Left early in the morning and passed this rather odd looking container ship. Wondered if the bridge could be raised depending on how high the containers go?
Set off for St Kats with my daughter Caroline on Sunday 24th July at 18.00. Managed to sail as far as Gravesend before it started to get dark and picked up a buoy for the night.
Left early in the morning and passed this rather odd looking container ship. Wondered if the bridge could be raised depending on how high the containers go?
In the end decided to try Limehouse as I had not been there for many years. They let me in but I got a ticking off as I should have booked 24hrs in advance. The marina was full so I moored against 'the Wall' no electric but only £7.50 per night. Problem was that the surface was covered with 50mm of Duck Weed, most unsightly. This has been caused by a sewerage leak into the canal system that feeds thge dock. However took to the inflatable and explored the attached canals. Decided I would come again next year and drop the mast and take a trip up the non-tidal Thames. You can get out at low tide at Limehouse.
Left next day for St Kats. Stayed a week, cost £120. Blisteringly hot week so just soaked up the sun.
Returned back to the Swale and tried overnight anchoring at Elmley Ferry in a F7. No problems.
Weather gone cold, so went up Milton Creek at high tide, moored at the top and purchased some paint from Homebase, spent the next couple of days preparing and painting the cabin ceiling.
Weather picked up so went over to the Ray Gut off Southend and scrubbed off by mooring in 1.5 metres of water and going over the side. When the tide started making, I went with the flood up to Benfleet Creek. Hadn't been there for 20 years. Its quite a torturous creek but its well buoyed. Nice clubhouse that is open 365 days a year. Moored up against the barge there. Made a big mistake, I didn't run a line from the masthead ashore. I thought the base of the creek was flat. It wasn't. Woke up at 03.00hrs to find myself at a 45 deg angle. Managed to winch myself back to the horizontal OK. Returned to Stangate via Yantlet Creek. Interesting obilisk offshore there called the London Stone. I understand it used to mark the boundary of the London navigation. Has some interesting writing on it but as the tide was falling I couldnt stay to examine. Met up with Sunny and Mischief at Stangate and had a good sail back to Hoo. Had only used 20 Litres of petrol over the 2 weeks so had been able to sail most of the time.
Wil Pretty, August 2006