Medway and Swale Boating Association
The voice of boating on the tidal Medway and Swale
The Kent & East Sussex Branch of the Inland Waterways Association invite you to an open meeting on the River Medway (the non-tidal bit).
David Payne and Jason Adams from the Environment Agency will be giving an illustrated talk on the Environment Agency’s work on the River Medway, and all are welcome to attend, whether IWA members or not.
Thursday, 23 January 2020 at Strood Yacht Club, Knight Road, Strood, ME2 2AH, at 7.30pm for 8pm
Operations were conducted from Lunna House, Shetland by Stephen’s father, Lieutenant Howarth, who ran the Shetland end of the operation. The crews of the “Shetland Bus” [Shetlandsgjengen] were men of the coast, fishermen and sailors with detailed local knowledge. Most came over after the occupation, some with their own vessels, others with vessels that were “stolen” with the owner’s approval. They were young men, most of them in their twenties, some even younger. Many of them did several tours in the spring and summer of 1940, evacuating British soldiers who had been stranded in Norway after the Norwegian Campaign and other British citizens living in Norway.
We are all invited to these excellent Kent Cruising Association winter warmer talks, which are held at 8pm at the Dog and Bear, Lenham, near Maidstone. It’s a good idea to book a meal (by 5pm please) on 01622 858219 for 7pm, before the talk. A special CA menu is available.
On Thursday, 12 December 2019, we will have minced pies and mulled wine during the break. James and Carol Littlewood will be stepping in at short notice with an exciting and well humoured talk as, unfortunately, the talk on Morning Star and the Morning Star Trust has been cancelled at very short notice, more details on the night .
Having “sailed” the coastline from the Norwegian Arctic Circle to La Rochelle, James and Carol Littlewood decided it was time to visit the “inside”. In 2014 they started to explore in a “motor boat” the gutters of France, the ditches of Belgium, the canals of the Netherlands and the big waterways of Germany. James will talk about some of the differences between “outside and inside”, will compare locks with crocodiles and will give us a glimpse of French champagne country and the German Mecklenburg Lakes.
We are all invited to these excellent Kent Cruising Association talks, which are held at 8pm at the Dog and Bear, Lenham, near Maidstone. It’s a good idea to book a meal (by 5pm please) on 01622 858219 for 7pm, before the talk. A special CA menu is available.
It’s not too late to register for this excellent conference, free to representatives of local RYA affiliated clubs. The day is a fantastic opportunity for you to meet and network with other clubs, share ideas and success stories and discuss the current issues that are having an impact, both in clubs and the sport more widely. Places for this conference are free with lunch and refreshments provided at no cost. Due to limited capacity pre-booking is essential, so get in early to avoid disappointment. This year’s conferences are about ‘Putting people first’. That means understanding what your members, volunteers and new sailors need, and putting that at the forefront of your decision making. Whether you want to grow your membership, increase your volunteer base, develop your instructors and race coaches or simply get better at retaining members of all ages, interests and abilities, you will leave with the ideas and information you need to make it happen.
To find out more and register click here.
David Lloyd will reminisce about his life and times as a pilot, picking up ships off Ramsgate and advising the master of a safe route to the Medway. David’s home port was Sheerness but other ports were served including Ridham Dock and we will hear of “near misses” when the train had priority. David will describe a typical trip into the Medway and highlight occasional “difficulties” both with ships and captains. There will be much for us to learn.
We are all invited to these excellent Kent Cruising Association talks, which are held at 8pm at the Dog and Bear, Lenham, near Maidstone. It’s a good idea to book a meal (by 5pm please) on 01622 858219 for 7pm, before the talk. A special CA menu is available.
All are welcome to an Inland Waterways Association Talk at Strood Yacht is Club on Thursday, 17 October 2019. 7.30 p.m. for 8.00 p.m.
Nathan Ellis of the Environment Agency manages all the Tidal Defences on the Thames and will be giving an illustrated in-depth description of the operations of Woolwich and others.
Colin Brown has been an active boating enthusiast and, owning his own boat for most of his life, the RNLI has always been close to his heart. Having the knowledge that they were always there should he ever have the misfortune to be in trouble whilst at sea has been very comforting. The RNLI story is one that captures audiences young and old The presentation is a fast moving talk supported by video, slide and sound and tells the story of the modern RNLI operations, equipment and training Colin will also bring with him a charity box and some merchandise and leaflets
We are all invited to these excellent Kent Cruising Association talks, which are held at 8pm at the Dog and Bear, Lenham, near Maidstone. It’s a good idea to book a meal (by 5pm please) on 01622 858219 for 7pm before the talk. A special CA menu is available.
DUNCAN WELLS, author of the highly-regarded “Stress Free” series of instructional books and DVDs on sailing, motor boating and navigation, will be guest speaker at Hollowshore Cruising Club, Faversham, on Saturday October 19 at 7pm. There is no entry charge, and visitors are welcome. He has a wealth of experience as an RYA instructor and skipper, and as Principal of Westview Sailing School, which produces the Westview Sailing RYA shore-based Day Skipper and Yachtmaster video tutorials used by RYA students. His presentation will include “robust” techniques for casting off and coming alongside from the cockpit. Hollowshore CC’s clubhouse is at Youngboats Yard, Oare Road, Faversham ME13 7TX.
Congregate at Gillingham Marina in the Quarterdeck Cafe 3.00pm for 3.15pm walk to the Medway Queen. Limited parking space available on Gillingham Pier for those that need them. Tour of the Medway Queen at 3.30pm, 5.00pm for 5:30pm Heroine of Dunkirk Talk and buffet! Tickets are £7 each. Tickets available by phoning Gillingham Marina on 01634 280022.
Alan Thorne has arranged for Alec Jordan to visit Faversham this weekend, to talk about the St Ayles Skiff community boat building project. All are welcome to this talk at the Prifier Building, 2.30pm. Faversham Creek Trust is supporting Alan to develop a Community Boat Building Project for Faversham. After Alec’s talk, Rosemary Devos of Coast for Life will be speaking briefly about her ambitions for developing connections and actions, bringing together people all along our coastline to bring many benefits to our communities.