syd
New member
Wotcha all
Seems like I've been away for ages, anyone remember me? Anyone?
Anyhoo
Just back from my first ever solo trip in this boat. Only went from Thurrock to Medway Bridge Marina, but it was good stuff.
Quite an uneventful trip there so I just chilled out and enjoyed the sunshine and scenery. The frightening stuff started on my return journey.
Left MBM at 0600 so I could be home nice and early in the day. Encountered patches of thick fog as I left the Medway and entered the Thames Estuary. Had to stick to shallow water and rely on instruments only for just under an hour. That was moderately scarey but the worst was yet to come.....
I slowed to a crawl as I approached Gravesend Reach, checked all traffic was clear for as far as the eye could see then turned her round to face into the current so she was making no way over the ground, Grabbed my flask and coffee cup and sprinted below to put the kettle on and to wash said containers. Sink plug in, tap on, a quick sploosh about and a poke with the brush on a wire when...
REGAL LADY...REGAL LADY... PORT CONTROL LONDON...OVER
Crap... Ran back up to the helm, had a pannicky scan around for some huge ship's bow looming over me or rocks or rowers or anything else I could think of as a forthcoming disaster... Nothing.
Replied to Port control who only wanted to know if I had broken down, seems I'd parked right outside their front window. Told them I was ok and resumed my journey coffeeless.
Moored up at Thurrock on the swinging moorings without a hitch, turned the engines off, lowered my dinghy, then sauntered below to make the coffee.
Stepped off the bottom step and found myself ankle deep in water!!
Ran back up and turned on all the pumps, informed Port Control I was taking on water, then with heart pounding like a train went back below to investigate.....
Had I turned the tap off when the radio sounded? Had I bu**er!!
I'd emptied the entire contents of my water tanks into the cabin. Its a good job the water ran out when it did or I would have sunk... Would'nt I ??
Just finished clearing up. You ought to hear some of the things I've been called..
So that was my most recent trip... What you lot been up to?
Seasicksid......The artist formerly known as Syd
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Seems like I've been away for ages, anyone remember me? Anyone?
Anyhoo
Just back from my first ever solo trip in this boat. Only went from Thurrock to Medway Bridge Marina, but it was good stuff.
Quite an uneventful trip there so I just chilled out and enjoyed the sunshine and scenery. The frightening stuff started on my return journey.
Left MBM at 0600 so I could be home nice and early in the day. Encountered patches of thick fog as I left the Medway and entered the Thames Estuary. Had to stick to shallow water and rely on instruments only for just under an hour. That was moderately scarey but the worst was yet to come.....
I slowed to a crawl as I approached Gravesend Reach, checked all traffic was clear for as far as the eye could see then turned her round to face into the current so she was making no way over the ground, Grabbed my flask and coffee cup and sprinted below to put the kettle on and to wash said containers. Sink plug in, tap on, a quick sploosh about and a poke with the brush on a wire when...
REGAL LADY...REGAL LADY... PORT CONTROL LONDON...OVER
Crap... Ran back up to the helm, had a pannicky scan around for some huge ship's bow looming over me or rocks or rowers or anything else I could think of as a forthcoming disaster... Nothing.
Replied to Port control who only wanted to know if I had broken down, seems I'd parked right outside their front window. Told them I was ok and resumed my journey coffeeless.
Moored up at Thurrock on the swinging moorings without a hitch, turned the engines off, lowered my dinghy, then sauntered below to make the coffee.
Stepped off the bottom step and found myself ankle deep in water!!
Ran back up and turned on all the pumps, informed Port Control I was taking on water, then with heart pounding like a train went back below to investigate.....
Had I turned the tap off when the radio sounded? Had I bu**er!!
I'd emptied the entire contents of my water tanks into the cabin. Its a good job the water ran out when it did or I would have sunk... Would'nt I ??
Just finished clearing up. You ought to hear some of the things I've been called..
So that was my most recent trip... What you lot been up to?
Seasicksid......The artist formerly known as Syd
<hr width=100% size=1>
