Category: Yacht cruising

Reward offered for missing dinghy

A dinghy belonging to William Bourne disappeared from a Medway Cruising Club mooring (STA16) just downstream from PHB 26 some time between 2030 on the evening of Saturday 19 June and 1430 on the afternoon of Sunday 20 June. It may have come adrift on its own but it may have been stolen. It is a GRP white dinghy with a dark rubber rubbing strake. It is marked “Tender to Marlin” and has Medway Ports 2021 sticker on it.  Inside it has William’s mobile phone number stencilled in it and a reward is being offered for the dinghy’s recovery.

UPDATE: the dinghy has been found. It was not stolen.

Swale Regatta, 25-27 June 2021

Nigel Stevens writes: The plan this year is very much a do what we can approach given the way Covid has dominated much of our lives for the past year or so.  Despite the formal documents (below) we are really trying to keep the fun spirit of the regatta alive so would really encourage entrants from nervous first time “racers” as well as perhaps the more seasoned skippers.  If people approach it with the attitude that it is long weekend of cruising in company then they hopefully won’t be disappointed.

Unfortunately the Swale Regatta website has crashed and we haven’t been able to get it back in time, so all entrants are asked to drop me an email at Nigelstevens8071@hotmail.co.uk with some basic details and I can get back to them as necessary.

Swale-Regatta-2021-Notice-of-Race-PDFDownload
Swale-Regatta-Sailing-Instructions-2021-PDFDownload

Medway sailor dies after fall from boat

A local yachtsman died on Sunday morning after falling into the mud from his boat at Lower Halstow Yacht Club.

A LHYC spokesman said: “We can confirm a club member who had been staying overnight on his boat, which was on its mooring just off the club’s jetty and slipway, fell from his boat on to the soft mud of Halstow Creek. We understand a local resident heard shouting and alerted the police at around 2am. At the time the tide would have been approaching the moored yacht.

“We understand the police recovered him from the water some time later using a dinghy from the club. Both Sheppey Coastguard and Sheerness lifeboat were tasked at around 3.30am, some one-and-a-half hours after the initial report to the police. The casualty was a well-respected member and experienced sailor. Our thoughts go out to his wife and family.”

More information at Kent Online…

CA talk: Thanet and Kentish Flats Wind Farms, Thu 11 March, 7pm

The Cruising Association Kent Section’s popular “winter warmer” talks, organised by Clifford Mickleburgh, have not stopped for Covid. All of us, CA member or not, can enjoy them online. 

A team from Vattenfall Wind Power Limited will talk about the Thanet and Kentish Flats Wind Farms, how the wind farms are operated and maintained, and the role of the marine co-ordinator.  The talk will also explore green hydrogen, the fuel of the future, and its co-location with wind farms.

Melanie Rogers is the Local Vattenfall Liaison Officer for the Kent region. Throughout the year, she leads the local outreach and engagement programme. She is also a regular speaker to local groups and organisations to give them the opportunity to learn more about renewable energy and their local projects.

Powering UK homes Since the first Kent wind farm – Kentish Flats – was built a decade ago, offshore wind has become an affordable, reliable and vital part of the UK energy system. By 2030, 30GW of offshore wind is expected to be installed in the UK. Vattenfall could power more than 4 million UK homes.

Kingsferry Bridge restrictions 8-11 March

Peel Ports have been notified of scheduled maintenance work at Kingsferry Bridge between the above dates meaning lifting restrictions will be imposed affecting all vessels. Work to rectify issues with the gates will result in NO bridge lifts being possible during the periods stated below.

Beware of Wreck on Segas SC moorings

Peel Ports have been notified of a sunken vessel on the Segas Sailing Club moorings at the following approximate position: 51°24.017’N. 000° 33.842’E . This is roughly opposite Gillingham Marina. The wreck is believed to be a red motor launch/cruiser, 22-23ft long, which is occasionally visible at low water is now marked with an unlit, yellow ‘pellet’ buoy denoted “Wreck”. When practicable an attempt to recover the vessel will be made and once complete a cancellation to this notice will be promulgated. Until the obstruction is removed all mariners should keep clear of the area. Peel Ports NtoM 18/2021 refers.

CA talk: Islands of the Medway by Adam Taylor, to be repeated Tues 23 Feb, 7pm

The Cruising Association Kent Section’s brilliant “winter warmer” talks, organised by Clifford Mickleburgh, have not stopped for Covid. All of us, CA member or not, can enjoy them online. This month’s talk is by Adam Taylor who regularly represents Medway Council at MSBA meetings. Clifford had a preview and was amazed at how much there is to learn about the Medway, Adam has put in a lot of energy researching his presentation and you will not be disappointed. Here’s a taste:
* Deadman’s Island: Kent’s terrifying forgotten island littered with human remains.
* Tom Court Island and the German U-Boat.
* William Turner’s painting at Stangate Creek.  

Look out, it’s the Excise Men!

This is the River Medway that nobody knows and yet we enjoy sailing up and down this fascinating river. And then we have the Reculver smugglers battling with the Excise officers; the once inhabited islands and the fortress islands. But don’t let us spoil it for you, this is a river that nobody knows, a talk not to be missed.

Adam suggests that you might also like to search  National Library of Scotland – Map Images  before his presentation.

APOLOGY: We’re sorry that the number of people trying to access Adam’s excellent presentation very quickly exceeded Clifford’s Zoom limit of 100, far more than have previously attended a CA winter warmer meeting. Furthermore the session was not recorded – unless someone knows differently. We’ll try to make sure this doesn’t happen next time!

HOWEVER, for those who missed out, Adam repeated the talk on Tuesday 23 Feb at 7pm.

RYA Virtual Cruising Conference, 21 March 2021

Bookings for this year’s RYA Cruising Conference are now open!  The online event has a packed schedule to interest regular and novice cruisers alike. Topics will include real-life stories from fellow cruisers, as well as practical cruising advice from the RYA experts and all the latest updates on travelling around the EU.

Places are free for RYA Members and just £10 for non-members. Tickets will allow you access to not only the live speaker sessions but also to the exhibition area where you will be able to visit virtual stands and chat with experts. You can also learn more about the current trends in the cruising world by watching the pre-recorded presentations and videos.  

Register to book your online place here.