Category: Social event

Black Tie Dinner – Volunteers and sponsors required


As part of the 200th RNLI Anniversary our colleagues at Sheerness Lifeboat Station are organising a celebration black tie dinner at the Sheppey Rugby Club on Saturday 7th September 2024.  The fund raising team are looking for volunteers to assist with helping to organise the event and also for sponsors.  Sponsorship could be as little as treating a crew member to dinner to paying for the band or some of the bigger overheads.

If you are interested in assisting or willing to financially  contribute towards the event please email Rachel_Collier@rnli.org.uk

Christmas Carols aboard Edith May

Ding Dong!
Christmas Carols aboard Edith May It’s been almost a decade since our last Christmas concerts aboard Edith May and we are delighted to be bringing them back this year for three atmospheric festive evenings.

Led by Anna Braithwaite and her musical pals, we invite you to join us in a festive sing song, with mulled wine and mince pies galore.

The dates are 12th, 21st and 22nd December and tickets can be purchased through the website.

We hope to see you there!
Book Tickets

Admiral’s Cruise, 1 & 2 July 2023

The Mayor of Medway (previously Rochester) has been officially the Admiral of the River since ancient times. After a couple of years’ break for Covid, the Admiral’s annual cruise organised by Rochester Cruising Club (est 1905) in conjunction with Medway Council (est 1998) and the Rochester Oyster & Floating Fishery (est 1729) will resume over the weekend of 1st and 2nd July. The beating of the bounds is to confirm the existence of ROFF and will involve a cruise up river on the Saturday to the southern boundary of their jurisdiction at the Hawkwood Stone and quite possibly meeting up with the Mayors of Maidstone and Tonbridge & Malling on their cruise down river from the non-tidal Medway. Our little flotilla will then return to Rochester for refreshments and celebrations in the clubhouse.

On the Sunday , the cruise will head downstream from Rochester for a wreath laying ceremony at HMS Bulwark, with the Sea Cadets and a piper playing a lament, before heading into the Swale for a lunchtime stop at Queenborough Harbour.

The river will be busy. It would appear that Medway YC have a dinghy regatta for the Kent Schools Sailing Association on the Sunday as well. We hope to be joined by Peel Ports harbourmaster’s launch, the RNLI, Medway Towns Sea Cadets, the Maritime Volunteer Service, City of London Port Health Authority and we may even get a water spray salute by one of the Svitzer fire tugs based at Sheerness. The historic tug Kent will be going into Stangate to provide a mooring for those unable to go into Queenborough due to limited availability of moorings. On departing Queenborough those taking part in the cruise will be returning to Rochester to take part in a sunset ceremony, again with the piper. Hopefully we will have at least thirty vessels taking part and the weather forecast is even looking good.

All participants have been asked to avoid the exclusion zone near the gas terminal. Peel Ports will get very grumpy indeed with transgressors, you have been warned.

As the convoy passes each club or marina our gunner and bugler will sound a salute on behalf of the Admiral. If your club or marina is on the route between the Hawkwood Stone and Sheerness you should have received a letter by email inviting you to receive and return a salute. If you haven’t received this please let us know by email to info@msba.org.uk.

Thanks to Fred Trice for the above. You can find an article by Fred about the 2018 Admiral’s Cruise here.

MSBA talk: Dick Holness, East Coast Pilot, Fri 10 March (Updated)

Rochester Cruising Club will be hosting the last of our winter series of evening talks. Dick Holness, co-author of the popular East Coast Pilot, will be intriguing us with the wrinkles of exploring and navigating the East Coast. We hope he will also be giving tips for anyone venturing up the Thames to London.

The club will be open at 7pm for those who want to eat. A special MSBA menu starting at £6.50 (sausage egg and chips or ham egg and chips) will be available plus other options (eg curry £8.50 or fish and chips £9.50). Please let us know (email info@msba.org.uk) if you want to pre-order a meal.

The talk will start at 8pm and there will be a charge of £3 for non RCC members.

Rochester Cruising Club is easy to find on the Esplanade at the foot of Rochester Castle, postcode ME1 1QN. There is ample parking at the club and on the road outside.

CA talk – the last master of the QE2

On Thursday 9 March at 19.45 (note earlier time) at the Dog and Bear Hotel, Lenham, ME17 2PG

The Last Master of the QE2 by Captain Ian McNaught.

As the final Master of the QE2, Ian will tell the story of this last British built Transatlantic liner, a true ocean greyhound, a ship loved by her crew and cherished by her passengers.

Advance booking required as numbers are limited. To register and pay the £3 per person entry fee click the link below: [link removed]

Those wishing to eat beforehand are asked to phone the hotel on the day to reserve a table (01622 858219). Please state that you are attending the Cruising Association talk.

CA Talk: Sail repair and maintenance by Cindy Parker from Wilkinsons Sails, Thu 9 Feb

A must for all sailors.  Experienced yachtswoman, sailmaker and CA member Cindy will guide us through sail care and valeting and emergency get you home repairs.

This meeting is open to all and there is a fee of £3 per person for this talk and pre-registration is required, please click the link here to register 

 [BOOK VENUE]

Our meetings are held at the Dog and Bear Hotel in Lenham, the talk starts at 20.00, if you wish to eat before please phone the Hotel on 01622 858219 to reserve a table and mention you are attending the Cruising Association meeting.

MSBA Talk: Medway Islands by Adam Taylor, Fri 13 Jan, 7 for 8pm

For the second in our new series of monthly winter talks, Adam Taylor will give a fascinating presentation on the Medway Islands. Well known to the MSBA, Adam is a keen canoeist with 15 years experience of paddling a fourteen foot, Canadian (open) canoe. He has canoed in many places including the back country of Ontario, the lakes of Finland and Sweden and beautiful places here in the UK, but it is the islands and marshes of the Medway estuary where his heart is.

Adam’s presentation draws on many sources: census records, photos, Victorian technical plans, personal experience and several trips to the National Archives – to illustrate who lived on these islands, how the twin forts of Hoo and Darnet were built, the story of the pub which stood on an island in the middle of the estuary, how a WW1 German submarine ended up were it is now and a bit more.

We will also take a close up look at some of the flora and fauna of this huge, beautiful wilderness that is Medway estuary.

Rochester Cruising Club will be hosting the event. The club is easy to find on the Esplanade at the foot of Rochester Castle, postcode ME1 1QN. There is ample parking at the club and on the road outside. The bar will be open and a professionally prepared meal will be available at 7pm if you pre-order.

We will be having an “MSBA Special” of ham, egg and chips or sausage, egg and chips,or curry for £6 on the night. Desserts will also be available and the bar will be open. Please email info@msba.org.uk to order your meal.

Adam’s talk will start at 8pm. Non-RCC members are asked to contribute £3 at the door and sign the visitors’ book.