There is no doubt that for sheer convenience in getting afloat a boat already floating alongside bank or pontoon at all stages of the tide is the ideal. It permits one to amble down to one’s boat for a sail of any duration without consideration of tide or time. This, of course, accounts for the fantastic sums that, even now, people are prepared to pay for a marina berth.

With the size of craft that most of us prefer to play in, a marina does not make economic sense, and we either trail and sail or use a drying mooring on the mud. Launching ramps may not be convenient for many interesting estuaries, so the latter is often the only way. The tidal mooring is generally near the top of river or creek for reasons of access, meaning that the boat will only float near high tide. This only allows one to sail for an hour or two unless one is prepared to stay away from one’s mooring for about 12; as, of course, the time between successive high tides is about 12+ hours. We also find that we only see the more distant parts of the estuary at low water. A further disadvantage is that the tide rises higher at springs than neaps and its height can also vary according to barometric pressure, and — particularly on the east coast — wind strength and direction. We sometimes find that during neap tides and fine weather the boat hardly floats at all. At other times we find when we get to the boat that it is already afloat and we need to swim for it if we are to have a sail.

Much of this inconvenience can be mitigated by mooring the boat where it will just float midway between the times of high and low water. The time that it will float can now be more accurately calculated by reference to the tide tables, as the mean tide level is largely unaffected by neaps or springs. The big advantage, however, is that you can now sail for a comfortable 6 hours or so, and you can choose to leave your mooring on a rising tide or on a falling tide. In fact, you have a bigger choice of duration than that, as you can drag the boat down to meet the flooding tide. In addition, the length of chain can, depending on the steepness of the shore, allow a tolerance of an hour or more.

Use of a half-tide mooring presupposes that you are willing and able to walk to your boat. You are not necessarily further from dry land than on your high tide mooring, but the ideal spot may take some finding. Look for a deep creek than reaches towards the seawall and firm saltings you can walk over to get there. Not everyone has the knack of walking over soft mud, but you will often find that the bed of a small creek is quite stony and firm, even when the banks on either side are like chocolate blancmange. Many estuaries had strayways meandering across them which allowed cattle to be driven across at low tide to island grazings which have since eroded to saltings. These will often show up when you look across the mudflats. The hardcore will now be covered with a thin layer of mud, but will be quite comfortable to walk over.

An essential part of your equipment will now be a pair of thigh waders. You should attach the loops at the top of the sides to your belt with some string and make sure that they are a fairly close fit in the foot or wear an extra pair of thick socks. Then you will find with a bit of practise that you can walk over soft mud quite well. Remember two things: take small steps, and don’t stop moving. A good way of crossing soft mud is with the aid of an old-fashioned tin bath — alas, difficult to find nowadays, but you can look for a substitute. As you lean forward to push it along the mud, a large proportion of your weight goes onto the bath leaving less weight for your feet to carry, so they can propel you forward more easily. If you get tired you can sit in the bath! Nineteenth century wildfowlers made up a wooden sledge with high rails so that they didn’t have to lean so far forward. I cannot recommend mud platens (like snowshoes), as the only time I tried them I tripped — your imagination can complete the story!

When you come to putting down your mooring, bear in mind that your boat will often sit on top of it. I consider that the ideal sinker is a flat concrete slab about 18” square and 3” deep. Some prepacked concrete mix, hardboard and some wooden battening is all you need to form it. Incorporate as thick a shackle or ring in the centre as you can find to connect the chain to. It needs to be thick as one sinker will outlast many chains. Run a steel bar through it within the concrete. Use a thick mooring chain, say 3/8”, as corrosion is very fast in most estuary muds. Human nature being what it is, a good padlock is recommended. Keep this last well oiled. You only need galvanised chain on the upper part to keep the boat from getting covered in rust, as the galvanising does not give much better protection from corrosion than cheaper black chain. A swivel is essential: use it to connect the bottom chain to the galvanised.

The easiest way to get the sinker on site is, of course, to carry it in the boat and throw it overboard. When the tide has gone down you can dig it under the surface of the mud. A depth of 6” to 1’ is ample. Such a mooring as I have described has held a 24’ motor launch I know of in force 9 on many occasions.

Well, there you are. Once you are the owner of half-tide moorings you will have many techniques to learn: how to keep mud out of the boat; how to wash your boots over the transom whilst still sitting inside the boat. Always carry a bucket and stiff brush, incidentally. After a bit the mud gets to you, and you find sand much less friendly stuff. You will then qualify for the Worshipful Company of Puddleducks!