A pleasant episode on the Swale

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From the top – three photos of Steve Taylor’s 1923 Hillyard,
Dorma, followed by one of Alan Thorne’s double-ender,
Nissa. As usual, click on the photos for larger images

After posting about a seriously long voyage a moment ago, I thought I’d share some photos from a remarkably short one. On a nearly windless morning, Bob Telford, Steve Taylor and I motored Steve’s Dorma down the creek and tried to sail for an hour or so before the tide got too low to allow her back.

It was a delightful short trip, and I think we would all have happily sailed like that all day – going nowhere very much, but far from anything remotely like work or the trials of everyday life.

We almost had the sea to ourselves – but not quite, for Alan Thorne and his partner and kids followed us out in his Swedish double-ender Nissa. Naturally, we took the opportunity to take a few shots, and here they are.

I’m the geezer in the fetching yellow bouyancy aid, by the way, and Steve is the chap at the tiller with a sailing barge in the background. I’m not very clear why Bob’s nowhere to be seen but I think he may have been wrestling with the Primus stove at the time. I remember a welcome cup of coffee arrived some considerable time later.

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Swale photos… I’ve got to get them off my chest so here they are!

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Smacks in Faversham Creek

Rather like the way a bundle of unexpected money can burn a hole in one’s pocket, for several days these photos have been nagging me to put them up. They’re scenes from a day’s sailing around the Swale, as locals will immediately know, and I hope they provide some interest and entertainment before we get back to the usual intheboatshed.net menu!

Thames barge Repertor

Homes at Shellness, Isle of Sheppey

North shore of the Isle of Sheppey

‘Receptive’ buoy at the southern end of Horse Sand

A fisherman in the Swale

Jetskis playing in the wake of an enormous
powerboat.
Forgive them, Oh Lord, for they
know not what they do… I guess they were
having fun, but their noise and disturbance
shook my teacup and rattled the teeth I was
trying to use to eat cake!

Unidentified sailing objects on the Swale

An intriguing boat moored near Faversham

An intriguing boat moored near Faversham

A mystery craft sails into Herne Bay

A mystery craft sails into Herne Bay

The first  looks as if it could be  Scottish to me but I don’t recall seeing her  in the area before – is she a fifie? I’d certainly like to know more.

The second is very  striking when seen from a distance. I’m pretty sure she’s the Colin Mudie-designed sharpie I’ve seen over-wintering at Faversham’s Iron Wharf in past years. If so, she’s working as a pleasure boat, and having seen her hull I can say that she bears a strong resemblance to the Nonpareil sharpies that Thomas Clapham designed and built all those years ago. There’s a short description of the Clapham’s Nonpareil boats  here at the Wikipedia. Now, I wonder whether I might be able to persuade the kids they would enjoy a trip in her next week?