During a walk this week round ‘the Wakerings’ in Essex, a secluded and out of the way place even though Southend looms close, I came across a wharf I’d been looking for. During the walk we found something else I found a little disturbing too. It is something the authorities must, surely, be aware of……

It seems a long while ago now when I was in the Cotswolds with the mate on a tour of west Wessex… It was about the time of the first of the long line of lows that have struck Britain this winter. I seem to remember it came ashore in Devon and Dorset… It was a…

I ordered some books from one of my publishers recently … delivery was arranged as per normal – with specific leaving instructions to leave in a specified dry place, if out. Upon the mate and I returning home from a weekend away, we found amongst the mail on the door mat a delivery note – out…

It was with much sadness, I’m sure, that many sailors will have learnt of the death of the Reverend Christopher Coutauld, one of Britain’s finest public spirited philanthropists. Christopher died at his home in Gosfield, Essex, on the 11th January 2014. My thoughts and that of the mate are with his family. Christopher, after initially…

During a ‘passage’ depositing family in Cambridge, doing the Anglia Afloat mini boat show in Suffolk and going on to Norwich to see an exhibition of East Anglian art at the Sainsbury Centre, the mate and I visited all our sister counties… The display of works at the Sainsbury Centre, buried deep in the conglomeration…

A little while ago I had a ‘discussion’ with a Finesse friend about boat shows … I last went to a major show, around 15 years ago, I think! Once one has what suits them what is the point in wandering, aimlessly, around looking at row upon row of very expensive craft. Now don’t get…

The 2014 Essex Book Festival is nearly upon us … a veritable feast of events are listed in the festival menu this year. I shall be taking part in multi-author event on Wednesday 26th March 2014 at 1400. The session is around two hours long with a break. The event has been titled: Schooldays, Heydays,…

The Wapping Group of Artists annual exhibition takes place in February at the Mall Galleries. The gallery is situated just inside the Mall Gate from Trafalgar Square. Having previously experienced an exhibition last year of paintings by the group and the exhibition of the Royal Society of Marine Artists last autumn I am sure it…

Sailing out of Smallgains Creek… Hi All, My nephew who set this all up for me has decided I needed an update … so here goes, this is a try out…! Well it worked. There are a couple of items that can be viewed from times gone by. I shall start afresh but information about…

The forecast for a cruise up to the Orwell for a meeting of the east coast branch of the RNSA was not of the best. The weather has been somewhat indifferent since the end of March, however, undaunted, for there was a window of opportunity, I decided it was on and my crew joined as…

Some while ago I took a friendly fan from New Zealand out for a sail on Whimbrel. The chap has done quite well while back in Blighty. Two sails on two different Finesse 24s and two sails up at Horning. The second was to take part in the 3 Rivers Race, which he thoroughly enjoyed.The…