Peel Ports is the first Port group in the UK to take delivery of an autonomous unmanned survey vessel, which completed its first successful trial at Crosby Marine Lake, north of Liverpool. Developed by L3 Harris and featuring pioneering technology, the 4.5m vessel, named Fitzroy, weighs 1 ton and carries multibeam sonar equipment capable of high resolution seafloor mapping down to 100m. Fitzroy will soon be deployed on the Medway.
Gavin Parson writes: Last night a rescue helicopter plucked a person from a dinghy stuck on the mud outside Gillingham Marina. Mark Colyer who keeps his hovercraft at the marina witnessed this complete waste of money and resources and subsequently went out in his hovercraft to recover the dinghy. The whole rescue could have been done in minutes and for £2 in fuel with the hovercraft rather than the thousands it no doubt cost for the helicopter. Perhaps there is now a validation for a volunteer rescue hovercraft service on the Medway.
Find out how rowing the Atlantic with your mother has led to inspiring mothers-to-be to stay active! Join Sally Kettle as she shares the ups and downs of rowing the Atlantic Ocean twice from East to West, once with her mother! Sally tells of rough seas, wild storms, harsh living and encounters with marine wildlife, including sharks. Find out how six months at sea in a boat the size of the average bathroom affects the body and, perhaps more importantly, the mind. Sally has raised £500,000 for charitable causes. She is an Ambassador for Girlguiding, and Trustee at the London Sports Trust. She has also served on humanitarian aid missions. During lockdown in 2020 Sally set up The Active Pregnancy Foundation with aims to support women to stay active throughout pregnancy and beyond, by providing expertise & advice, changing culture & challenging policy. She has delivered hundreds of talks around the world, to corporates, community groups and schools. Her ideas have been developed into workshop and training options, commentary, and thought leadership. Recently her ideas found a global audience via the missions of listeners to Radio 4. Sally’s FourThought talk, “Does Hope Help?” expounded her hard won personal philosophy of action overcoming procrastination. She continues to write and present pieces for Radio 4’s ‘From Our Own Correspondent’.
Bromsgrove Boaters is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Sally Kettle – Transatlantic Rower
Time: Apr 21, 2021 07:30 PM London Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/4105524520?pwd=OEoxQXNKTW0xS1ZYU3h1Z20xd2dPUT09
Meeting ID: 410 552 4520
Passcode: 251974
HMS Example visited Chatham Historic Dockyard this week. She is a P2000 Patrol Boat of the Royal Navy Coastal Forces Squadron, supporting some operational training with Port of London Authority and Met Police Marine Unit.
A dinghy was stolen from Upnor Sailing Club dinghy compound some time on Wednesday 31 March after 4.30pm. The police have been notified. It is scruffy, dark blue with a grey interior and marked NOC on the transom. The oars are marked NOCTURNE 34008.
If you see the dinghy or have any information, please contact info@msba.org.uk.
In a surprise move to end confusion with other rivers of the same name, Peel Ports have announced that from 1 April the River Medway will be called River London Medway. A spokesman for the company, now named Peel Ports London Medway, explained that as they legally own the river from Allington to Sheerness this is within their powers and follows an extensive consultation with stakeholders in Liverpool. Another well-placed insider revealed that the “aspirational” change of name is expected to bring new business to the port and increase the value of local property.
To the delight of berth holders, a friendly seal called Ron (other names are available) has taken up residence in Chatham Marina. He is in no hurry to leave and seems to enjoy sailing his model yacht
This 26 ft Bayliner motor cruiser (no name visible) appeared on Temple Marsh this morning trailing its mooring lines. Last night it was on the other side of the river by Hathaway Court.
UPDATE: The boat was towed back to Cuxton Marina by the Strood Yacht Club work boat. Please note it’s a lot easier to trace the owner if the boat displays a name.
David Pollock of the Kentish Sail Association writes: After 2 years’ cancellations, we’re hoping for a third time lucky and invite you to take part in the Match on 31 July 2021. The Swale Match was established by Laurie Tester, Lena Reekie, Hugh Perks and others in 1973, as a festival of all manner of traditional sailing craft on the East Coast. The assembled fleet usually comprises not only Thames sailing barges, smacks and bawleys in several categories, but also a variety of gaffers, classic and bermudan yachts, as well as Dutch barges, Baltic traders and historic powered craft. This provides a magnificent spectacle on the water both for participants and for onlookers.
Last year we introduced a new Open class last year, for non-traditional or unconventional craft, subject to interest. We also held a match race for the Small Open Gaffers class on the Saturday after the scheduled Match, which was very well supported.
Both at anchor in the Swale and on land at Hollowshore, crews and supporters come together for prize-giving and entertainment. As well as Testers’ Boatyard, furnished for the weekend with food and drink stalls and live music, the shore venue also includes the fabled Shipwright’s Arms, supplying cask ales and food. The weekend starts on Friday afternoon, the Match is on Saturday and the homeward voyage is usually undertaken on the Sunday, but you can stay longer!
For further information and to register interest, please contact David Pollock at kentishsail@gmail.com, or phone 07831 200018
Thames Sailing Barge Raybel, moored at Milton Creek in Sittingbourne, is recruiting:
Assistant/Trainee Shipwright Full Time
With restoration work now underway we are looking for someone to join the shipwright team. A rare opportunity to work with a credited national expert on barge restoration, learn heritage skills, and contribute to the regeneration of Sittingbourne and Swale Heritage.
More details at http://adobe.ly/3ejJo3U
Artist in Residence £3600 based on 2 days a month of heritage-based community arts activities.
Applications sought from artists living, working, or with a strong connection to Swale. Timescale April 2021 until December 2022.
More details at https://tinyurl.com/hfruzhca
Socially Engaged Artist Mentorship 10 working days over a year.
An opportunity to work alongside Salford Makers, a highly experienced arts collective, commissioned to deliver a programme of heritage-based arts engagement during 2021. Would suit an early career artist living, working, or with a strong connection to Swale.
More details at https://tinyurl.com/3mwm6k3w