Fluttering through the post some while ago came an invitation to attend the Art of the Sea exhibition at the Mall Gallery just off Trafalgar Square. It was sent by Hadleigh (Essex) based artist Alan Runagall who is a society member, as well as being a Wapping Group Artist. Alan’s work is varied but ‘the Thames’…

For some time now the world at large that has even a modicum of concern for the environment has been reluctant to use plastic bags, but they do have some good uses. Sailing yesterday up towards Benfleet after a beat eastwards against the flood we sailed past two moored craft with strings of supermarket bags…

Ah yes, it’s that time again. A time for ripened fruits, glorious colour and misty mornings which often last well on into the afternoon… A couple of weeks ago we drove out to Dartford taking in a visit to Bluewater where a M&S do a good selection of mens bits, then we drove into old…

It seems a long while ago now, but we went into Faversham to attend the maritime festival where Whimbrel was an exhibit! Just as we were leaving a mooring out in the East Swale the gas ran out – no problem: the chalndlers always has some … then the loo failed to pump out ……

This year Whimbrel made it into the Ore & Alde. I had a crew of three aboard with me, my sister and two buddies, a nice couple from down in wild Wiltshire. They’d boarded the day before and we’d had a glorious sail up from Pin Mill. Initially, we were going to stop off at…

A week in politics is a age but a week away from the water is an eternity… My old sailing buddy who skipped out of his booked sails last year ‘pleaded’ to be allowed to come back aboard … of course there wasn’t any problem with that for he has always been a good ship…

Ah yes, it all seems such a long time ago now … our summer started with an invite to do the post match report for the 50th of new series of Medway Bage Matches, on my part, and hand out cups on my mate’s part. That done we cruised for a week around the Medway…

Bradwell Marina is a place oft used by many up and down the coast. It is especially useful as a jumping off point for passages northwards or southwards, as in my own case if one peruses our log books. One of the other reasons it has, over the years, proved useful is the fact that…

Time was creeping on and after loitering with intent … in Maldon, we broke free and sailed off down river to Lawling Creek, a fine place for a shoal draft vessel to rest at anchor. Rest wasn’t our reason for being there: Whimbrel’s  bottom needed a scrub. This was done on Mundon Stone, settling some 2…

During a visit to Maldon I had opportunity to get closer to a little gem of a barge yacht. I’d seen her on the water some years ago but not had a real look… How the vessel works as a sailing vessel I have no idea: down sizing, as has been done here, reducing everything in…

I’ve been adrift now for a little while and during that time some fellow clinker boats have caught my eye, so I have a clinker fest for you all… The craft types are wide and varied and by no means anywhere near a ‘collection’ – they form a small number of the type of construction that…

Ah yes, during this last week, my crew and I had a splendid tack down the Alde and Ore from above Aldeburgh before taking a long reach seawards directly out of the entrance several miles offshore. Another 24 footer puttered out after us, right on our tail, having passed us and then come back round in…

Having made a coastal passage up to the Walton Backwaters, my second port choice. Pin Mill was the original destination but when the wind tracked round from south-west to north by the time I’d reached The Naze, it was a no brainer… So here I am! Last evening I enjoyed a pleasant pottery sail from…

Transoms vary an awful lot, but do they really? Some transoms are handsome for sure, especially amongst the ‘classic’ fraternity, others less so. What they all collectively share is that the shape has a great deal to do with the overall look of a vessel, its hull lines and runs aft. Some rise up above the waterline whilst…

Around the east coast areas from Suffolk down to N. Kent it isn’t unusual to come across abandoned vessels tucked into the salting or out on some mud flat. While in Scotland recently, around the Western Isles, I came across a group of abandoned fishing vessels ‘laid up’ alongside a shallow stone built wharf. Laid…

Ah yes, we’re going to make it here this season: strangely, but for reasons rather unusual, we (I) have yet to depart northwards. A little something about a person’s 60th and a jaunt around the waters bounding the western isles’ of Scotland came first… We’ve been unfaithful! Whimbrel sailing out of Faversham on a fine…

Up Lawling Creek there has for many years been one of the friendliest little marinas we’ve had the pleasure to drop into – The Blackwater Marina. http://www.blackwater-marina.co.uk/ My mate and I recently went over to those parts, by road, for a visit to the Sea-change Sailing Trust to deposit a collection box … while there…

My next book is getting closer to fruition … I now have the ISBN and over cover details. Title: Swinging the Lamp – Thames Estuary Tidal Tales ISBN: 978-1-78155-478-2 Price: £18.99 Size: 248 x 172 Pages: 224 Plates: Aproximately 110 with a colour section of 75 plates. More details on my ‘books’ page…  

Some while ago I received a communication from the Medway Barge Match Committee asking if I would like to compile and deliver the post barge match report at the prize giving event … the mate was also asked to present the various cups and platters. We were both honoured to be asked and to accept. Historical…

A sailing friend who we (That’s the mate and me) have a lot of time for, and his mate too of course, contacted this week with news that they have sadly put their lovely Finesse 24, Josie, up for sale. The boat is sail/hull number 63 and was built at the same time, more or…