Sittingbourne Yacht Club

Sittingbourne Yacht Club's aim is to promote the use of Milton Creek by sailing vessels of all types and to secure the future of the Creek for the benefit of the local community.

Public Inquiry, July 2008

Inspector John Watson (left) and Marina Projects director Mike Ward (right) taken up the creek by Wil Pretty on Chica

Inspector John Watson (left) and Marina Projects director Mike Ward (right) being taken up the creek by Wil Pretty on Chica

The public inquiry concerning the bridge was held at Swale House, Sittingbourne on 8-18 July, taking much longer than expected owing to the number and strength of the objections from Sittingbourne Yacht Club, the Sea Cadets, the Barge Museum and creek fontage owners. Though Kent County Council fielded 15 experts and a specialist barrister, objectors were not intimidated and put forward a strong case for an opening bridge. The inspector, Mr John Watson, was treated to a sailing trip from Swale Marina to the head of Milton Creek, ending at our base at Murston Wharf. Despite the modest tide, Chica was able to reach the head of Milton Creek well after high water and return safely to Conyer Creek on the same tide.

Statement regarding proposed Milton Creek Crossing

Like the rest of Sittingbourne, we want the relief road to be built to relieve traffic congestion. We are happy for a bridge to cross Milton Creek as this will promote awareness of and encourage access to the creek and the waterside of Church Marshes country park. However we think it should be an opening bridge that will allow sailing vessels (barges, yachts and dinghies) to pass. Otherwise the creek will be condemned to become a disused, sterile eyesore for at least a hundred years.

Bridge openings need only be a few times per week, at around high tide, and can be limited to set off-peak times causing no more dispruption than traffic lights. The costs and difficulties of building, maintaining and operating an opening bridge have been wildly exaggerated by Kent County Council and we intend to object to their proposed fixed low level crossing at the forthcoming Public Inquiry.

We are not just "yachting interests" but well informed people with grave concern that Sittingbourne is sleep-walking into the destruction of its only real asset and raison d'etre, which ticks all the boxes for regeneration, leisure, heritage, conservation and most of all quality of life for the local community.

Sittingbourne Regatta, 14 September 2008

The sun shone on last year's regatta. This year the event will be on 14th September. Venue: Murston Quay, High Tide 12.49, 5.5 metres. Bring a boat or just come along and join in.

Swale Regatta, June 2008

As last year, Sittingbourne Yacht Club competed in the regatta hosted by Conyer Cruising Club and sponsored by Swale Marina. The friendly racing event was held over 3 days and was aimed to attract cruising yachts. For more information see www.swaleregatta.co.uk

Nore Race, June 2008

Chica represented SYC in the Nore Race this year and came 4th in the multihull section. This was the only cruiser entrant from the Medway/Swale!

Barge Museum Reopens to the Public

We are delighted to announce that the Dolphin Barge Museum reopened at Easter 2008 and will continue to be open to the public every weekend from Easter to October. The museum represents a long heritage of sailing boats at Milton Creek, where 500 barges were built. Some of our members are from the families of bargemen who sailed at Milton Creek.

A Better Solution

This is our engineers' idea of what a lifting bridge could look like at Milton Creek with the same 15 metre span as that proposed by Kent County Council. Any fears of traffic hold-ups are unfounded as the bridge would open only briefly at published times near high tide. Rush hours would be avoided and the bridge would only open if boats are wanting to pass, which might be only three or four times a week. The bridge would be operated remotely so that no extra staff would be required. A planning inquiry is to take place later this year and we will be there to oppose sterilisation of Milton Creek by the proposed fixed bridge. Meanwhile Click here to see what KCC proposes.

Coming Events in 2008

14 September - Sittingbourne Regatta. See below for photos of last year's event.

Other news

Kent County Council have negotiated a revised roundabout for the relief road with Kemsley Mill in order to get them on board. They plan to resubmit the entire scheme to a further planning application meeting, still with a fixed low level bridge and with no option for them to choose a lifting bridge!
New pontoons now installed at Murston Wharf.
Marshalls brickworks had a trial trip of a lighter and tug to their wharf at the old Sittingbourne Yacht Club base, just downstream of Murston Wharf. Thoughts are that they are intending to use water transport for their products to London for the building of the Olympic village.
We have upgraded the size of the withies at the entrance to Milton Creek and tied floats to them as they were still under water at high tide. As you enter, Orange on Port and Green on Starboard.

Yachts gather in Milton Creek

Despite wet and windy weather, six yachts were escorted up the Creek by Medway Ports patrol vessel "Medway Leader" in March 2007. Click here for more photos and report.

Tragedy at Milton Creek

The ancestors of Wil Pretty, our Rear Commodore, lived and worked at Milton Creek for generations as fishermen and mariners. John Clancy's book The Story of Sittingbourne and Milton Regis says that William Pretty was the captain of the first barge built by Smeed in 1845. He was knocked overboard and died at Murston when his barge, the Three Sisters, collided with the George, built at Adelaide Dock in 1852. Click here for more.

Petition Presented to Swale Borough Council

Gerry Lilley (left) and Glenn Springett (right) present our petition to Cllr Gerry Lewin. Click here for Swale BC minutes. On 13 December 2006 we presented a petition to the Executive Committee of Swale Borough Council. The petition asks that Milton Creek be redeveloped with a public waterside area so that it can be accessible to the people of Sittingbourne and Milton and restored for maritime use by sailing barges and other leisure craft. This petition shows that there is a considerable demand within Sittingbourne and Milton for Milton Creek to be reinstated as a major maritime waterway and that its irreplacable historic significance be recognised and developed for the benefit of the local community. This local community aspiration cannot be realised unless the navigation is retained for sailing boats.

E-petition

click here to see the Save Milton Creek e-petition.