Advice wanted Brightlingsea to Medway

[maxcampbell]

Been working up to crossing the Thames, and this looks very straightforward, if a bit long in a 20' boat. As far as I can tell, I go across Swin Spitway just before LW, through West Swin, across to Medway SWM, then keep to the south of the main Medway approach channel. What else do I need to look out for? Bearing in mind it's likely to be in a SW-ly and I'll be tacking, how important is it that the tide's still flooding when I get to the Medway? (in other words, should I wait for any wind other than a SW'ly?)

Where's the first place within the Medway I can reliably get a visitors mooring, with shore access without a dinghy?

And what about timing for the return?

I have got East Coast Pilot, and have read the notes about approaching the Medway - it's particularly advice about the bit leading up to that that I'd appreciate others' experience about.

 

[sailorman]

Been working up to crossing the Thames, and this looks very straightforward, if a bit long in a 20' boat. As far as I can tell, I go across Swin Spitway just before LW, through West Swin, across to Medway SWM, then keep to the south of the main Medway approach channel. What else do I need to look out for? Bearing in mind it's likely to be in a SW-ly and I'll be tacking, how important is it that the tide's still flooding when I get to the Medway? (in other words, should I wait for any wind other than a SW'ly?)

Where's the first place within the Medway I can reliably get a visitors mooring, with shore access without a dinghy?

Last question, answer is Queenbrough

 

[ex-Gladys]

Been working up to crossing the Thames, and this looks very straightforward, if a bit long in a 20' boat. As far as I can tell, I go across Swin Spitway just before LW, through West Swin, across to Medway SWM, then keep to the south of the main Medway approach channel. What else do I need to look out for? Bearing in mind it's likely to be in a SW-ly and I'll be tacking, how important is it that the tide's still flooding when I get to the Medway? (in other words, should I wait for any wind other than a SW'ly?)

Where's the first place within the Medway I can reliably get a visitors mooring, with shore access without a dinghy?

And what about timing for the return?

Down the Swin can be very lumpy in a SW. Main thing to beware of is the shipping as you cross to the Medway buoy. My trip in May this year was the first that I've ever been NOT in a SW and I never knew it could be such a pleasant trip it could be... and yes, you do need the flood up the Medway

 

[Spuddy]

It can be a long slog down The Swin against a SW - some people in small boats say, "Never again". The nav is just buoy hopping really; down to Blacktail Spit then across to Medway Channel - doesn't have to be SWM but join it before the Montgomery wreck.
Queenboro....buoys etc available but you'll need dinghy unless trot boat running and not at all certain about that after the recent changes. Could tie up to the ATL (pontoon) but not really supposed to be overnight.

 

[LenT]

Rather than cross to the Medway buoy and potentially get caught up with the merging Thames and Medway commerial traffic, I prefer to hang on until South Shoebury, cross the Thames Channel at Sea Reach 2 and then join the Medway Channel at say no 7, just before the Monti.

I would agree that sailing looses much of it's pleasure pushing into a strong SW'ley in a small boat when I have to get home to the Medway after a pleasant cruise up with you guys.

 

[jerrytug]

Hi Max how you doing. You absolutely need to ride the flood in to the Medway,so start your passage planning from there and work backwards to decide when to leave. Allow a bit extra because it gets choppy wind against tide which will slow you down. Hopefully more advice will follow from the wealth of local knowledge on this forum.
Perhaps the E Swale might be an alternate?
If anyone doesn't know,Max sails a 20' high speed gaff cutter which eats Memories for breakfast. Cheers Jerry

 

[FullCircle]

Phil is the new and very enthusiastic Trot Boat/ HM for Queenborough, now on here as a forumite.

Medway will need a flood tide, but loads of places to anchor or pick up a mooring.

 

[Suttle]

As others have said you need to take the flood into and up the Medway. Reliable moorings with access to shore without a dinghy are Gillingham or Chatham marinas. You may be able to get a night on the inside of the Medway Yacht Club pontoon as a visitor by prior arrangement. Trot boat service at Queenborough is good but weather dependent, was unable to run Monday evening due to a poor weather forecast.

When we leave the Medway we leave from Stangate or Queenborough around HW Sheerness to take the ebb down the Swin. If you start from the Chatham end at HW you will lose a couple of hours of tide getting to Sheerness.

 

[Tomahawk]

That is quite an impressive bit of sailing in a twenty foot.

As suggested above, the water can cut up very rough if wind against tide.. You will need the flood to help you along your way... and of course the prevailing wind is SW.. so you have a fair chance of getting stuck in the middle of a lot of very rough water..

As suggested above, keep a look out for shipping... I don't know what law of maths dictates it, but whenever I go to cross one of the deep water channels, the is always one solitary ship at exactly the same place..

Finally... don"t go inside the ring of yellow buoys around the Monty ,,, as that fat comedian did on Lady Matilda... Sheerness Port get quite shirty about it... some concern about thousands of tonnes of HE scattered about the seabed.

 

[maxcampbell]

That is quite an impressive bit of sailing in a twenty foot.

As suggested above, the water can cut up very rough if wind against tide.. You will need the flood to help you along your way... and of course the prevailing wind is SW.. so you have a fair chance of getting stuck in the middle of a lot of very rough water..

Last weekend I did Brightlingsea to Ipswich on Saturday (with OH, who didn't have a happy time rolling downwind), return Sunday (SH, crashing into the chop for hours). People out in the area will know it was fairly blowy and quite choppy - blowing SW or SSW, I'm guessing top end of 4, into 5, and wind against tide for the windward leg. The boat & I managed, but I wouldn't want more than that! Forecast next week (wednesday to saturday) looks like less wind than this, and distance looks about the same, or a little less. May just chicken out, at least until I can find a crew to hold my hand - it's tacking down that narrow channel between the sands that's putting me off - no depth sounder.

 

[Tomahawk]

Pm


pm sent

 

[Suttle]

Hi Max, Just realised it was you next to us in Ipswich on Saturday! We left a little after you and managed to sail through the Wallet but it was right on the nose up the Swin and very choppy, especially when we crossed the Thames into the Medway.

 

[jerrytug]

Last weekend I did Brightlingsea to Ipswich on Saturday (with OH, who didn't have a happy time rolling downwind), return Sunday (SH, crashing into the chop for hours). People out in the area will know it was fairly blowy and quite choppy - blowing SW or SSW, I'm guessing top end of 4, into 5, and wind against tide for the windward leg. The boat & I managed, but I wouldn't want more than that! Forecast next week (wednesday to saturday) looks like less wind than this, and distance looks about the same, or a little less. May just chicken out, at least until I can find a crew to hold my hand - it's tacking down that narrow channel between the sands that's putting me off - no depth sounder.

Hi Max,I am so completely used to following my sounder in the area, it didn't occur to me that you don't use one!
You don't need to make a hole in the hull,just stick it on the inside on a bit of mastic. I'm sure you can get one under £100 easily. They don't use much power,I forget to turn mine off for 10 days when I left the boat,and it never flattened the battery.
Essential in my opinion,if you install one you will stop worrying about what is below the keel,and you will be able to make full use of the width and depth of the water you're sailing in!
Sorry if I am teaching my grandmother to suck eggs all the best Jerry

 

[maxcampbell]

Hi Max, Just realised it was you next to us in Ipswich on Saturday! We left a little after you and managed to sail through the Wallet but it was right on the nose up the Swin and very choppy, especially when we crossed the Thames into the Medway.

Hi. It was a long enough trip back to B'sea. Glad to hear you got back OK. Didn't you say you used to do this trip in a Corribee? What was the sea state in the Swin compared to the Wallet?

 

[maxcampbell]

You don't need to make a hole in the hull

I wish! I have got the gear, all wired up - tried transponder in plastic bag full of water; chewing gum, can't get a reading. Dangle transponder over side get good reading. It's either the 6mm ply, or the several mm of epoxy fairing filler, or the copper coat, but regrettably I am going to have to make a hole - probably after the season. Thanks for the thought, though.

 

[Suttle]

Hi. It was a long enough trip back to B'sea. Glad to hear you got back OK. Didn't you say you used to do this trip in a Corribee? What was the sea state in the Swin compared to the Wallet?

Yes did it several times in the Corribee, worst trip if I remember was returning to the Medway against a SW F4-5, it took a long time! Sunday the Swin initially wasn't too bad but got worse the closer to the Thames we got. Left Ipswich at 11:45 and anchored in Stangate at 22:00.

 

[maxcampbell]

Sunday the Swin initially wasn't too bad but got worse the closer to the Thames we got. Left Ipswich at 11:45 and anchored in Stangate at 22:00.

So how did the Swin compare to the Wallet? I know the wallet well, how much should I multiply that by to imagine the Swin?

 

[Suttle]

In the swin we were taking spray into the cockpit, and when crossing the Thames the odd lump of water, whereas in the wallet nothing came over. However there was more wind later in the afternoon. The worst part was from the maplin buoy until about halfway across. We were motor sailing with just a reefed main up. Generally though I think the wallet can be just as bad in the right (wrong?) conditions, just typical wind over tide.

 

[ex-Gladys]

Gladys has never "shipped green" in the wallet (over Priory Spit, but not in the Wallet... Every SW Medway trip, we have.. The Wallet chop is more confused and random, the Swin is bigger IMHO...