CA Zoom Winter Warmer, 14 Jan 2021

Please see details below on how to join the meeting at 19.00  on Thursday, 14 January 2021, cruising in the USA and Canada: Cantilena of London sails Chesapeake Bay and the ‘Down East Loop.’  We all have a dream and Cruising Association members Des and Terry Crampton departed Ramsgate in May 2018 and shipped their Najad 380 Cantilena of London from Southampton to Baltimore MD, USA. Following exploration of Chesapeake Bay, they entered the Atlantic by transiting the C&D Canal and the Delaware River before sailing north along the New Jersey coast to New York City. Here they commenced the ‘Down East Loop’ which involves navigation into the upper reaches of the Hudson River and a lock-assisted climb over to the St Lawrence River.  The circuit is completed by a south-westward cruise

Cantilena lands on the deck of MV Singelgracht in Southampton

of the Atlantic coasts of Nova Scotia and New England. Des and Terry took the opportunity to extend the Loop with an eastward passage of the Erie Canal, entering southern Lake Ontario at Oswego. Cantilena was winterised and stored at Sodus Point NY, and in early summer 2019 they began a clockwise circuit of Lake Ontario which included visits to Toronto, Bay of Quinte, Kingston, and the Thousand Islands. Having made the downward passage of the giant Seaway locks, they visited Montreal and Quebec City, sailed outwards around the Gaspe Peninsula, and returned to the Atlantic via the Northumberland and Canso Straights. Cantilena was winterised a second time and stored ashore in the beautiful Bras d’Or Lakes of Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia. Covid-19 restrictions intervened in 2020 leaving Cantilena high and dry in Nova Scotia for her second winter There are some beautiful and stunning photographs including the whales! Please join us and make our first Zoom a success so that whilst the coronavirus pandemic continues we can still enjoy the CA Kent Winter Warmers.

RYA Cruising Conference goes virtual, Sun 21 March

The RYA’s annual Cruising Conference will take place as an online event next year on 21 March 2021. The conference promises to cover the issues that matter most to cruisers, including post-Brexit guidance, training insights, real-life stories from fellow cruisers, as well as the latest developments in safety and more. 

Although the event cannot be held in-person this year the conference will still deliver informative and eye-opening talks from a range of speakers. There will also be opportunities for the audience to get involved and a chance to put questions to the experts.

https://www.rya.org.uk/newsevents/news/Pages/rya-cruising-conference-goes-virtual-for2021.aspx

https://www.rya.org.uk/newsevents/news/Pages/get-ready-to-book-your-place-at-the-rya-s-first-virtual-cruising-conference.aspx

Kingsferry Bridge Closures (updated)

Network Rail have informed Peel Ports about planned maintenance taking place on Kingsferry Bridge from 26 November to 3 December 2020. The work will involve a 6 hour lockdown of all electrical power and will cause disruption from approximately LW-3hrs to LW +3hrs (see below).

Between the times stated on the dates below bridge lifts will not be possible:
26.11.2020 – 13:00 – 19:00
27.11.2020 – 13:30 – 19:30
30.11.2020 – 14:50 – 22:30
01.12.2020 – 16:30 – 22:30
02.12.2020 – 17:30 – 23:30
03.12.2020 – 18:00 – 00:00

And more:

14.12.2020 – 14:00 – 20:00 LW Sheerness – 18:18
15.12.2020 – 14:30 – 22:30 LW Sheerness – 19:04
16.12.2020 – 15:30 – 21:30 LW Sheerness – 19:47
17.12.2020 – 16:30 – 22:30 LW Sheerness – 20:27

Local boat sails to New York

Peter Norris of Network Yacht Brokers (NYB) has told us of a local yacht currently sailing to the USA. The 31ft Westerly Tempest was known to many on the Medway as Tongawalla when she was at Medway Cruising Club and is now renamed Miranda. NYB sold the boat in 2011 and again in 2019.

Full story here and follow Miranda’s progress across the Atlantic…

Bomb alert by “yachtsman” causes closure of Kingsferry Bridge

Trains between Sheerness and Sittingbourne were delayed or cancelled yesterday from 11 am to 6pm after a yachtsman thought he saw a mortar shell in the water. The yacht then hit the bridge before running aground but floated off later and went on its way.

Read more at Kent Online…

Kingsferry Bridge closed to leisure craft 24+25 Oct

Peel Ports advise that television filming work is due to take place on and around the Kingsferry Bridge over the weekend of 24/25 October 2020. The filming will require navigational restrictions to be imposed on the river adjacent to and either side of the bridge for two specified periods. Whilst work is underway an exclusion zone will be established and policed by three GPS Marine vessels who will prevent any craft from entering the area. The GPS Vincia and crane barge RODMA will be stationed north of the bridge and the Felucca will be south side, both vessels will be assisted by a GPS Marine RIB, all craft will maintain a listening watch on VHF channel 74.
Network Rail will also be conducting engineering work on the bridge from 00:01 to 12:00 on Sunday 25th October.
Restrictions will be as follows:
24.10.2020 – 12:00 to 23:59 – No leisure craft access or transit through KFB, essential commercial vessel transits may be considered.
25.10.2020 – 00:01 to 23:59 – No leisure craft access or transit through KFB, essential commercial vessel transits may be considered.

Yacht Topaz in danger – UPDATED

Peel Ports are concerned that this beautiful Contessa 26 “Topaz” has dragged its anchor near the Uplees buoy (near Harty Ferry) in the Swale. If you have any information to enable us to contact the owner urgently, please email info@msba.org.uk or paul.sands@peelports.com

UPDATE 16.10.2020: The owner has been traced and says he will sort it out tomorrow. Thanks to all who have helped.

Your Brexit questions answered, 2 Oct

Howard Pridding (RYA Director of External Affairs) and Stuart Carruthers (RYA Cruising Manager) will give an online presentation from 7.30 pm on Friday 2 October, with opportunity for questions. Registration is required and attendance is free. We hope it will help to clarify things for boaters about 2021 and beyond.  Register at www.ryabrexitforum2020.eventbrite.co.uk

The online forum is in lieu of a face to face forum, which is now not possible following the latest government stipulations about meeting only in groups of 6. The forum is specifically being offered for boaters in the RYA London and SE region, but will be opened up to others if numbers permit. There is a limit of about 250.