Unusual destination #2 Trailblazing Holehaven Creek.

xyachtdave

xyachtdave

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Anyone been in here recently?
Will my dinghy get pinched (from the forum search feature...though 7 year old info) and is the Smack and Lobster pub worth the effort?

I've built it up a bit with my wife and daughter, island paradise, tucked away, award winning beaches etc! Hopefully we can have a successful overnighter there at the weekend.

Any local knowledge appreciated!
 
There was an article in PBO a few years back, one of those "Lessons learned" things about some blokes falling out of a dinghy a Holehaven Creek. Personally I wouldn't bother - mud and old jetties - and the last time I went to the Lobster Smack (prob 5 years ago) I was totally underwhelmed as was M-I-L who we were taking on a guided tour of Canvey Island. Someone in the 1950s told her it was a nice place! Well it ain't now.:eek:

That's the trouble with the Thames (we had our first boat at Westcliff) - there's nowhere to go.
 
xyachtdave said:
I've built it up a bit with my wife and daughter, island paradise, tucked away, award winning beaches etc! Hopefully we can have a successful overnighter there at the weekend.

Any local knowledge appreciated!
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Island paradise... You should be in second hand car sales!!!! ;)

I use to sail out of Benfleet many moons ago. So overnight destinations were a bit limiting!! Given the choice out of HOLEhaven (clue is in the name) or queenborough..... we thought queenborough was much better!!!!!

You could always try the dizzy hieghts of Bradwell!!!! (You'll son get use to the locals pointing at strangers in the village!!!). :D

Ian
 
Perhaps I could be permitted a few words in defence of Holehaven. It is, of course, a bit of water with a big sea wall on one side and an oil refinery (recently gone bust) on the other and at low tide there is a lot of exposed mud. But it is sheltered, amazingly quiet and usually there is a buoy or two available (at no cost). Not been to the Smack and Lobster for years but perfectly good reports as long as your expectations are normal. Its a pub for goodness sake.

I suggest you don't visit the weekend after next - Gravesend Sailing Club hope to have about a dozen cruisers in there for the night. We call it Whisky up the Creek. It will still be sheltered, but not quiet.


I forgot to mention how pleased we were to see Xyachtdave's boat on our moorings the other day, especially as some of us knew he was planning a visit from this forum. Gravesend is another place that seem to get unfair coverage from this forum.
 
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Holehaven was my fathers mooring of choice when going to Ramsgate etc. It was do-able on one tide from Richmond where his boat was kept.
I have fond memories of learning to sail a Gremlin dinghy he had built for me together with rowing our old barge dinghy down to the Lobster Smack so that he could have a pint or two. What luxury when Dad invested in a Seagull outboard, I thought all my Crismases had come at once.
Father had been using Holehaven since the end of the war, there were no bouys as I remember in the fifties and sixties. The last time we moored there was our the way to the first Dunkirk re-union in 1965 but I did go there again on a friends boat en-route to another Dunkirk do at Essex Marina.
I always looked across to Holehaven when on our way down river to Queenborough but now we are based in Bradwell I might just try it when going back up the Thames later this year or early next. Think the best plan is to go down by car as its not far from Burnham.
 
Cantata said:
What happened to the trip to Trailblazing Destination No.1? Did I miss the report??
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Sorry, I should of updated the Gravesend report, if you don't mind I'll do it here...!

As expected a mixed bag of opinions on the merits of Holehaven. As MoodySabre said the Thames/Medway yachtsmen don't have too many obvious destinations, this encourages us to look a little harder at the chart and embrace the rugged beauty of an oil refinery for example...

As a family crew with a 9 year old on board most of the time, the obvious destinations like Burnham, Blackwater and Ramsgate are 6 hours away, to sail somewhere have tea then get up at early to sail back is a bit much in a weekend for a child if you want to keep them interested.

Gravesend was a cracking weekend away. After a quick beer with the Gravesend Sailing Club, who were very welcoming and have what appears to be a friendly self help club we checked out the waterfront. Other towns (ahem Chatham) could learn from this example of well used riverfront. I used the club's landing to get ashore and we tried the rowing club pontoon also.

The restaurant at the end of the almost finished pier 'Riva' served food equal to what I have been presented with in Claridges and 15. I would suggest taking your 'Cowes Rig' if you own such a thing, one of the many times I have felt underdressed!

Moorings were fine, it blew hard from the NE in the evening against an ebb and even with tug wash wasn't uncomfortable. It's a busy working river after all.

I would thoroughly recommend a visit, give the GSC a call first and see if they have a mooring, any revenue from visitors mooring (a donation left to you welcomed) to fund a floating pontoon to make shore access easier.

And thanks for having me!

As usual the forum a great addition to 'the good pilot book' available at all good outlets..
 
Good stuff, glad you enjoyed yourself. We've had a good time there on our visits too although we didn't try any fancy restaurants, just pubs I'm afraid.
 
Firefly said:
I suggest you don't visit the weekend after next - Gravesend Sailing Club hope to have about a dozen cruisers in there for the night. We call it Whisky up the Creek. It will still be sheltered, but not quiet.
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Change the name to 'Duvel up the Creek' and you could find it even more crowded! :-)

Was nice to visit and we will be back soon.
Watch this space for Trailblazing Sheerness beach BBQ......
 
Bulto; common misconception. First Dunkirk return was about 47/48, and second 56'. First ADLS return was 65'. Motor Boat and Yachting covered both earlier returns, and my father remembers a BBC news film of the 56' one.

Holehaven was the usual stop off point point for Thames boaters back in 50's/60's, as you say usually on their way to Ramsgate.
 
We are not sure the prevailing weather conditions will show Holehaven at its best today, so will leave for another weekend. When the inshore waters forecast has a number 9 in it, staying inside Garrison Point seems to work best!

The BBQ on Sheerness beach and landing at All Hallows holiday park will have to wait too...
 
xyachtdave said:
We are not sure the prevailing weather conditions will show Holehaven at its best today, so will leave for another weekend. When the inshore waters forecast has a number 9 in it, staying inside Garrison Point seems to work best!..
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I decided staying home would work best, reckon is was a justifiable decision!
 
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