Gillingham Marina Fun Day, 28 July
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Sailing Instructor Wanted
If you are an RYA qualified sailing instructor, Faversham Sea Cadets need you! There are opportunities for subsidised career development. If you are available please contact P.O. Goldsmith at b.t.goldsmith@talk21.com
Faversham Nautical Festival is success
Faversham Nautiocal Festival went with a swing at the weekend (14+15 July) with colourful traditional vessels, sea shanty singers and stands from all sorts of voluntary organisations.
Rochester Pier closures, 14 + 20 July
Marion Phillips from Medway Council advises that Rochester Pier will be temporarily closed from 1pm on the following two dates for fireworks displays:
- · Saturday 14 July – Last night of the Proms
- · Friday 20 July – Medway Mile
The events organiser has given assurances that the pier will be properly cleared of debris after both events.
River Festival Wash-up, 24 July
Verne Sanderson advises us that the Medway River Festival wash-up (and planning for 2019) for the river community groups is on Tuesday 24 July at 12pm at the Brook Theatre. It would be helpful if you could please confirm attendance or otherwise. Phone Verne on 01634 338302 or email verne.sanderson@medway.gov.uk
Outboard thieves foiled at Queenborough
Recovering the stolen outboard from the Swale mud
Harbour Manager Emma Crompton tells us what happened. On the afternoon of 25 June, an alert mooring holder at Queenborough Harbour spotted three chaps in an inflatable dinghy removing an outboard from another boat. The harbour team quickly came over in the trot boat while the police were called. One of the thieves disembarked with the outboard in the mud by the coal washer, only to drop it in his struggle to get ashore. The other two went back to the slipway but when they saw the police they headed back to the coal washer area where they abandoned the dinghy. Their two vehicles contained marine equipment stolen from Devon the night before, though the three suspects, who were subequently arrested, were from Kent, though not local. The inflatable dinghy had been stolen from the tender park in March! Emma and some helpers managed to recover the outboard from the mud before the tide claimed it – see photo.
This just shows how brazen the thieves are and how important it is to be alert to suspicious activity.
It’s getting worse! Please report all PWC incidents
Although many owners of personal watercraft (PWCs or jetskis) are responsible, anyone can see reckless and irresponsible behaviour almost any day on the Medway and the Swale. These craft are usually launched from Commodore’s Hard at Gillingham, where the MSBA has installed a high definition camera (see video above), or near Kingsferry Bridge on the Swale, where jetskiers have regularly tried to sink small craft on the boat club moorings presumably for fun. There have been several life-threatening incidents but the perpetrators are invariably abusive when challenged. At Gillingham the Medway Watersports Centre has had to cancel youth activities because of the jetskiers’ apparently drunken and dangerous behaviour. Peel Ports, as the statutory harbour authority, have a duty to enforce the bye-laws but will not do so unless we report all incidents. Please download the form below and use it to report ALL incidents to the MSBA and we will pass them on to Peel Ports. Email your reports to secretary@msba.org.uk
Swale Regatta, 29 June – 1 July 2018
The Swale Regatta is this weekend with races on Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning. More details on Swale Regatta website.
Nore Race, 23 June
Four boats from Hoo Ness YC made it to the Nore Race and Lodestar (a classic Stella sailed by Mark and Helen Montgomery-Smith) won its class. See Benfleet YC website for the full provisional results. Winds were lighter and some of the slower boats struggled against the strong ebb.
Pirates Cave Event, Sat 30 June
