Paul, Alison, Martin & Aaron Constantine Chestnut Dave Morl WW Potter Roamer Esme & Geoffrey Osborn, and friend David Walnut

9.30 am Chestnut and Walnut are Norfolk Broads half-deckers, approximately twenty feet long, hired from the Martham Boat Building and Development Company. They have high-peaked gaff mainsails, and a single foresail set to a bowsprit. Roamer, the West Wight Potter is a fourteen feet long centreboard trailer/sailer cruiser with a small cabin, plenty of locker space and built-in buoyancy. Dave Morl had already launched, and sailed up and down nearby while the hire boat crews rigged their boats under a sunny sky and a fitful Force 1-2.

10.30 am All the boats departed from the boatyard ready to turn from the River Thurne to the northwest into the relatively narrow Candle Dyke, which opens out on to Heigham Sound, bound towards the broad expanse of Hickling Broad itself. After some drifting, some sailing and some reed exploration, all three boats emerged onto the expanse of Hickling Broad.

Not all the water is available for sailing; excursions beyond the posts marking the channel were usually punished with grounding, sometimes on mud, quite often on heavy weed growth. In fact there is quite some controversy raging between the ‘Rights of Navigation’ and a rather blinkered ‘Conservation Faction’ who would appear to be in favour of letting the weeds have their way to the detriment of other forms of local wildlife. The habitats have been managed for centuries (albeit for human economic benefits) to allow human and wildlife interests to coexist. It would be a real shame if Hickling Broad was allowed to become choked.

Although Roamer is not designed for the Broads like the half-deckers she demonstrated steady and purposeful progress and was not that far behind the larger boats.

12.00 noon All boats were safely moored, while most of the occupants enjoyed brilliant sunshine, and maybe a beer or two, in the garden of the Pleasure Boat Inn. Dave Morl kindly showed us some of his very effective stowage arrangements on his diminutive cruiser.

13.35 Lunch was a pleasant memory as we cast off ‘bound for’ Horsey Mere. 14.15 Entered Meadow Dyke. We found such a very fickle headwind that after a short time the crew of our boat re-named the waterway ‘Troublesome Reach’! But a bonus for some of us was the sight of Marsh Harriers wheeling around and occasionally diving down into the reeds.

15.10 Emerged from Meadow Dyke (at last!) into the welcome expanse of Horsey Mere itself; not only that but there was now quite a respectable breeze. Dave in the West Wight Potter went off to find a quiet spot for the night. 15.35. The two half-deckers tied up at the staithe at the top end of Horsey Mere where ‘facilities’ and the tea-room were to be found.

16.55 Departed Horsey Mere. With a following wind down the narrow and winding Meadow Dyke, Walnut, the lead boat by some margin, elected to run down under foresail alone. This time we saw three Marsh Harriers in aerobatic flight. 17.45 Cleared Meadow Dyke. The two half-deckers sailed in company down Heigham Sound and into the narrow Candle Dyke on their way back to the boatyard.

18.30 Chestnut and Walnut were safely moored, and sails properly stowed, at the boatyard. Here we met DCA member John Adams, who was refitting his sixteen feet Yachting Monthly Senior No 1629 two-berth sailing cruiser Ida Rose previously named Llamedos!!).

Maybe you can join us for the next BTRSC/DCA Broads trip on Saturday 9th September. Geoffrey Osborn

River Deben 27th-28th May

A wet and windy weekend saw two boats parked side by side at the Martlesham Little Chef on Sunday morning. Peter Small and George Saffrey surveyed the slipway at Robertson’s boatyard at Woodbridge in heavy rain before adjourning for breakfast on the basis that boating was intended to be a pleasurable activity. Our thanks to Paul Constantine whose valiant efforts to organise a rally were thwarted by the weather. George Saffrey

River Thames & Swale 10th-11th June

Attended: Peter Small Wayfarer Lutino Mark Wakefield

Although on the day only one dinghy turned up to sail several people had shown an interest but were unable to sail for one reason or another. I myself had hoped to sail down in Hope a 16ft Gaff Rigged open day boat with Richard Pattison the owner, but this proved impossible. Luckily Peter Small agreed that I could crew for him.

The boat was rigged and launched at Thurrock Yacht Club by 7.00am. It was nice and sunny but with little wind, the inshore forecast had indicated southerly 2-3 but variable throughout the day. We had a mixture of sailing, motoring and motor sailing as the winds were generally light to non-existent. We made our way downriver through the docks, past Canvey Island, Southend pier then past the Isle of Sheppey. At low water we just made it past the Columbine Spit Buoy in time to join the tidal flow into the eastern entrance of the Swale. From here the wind picked up and we had a pleasant beat up to Faversham creek beaching by the Shipwright’s Arms. That evening we enjoyed Ale Pie and ‘Ship Wrecked’ bitter there.

The following morning at 7.00am there was hardly any wind so we motored out of the creek and up the Swale towards Queenborough with the last couple of hours of flood tide. Once we had gone past the point where the tide splits east/west we sailed onto Queenborough in a freshening westerly breeze. We arrived at Queenborough by 11.00 where we picked up a mooring and had brunch and a brew.

The forecast had indicated south-westerly winds 3-4 freshening to 5 later in the evening, however the wind was blowing due west at about force 4. I have not had much experience on other rivers but as far as the Thames is concerned it kicks up rough when a westerly blows over an incoming tide. We decided not to sail back to Thurrock instead we left Queenborough at 12.30 and made our way out of the Medway with one reef. We cut across to Southend pier where we entered Ray Gut and made our way up to the slipway at Two Tree Island and arriving by 3.30pm. On the way we joined an impromptu barbeque on Marsh End Sands where we enjoyed carbonised sausage & chicken leg. Finally my wife kindly picked up Peter and took him back to Grays to fetch his car and trailer while I tended the boat.

All in all we had an enjoyable sail. Peter visited three new boltholes he had not seen before, namely Faversham Creek, Two Tree Island and Grays TYC and I got to sail in a true cruising dinghy for the first time. Mark Wakefield

The Crouch 24-25th June

A well attended rally, with 7 boats and 10 folks.

Peter Small plus friend Wayfarer Dave Jennings Highlander 14 Paul Constantine Torch 13 David McClellan West Wight Potter Peter Baxter Drascombe John Perry, with Jo and Richard Own design 15 footer Ted Jones Sunspot

Saturday was a windy day and no one managed without a good reef when exploring the Crouch — a river not often sailed by us on the east coast. We finally gathered in Burnham Yacht Harbour and went for an evening meal at the Crouch YC.

On Sunday, in slightly better conditions, I pushed back to Walton on the Naze, whilst everyone else went up the Roach. The two Peters took their boats to Paglesham, where they went ashore for lunch. John Perry and crew anchored and went ashore for theirs on Foulness Island — recently opened by the military, whilst Paul and Dave Jennings simply enjoyed their sailing. David McClellan, sailed back to his launch point further upriver, at Woodham Ferrers whilst the rest recovered at Burnham before going home. Ted Jones

Medway 5th-6th August

Attending: Paul Constantine Torch Tyne George Saffrey Cruz Aurora John Adye Drascombe Lugger Wilma Peter Bick 14 ft Motor Launch Slippers

I had previously received permission from the Medway Yacht Club for us to launch from their broad ramp. HW was about 5am so we had to be reasonably early as the ramp becomes very muddy at the bottom of the tide. Unfortunately John arrived just too late, and had to wait for the rising tide before he could launch. Paul and George set off downriver in a light air from the south. This meant that their speed was just too low to enable me to keep company with them, even with the engine ticking over, so I went upriver first. Afterwards I set off downriver and anchored opposite Bee Ness Jetty. We rafted up for lunch there and spent a pleasant time nattering. After lunch I pottered off to check on our anchorage for the night. As HW was about 5.30am it would mean a very early start if we settled among the saltings so I sounded out a lagoon off Sharfleet Creek, where we could remain afloat for most of the tide. After further exploration I anchored in the mouth of the said lagoon. Paul and George spent the afternoon circumnavigating Greenborough Marsh, quite a feat in the light airs.

Finally John joined me followed by the others, just in time for evening drinks as the sun was slipping below the yard arm; John’s that is. More chatting ensued until we moved off to our anchorage to cook our suppers and settle down for the night. Weatherwise we had a very peaceful night, but we could hear the fireworks display from Chatham quite clearly. In the past I have spent many nights both in summer and winter on Greenborough Marsh, and although the oil flares from the Isle of Grain oil refinery were always visible, very little noise came from that establishment. Unfortunately, the site has now become a container terminal. The steady roar of engines was with us for the whole night as it was only two miles away from our anchorage. When last I slept there the redevelopment of the port had not been completed and I did not find it so intrusive.

In the morning there was a bit more wind and we went our separate ways. John, George and I recovered at the yacht club. Paul went upriver as far as Rochester Bridge and eventually picked up a mooring opposite the dockyard by Upnor Castle where he spent the night. He pulled out on Monday and then paid a visit to the dockyard which has been established as a heritage centre, before returning home.

We could have done with a bit more wind, but the pleasant weather was most welcome after the dreadful summer we have had to put up with so far. Peter Bick