Swale Sailing

[Kristal]

Calling Easterlies...

I'm staying at my parents, thus nowhere near any charts or almanacs, and trying to work out a basic viability plan for getting Crystal down from Woolverstone to London over the weekend.

It's working out rather interestingly that we could leave Friday for Ramsgate to see potential new crew members, on Saturday morning get to the Swale Marina at Conyer so that my crew can visit his neice for her birthday in Faversham, and then on to London on Sunday morning.

Thing is... is it possible to get around the Isle of Sheppey on the west side (Long Reach, I think it's called). I suspect the bridge might put pay to any thought of that, but without my charts I just don't know. If it is, then it would make the perfect stopover, if not, Queenborough will have to do, with a pricey cab ride to the mainland.

I also have to bear in mind that it's neapish at the moment. We draw 4'6" (1.5m) and care will be needed around the muddy bits.

Then there's London - from looking at the UKHO website, at this rate, I'd be doing the last few hours of the Thames in darkness, and hoping to lock in at Limehouse/St Kaths about Midnight!! Would be a wonerful way to enter town, but is it safe?!!

So - somebody please help me with my passage plan until I can get near my navigational aids, as this is an area I know precious little about. If signs are good, then I'll pop home tomorrow and do a proper plan.

Cheers,

/<

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.crystaltwo.co.uk/>Crystal II in Pictures</A>

 

[kilkerr1]

My own navigational aids aren't to hand but yes, you can get round the Isle of Sheppey. The Kingsferry bridge is a lifting one and opens on request if traffic allows - call them up on Channel 10 to ask.

Have fun!


<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://kilkerr.members.easyspace.com/santateresa_pics.htm>Santa Teresa and other t'ings</A><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by kilkerr1 on 11/05/2004 17:57 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[kilkerr1]

Mud

And yes, lots of care needed in the mud. We only draw 70cm but managed to get, ahem, a little stuck ("Aground, Sir? Of course not! We simply decided to stop here for a cup of tea and to entertain the sheep...") on our way to Conyer Creek Marina.

Come join the mud crawlers and fair winds to you.



<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://kilkerr.members.easyspace.com/santateresa_pics.htm>Santa Teresa and other t'ings</A>

 

[oldgit]

The bit from Conyer is well bouyed for daylight navigation and best done on a flood tide,shallows rather a lot if you leave the channel.After Ridham loads of water at any state of tide,good idea to moor at Queenborough for any overnight stop as western Swale is used by large commercial stuff inc big dredgers etc at all times of day and night.Bridge will always lift if any commercial stuff is moving,but you may have long wait if no one is on duty.Medway radio on 74 is the channel to listen on for movements.As a matter of interest the opposing tidal flows meet just prior to Ridham.

<hr width=100% size=1>If it aint broke fix it till it is.

 

[Mirelle]

An intolerable deal of mud for one half pennyworth

of sailing!

Yes, it can be done, and Mirelle has done it ere now, including getting stuck, but I do wonder why I bothered. You can spend an awful lot of time waiting for that bridge...

<hr width=100% size=1>Que scais-je?

 

[FullCircle]

Re: An intolerable deal of mud for one half pennyworth

We did it in a Dehler DB1 3/4 tonner drawing God knows what. You wont get an opportunity everyday, so get another tick in the book. Take tea and scones for picnicking near the bridge.

St Kats is a nice stopover. I stayed a week from Boxing Day to New Years Day. Deserted and wonderful.

Jim

<hr width=100% size=1>Second Chance - First Love. Bzzz!!,Phut! Jim Is it supposed to smoke like that? Of Course it is Love

 

[Kristal]

Re: An intolerable deal of mud for one half pennyworth

Thanks for these, all. I think I can now start to make a promising plan once I get up to Crystal and get at the charts. I'm still a bit nervous about the upper reaches of the Thames at night, though, although it will be pretty beautiful with all the lights and stuff.

Anything to be concerned about on this front?

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.crystaltwo.co.uk/>Crystal II in Pictures</A>

 

[mirabriani]

Both ports of call will be memorable and interesting experiences. You will derive satisfaction from each leg of the trip. As previously mentioned care is needed. It might be wise to avoid tacking on a falling tide in the Swale. Conyer Creek needs pilot first time. All in my opinion of course.
Good luck Briani

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[FullCircle]

Re: An intolerable deal of mud for one half pennyworth

Watch out for floating and vaguely submerged stuff in the Thames. I dont think it will be half submerged containers, but plastic bags and that sort of detritus that a city bestows on its rivers can be found.



<hr width=100% size=1>Second Chance - First Love. Bzzz!!,Phut! Jim Is it supposed to smoke like that? Of Course it is Love

 

[AndrewB]

We have regularly gone through with 6'6" draft, though not for a couple of years now.

The route is reasonably well buoyed. The trickiest spot is where Milton creek enters the Swale, which almost dries out at low water, you must aim to pass right on high tide. Even at high tide it is easy to run aground there. The correct route hasn't shifted much over the years, three years ago best was to pass midway between the posts of the old ferry, and then aim straight at the small cardinal buoy "Lillies". This buoy is hard to spot, a little beyond the creek entrance, and at first sight looks too close to the western side of the river. It should be left to starboard.

As Mirelle has said, Kingsferry bridge is sometimes (not always) a bit slow to open, normally on the hour or half-hour but they won't do it within 15 mins of a train due. On one occasion I was trapped when it jammed completely - luckily there are a few deep-water moorings there. The old sign for wanting the bridge raised was to hoist a bucket up the rigging, that still works as an alternative to VHF.

Stopping at Conyer could be difficult. As Kilkerr1 has pointed out, although the route in is marked by withies, local knowledge is really essential. Also, you can only get in/out right on high tide, and that will be tight for getting around the Swale passage. Consider Harty Ferry as an alternative, its closer to Faversham, there are good deep-water visitor moorings on the south side where the yacht can be left, and a reasonable hard where you can land except close to low water (beware the strong tides in a small dinghy).

 

[Kristal]

And considering it's rather neapish, getting into either Conyer or Swale marina might be risky if you need dead HW...

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.crystaltwo.co.uk/>Crystal II in Pictures</A>

 

[AndrewB]

Yes, definitely with 4'6". Around 1975 I lived aboard my yacht there, with 3'6" draft I reckoned to be neaped on a couple of days each month. It may be dredged now, you might ask but beware that the locals always were over-optimistic about the entrance. At one time Ernie Spears at Conyer Marina would offer to meet yachts at South Deep and guide them in - a service like that might still be available.

Incidentally, if you do use the hard at Harty Ferry, wear boots as it is a bit muddy, don't leave an outboard or inflatable dinghy lying around there.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Essential local knowledge can be found <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again

 

[Kristal]

Hee Hee - I would say this is cynical, had I not spent a night at Queenborough once...

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.crystaltwo.co.uk/>Crystal II in Pictures</A>

 

[Mudplugger]

Don't think you'll have any problems with Kingsferry bridge, but you may have probs locking into St. Katherines late at night, Last year would only Lock up to 20.00hrs, so had to hang on the waiting buoys o/side.... Going up river at night, is a bit stunning, once you get thru the barrier , stunning lighting effects. Particularly Greenwich, Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf etc,. By the way the other Crystal from Ipswich is going up B/H Weekend, Regards Tony W.

<hr width=100% size=1>Tony W.

 

[oldgit]

Re: thats a picture of our boat club that is ..

Wonder if we could put the bite on them for a few copywrite royalies,a small twist of the local moolah (class A) would be nice./forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

<hr width=100% size=1>If it aint broke fix it till it is.

 

[dick_james]

The swale bit has been answered but as for entering London at night - forget St Kats. They keep banking hours.

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[Kristal]

It was always suspected that we'd have to hang around on the waiting pontoon/buoys at St Kats, so no unpleasant surprises waiting there. However, I take the points made above about it being tight for getting around the rest of the Swale - is Whitstable any better?

And this other Crystal from Ipswich - who is she? I'm always interested to find others, as our Crystal is Crystal by design, and I'm pretty sure the only one about, but is Crystal II!!

Tell me more!

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.crystaltwo.co.uk/>Crystal II in Pictures</A>

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

Did St Kats over the BH weekend. Can't say I was smitten, although the glabal race boats were interesting as were the old sailing barges.

<hr width=100% size=1>Two beers please, my friend is paying.

 

[AndrewB]

Yachts are not welcome in Whitstable harbour except in an emergency. There are a few mooring buoys off the yacht club, but most oblige you to take the ground, and the condition of some is dodgy. Anchoring is possible but beware old ground chain - many years ago there were 100's of buoys for the oyster fleet. Go ashore via the club slipway. The moorings are exposed between N and E, avoid if the wind is in that direction. If you still want to use it, make sure you approach Whitstable from the north, as there are shallows both to east and west.

The closing hours of St Kats are a real pain, specially in winter, I tend to end up going into South Dock instead, which will open on demand throughout all the periods you are likely to enter or leave, with no delays. Far less picturesque, and a bit of a walk to the nearest tube station, but considerably cheaper and you still get the London experience (advisable to book in advance).