Medway River Islands

[DangerousPirate]

What is the best way to go ashore of one of these islands? Like hoo island for example?

They have some old fortifications that would be worth a little trip.

Is there a way to get there safely with a keelboat?

 

[Pye_End]

Dinghy, or kayak. Be prepared for a sticky landing (not always - depends where and state of tide).

Some of the islands have a huge amount of nesting birds so best to stay clear of them over the breeding season.

There was a thread a few months ago on here about where to land on Hoo Island, and the one opposite with the fort. Some handy Youtube vids as well.

 

[tony_lavelle]

PLEASE DON'T. Breeding season is March to July. Some of the islands are internationally important bird reserves. The only island where landing is permitted is Darnet. The owner permits visits as long as you don't leave rubbish or do damage.

 

[oldgit]

PLEASE DON'T. Breeding season is March to July. Some of the islands are internationally important bird reserves. The only island where landing is permitted is Darnet. The owner permits visits as long as you don't leave rubbish or do damage.

+1

Darnett.
Most folks will locate the sunken concrete lighters on SW bit and go ashore somewhere there.
If you wait until tide is up to the sunken concrete lighters you can moor a small dinghy/ rib and with "dexterity" get ashore without getting a shoeful of finest Medway mud .


If you want to explore the hidden bits of the river, Sharfleet is worth a look preferably on a rising tide.

 

[Keith 66]

PLEASE DON'T. Breeding season is March to July. Some of the islands are internationally important bird reserves. The only island where landing is permitted is Darnet. The owner permits visits as long as you don't leave rubbish or do damage.

Someone ought to tell the mudlarks "saving history" Hoovering up all the history for profit with their noisy hovercraft, they seem to go everywhere over there all year round.

 

[xyachtdave]

PLEASE DON'T. Breeding season is March to July. Some of the islands are internationally important bird reserves. The only island where landing is permitted is Darnet. The owner permits visits as long as you don't leave rubbish or do damage.

Who owns it Tony? Never occurred to me it wouldn't belong to Peel Ports or similar.

 

[DangerousPirate]

PLEASE DON'T. Breeding season is March to July. Some of the islands are internationally important bird reserves. The only island where landing is permitted is Darnet. The owner permits visits as long as you don't leave rubbish or do damage.

I wasnt aware of breeding season, so I make sure to not disturb wildlife. Dorset, maybe Ill have a look there. Problem is I dont have a dinghy (yet) and hoped one could tie up somewhere. Some islands seem to have pontoons or something on them.

If you want to explore the hidden bits of the river, Sharfleet is worth a look preferably on a rising tide.

WHere is sharfleet? If I put it into google maps it just shows me something around rochester, but inland.

 

[Keith 66]

The saltmarsh round Darnett fort to the east (Bishops marsh) plus Stoke marsh is owned by Kent wildfowling & conservation association , not sure if they own the fort itself. Most of the other marshes are privately owned, once upon a time by brick companies.

 

[xyachtdave]

WHere is sharfleet? If I put it into google maps it just shows me something around rochester, but inland.

Invest in a paper chart Dangerous P!

 

[DangerousPirate]

I do own a paperchart but I didnt bother looking. Well, I found sharfleet creek (which is basically the little creek in the mud that doesnt dry out neer stangate creek where the anchorage is, for anyone interested)

 

[Supine Being]

Stay off Deadman's Island. It looks very unpleasant... and quite illegal.

 

[Gary Fox]

Stay off Deadman's Island. It looks very unpleasant... and quite illegal.

What a bizarre comment, how so?
It certainly isn't illegal to visit Deadman's Island, and no more unpleasant than anywhere else, just a bit muddy.
I wonder if you have hidden some buried treasure, and are trying to deter visitors with tales of ghostly pirates and haunted coffins? It's the oldest trick in the book!

 

[Keith 66]

If it was illegal or dangerous to land there one would think it would be covered in signs warning KEEP OFF but there arent any.
Just rumours about you might catch the plague!

 

[penfold]

If it was illegal or dangerous to land there one would think it would be covered in signs warning KEEP OFF but there arent any.
Just rumours about you might catch the plague!

From the wiki page;

In 2016 the remains of more than 200 humans were found on the island. It is believed that the remains are those of men and boys who died of disease on board prison hulks, floating prisons that were moored in the area around 200 years ago.[3] Originally buried in wooden coffins under six feet (1.8 m) of mud, coastal erosion and rising sea levels has washed away the mud to expose the remains at times of low tide.[2] The island is marked with wooden posts across it, though these are probably to help identify the island and prevent erosion and not grave markers as sometimes claimed.

 

[Supine Being]

What a bizarre comment, how so?
It certainly isn't illegal to visit Deadman's Island, and no more unpleasant than anywhere else, just a bit muddy.
I wonder if you have hidden some buried treasure, and are trying to deter visitors with tales of ghostly pirates and haunted coffins? It's the oldest trick in the book!

Ok, I may have over-egged it by saying illegal, but access is not open to the general public from what I read. But reviewing my post, it is fun to read it in the voice of a soon-to-be-revealed villain on Scooby Doo.

And I would've got away with it too if it wasn't for you pesky kids.

 

[oldgit]

WHere is sharfleet? If I put it into google maps it just shows me something around rochester, but inland.

Best explored in the first instance at low water and with a decent chartplotter.
Usually a few seals at the far end to impress the kids as well.


On a rising tide you can get out at the other end over the mud flats. Find this old beacon to help you out.

If you can see this much of the beacon you have about 10ft of water. Keep the beacon to Starboard.
Picture taken about 2 hours before HW and was at the very least a F8 gale on any motorboaters version of the Beaufort scale.
Sailing boats can frequently seen to take this route. Motor boaters appear to prefer spending a fortune on fuel and wasting time going back out the way they came in ..
Some unkind souls might suggest that sailing types are better skippers...Could not possibly comment.
Ps At your own risk. !!!!

 

[mrming]

Have always wanted to try that route. Can you take a straight line with the beacon to starboard? Is there anything in particular you should aim for on the other side?

 

[Leighb]

Best explored in the first instance at low water and with a decent chartplotter.
Usually a few seals at the far end to impress the kids as well.


On a rising tide you can get out at the other end over the mud flats. Find this old beacon to help you out.

If you can see this much of the beacon you have about 10ft of water. Keep the beacon to Starboard.
Picture taken about 2 hours before HW and was at the very least a F8 gale on any motorboaters version of the Beaufort scale.
Sailing boats can frequently seen to take this route. Motor boaters appear to prefer spending a fortune on fuel and wasting time going back out the way they came in ..
Some unkind souls might suggest that sailing types are better skippers...Could not possibly comment.
Ps At your own risk. !!!!

As an ex sailor and now motorboat owner I can perhaps suggest that they are much more wary about touching the bottom? If a sailing yacht touches it will come to little harm, at worst a few hours at an awkward angle. With many motorboats including ours it is the props that touch with often very expensive consequences! Don't ask how I know.

 

[fredrussell]

...Kent wildfowling & conservation association ,

I can’t help thinking that title is something of an oxymoron...

 

[oldgit]

Is there anything in particular you should aim for on the other side?

No 16 bouy.
From Ye oldegits How could anything possibly go wrong school of navigation. Only the very best waterproof parchment used.

and only 29 waypoints.