Well over two years ago I sent Yachting Monthly an article discussing what goes on in a salt marsh creek yacht club’s work party: very often the yachting press covers the good deeds of ‘club officers’, but it is rare, if unknown, for the guys (boys and girls) who do what is needed to make…

‘No boats…’ my mate said, when we booked a holiday in East Kent – an area briefly looked into many years ago on a flying visit to Sandwich. With the Isle of Thanet, the eastern part of Kent is oft forgotten as a place of interest. We had a thoroughly good time and saw some…

I have become aware of another Finesse 24 up for sale. She is a lovely gaffer called Mariette. The lovely lady was owned by a friend for a number of years before he sold her to the current owner. The vessel had her centre plate removed some years ago, but, being a gaffer, it doesn’t…

I was reminded recently soon after the latest RYA magazine fluttered through the letter box about seeing an autonomous vessel in Harwich Harbour. The Autumn 2019 RYA magazine carries an article about an autonomous vessel crossing the North Sea this summer. The one in question sailed from West Mersea to Oostende in 22 hours with…

I was busy working among the merry band of members at my yacht club yesterday (Saturday) at the weekend work party when I saw a boat in slings coming into a new section of yard we’ve taken over from a boat yard. We’re busy ripping out decrepit rickety finger jetties and rebuilding new sound ones…

After the trials and tribulations of last summer and my subsequent treatment for prostate cancer, I decided during the spring of this year (with my good Mate’s agreement) to go wandering this summer. The boat’s travels ranged from North Kent up to Iken Cliff on the River Alde, covering a few miles short of 700…

My continuing ‘Prostate Story’… See for earlier blogs: http://nickardley.com/ditch-crawler-sails-onward-radio-therapy-done-with-freshly-antifouled-we-chased-barges-on-the-medway-2019-match/ Time ran on nicely as we pottered around the rivers Blackwater, Colne and subsidiary creeks, but in the back of my mind was my looming appointment for the first post radio therapy check up. We had a few days at home – a 20/20 cricket match at…

This time last year was an extremely hard time for me, Christobel, ‘the boy’, as well as for my family and friends. That is all history now… I was reminded of it all (as if one needed to be) upon meeting a boat at Brightlingsea with a nice couple aboard. They’d once ‘stopped me’ whilst…

Earlier this year Christobel and I received an invitation to attend the official launch of the Sea-change Sailing Trust’s new Thames spritsail barge, Blue Mermaid. The barge is a ‘faithful’ replica of the original sunk by a magnetic mine during WW2. Her remains sit somewhere near the old position of the West Hook Middle Buoy…

How many of you walk past moored craft in a harbour and DON’T look around at the craft around you? I suspect, not many and like me you pass an eye over them, quizzically or otherwise. The point I would like to make is that one sees an awful lot of craft, traditional especially, where…

My previous post had a little film clip of me sailing on the morning of my last radio therapy session – the hospital staff were very impressed! Link: http://nickardley.com/ditch-crawler-sails-into-last-radio-therapy-session/ On the morning my end session was due, I wasn’t sure whether to be excited or thankful. I think every emotion would fit: it’s been a testing…

On the last day of my radio therapy for prostate cancer, I enjoyed a fabulous sail… See: https://www.facebook.com/nick.ardley/videos/pcb.1089499444593655/1089457137931219/?type=3&theater It was just the tonic needed! See earlier posts: Ditch-crawler moves smoothly into second half of radio therapy…  

Yes, I have reached half way, well, I have gone over the line now by a couple of days! It feels good, I feel good and most of all, Christobel is so, so, pleased. Bless her cotton socks (or should I say, many coloured legs, which she favours! But, bless her, she is feeling as…

Finesse 24, Snowgoose I have learnt that Snowgoose has not yet been sold yet. There was interest from a chap who contacted for advice, but he decided against. She’s a nice looking boat. She’s out of the water … her owner lives in Guernsey and is listed with the Finesse Group but with no contact…

Our maintenance of Whimbrel has continued whilst I have been ‘popping off’ to Southend Hospital for daily sessions of radiation for my prostate cancer treatment. I finished getting the bad areas around the cabin sides and rubbing band coated a sufficient number of times then on Good Friday afternoon (after doing a Walk of Witness…

Prostate Cancer update four… I began my radiotherapy sessions on Wednesday just gone. I have been a little  worried about this due to the ‘dire’ warnings, but I did get through the ‘bracky’ without a hitch, so … but the why and wherefores do not always meet with sense and sensibility… The day before this,…

For some while now I have been stripping back areas of varnish that have succumbed to damp. Some were ‘attacked’ back in the warm days enjoyed in February – a dodgy exercise – which I got away with. All other areas have now been sanded back and a gradual build up of coatings applied. More…

The first three weeks of March were exceedingly windy and there was no opportunity to get afloat for any sailing, however, on the Monday before my appointment with my oncology experts the wind dropped and I headed down to the creek a little after 0700 … by just before 0800, I was sailing out of…

Part 3 of my prostate cancer tale… To see earlier posts: Ditch-crawler asks of his male fellow sailors ‘…have you been tested yet?’ Prostate cancer up-date… I learnt last week about another chap who’d read my story and eventually summoned the courage to go to his GP surgery and ask for a prostate test (PSA).…

Cor, blimey, it has been a windy old week in the eastern quarter, and elsewhere, I believe too … so with a bit of time on our hands we hightailed to Maldon to complete a few jobs: Christobel has been on the look out for some new cushion inserts. Everywhere one looks, there are cushions…