Gregarious Grimsby

[Bristolfashion]

The folks of the Humber Cruising Association not only range widely, but are friendly & obviously proud of their club. You only have to tell me that a) the HCA is very welcoming and; b), that the beer is cheap and I'm hooked. So, thanks to Ian, June, Paul & others, we found ourselves exiting the winding channel of Wells and setting a "miss the overalls, dodge the wind farm" course across the Wash for the Humber and, the jewel in the crown, Grimsby.

Entering Grimsby Fish Dock on the lock free flow is fun - and the lock keepers are friendly - just watch out for the flood gates going in over the HW period at springs.

The HCA berths are well protected and comfortable and, yes, our neighbour took our lines. Facilities are good and there really is a warm welcome and cheap beer in the clubhouse. We had a really lovely evening.

We didn't have long to explore - a local advised that the path to Cleethorpes beach was nice, but that will have to wait. The nearby main street yielded fuel, a very nice lunch (at the Waltham Kitchen, the recommendation of another friendly local) and Aldi. My wife's insistence that we should try and go and look at the dock from the land was less successful unless you're a fan of modern, security fenced docks & rather derelict old dock buildings.

Anyway, well done HCA and thank you for a really warm welcome.

Grittiness : 5
Swankyness : 0
Warmth of welcome : 4
Beer price : LOW!

 

[capnsensible]

Been there. Smells of....fish. Great run ashore though. ?

 

[Gary Fox]

Sounds like you missed the Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre and the Ross Tiger?

 

[Bristolfashion]

Sounds like you missed the Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre and the Ross Tiger?

I reckon it's worth a second visit - we only really had a "turn around" day 'cos of tides & weather.

 

[PilotWolf]

Was there years ago for a few weeks.

Good to hear it’s not changed as sounds just the same still.

W.

 

[Gary Fox]

Been there. Smells of....fish. Great run ashore though. ?

Sadly the aroma is no longer, and most of the trawlers have been scrapped. Also all the Danish-built seine-netters were chopped up, (on orders from the EU). The commercial freight docks are still in use. The city centre is not very safe late at night unless you know a local or two..
Up the river is Immingham which handles the most cargo of any port in the UK.

 

[capnsensible]

Was only there overnight. I was taking a Joint Services Victoria 34 from Rosyth back to her home in Gosport. It was a long while ago but we certainly had a fascinating night out.
Being all submariners, however, there was no problem with a hung over early start to get the free flow through the lock. I decided that in the finest traditions, yadda yadda and with a following wind to hoist the number two Genoa and sail out through the lock, who's keeper got a bit shouty.

 

[penfold]

Sounds like you missed the Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre and the Ross Tiger?

If the council get their way all trace of fishing and most other heritage will be removed; they managed to facilitate the destruction of the Lincoln Castle pretty well, Esther is just waiting to be broken up and I expect the Ross Tiger will follow before long.

 

[Gary Fox]

Was only there overnight. I was taking a Joint Services Victoria 34 from Rosyth back to her home in Gosport. It was a long while ago but we certainly had a fascinating night out.
Being all submariners, however, there was no problem with a hung over early start to get the free flow through the lock. I decided that in the finest traditions, yadda yadda and with a following wind to hoist the number two Genoa and sail out through the lock, who's keeper got a bit shouty.

He is still shouty

 

[johnalison]

Our sailing mate’s wife hails from Grimsby. I had always assumed that the place must be grim but she has assured me that it is heaven on Earth. I think that I upset her a bit by not entirely believing her, but not as much as my usual habit of misspelling her name.

 

[Momac]

Our sailing mate’s wife hails from Grimsby. I had always assumed that the place must be grim but she has assured me that it is heaven on Earth. I think that I upset her a bit by not entirely believing her, but not as much as my usual habit of misspelling her name.

HCA is good as long as you don't go outside the gate .
The bar at HCA was closed when we were there in July so no cheap pint on offer.
A kind neighbour took me to Halfords in his car to get a new battery which had suddenly expired (it was a Sunday so Halfords was the only place open)

 

[Daydream believer]

Whoever put the Grim in Grimsby knew what they were doing. Unfortunately I did not keep the pictures of the high street with the boarded up shop windows ( Not because the shops were shut but to protect the glass I presume) I did not keep the picture of the concrete footbridge from the era of Dickson of Dock Green chasing the teddy boy with the gun over the railway.( remember those films?)
I did see 3 lots of arguments including one bloke chucking a bag of shopping across the road & leaving a woman in tears, A couple of neighbours having words & a fight about to start. All in one hike to the supermarket.
The club was friendly though which cannot be said for the pig ignorant lock keeper who continued to ignore the VHF calls from the yacht following me for access to the lock. As for the lock, it is far from user friendly with its vertical ropes.
Here are some pics from around the dock taken on my first round UK trip ( I did not bother the second time)
Just outside the gates

Short walk

Crumbling quaysidewith dissused building just in view

Concrete wasteland with grass growing through it & poor quality buildings behind

More dodgy dock walls

I suppose east coast lovers of Southwold will say this sort of stuff is "quaint" & has character
Sorry I cannot photo the stink- but it certainly ain't fresh fish

 

[dgadee]

Whoever put the Grim in Grimsby knew what they were doing. Unfortunately I did not keep the pictures of the high street with the boarded up shop windows ( Not because the shops were shut but to protect the glass I presume) I did not keep the picture of the concrete footbridge from the era of Dickson of Dock Green chasing the teddy boy with the gun over the railway.( remember those films?)
I did see 3 lots of arguments including one bloke chucking a bag of shopping across the road & leaving a woman in tears, A couple of neighbours having words & a fight about to start. All in one hike to the supermarket.
The club was friendly though which cannot be said for the pig ignorant lock keeper who continued to ignore the VHF calls from the yacht following me for access to the lock. As for the lock, it is far from user friendly with its vertical ropes.
Here are some pics from around the dock taken on my first round UK trip ( I did not bother the second time)
Just outside the gates

Short walk

Crumbling quaysidewith dissused building just in view

Concrete wasteland with grass growing through it & poor quality buildings behind

More dodgy dock walls

I suppose east coast lovers of Southwold will say this sort of stuff is "quaint" & has character
Sorry I cannot photo the stink- but it certainly ain't fresh fish

I was there, too, taking a boat home via Orkney several years ago and my London school teacher crew said it was like another world which he didn't know existed. He taught in quite a rough school in south London. The UKIP banners were everywhere and you could see a disconnect from the rest of the UK - a forgotten area. Boats in the marina set up for long distance cruising but going nowhere.

I thought my VHF wasn't working when the lock wouldn't answer - had to wait for hours and hours to get in, rather than pay the fee. Didn't realise it was the lock keeper ignoring me.

 

[alexrunic]

I keep my boat next door at the Grimsby & Cleethorpes Yacht Club in Royal dock, we have 24 7 lock access.

Yes parts of the docks estate are a little sad and also the part of the town nearby. There are some really nice parts of Great Grimsby. Cleethorpes has improved no end over the years and is an attractive costal town. Like any town there are rough parts but there are always nice area's too. The windfarm support vessels have been a good boost for the docks and the town in general.

Hull, South Ferriby & Goole are all well worth a sail to.

Both the Humber Cruising Association and the Grimsby & Cleethorpes Yacht Club are very much active with lots of cruising and racing every weekend.

We are in the process of extending and renovating our clubhouse and bar.

 

[BobnLesley]

Our sailing mate’s wife hails from Grimsby. I had always assumed that the place must be grim...

A bit Grim! Did you not look at Bristolfashion's photo? It could've been mistaken for St Marks in Venice and you certainly can't find any cheap beer there.

 

[PilotWolf]

Is the derelict fish market still there?

W

 

[dgadee]

They should clear the old industrial landscape and plant a forest.