tillergirl
Well-Known Member
Tis' snowing outside so what else is there to do but
The East Coast Forum’s Ye olde twelve ‘whereisit’ days of Christmas Navigation
(or names and places in 1930)
RULES: PM me your answers and I'll periodically check and give a score. Title of 'EEKE' (Everyso East Koast Egghead) to the first 12 out of 12. LURKERS - you can have a go as well, go on register and join in - you know who you are - Colin, Roy, Pauline.......
On the first day of Christmas,
I slipped my mooring and dropped down river on the ebb. I needed a cup of tea and so dropped anchor (CQR!) in The Ware. Where am I?
On the second day of Christmas,
My 1927 pilot book says that the Reach I have just gone through is “one of the prettiest pieces of sailing country on the Estuary”. Well I suppose there is a Castle. It says that the best available landing (“the river is a trifle crowded here with barge roads off each bank”) is Sun Pier. Where am I planning to land?
On the third day of Christmas,
My pilot book has taken me away from Sun Pier, quite a way away and tonight I will need a dinghy to land on a place that has long since gone. I have found the natural cut beside the main channel of this ‘bootiful’ (a phonetic clue – not a very good one though) river and am anchored clear of the channel. I am about to row ashore to land between half-flood and half-ebb on London Hard. If I look up what might I see today?
On the fourth day of Christmas,
I have followed the advice of Mr Graeme Spence to Nelson. Which channel did I find?
On the fifth day of Christmas,
I woke to the sounds of Curlew warbling with a Marsh Harrier wheeling overhead. I am anchored off Quince’s Corner. What Creek am I in?
On the sixth day of Christmas,
I am crossing the sands of the Estuary. I have Wilson’s Pilot Guide to the Thames Estuary (no cheating please) open on my chart table. I am about to try the first of two swatchways which don’t exist anymore. The guidance is:
“These swatchways should only be used in good conditions and in daylight. On no account should they be attempted at night or thick or bad weather. Caution is advised in navigating through them, as the depths and the position of the sands is continually changing. The frequent use of the lead is, therefore most necessary.
This swatchway is across the spit connecting the south west extreme of the ? with the ?? sand. This channel is marked by a Trinity House red and white conical buoy, marked T.H. No 1. The connecting spit is not more than 3 cables across, and a little over a mile in width between the two fathom lines of the sands on either side. There are depths of about 12 to 17 feet over the spit on the line of bearing given in the following directions.
Directions: ….. a bearing of (S40°E) SE ½ S Mag will lead about 3 cables south-westward of the Trinity House spoil buoy No 1”. What Swatchway was this?
On the seventh day of Christmas,
I am at anchor in Stangate Creek but I had meant to be anchored off Stangate Point. Where should I have be?
On the eight day of Christmas,
I have lined up the Priory and the White House at Wigborough Wicks, what swatchway am I clearing?
On the ninth day of Christmas,
I am off Orford Haven. In accordance with the Pilot Book directions, I hove to about quarter of a mile out and kept my burgee dipped 3 to 4 foot as a signal to Mr George Andrews, the pilot. However, it seems that conditions are too bad for him to launch his boat and he is resorting to flag signals. He has his flag upright. What should I do? (I’ve tried ringing him on my mobile but ‘Bawdsey 233’ doesn’t seem to be a valid number any more!
On the tenth day of Christmas,
I plan to stop in the commercial dock excavated between the marsh ground north of the RAF depot and the passenger pier. Two groynes jut out from the shore to protect the entrance which is some 150ft in width: a black can buoy is moored off the northern side of the entrance. There is a least depth of 12 foot in the entrance and along the northern pier; inside the Dock, along the North and South Quays, there are depths ranging from 12ft to 20ft with lesser depths alongside the Eastern Quay. Entering or leaving on the ebb, a vessel should point up well to the northward as there is a strong set onto the end of the southern groyne. This dock is a most convenient place in which to leave a yacht; the harbour dues are very small and the facilities for water and supplies are good (it would be a bit of a walk for supplies today!). What Dock do I plan to stay in?
On the eleventh day of Christmas,
I am steering NW¼W with a transit of two pear shaped trees on the distant hills in line with the west end of the Island. What Swatchway am I in?
On the twelfth day of Christmas,
I am safely in harbour. There are no harbour due payable but I am required as a yacht with registered tonnage from 5 to 10 tons to pay 6d Knoll Light Buoy Dues. What harbour am I in?
The East Coast Forum’s Ye olde twelve ‘whereisit’ days of Christmas Navigation
(or names and places in 1930)
RULES: PM me your answers and I'll periodically check and give a score. Title of 'EEKE' (Everyso East Koast Egghead) to the first 12 out of 12. LURKERS - you can have a go as well, go on register and join in - you know who you are - Colin, Roy, Pauline.......
On the first day of Christmas,
I slipped my mooring and dropped down river on the ebb. I needed a cup of tea and so dropped anchor (CQR!) in The Ware. Where am I?
On the second day of Christmas,
My 1927 pilot book says that the Reach I have just gone through is “one of the prettiest pieces of sailing country on the Estuary”. Well I suppose there is a Castle. It says that the best available landing (“the river is a trifle crowded here with barge roads off each bank”) is Sun Pier. Where am I planning to land?
On the third day of Christmas,
My pilot book has taken me away from Sun Pier, quite a way away and tonight I will need a dinghy to land on a place that has long since gone. I have found the natural cut beside the main channel of this ‘bootiful’ (a phonetic clue – not a very good one though) river and am anchored clear of the channel. I am about to row ashore to land between half-flood and half-ebb on London Hard. If I look up what might I see today?
On the fourth day of Christmas,
I have followed the advice of Mr Graeme Spence to Nelson. Which channel did I find?
On the fifth day of Christmas,
I woke to the sounds of Curlew warbling with a Marsh Harrier wheeling overhead. I am anchored off Quince’s Corner. What Creek am I in?
On the sixth day of Christmas,
I am crossing the sands of the Estuary. I have Wilson’s Pilot Guide to the Thames Estuary (no cheating please) open on my chart table. I am about to try the first of two swatchways which don’t exist anymore. The guidance is:
“These swatchways should only be used in good conditions and in daylight. On no account should they be attempted at night or thick or bad weather. Caution is advised in navigating through them, as the depths and the position of the sands is continually changing. The frequent use of the lead is, therefore most necessary.
This swatchway is across the spit connecting the south west extreme of the ? with the ?? sand. This channel is marked by a Trinity House red and white conical buoy, marked T.H. No 1. The connecting spit is not more than 3 cables across, and a little over a mile in width between the two fathom lines of the sands on either side. There are depths of about 12 to 17 feet over the spit on the line of bearing given in the following directions.
Directions: ….. a bearing of (S40°E) SE ½ S Mag will lead about 3 cables south-westward of the Trinity House spoil buoy No 1”. What Swatchway was this?
On the seventh day of Christmas,
I am at anchor in Stangate Creek but I had meant to be anchored off Stangate Point. Where should I have be?
On the eight day of Christmas,
I have lined up the Priory and the White House at Wigborough Wicks, what swatchway am I clearing?
On the ninth day of Christmas,
I am off Orford Haven. In accordance with the Pilot Book directions, I hove to about quarter of a mile out and kept my burgee dipped 3 to 4 foot as a signal to Mr George Andrews, the pilot. However, it seems that conditions are too bad for him to launch his boat and he is resorting to flag signals. He has his flag upright. What should I do? (I’ve tried ringing him on my mobile but ‘Bawdsey 233’ doesn’t seem to be a valid number any more!
On the tenth day of Christmas,
I plan to stop in the commercial dock excavated between the marsh ground north of the RAF depot and the passenger pier. Two groynes jut out from the shore to protect the entrance which is some 150ft in width: a black can buoy is moored off the northern side of the entrance. There is a least depth of 12 foot in the entrance and along the northern pier; inside the Dock, along the North and South Quays, there are depths ranging from 12ft to 20ft with lesser depths alongside the Eastern Quay. Entering or leaving on the ebb, a vessel should point up well to the northward as there is a strong set onto the end of the southern groyne. This dock is a most convenient place in which to leave a yacht; the harbour dues are very small and the facilities for water and supplies are good (it would be a bit of a walk for supplies today!). What Dock do I plan to stay in?
On the eleventh day of Christmas,
I am steering NW¼W with a transit of two pear shaped trees on the distant hills in line with the west end of the Island. What Swatchway am I in?
On the twelfth day of Christmas,
I am safely in harbour. There are no harbour due payable but I am required as a yacht with registered tonnage from 5 to 10 tons to pay 6d Knoll Light Buoy Dues. What harbour am I in?
