Continuing our cruise from the Orwell to the Medway, taking in the Essex coast…

Wednesday night found us in the Swale, at Queenborough, a day earlier than expected. For the final leg of the cruise we had an interesting passage up the Medway to Chatham. The river is very industrial at the mouth, with many working (and some apparently derelict) commercial berths, mostly loading bulk goods. The river has a series of meandering bends and after the first, the river becomes much more rural.

The wind was very light and fluky, but I was determined to sail as much as possible. It was a very peaceful sail and sailing solo, I certainly had plenty of practice of single handed tacking of the foresails!

Eventually, we drew into Chatham which is approached around a large oxbow. We passed first a double commercial lock, and once around the bend the second, newer single lock into the marina on the opposite side of the loop. There are three connecting basins between these two sets of locks, though they are no longer navigable. This creates an “island” which is now a modern housing estate. The yacht marina within the eastern side is large and, as now seems to customary, lined with residential developments.

Nestling at the back of the marina, is the “heritage pier”, which predates the marina and is home to our host, the Chatham Maritime Trust. During our stay here, we were given tours of their restored wartime steam tug VIC 96, which was originally a victualling craft and, having languished as a display exhibit in Cumbria, has been restored to full working order and returned to its home.

Molly was rafted alongside a lovely 1924 30’ gaff cutter, Emanuel, fully restored by owners Jan and Robert Holden. This boat, whose mooring I had passed on my outbound visit to Sandwich, has made several historic voyages including a single handed passage to the Faeroes and Newfoundland in the 1930s. Her current custodians are understandably proud of her, and Jan was delighted to show us the immaculate interior which has been restored faithfully to the condition for those famous voyages.

During our stay, there were also tours of a local gin distillery available, though a few of us chose to visit the fascinating Historic Dockyard. This has amazingly well preserved architecture, including the last intact example of a rope walk (a building a quarter of a mile long), still working.

That evening marked the conclusion of the official rally, spent on deck of VIC 96, with a fish and chip supper.

I had been joined for the final section of the trip by fellow Solent sailor, John, who owns a shrimper 21 and was keen to sail a Crabber 26.

The forecast was not ideal, but we dropped our warps promptly at 0730, for our passage to Ramsgate, but I was struck dumb when I radioed for a lock out and was told tbd lock was broken! It transpired that the lock had malfunctioned the previous day and the marina told us it was due to be fixed that day. However, we heard different stories at different times and it emerged that this was not the first breakdown.

I found it unbelievable that a large marina (part of the MDL chain) would be rendered inoperable on a summer weekend and a complete lack of urgency to the repairs! Frustrating though this was, the Chatham Maritime Trust were very happy to accommodate us for the duration of our enforced stay, for which we were most grateful. Many owners had to leave their boats and return the following weekend to get them home.

We made the best of the waiting time, visiting each others’ boats and also returning to see more of the historic dockyard (the ticket is valid for a year). John and I enjoyed dinner aboard Windbreker courtesy of Else and Edgar, who have lived aboard for all 25 years of their marriage.

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