Category: Medway, Swale and the Kent coast

Medway, Swale and the Kent coast

A trip to Oare in June

[ad name=”intheboatshed-post”]

Oare in June

Clouds and light in the Swale towards evening. Click on
the images for larger photographs

We took a trip to Oare this weekend and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, as despite a less than wonderful weather forecast we had some near perfect sailing conditions, interesting light and cloud, and some good looking old boats. I can’t imagine a more powerful reminder of why we like to sail.

Oare in June

Julie’s shot of the Thames barge Mirosa. The object on Horse Sand
to the left is a beached yacht with someone on board – hopefully
they were there to clean its bottom rather than simply stuck.
I should add that a sizeable group of seals were basking on the
beach just 100 yards away from him. I wonder if he or they knew
about each other?

Oare in June

Julie’s photo of the (hopefully) careened yacht

Oare in June

How about this? Barge yachts are a rare sight nowadays,
but were popular in the 1920s and 30s. I’m sorry I couldn’t
get closer, but we were moored at the time. I’d love to hear
more about the boat – is she the one that Classic Boat
featured some years ago?

Oare in June

Thames sailing barge Will

Oare in June

Will and Mirosa moored in the Swale

Oare in June

On the way home we dropped into Lower Halstow to check
out a cruising destination and found a pleasant, out-of-the-way
sort of place, with some fine old buildings, an old quay
next to the church, and the barge Edith May in the process of being
restored. I don’t know who’s doing it, but good luck and
more power to their elbows!

Oare in June

Oare in June

Modest celebrities Bill Serjeant and Nigel Davidson pass by on their way to the West

[ad name=”intheboatshed-post”]

Bill Serjeant’s Faith under sail

Bill’s little boat Faith. Click on the image to see his videos showing her
making way

Bill Serjeant is currently sailing his remarkable little heavyweight 14-ft Paradox cruiser Faith from its home port at Burnham on Crouch along the South Coast down to the West Country, where he intends to meet and sail in company with another Paradox sailor Al Law.

As Bill’s weblog records, along the way he anchored for a time in our sailing ground, the Swale, before sailing out along the North Kent Coast. However, over the last couple of days he’s been waiting out some bad weather in Ramsgate Harbour, where he met Nigel Davidson, who is currently circumnavigating the UK in his pretty 24ft Hillyard-built yacht Patsy Rye. For an earlier post about Nigel and his journey, click here. Huge good luck to both of them!

Share this post with friends using the Share this link below.

Book a room in South-East England

Morgan’s shed holds an interesting secret

[ad name=”intheboatshed-post”]

Morgan’s shed holds an interesting secret - a project to create a double-ended spritsail boat

Morgan’s shed hides an interesting secret – an new spritsail boat. As usual, click on the photos for a larger, clearer image. Many thanks to Bob Telford for the photos. (Note the sprit-rigged Thames barge mast in the background.)

Morgan’s shed holds an interesting secret - a project to create a double-ended spritsail boat Morgan’s shed holds an interesting secret - a project to create a double-ended spritsail boat Morgan’s shed holds an interesting secret - a project to create a double-ended spritsail boat

Morgan’s shed holds an interesting secret - a project to create a double-ended spritsail boat Morgan’s shed holds an interesting secret - a project to create a double-ended spritsail boat

Bob Telford’s young friend Morgan has built himself a fine shed, and is working on an interesting project – redeveloping an old double-ended hull with a spritsail to create a craft that will bear a passing resemblance to the old Medway doble.

Similar to the peterboat once used further up the Thames Estuary, the doble is a historic local boat type that hasn’t been seen in the area for many decades, and in any case it will be very nice to see a small spritsail on the Swale, as these days they usually appear only on Thames barges. I have a small plywood rowing and sailing dory fitted with a spritsail, but for some reason I haven’t ever taken it down to the creek. Someday I’ll put that right.

I must find out what book appears in the last photo. It’s just the kind of thing I’d buy on sight, but can’t remember that drawing appearing in anything on my shelves…