May 2018–Ipswich to London

We visited in April this year to carry out Fleur’s winter tasks. She was out of the water until Mid May, and had a good long drying out period.



We had a very good reason to be leaving late this year as Mick’s daughter Laura and her fiance Damien were getting married in Kilronan Castle in Ireland. A Grand time was had by all. A beautiful bride on a beautiful day.



29th May – Tuesday – Train to Ipswich

We caught the 11:00am train from Clitheroe which due to the Northern Rail new timetable situation was late and the next 3 trains were no better. We caught none of the trains in our schedule!

30th May – Wednesday

The boat was launched at lunch time and then the cleaning began. Lots of heavy dust from the car park took some removing. We did a big fresh food shop on Thurs and we were ready.

1st June – Friday

At lunchtime we set off down the river Orwell and spent the night on a buoy near Levington. It is a good shakedown trip, before we do anything more adventurous. Surprisingly while on the buoy we tried the TV and amazingly it worked. All my favourite Friday night telly.



Under the Orwell Bridge



The view from the buoy at Levington, very peaceful.

2nd June – Saturday – To Brightlingsea

We left Levington at 06.00 with the last of the tide. It was a rainy start but thankfully it cleared up later. We had a smooth journey until a blast of Wind-Over-Tide in the Wallet approaching Brightlingsea. Glad we took the pre-cautionary first-trip seasickness pills. 27 miles arriving at 11:40am. Time for a little snooze before the socialising.



The still waters of Brightlingsea.



We arrived around midday and the town regatta was in full flow.



We were guided to a visitor pontoon by the harbour master, so as we were not attached to the shore, we did not go to the shore until 18.00.

We met Rodney and Sandra, who live in Brightlingsea and went to the Yachtsman’s Arms for a good couple of hours catch-up. As always it was great to see them and Jake (the dog).

We then met up with Jim, Lynn, Ian, and Jo sailing friends we met a few years ago. Jim and Lynn’s boat is the same as ours. We went to the Kovalam Indian restaurant. The food was great, but due to the festival it was very full and service was slow. Which gave us lots of time to discuss boats.

Sailors Info

There is a marina at Brightlingsea, but we needed to catch the morning tide, so our £20 mooring fee was just for the pontoon. No facilities. Water Taxi £1.50 per person per trip.

3rd June – Sunday – Brightlingsea to Queenborough



An 07.30 start at low water to catch the tide to Queenborough. The foamy sand on the surface of the water (above) is un-nerving as we leave, as it looks like land under the water. After 36 Miles, we arrived at 14.00. We encountered heavy foq from Swinway to the Shipping Channels. We set a waypoint to a particular buoy and the electronics tell us how far away it is, so I can certainly say the visibility was 0.1 Nautical mile at times, as indicated when the waypoint buoys appeared from the mist. One boat radioed us, as they could see our AIS but they were not transmitting themselves. A call we really appreciated when they emerged from the fog.



When the fog cleared we saw a number of helium birthday balloons floating on the water, sea plastic pollution I had not thought of.

We navigated around the ‘Richard Montgomery’ a wreck which sank, full of explosives, during WW2, which you can see sticking out of the water (above). The Thames Estuary is a very large body of water and reminds us of the Clyde. We then headed down the Swale to Queenborough.



The harbourmaster positions us on the pontoon next to the old pilot boat.



We head into town for a little look around and to fill a diesel can. The planks of the very long jetty are sponsored by kindly sailors and groups and we spot Lynn and Jim’s plaque.



Mick has used white diesel since we began our travels and so we have to go to local petrol stations to collect it. It is rare that a UK marina has white diesel. This becomes important when we go to Belgium as sometimes sailors are fined for using Red diesel in boats as it breeches their rules.



Queenborough (and do not call it Queensborough!) High Street. Queenborough was a naval base and a strategic asset for centuries. There is a lovely Guild Hall, which was sadly closed.

4th June – Monday

We decided to walk to Morrisons for a big shop. We had seen it from the Petrol station the day before.



It was a much more hazardous journey than we expected, and due to ‘the age of the car’ there were no footpaths. So we made our way cautiously down the Dual Carriageway between two large roundabouts! Fortunately after asking at the store we were directed along a much more appropriate route over a rail bridge to Rushenden Road.

Sailors Info

Queenborough on the Isle of Sheppey is not really a sailing destination but a useful stop over. Although we did not explore Sheerness and Blue Town. £20 per night on the pontoon attached to the jetty. There are no facilities, the ‘marina’ is run by a trust of volunteers. A shower can be had at the Yacht Club, but we did not partake. Morrisons is the main supermarket. Head on out of town, at the end of the High Street take Rushenden road and follow your nose, 30 minute walk. Spar at the petrol station. Small local shop on the High Street.

5th June – Tuesday – Queensborough to St. Katherine’s Dock, London. EXCITED!

We left Queenborough jetty at 0900. We had a German boat ‘Bilbo’ rafted onto us, the old Pilot boat in front and two other boats rafted together behind us. The Germans were heading our way and the rafters moved in a bit. Mick expertly reversed us out of a tight spot and off we went.

To head to London from Queenborough you punch the tide into the Thames Estuary and then ride the flood tide to London. Calculating an average speed of 5 knots we were due at St Kat’s at 1700 to complete the 42 miles. The tide runs at 3 knots at times and so it is a game of cat and mouse, slowing when it is running and vica versa to get to Tower Bridge at High Tide. The lock opens from 2 hours before high tide to 1 and a half hours after.



Our Yorkshire friends Liz and John on Yacht Rascal were heading the other way after spending several days in the capital. It is great to sail past people you know.

Our first landmark is the QE2 bridge.



We have crossed this many times during our working lives and it was good to be going underneath.



The next was the Thames Barrier. Sailors have to radio London VTS (Vessel Traffic Service) on VHF14 when the barrier comes into view to ask for permission to cross and receive instructions on where to cross. We were told to go through ‘G’ Golf channel between piers 3 and 4. They make it much easier with huge green, electronic arrows on the appropriate piers.



The Millenium Dome appears next. So much building has happened around it since our last visit with Laura.



Greenwich appears majestically next and we try our best to watch the boats electronic instruments change from East to West on the Meridian line. We failed to get a picture.



Our first glimpse of Tower Bridge.

We arrive just after Bilbo, the German boat and a small single handed craft ‘Chief Miss’.



We had a ten minute wait and so rafted onto Bilbo who had picked up a buoy. We took a great picture of them against the Bridge, this is the one they took of us!! The Bridge is on the left.



The single hander made hard work of the lock entry as he did not go all the way into the lock as instructed and then the harbourmaster would not help him move his boat in. Meanwhile we were bobbing about outside with 2 knots of tide, the Germans on Bilbo, 2 passengers ferries and the police launch, jostling around waiting for him to move.

The harbourmaster carries out all the admin once you are safely tied to shore in the lock, we were rafted against Bilbo. They issue you with directions to your birth, a pass for the loos and the electric and an electric cable adaptor, which they retrieve on the way out.

We settled, had our first showers since Ipswich and went out to eat at PingPong on the marina.

6th June – Wednesday – London

We set off at 1100 after a good nights sleep. We walked over Tower Bridge and along the South Bank to Tate Modern at see what was on display. The bizarre crashing, demonic, giant puppet and various video art displays gave us enough food for thought for quite some time. The highlight for both of us was the lift to the 10th floor and the free viewing platform.



Wow the builders have been in. It is very impressive, but poor old St Pauls is dwarfed by it all.

We crossed at the Embankment and walked to Covent Garden where we had Gourmet Burger Kitchen for lunch. Then off along Fleet Street we stumbled on St Brides, designed by Wren, and were lucky enough to gain access to the crypt, thanks to a lovely lady on the welcome desk.



This hidden gem holds Romans remains and has a fascinating historical display for the price of a donation.

As we were near St Pauls, Mick remembered we were near the First Dates Restaurant.



It turns out to be the Paternoster Chop House in Paternoster Square. Another TV landmark ticked off.

Visiting St Brides reminded me of a childhood visit to the Tower of London when my dad dropped my mum and I outside the Tower in his lorry. Before he picked us up after his days work we had time to kill and went into All Hallows church, right next to the Tower. I remembered a spooky staircase and a roman road and here it is.



The Roman road from my childhood memory.



The crypt is fascinating and free to visit as is the church. A real blast from the past.

We ate out at Cote Brasserie on the marina.

Sailors Info

St Katherine’s Dock is a one time treat for us. £84 per night, so still cheaper than a hotel. Electric is extra. You are issued with a cable and a smart card monitors usage and gives access. The facilities are very good. There are two sets, one at the harbour office, which have hairdryers and others located in the East Dock. There is a mass of choice around the marina for eating out and the marina has a discount card arrangement with many of them. The staff on our exit were excellent.

7th June – Thursday – London to Chatham

The harbourmaster had informed us we would be leaving on the 6.45 lockout. It turned out to be a little later due to our prestigious company.



The open lock gates on the inside of the marina.



Gloriana, The Queens Row Barge, used during the Diamond Jubilee celebrations was on her way out too. She appeared at the 500 words Radio 2 event on the 8th.

We also shared the lock with Bilbo and Renegade who we had been moored next to. We exchanged email addresses to swap photographs as we have a great one of Bilbo.





Exiting the lock was a much less fraught affair. We handed back our electric cable and paid our dues. Exiting at High Tide means that we glide away from Tower Bridge and as it’s so early and there is hardly any other traffic around we have time for the photo opportunity. Sadly we did not think to try and get a picture together, but you can’t win ‘em all.



Picture for Liz P. The Prospect of Whitby from the river.



Canary Wharf continually expanding.



Better picture of a Thames Barrier Pier.



Seals along the sandy banks of the Thames.

There is a lot of industry along the sides of the Thames and the Isle of Grain in particular is one huge Oil, Gas and Port hub.

We passed Sheerness and headed into the Medway and made our way to Chatham, passing Gillingham Marina and many boats moored in the river.



The towers at Chatham are a welcome site after a long day.

As the Thames is so winding there is no real opportunity to put on the auto-helm, so we have been steering and very vigilant all day.

We were greeted in the lock by Liz and John from yacht Rascal and they even came to take our lines.

We had a slap up Ribs and Burgers meal out in the evening together and a good catch-up.

We are going to miss all this socialising. It’s been great to see everyone.

Now to explore the Old Naval Dockyards at Chatham for a few days.