The Medway Council have scheduled the Medway River Festival one day event for Sunday, 16 June 2019 and we are taking the opportunity to invite the DBA and historic vessels to come to the Medway for the weekend of Saturday and Sunday 15 &16 June 2019, to celebrate the designation of the historic ports of the Medway as the first of the British Isles ‘Heritage Harbours’.

There is, as yet, little information available from the council, about this years river festival. However a flavour of the event can be gained from last years river activities management plan, sent by separate email.

The involvement of the visiting vessels in the Sunday river festival is primarily the parade of sail. This coincides with high water, early in the afternoon, allowing vessels berthed in Basin 1 to conveniently lock out and back in. Free flow may be available for a short period on the day. Each vessel taking part will form up behind the leader, the local historic tug ‘Kent’ in the bend of the river at Chatham Ness, off Sun Pier, at a time to be confirmed. The fleet will sail down stream to the to the bend in the river between Upnor Castle and the Medway Yacht Club Jetty, and then disperse home or back to their weekend berth.

On the Saturday, 15 June 2019, arrangements will be made for the crews and families of visiting vessels  to visit;  local historic ships (list sent by separate email); the Chatham Historic Dockyard, including the Greenwich Maritime collection of ship models not normally open; the Copper Rivet distillery; historic Rochester; Upnor Castle, and; if required, public access to inspect their vessel.

Berths for visiting vessels will be available;  in the Chatham Maritime MDL Marina; the historic ship mooring areas of Basin 1; alongside the MDL waiting pontoon; on the ship trot moorings off the historic dockyard, and; alongside barges in the river, near Sun Pier.  Some yacht club moorings will also be available.

An evening dining / party event will be arranged , possibly at the Medway Yacht Club.

Further details will be forwarded when available.