lamps of some note. The tops are made of fretwork with different designs. There is NO information, but from what we could deduce they depict Barking through time. Around a viewing/seating area on the island are some railing too of interest. The back supports have the names of vessels in a fretwork design. One caught my eye: it is a barge name – the Magnet … probably a coaster of more recent times, but who knows!

P.S. The Magnet’s remains are just above Rochester M2/Rail bridges immediately downstream of a wharf on the ‘south’ side.

 

Note the lamp posts…

Vessel names in fret work supports…

Looking down the dock, which is currently largely clear of vessels (N.B. Google earth shows it to be full of ‘live-aboards’) except for a brace below a ‘waste’ wharf and a sunken something in the middle of the basin, and a number down the ‘town’ side.

The basin.

Across the road from a huge open space – Abbey Fields – abutting the basin are a mix of flats and offices. Our ‘boy’ worked here some years ago when with the Malaysian International Shipping Corporation! But what caught my eye was a ‘dinghy’ embalmed in a piece of ‘ice’ – the adjacent building is called The Ice House! Clearly this was a place for the importation of ice long ago…

What a waste of a dinghy, was my reaction…

An ice embalmed dinghy … and bench!

Time soon traveled on and at this late time of the year, dusk comes early. It hadn’t been much of a bright day in any case, so we began to wend our way homewards, looking at the church and abbey footings on the way.

St Margaret’s Church. It was closed unfortunately – we missed it by five minutes… Didn’t check web site!

Amazingly, the abbey’s footings have survived. The ‘ground’ would have been more or less the floor of the under-crofts.

On some plaques fixed to the abbey gate house, still standing, was a piece of interesting information – Captain Cook married his wife here in 1762. His wife, Elizabeth, was the daughter of the Bell Inn, Wapping owned by Samuel Batts and one of Cook’s benefactors. Cook had moved from the mercantile marine to the Royal Navy in 1755 at Wapping. Amazing how the ‘sea’ connections pop up!

Of the visit, we both thought the lack of information around the dock basin and mill area to be sad. So many places have such boards sited to give just that little bit of information which you can later chew over and investigate further if so desirous. And, for me, I thought the dock to be a much wasted asset, however, since the building of a relatively low level bridge over the creek a little below the docks sluices and gates, masted craft cannot access unless mast can be lowered … how often is this seen these days? Lots!

Now, if you’d like to go, the manor is on the National Trust list – so, enjoy…

‘My’ section from Streetmap.com of the area covered.

P.S. It wasn’t a day for sailing, never mind that the tides were early morning and late afternoon/evening, so I wasn’t missing out!

Sometimes it is necessary to do a spot of maintenance on the dinghy. On the whole this tends to be done during the April to June period in between ensuring that Whimbrel is more or less up to scratch. But due to the possibility that I might not be feeling ‘on top of the world’ in the spring, what with brachiotherapy and radio treatments going on I thought that due to weather conditions – either a lack of wind or too much, I’d get on with it…

On the way down the Thames in August I ripped off the forward keel runner on the dinghy – ‘we’ were dragging it above the tide line on the hard at Greenhithe. The problem was that a couple of the screws had suffered wear … and one last pull caused it to bend back. Fortunately I was able to remove the section without tools! Upon reaching our home berth some days later it was temporarily fixed…

Refastening the forward keel runner. 

Part of my problem was that when I did this job some many years ago I didn’t have a bench drill to drill the piece of stainless steel properly I’d purchased to face the strip of timber bonded to boat’s keel. Hard concrete and shingle hards soon took their toll on the glass fibre. The dinghy is now twenty-five years old. When purchased, it has proved to have been the finest £1200 pounds spent. She has given umpteen hours of joy when away cruising and when being sailed around my local area of saltings. Many of Whimbrel’s crews have shared those joys too.

Preparing to refasten the aft section.

The hole on both lengths were re-drilled with deeper countersinking to take slightly larger screws.

Job nearing completion…

The sail was removed from its boom and gaff and washed in the washing machine at low temperature using a hand wash soap … it seems to have come out looking much better … softer after the removal of salt!

The washed sail…

Sail dried and folded awaiting an airing afloat…

 

In the meantime the boom, gaff and tiller were all sanded and varnished. The two spars were in need of stripping back in fairly large areas … the re-coating is still on going. Mena while the house is suffering from ‘fumes’ and I’m sure many a boater has done these jobs in the warmth of a conservatory. I’ve know bedrooms and kitchens to be used too!

Spars prepped for varnishing…

My next job is to strip the floor board system’s central timber. The floor boards I tend to leave as ‘bare’ wood – they’re made from larch. Following this I am ‘programmed’ to sand the dinghy’s interior and give it a coat of grey bilge paint. It is flaking a little in places.

Meanwhile, the winds are about to pop up to the 50+ mph level, again, so I’ve time enough to get these jobs finished…

I’m sure the summer-time crews who sail aboard Whimbrel will appreciate Twitch (The dinghy’s name) being prettily dressed for them in 2019!

 

This post is dedicated to John, who after some thought, has booked a PSA blood test – well done John…

Having had a spot of inclement weather and being away visiting family for a weekend the level of autumn sailing was beginning to trail away with the season, so, with two days of good forecasts I made sure they were grabbed with open arms. I was itching to get afloat!

Christobel was other-wise engaged meeting pals and nattering over coffee … but she had enjoyed a sail out the week before.

Outside the creek, well, before reaching that point, the gentle yet harsh ‘craarks’ of Brent were heard, and in amongst the stands of cord grass a host of them were paddling about looking for grub. I’m always pleased to see these little geese feeding healthily on the areas abundant autumn gift – eel grass. When that has all been ‘scoffed’ they’ll be away inside the sea walls along under Hadleigh’s downs cropping the succulent tops of winter cereals. As if to taunt me, two grebe popped up over the shallows – I grabbed the camera … but before I could focus in, they’d gone under to search for food. Lovely little things … and their larger cousins will be around too, surely.

Upon leaving Smallgains Creek, I set a path towards Benfleet with intentions to turn at some undetermined point … it being set by the light levels.

So, whilst reaching towards Two Tree Island’s hard I came across a group of Essex Fire Brigade personnel carrying out an exercise – all very interesting. Leaving them behind and turning to head ‘westwards’ up Hadleigh Ray towards Benfleet, it was apparent that long and short tacks were needed.

Essex Fire Brigade in training…

Oh, it was such a glorious afternoon. The tide was a neap (5.3 m) but as I float at around 4.4 m, I had plenty of time and tide. Darkness would be my barrier (although for a passage, obviously not!). Above there were a few ‘puff-ball’ clouds like handfuls of cotton wool and some aircraft trails, but a blueness filled the rest. I was wearing a coat, but it was unzipped over late summer early autumn garb.

Bird Island

Passing Bird Island, the scene of several escapades by boats heading upstream to lay up, I watched open mouthed as a huge flock of brent, duck (Widgeon??) and waders took off. many just circled and came back, realising the red sailed apparition coasting by wasn’t a threat! I stood, feet apart, tiller held by my bottom and sent my good Mate a text … Christobel has always appreciated this, especially if over a lunch period when still teaching…

The mud level of Bird Island is rising. Passing recently, I realised it wasn’t properly covering until almost 5 m tide at Southend (as given by VTS). Surely, it can’t be long before the first sprouts of cord grass and glasswort appear after the spring neaps – the seeds of these plants need around 72 hours out of the tide to germinate and take root. The tide is well into the base of the cord grass in the marshes close by on Marks Marsh Island, and Two Tree Island further to the north.

Benfleet Creek’s wreck…

I was fairly clipping along, but after passing the gnarled posts of the abandoned Salvation Army wharf I felt the boat’s speed drop. The wind was fading. Some weeks ago the abandoned yacht sitting up on the mainland sea wall saltings ‘lost’ its mast – well it has come down, probably due to bits being taken, or vandalism. I have been somewhat surprised that the thing has been left. The higher tides move her around a bit and being GRP, she will not quietly fade in time. Responsibility: owner – unlikely for it would surely have been removed; PLA – possibly, but not a hazard; it is more likely to be Castle Point for it sits on ‘their’ land!

A shadow upon the land…

A long shadow was being cast along the bank of the seawall as I ghosted close to before tacking every now and then. The sun was rapidly falling … ‘how far should I go,’ I mused… It was more the dying breeze that made the decision. In amongst the buoys of Benfleet Yacht Club’s lower moorings, I turned and began to reach away eastward. In this direction the true blueness that pervaded above was accentuated by the setting sun.

A welcome mug of tea after making my turn…

Passing Two Tree Island, I took two photographs – towards the sun and away from it.

Towards the setting sun…

Away over Two Tree Island…

All around me flocks of birds were airborne. Several large gatherings of little egret sailed past high over the mast top, heading west up the creek towards rich pickings amongst the wide swath of saltings along the Canvey island side. A dark waft weaved around too – waders, dunlin and knot surely – dancing across the sky. A flight of small duck (wigeon?) flew fast and straight past the boat’s stern…

I watched enthralled by it all…

A waft of waders…

All too soon, I realised, I was nearing the entrance to Smallgains Creek. Time to set the fenders … a test reach showed that there was insufficient slant to reach home under sail … I dropped the sails and motor in astern of another intrepid sailor ‘Old Jack’ who has sailed these waters since a young boy in the late 1930s.

The sun was setting … it was time to head in.

Approaching the mooring…

Once moored, the boat was ‘stabled’ for the night: tomorrow, I promised her, She’d enjoy another little jaunt…

The moon reflected amongst stands of cord grass… 

The next afternoon …

Christobel was otherwise engaged again, so, I beetled back down to Whimbrel in good time to get all set before the boat floated. Before that though I offered a hand to a small group looking at a bit of jetty damage caused by the club’s new work boat settling into her berth … she’s somewhat larger than the previous model and has let everyone know – breaking a post! They were okay and weren’t planning to do anything until the boat had floated, so I left them to it…

My view as I sat, mug of tea in hand, awaiting the tide… 

While i waited for the tide I sanded a couple of bits of varnish that were looking for attention – a coat over with the finger tip would keep it good until the spring – and listed a couple of items for 2019’s work list…

Ah, the tide slowly rose. It was due to be a 5.0 m (Southend). I got away, all sail set, as soon as Whimbrel picked up, churning the water around in a muddy froth. The sails bit and we were away, the engine silenced…

I nipped forward to take this gorgeous shot…

This second sail was going to be shorter (But I still had nearly an and a half out) than the previous day, so I went ‘east’. If anything the sky was even more brilliant – why? Don’t know – atmospherics? Out in the open the only sound that pervaded apart from the occasional slating of a sail was ‘gulls’. The water had flocks of them resting, squawking at one another and others in an apparent snooze state.

Looking aft … I thought of all those seafarers of WW1 (especially) and since, who had perished in last centuries tragic carnage’s.

In memory of lost sailors…

I was on a reach. Far away I could see Chalkwell Station and the beach running to the Crowstone off Westcliff. Away over on the Leigh-on-Sea shore the sun kept reflecting on window after window as my and the sun’s position moved across the globe – small as my part was, it was fascinating.

Bright ‘eyes’ in Leigh…

The setting sun…

I turned before the sun actually hit the distant horizon and when I did I was captivated by the intensiveness of the colours that began to emanate around me. Astern, eastward, wafts of high cloud and jet vapours were going ‘purple’…

The estuary sky…

Entering the outer creek it was clear that the wind had stayed favourable … I continued onward, allowing the boat to sail herself whilst fenders were tied off …

Inside, the wind was faltering, as it does, but I had enough. It was just after high tide with no run as such. Every now and then the sails slatted, the jib especially as the land blanketed us … she had way enough…

Across the saltings curlews called now and then. Oyster catchers cried at one another and settled. Night was falling steadily. A chill too had grown, ‘surely the balmy days of this autumn will come crashing down soon,’ I thought … it has been a fantastic year for sailing (boating) in this corner of England.

Well inside…

Closing Whimbrel’s mooring…

… slipping in…

Boy I enjoyed that and was in a ‘singing’ state as I bagged up the jib and covered over the mainsail. As I left, I patted the ‘old’ girl and said, ‘… thank you…’ taking a wistful look back as I left her alone… When will the next sail be – with my mate Christobel, hopefully!

The two late afternoon sails were a piece of supreme autumn bliss, years down the line, I will remember them with a deep fondness.

A dead calm amongst the Island Yacht Club’s moorings…

Apparently, I arrived home with a BIG grin on my face – I wonder why!

 

Message for Brian Ingram – recontact me: your email contact details aren’t connecting back to you…

best wishes,

Nick

Do you remember my blog back in the summer about ‘the deadly snake that wants to bite’? If not read…

If so, and a man of fifty or over, have you been tested yet?

More men are dying of prostate cancer than women of breast cancer, and in the press you’ll not hear a single beep.

See: https://nickardley.com/ditch-crawlers-warning-to-all-men-prostate-cancer-the-deadly-snake-that-wants-to-bite/

It is no laughing matter for many GP surgeries are not in the business of warning men about this danger or, even, sending men for a prostate specific antigen (PSA) tests. NHS England recommend or wish to instate routine testing from the age of fifty (Ref: BBC Radio 4 interview NHS England and John Humphreys). This being so, why aren’t ‘they’ ordered to comply. The initial test is an inexpensive blood test. Long term costs of a late diagnosis are severe, to NHS and to life expectancy…

I wish I’d dreamt of asking earlier…

Whimbrel snapped recently by Dick Smith, up Benfleet Creek…

Once I began my course of medication in the form of hormone tablets, we got away for an uninterrupted few weeks in August before I took my brother (over from Canada) and my sister for a few days sailing (the siblings’ sail)  – actually a dash to Pin Mill and back via the Swale.

Since then, I have kept active, lost a little weight and generally had a ‘good’ time with my dear wife Christobel (Who will tell me off: ‘I’m the Mate’ she’ll say!). Sailing was curtailed during the hectic days of June and July, it being snatched between appointments at hospital. The autumn has been sublime and we had several weekends away during September and other days sailing on the tide together and I’ve had a few more. I still harbour a desire to sneak away for a night or two over on the River Medway, but weather will dictate that – my youngest brother wants to come!

All along, in the back of my mind has been the knowledge that the next visit to see ‘my’ oncologist loomed.

So, today was the day of my oncologist visit. The good news is that my PSA level has fallen from 13.6 to 2. The oncologist was very pleased.

He said,‘Your cancer has been arrested…’ And, in a rapid almost one sided discussion gave me (us) the ramifications of the next stage … due to start at the beginning of March.

This will be Brachyherapy first, followed by five weeks of external beam radio therapy – seven weeks in all – all over by Easter 2019!

So, I should be fit and well to help my good Mate get Whimbrel’s bottom tickled up and the anti-fouling done during May!

Currently, the good news is that other than an enormous heavy tiredness at times, I haven’t experienced any noticeable side effects … yes I was asked by the oncologist how our marital relationship was going … the Mate quipped, ‘He’s alright in that department, it’s his single cell brain I’m worried about…’

Laughing, the Doc said, ‘That’s good…’

Tiredness … sometimes I will be ‘sent to the bedroom’ by Christobel, but often sleep is far away, but the rest works … other times, I have gone out for up to three hours. (P.S. – it’s better when ‘she’ comes with me…)

My dear sweet sister kindly photographed me asleep on Whimbrel, after being ‘sent to bed’ during our siblings’ cruise … she took my glasses off afterwards!

So, I keep on taking the tablets, stay fit, stay positive and keep smiling…

Now, wives and partners of your men-folk: be pro-active. Withhold all favours until your man gets his test booked.

A number of men I know have done so – many had heightened PSA levels with fairly long term ‘peeing’ problems they’d been ignoring (I had none of this). All of them have been given the all clear regarding prostate cancer, but several have other issues to be treated.

So, do your families a favour and do something positive, please…

On our way back from Cornwall last week we stopped off for a couple of days at Dorchester … but our arrival was interrupted by a small detour into Topsham. Why? Well, the spritsail barge Vigilant sits by the town’s wharf being rebuilt.

The Vigilant, the subject of a lovely little book, ‘Sailorman’ by E. G. Martin and published in 1933, came down from Essex (St Osyth) where she had ‘festered for some years becoming more and more dilapidated as time rolled by. Then came a saviour from Topsham … and, away she went under her own engine with shuttering boards fixed over the leaky bits…

The starboard bow of the  Vigilant looking all but completed…

I photographed her on a visit a few years ago when the gear hung onto temporary fixings whilst side planking and frames were being renewed. Then, the hull had open areas awaiting new planks. Now she has apparently had all that finished. However, much still needs doing.

Here are some pictures.

Port bow, looking down side.

Port side of the Vigilant.

I then moved round the starboard side, the side to which she sits against the quay. I was immediately struck by the strange curvature to her body: this was, and should be, a shapely barge. She looks horribly hogged.

A gaze down the starboard side of the Vigilant.

An old section of her rail – new rail is made up of two sections, one above the other…

If you study this plate below it can be seen that the stern drops away with a ‘hump’ in way of the main sheet chock area. The covering board has a join here and it looked as if movement is taking place…

Starboard aft quarter…

Vigilant’s transom…

Vigilant’s new transom has been varnished in the fashion of Marjorie’s. Looking closely at the runs into the stern post it is clear that her bottom planking needs attention. For this a drydock will be needed. The barge’s hull reminded me so much of the way the May Flower went during the last decade or so of her life. (For those that don’t know – my childhood home)

Temporary bolts could be seen at both the fore and aft ends fastening new frames to planking needing renewal.

The project has an information board to ‘educate’ those that come to stop and stare: a spritsail barge was a rarity in these waters even in the days of trade. What hit me was the huge mistake over the Vigilant’s displacement. The barge was built by Orvis & Fuller of Ipswich in 1904 and is 74 NRT. She would have loaded 150 – 170 tons. Her light displacement will be around 140 – 150 tons, yet the information board records her as being only 4 tons!

Vigilant’s information board.

 

There wasn’t anyone around during my visit so I couldn’t challenge this displacement … or to discuss such things as ‘plans’ for her future. I do know that the crew of EDME are reported to have given an undertaking to show the owners how to sail her when completed … the basis of this only being hearsay!

I wish them well: a private rebuild is rare these days.

While my wife and I were down in Cornwall on holiday – a NO BOATS holiday – I just happened to fall through the gates of the Rhoda Mary Shipyard down stream in Truro.

Now, the Rhoda Mary is a vessel I was quite intimate with as a youngster: with my older sibling, I would play around in her hull … probably without ‘mothers’ knowledge … the vessel had been hulked on the Hoo mud flats on the River Medway some years before.

My father aboard the Rhoda Mary in 1951. (Pic – Ardley family archive)

One of the ship’s anchors was removed and was used for one of the spritsail barge May Flower’s moorings (my chidlhood home). The anchor is now ‘lost’ for it is out on the mud flats off Callows Wharf up the top end of Milfordhope Creek. It’ll be sitting deep below lots of cord grass now…

My father also had some timber out of the old ship for use on May Flower!

The Rhoda Mary Trust was set up some years ago with the intention of providing a sail training vessel for Cornwall … plan were made to dig out the remains of the vessel on Hoo mud flats and rebuild her. The Rhoda Mary is the last of the ‘Cornish’ fruit schooners – fast vessels that brought fresh (citrus) fruit to England. To my mind she should be left in peace … a new vessel is the real answer: it is the rig and how it is used in the manner of her historical context which can be preserved.

The yard is the planned place … will it happen. Who really knows. Money will sit at the core.

Anyway, my good wife had a book to hand, so all was well!

A general view of the shipyard with a new vessel under construction.

Alongside the quay, where one day the current build project will soon be floating, rested an earlier vessel from the master builder Like Powell – the lynch-pin of this enterprise. The vessel, a small pilot cutter, Agnes, is something that is fulfilling to look at. She just hums with power and purpose – she twinkled in the light of an appearing sun…

The Agnes…

I took various shots to fulfill my desire to record: my chances of seeing her again are slight!

View from the bow.

Her ‘stern sheets’…

Deck view…

Now, my visit was to see the new vessel under construction up on the yards large open space – much filled with seasoning timber. The vessel is a faithful copy of a vessel built in 1852 – the Vincent. The new vessel has been named as the Pellew after a famous frigate captain, Edward Pellew who was a resident of Flushing (Cornwall).

Bottom of access and wood stack around the Pellew’s bow.

Mounting a set of stairs after being unable to find anyone ‘below’ I stepped upon the decks of this fine new build. Ones breath is taken away by the sheer size (not as big as a Thames barge…) and for me, the beauty of the workmanship going on. It hits you full on.

A look aft before stepping aboard…

A look forward too…

A radio was playing some kind of ‘modern’ music – a phenomenal ‘ghetto blaster’ – I called several times. No response. I could hear work going on below in at least two places. After a final call – I knocked. Ah, simple. One bit of noise stopped and a face appeared. This turned out to be shipwright Ned.

Explaining my desire to look over this fine new build, Ned, said, ‘…use that ladder … be careful and enjoy.’ at which he left me to my own devices. There follows a raft of views from below…

In main cabin looking aft towards door to ‘cuddy’…

In the aft cabin (cuddy?) I came upon a worker hard at it within the port bunk cubicle … her face appeared full of surprise … then got straight back to work!

Looking through forward cabin area into fo’c’sle 

 

Intermediate space between fore and  main areas with mast step.

 

Main cabin with some battens setting out ‘furniture’…

At this point I returned to the deck and took a closer look… The finish to bulwark capping, hatches and other areas essentially completed was seen to be superb. This is clearly not just a re-creation, but a work of art.

General view looking aft.

General view looking forward.

One of the cabin tops nearing completion awaiting its ‘furniture’…

This hatchway seemed to hint at the ability to load stuff through … I wasn’t able to ask about this! It clearly looks as if a ‘lid’ is to be fitted.

A less ‘yachty’ hatchway…

The rudder trunk…

I had to drag myself back to ground level, so mesmerised was I by what was being seen. I had a wander around the hull past the work bench areas with their ready to hand stacks of =off-cuts ready for that little job as things progress to a finishing stage.

The aft end of the Pellew.

Work bench area … not sure what the ladies on the team think about the calendar!

Mast and another spar in final shaping.

Rough-cut pieces ready for final shaping to make up gaff and boom jaws.

Further view of the mast. It is of massive section.

Reluctantly I made my way to the car and my waiting wife. She was fine: she’d brought a book along, knowing what I intended! As I drove out of the yard gates, I cast a wistful look out of the side window, picturing the Pellew afloat, mast at a cocky angle, sails bent on ready for her first passage…

Before my visit I had become aware that Luke Powell and his partner Joanna had purchased a ‘famous’ east coast boat, the Whitstable smack Stormy Petrel which had for many years – around sixty – been owned by Dick Norris. Dick had, as we all will, got old and had reluctantly sold his beloved vessel. Stormy Petrel was once owned by the renowned bargeman and sailor, Bob Roberts. Bob had her during the latter part of the 1940s selling her in the 1950s. Stormy Petrel transported family and belongings to Pin Mill when Bob decamped ‘north’.

So, this famed little ship will ‘go west’, perhaps never to return.

Some years ago I met the ‘Petrel‘ tacking in a stiff breeze up Pinup Reach just below Gillingham where Dick Norris had kept her for probably all his ownership. Dick knew my parents well from the 1950s onward, meeting out on the water – the May Flower and Stormy Petrel – both things of a past age.

Stormy Petrel reefed down and going well…

Stormy Petrel tacking … note the long foot to the foresail.

The Stormy Petrel is currently at Faversham at Chamber’s Wharf near Alan Staley’s yard.

In brief, Luke Powell has had an interesting life. Born in Suffolk he ended up in the Greek Isles before eventually pitching up in Faversham (Kent), worked on Thames spritsail barges before he trained as a shipwright.

Look after this piece of Kentish history in Cornwall, Luke: we’ll all miss her up here…

For more info see: http://thefalmouthpilotcutter.co.uk/the-rhoda-mary-ship-yard/

and,  http://www.rhoda-mary.co.uk/

 

From time to time holidays are taken without Whimbrel being the link-pin of our lives … we went to Cornwall and have now returned, refreshed and ready for autumn … winter and the freshness of the 2019 spring…

Now down in Cornwall, on a ‘no-boats’ holiday, it is exceedingly difficult not to stumble upon a stretch of the sea in one’s travels. The place ‘reeks’ of traditional craft – almost as much as Essex and Kent. But one of the things I noticed was the varying way in which owner’s of craft appeared to ‘bother’ about their charges. This is often seen in the way things are done, or not done…

Cover and sail security seems to be a common thread among boat owners – they are either well looked after or not. Dodgers too! Roller head sails are another matter of concern to most, to others, left to chance, it seems. Whatever the season, these all need attention, but if winterising, then greater attention surely is needed.

All looks well here … but a closer look at the ‘tarpaulins’ on the lugger would suggest covers need seeing to or renewing…

Whilst winding along a cliff-side road near Truro, I spotted a number of craft laid bow to the beach through the trees. Some were in a ‘dilapidated’ state … another had a cover full of water and looked to have been that way for some time. Not good!

 

Can’t work out why this picture capsized … hasn’t spilt the water though!

Below is a vessel with a well fitting cover ensuring rain water is put where it belongs – in the sea!

 

 

Above are serried ranks of dinghies at a coastal sailing club – a common sight anywhere within the United Kingdom of GB & NI, but what I noticed were craft with newer well fitted covers and others clearly on the way out as it were. Dinghies cost a lot of money, a cover is expensive too, but it is designed to protect the investment…

The other thing I noted was a number of craft with loose or torn dodgers – in winter these should either be removed or the securing examined and defects rectified. Dodgers cost money too!

Damaged dodgers … boat looked sad too!

 

I seem to remember that this sad sight was seen in Porthleven, but it is a common sight. Many owners ensure that the sheets roll round the sail at least once and a little. Many others also secure with a lashing for safe measure. Others leave a bit of the sail ‘set’ … this is not good! Clearly this sail was either left incorrectly rolled or had too few turns on the furling drum to ensure fully rolled. Insurance companies consider a rolled head sail as being ‘set’ and will not insure…

A common sight with a rolled head sail…

Have a look round your own locality and see for yourselves how things are done – rightly or wrongly!

It was an enjoyable spin around Cornwall with my wife, Christobel. We had a marvelous time … but it was nice to get home … drop down to out little mud creek and check our Whimbrel out! I look forward to a sail this week.

And, as most of you are aware, Whimbrel’s head sails are hanked…

 

The Queenborough Harbour Trust began putting on a traditional boat festival some seasons ago. Last year (2017) there was on the whole a very successful event, albeit that a ‘raft’ of yachts did not pitch up. My understanding was that some 2, 500 people visited over the weekend. enjoying  host of yachts, the spritsail barge Cambria and a number of little tugs including the Kent, a relic of Knights once majestic fleet. These latter vessels I do not consider to be ‘traditional’ in the yachting sense, however they deserve their place.

This year it was very different at the 2018 festival.

As a forerunner to the festival, in a way, I’d read on the Medway and Swale Boating Asssociation web site a paper written by the current chair, Brian Corbett, about the Medway & Swale basin holding a large part of the national reserve of maritime heritage afloat and much more along its shores…

http://msba.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/RIVER-MEDWAY-WORLD-HERITAGE-CENTRE.pdf

Bow of Finesse 21 Ivy May and Finesse 24 Whimbrel

But first…

We set off from our moorings on Canvey Island, Essex, in Whimbrel on Thursday on a glorious early afternoon to ensure we were across the Thames as the forecast for Friday was a little confusing. The weather was absolutely benign with a reasonable westerly blowing down the estuary. It was a ‘get over there run’ with a little engine power to break the back of the spring tide in Sea Reach. Engine silenced, we whooshed past Grain Fort some twenty minutes before high water, crossing on the inside…

Passing inside Grain Fort…

A deep tack took us to Swale Ness and after a very short length of time it was obvious that to make our ‘westing’ the diesel would be needed: it doesn’t do one’s soul good when the next tack begins to track you down from whence you’ve just come … reaching Tailness the engine was once again silenced and we forged over the ebb to anchor down the west shore along Greenborough Marsh.

The late afternoon gave way to a night to remember – we were one of around five craft anchored there.

I popped off in the dinghy whilst cooking supper …

 

A glorious sky over Greenborough…

Supper over, I again pottered off for a little sail in the Twitch the tender, while Christobel cleared away. After a short but enjoyable potter listening to the goings on along the mud edges I returned to light the riding light and let the world know where we were should it come crashing up Stangate!

The soft glow of the cabin’s oil lamps flickered across the barely ruffled surface…

During the late evening numerous stars shone down upon us and across the sky and from around five hot air balloons, orange glows which every now and then flickered out, passed over adding to the enchantment. And, along the mud edge waders squabbled over territory before the a quiet descended…

The morning was rather different. The boat was rocking and rolling to a northerly induced wind over tide popple. With breakfast over we decided to set off early for Queenborough.

Tacking out of Stangate…

Near Blackstakes with deck awash at times we hit a bit of a wave … Christobel said it was the first time she’d had spray this summer…

 

It hit me too, which is most unusual: I usually duck behind her…

Then, passing Queenborough Spit we dumped the jib and sailed on under mainsail until well inside the harbour. A cheerful call back from ‘Sheppey One’ told us to pick up one of two buoys, which we duly did. The weather changed as we sailed in from the spit buoy. The sky, so grey and threatening, had broken and a ‘summer’ blue returned and with it heat!

With bags of time on our hands we went off ashore and enjoyed a walk out to the Morrison’s complex beyond Rushenden. It is a pleasant walk if you take the first right hand turn after the rail bridge, opposite the CoOp … and follow the pathway along the old creek. There is a pub up there and other outlets…

At Queenborough changes are afoot. On the way in I’d seen that the old commercial mooring buoys had gone and new trots were in the process of being laid. Alongside the walkway to the All Tide Landing, a floating crane barge was sat upon the mud flats. Men were busy dropping in piles and connecting securing brackets. A recent ‘notice’ had told of this. Finger pontoons are due to be fitted too on the flats on the northern side.

Walkway piling…

Returning to Whimbrel we watched as the ‘first’ of the weekends craft arrived.

The bawley, Doris.

Soothsayer, a Hilliard  30′ aft cockpit 8 tonner TM, sloop.

Soothsayer berthing alongside another majestic vessel. the Amaris.

The Amaris is a one off built at Sutton Boat Builders at Great Wakering in Essex. She was designed by A. P. Bayzand of Wooton, Isle of Wight. She measures 32′ by 9′ 6″ with a draft of 3′ 6″ and 6′ 6″ with her centre plate down. She’s a ’10-tonner’ in Thames measure parlance. Her owner is a proud man indeed … sadly his wife is not a sailor, something all too common. However, she had dispatched owner and crew (a Finesse 24 owner) away with a ‘freezer’ full of pre-cooked grub. The boat had sailed round from Pagglesham that morning…

 

Afternoon tea Aboard Whimbrel.

Domesticity aboard Amaris…

The ex Knights tug Kent.

View across Soothsayer taking in Doris and the little river tug Sir Hendrix.

Visitors boarding Doris on the Saturday.

The little clinker yacht Hjordis sat all alone on the inside of an empty pontoon.

One view over the main-stay of the traditional fleet…

And another…

The parsimonious numbers of visiting human beings – at one stage there seemed to be more dogs than the former – left plenty of time to wander aboard other vessels. The visitor numbers were well down on the event of last year … I wondered if ‘they’ had got wind of the fact that many of the owners who initially said that they would attend, hadn’t. The turn out was VERY POOR.

There was a busy-ish period for a little while after I’d way-laid punters on the pontoon who didn’t seem to know that ‘we’ were open … being, actually, the traditional fleet. A total of six.

Doris’s mast base with a network of rope…

Doris’s owner in deep conversation with the proud owners of Soothsayer which berths at Hundred of Hoo YC.

Sunday came round and as soon as the boat alongside us departed we were away too. A couple of sailing/boating acquaintances came aboard during the last part of the event … one leaving almost as we let go! It was nice to see them. Both agreed that it was a poor do…

Whimbrel sailing into Smallgains Creek on the eastern end of Canvey Island. We ‘dumped’ sail as our mooring reared up and slid in home…

Right: here is the moan. But firstly, I should say that we enjoyed meeting some new people, however, both of us felt that we’d ‘thrown’ an opportunity to sail round to Conyer for an overnight stay and visit to The Ship…

I felt especially saddened for the people at The Queenborough Harbour Trust. I told a member of the MSBA that if yacht owners don’t support these events then they won’t happen. And, especially in light of the recent paper published on the MSBA web site in which the proposed purpose is to activate the authorities to recognise the extent of the maritime heritage that floats on these waters, let alone that which is still evident along its edges. And to provide facilities and events ?? to assist in the maintenance of this heritage.

Now, if I was a local authority ‘big-wig’ looking out at the collection of vessels at Queenborough – less than on a normal yachting weekend – I’d say, ‘Stuff you. You can’t even support what’s on now…’

Food for thought!

 

Many years ago the then owner of a Finesse 27, Bonito, contacted and asked for some advice about selling his vessel … I can’t remember what I said, but the but appeared on the east coast from its old home down near Southampton. I came across her in a yard in Woodbridge and had a look around her on the outside. Some work was in hand and much more needed to be attended to.

Bonito when I came across her in Woodbridge.

The current owners have made contact … been here before … and have asked for advice, etc. The upshot is that the boat is again on the market for a bargain price – the catch is that she needs various bits of work before she can go back into the water.

I have not looked at the boat to see how she currently is so any interested person must make contact with the owners – I take no responsibility for any of the information given. The photographs below are those sent by owner’s partner.

Planking ends in way of the stem – work needed.

 

 

There are some scuffed planks, damage and other possible defects at aft end at transom. Varnish work would need to be entirely stripped off…

The following pictures ‘refused’ to be turned or stay turned when transferred…

 

The forward cockpit bulkhead.

Looking into the main cabin…

The forward cabin….

Between the two cabins is situated, to starboard I believe, the loo compartment and to port is a locker space. The owner’s partner (another Nick) sent me the following details…

‘Hello Nick, 

Here are some photos of Bonito, as you can see it’s quite grim, for someone who appreciates these boats to see. some rot at the front, bit at the back, inside needs doing, my partner is quite capable of doing all this but he is self employed and always has a long list of jobs to do,or else it’s the wrong weather and has numerous other boats to do.

It is advertised on Gumtree, it’s starting to cost too much keeping it in the boatyard and is even thinking of just taking the engine out etc and would have to be cut up if doesn’t sell on soon, which obviously is a travesty with it being of the rare length.

It’s on gumtree for £750 or offers,

We would be happy for you to advertise as you please on the places you mentioned, 

Kind regards,

Suzie and Nick‘

Contact is Suzanne Morris at: suzannemorris@btinternet.com

Contact telephone number: 07769 535262

The Finesse 27 is a rarity: there are as far as is known only two examples, although Shirley Platt believes they did in fact build three of them. Tugela, sail number 101, was the first. She is currently berthed up on the Ore at Orford (or was…). The Finesse 28, re-drawn by Maurice Griffiths followed, neither were built in any great number. There are around five ’28ss’ so this vessel is a rare bird.

It would be a shame to see her go. She is not old, dating from around 1980.

She is unique amongst the larger Finesse class of having a centre plate that fits within a keel slot. The hauling wire came up through into a steel tube bolted to the keel plate top and the winch arranged above the waterline just inside the cabin doors.

If anyone takes this vessel on, do please make contact through this site.

There is an active list of like minded owners which I currently maintain and we meet once a year for a rally on the east coast. Brightlingsea has been proposed for the 2019 venue.

See:

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

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/finesseowners

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

Note: the facebook group is a closed group and you will need to ‘apply’ to become a member. You will be asked what your interest is…

I understand that the boat is on an auction site too…

Go on…

Queenborough Harbour Trust is holding its traditional boat festival next weekend – Saturday 29th & Sunday 30th September – with many of the craft congregating on the Friday. Whimbrel is due to be there and with current weather predictions, will be.

Two pictures from a past event as vessels began to arrive. Many are berthed on the pontoon and can be visited. Others are moored close by and a motor boat will be taking people round the harbour to view these…

 

 

Visit the Queenborough Harbour Trust sites for details of activities.

 

Between coming home from our summer cruising and the beginning of September, I took my oldest brother (‘home’ from Canada for a few weeks) and my sister away for a flying trip up to Pin Mill and back – but that’s another story.

So, after we had seen ‘big bro’ off to the airport, my wife and I went away for a few days together – we often do this at this time of the year – the ‘going back to school’ period –  and it is a great to be away, especially for the Mate: she was a school teacher, in her past life! We departed from our moorings on Canvey Island with a light easterly breeze and soon found we needed some assistance from our diesel out in the Thames fairway to ‘crack’ the last of the flood. Once heading in a southerly direction round and across the Grain flats, Whimbrel’s sails were spread and we wafted over the young ebb on a gathering sea breeze.

Running into the Medway over a rippled sparkling surface…

Christobel, having had a trick at the helm, left me to it, feeding me tea as and when, reading and completing the Times ‘junior’ crossword. Her forte is the word square!

Relaxed sailing…

With such a nice breeze on a sunny afternoon I thought about running on up to Upnor, but we decided to continue to plan and anchor somewhere in Stangate. Ultimately we dropped the hook in Funton Creek – a nice little spot.

During the latter part of the afternoon I pottered off in the dinghy for a walk along the tidal shore of Chetney Island. I’d spotted bricks and some crumbling brickwork from the boat, albeit seen before, and wanted an updated look. The island was briefly used as a quarantine station in the late 1800s, however, it proved to be as uneffective as ‘marooning people aboard ships: it was damp and the air was alive with mosquitoes! The expensive buildings were abandoned within a year. Whether or not these remains are part of the hospital, I currently do not know.

Loose bricks and masonry chunks on Chetney’s beach.

I have heard through a contact that a survey of the island was due to be carried out to record what was left behind after the debacle … it’ll filter my way at some point, surely! Whilst walking the tide line I came across a chunk of ‘barge’. It had clearly come from the aft end of the spritsail barge Westmoreland which has resided in a lighter up Lower Halstow Creek for a few years. The lighter sank last year and the barge’s aft end ‘floated away’ leaving a trail of debris scattered around the neighbourhood. Her transom and stern frame are out there somewhere…

Section of covering board and transom knee from starboard quarter of the Westmoreland.

It was a glorious evening in the creek. The mud flats and shell ‘humps’ that fill over half of the creek at low water were alive with waders and serenaded our pre-supper tipples … later serenading us to sleep.

The sunset seemed to mark a weather change…

We awoke to a grey day with little in the way of a breeze. It wasn’t cold, but a decided chill was apparent for the first time for many weeks. Various little jobs were attended to as well as periods of reading. I also had a sail up into Bedlams Bottom until I ran out of water. It is surprising how far one can get even towards low water.

Another boat had been in the anchorage when we’d arrived and she quietly left during the morning. At the foot of Stangate a flotilla of craft arrived one by one and all moored to one anchored yacht. It was a group from the Gillingham Cruising Club. It was some raft up … but after lunch time, as the tide began to seriously make, all departed … a ‘boys’ day out!

Whimbrel from the dinghy on that grey day…

Later in the afternoon it brightened and as we’d planned to move anchorage to Sharfleet, we did this via a sail up into Lower Halstow. After grounding on the last leg towards the dock we turned and sailed away … fetching up along the mud edge under the southern shore of Burntwick Island- in the bay. A big yacht followed us in. The helm seemingly glared as ‘he’ passed, did a couple of circuits, before motoring away. ‘What was that all about?’ I said to my Mate. I was left wondering if we’d just anchored in ‘their’ charted spot…

On the way into Lower Halstow, I took a few pictures of the Westmoreland, now dried out again after around six months of twice daily soakings. Her hull is now mud coloured… What’s to happen to her: perhaps it is time to lay her to rest as no funding has been found to support a rebuild – the last of the specifically built brickies…

The sad looking Westmoreland in her floating dock…

And into Lower Halstow…

We ‘enjoyed’ a dose of rain overnight and it was still drizzling when we needed to set off for home. So, for only the second time this ‘summer’ we donned oilies, however it soon brightened into a reasonably pleasant day.

Christobel mans the helm whilst I make coffee…

Whilst waiting for the tide and clearing the boat up, a sailing canoe came wafting up the Ray in the stiffish breeze manned by two chaps. One was sitting out and moving to the gusts … and they reminded me of the joys of mid-week sailing as a member of the retired community. We had seen several dozed craft over our few days – it was great. So many people say, ‘Oh the weather was bad … we’ve had bags of wind this year…’ (have we??) or, ‘… I couldn’t be bothered…’ I wonder sometimes…

A sailing canoe reveling in the conditions…

Our next sail was to be a group sail of three Finesse 24’s from the Island Yacht Club. Unfortunately, one skipper got himself a very nasty chest infection resulting in a course of antibiotics, so the group was reduced to two boat – no matter we were intent on a good time, weather permitting. It had been windy leading up to the weekend and another period showed late on the Sunday … we had to be home for Sunday as Christobel was due for a visit to our local eye hospital for a cataract to be removed, so all plans revolved round that need.

Being able to break clear of our moorings earlier than the other boat, we waited awhile and departed virtually together. There was a bit of a breeze, probably more than stated, but Whimbrel reveled under working sail. The other Finesse 24 was Calluna of Dorset. The cutter rigged Calluna only set her staysail forward too and we roped across the Thames more or less keeping station. For some reason, after hardening to sail directly across the Grain flats inside the Grain Tower, Calluna fell astern … even though we as usual had out dinghy, Twitch, pacifically trundling along astern.

Calluna sets sail astern of Whimbrel…

Over ‘The Grain’ towards Queenborough with a bone in her teeth…

It was a grand sail and had we left when first afloat we’d have arrived on high water, however the tide was still flowing south as we moored to an arranged mooring buoy. No sooner had we got our fenders out and Calluna slipped alongside … just in time to share our pot of tea. Calluna’s mate quickly dished out some delightful tea bread, homemade of course!

Tea finished, drinks were served aboard Whimbrel, and with offerings from our friends we had a happy 3/4 of an hour … the boatman came twice for us. I think it had something to do with my mate: she’d dished him up a scone stuffed with berry jam when dealing with fees … he said he’d only come to check and natter and sit against too ladies. Hmmmmmm!

 

Finesse…

Eventually we went ashore … with me looking fondly back… Picture – Rob Hardy

Now, some while ago Christobel and I had a dire meal at the Flying Dutchman, however, it was decided amongst us that we would try again for their fish and chips have been good. In the event only one of us had the fried variety – we had skate – another had a ‘burger’ disk. All was good, but I remain unconvinced.

P.S. I have to say (Paul, out in New Zealand) I did ‘force’ (it was no effort) all and sundry into the Admiral’s Arm where a good pint was enjoyed, well two actually. Yes, and a pickled egg dropped into a bag of crisps…

Following our relatively early return to the boats, we all sat around Whimbrel’s cockpit drinking coffee and sipping some sloe gin which had a lovely bouquet, courtesy of Calluna’s crew.

Sunrise on Saturday…

The forecast for Sunday had had winds of force 6+, but initially the strong stuff was for Sunday evening, nicely placed for our trip, however the period moved into Sunday morning so it was decided to head home whilst it remained good. Shame: Conyer had been the plan… I think my companion sailors were a little disappointing, as I was … but a hospital appointment can’t be missed!

On the Saturday morning while Whimbrel was being tidied after breakfast, I slipped away for a turn around the harbour in Twitch. It provided an enjoyable interlude before preparing for our departures. The wind direction across the boats dictated that we slipped first. We dropped off and I soon had the mainsail hoisted, then Genoa – we were away. Calluna soon followed.

Two fair ladies resting in Queenborough…

The breeze was quite light initially, but soon began to increase – again beyond the stated forecast – and Whimbrel had about as much sail pressure as was needed. We hit 7 knots closing Southend Pier…

The buoy known as ‘Leigh’ at the entrance to the Ray Channel was moved about 200 metres to the east recently – this has caused a few boats to run aground when they thought their ‘normal’ approach was still good. We had to slip in a couple of tacks (before tacking all way up to Smallgains Creek) to get through the narrow bit. This, incidentally is by a non-existent buoy marked on my GPS! The channel is out exactly the width of the blue shown, being to the north. There is a hump of sand which has a sharp rise from several metres and can be clearly seen if sailing close … ah the joys eh!

Tacking up the Ray Channel, on a good fetch at the point photographed … beyond seal

We anchored off our creek and had a light snack for a good breakfast had been enjoyed that morning. Soon after berthing Calluna came in too, nosing into her berth … a short but lovely little outing. It was good to get out with fellow Finesse owners. Thanks Rob & Barbara, from us both. We missed you Gypsy! Next June we will have another go at getting two owners who have never been to Conyer.

A view looking into ‘wooden boat corner’ from the edge of what was named as ‘Canvey Heights’ some years ago when a ‘tip’ was made into a park space.

The two jaunts were full of contrast and it is that recipe which makes up the magical joys of estuary sailing…