The Coastal Guide 2024

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TheCoastalGuide

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FREE guide to sailing & other activities on the East Coast & its rivers

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ŶŶƵĂů Θ ǀŝƐŝƚŽƌ ďĞƌƚŚƐ ĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞ Ăůů LJĞĂƌ tŝŶƚĞƌ ƐƚŽƌĂŐĞ ƉĂĐŬĂŐĞƐ ĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞ &Ƶůů ďŽĂƚLJĂƌĚ ƐĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ͕ ŝŶĐůƵƐŝǀĞ ĐƌĂŶĂŐĞ ŶŐŝŶĞ ŝŶƐƚĂůůĂƚŝŽŶ͕ ƐĞƌǀŝĐŝŶŐ͕ ĚŝĂŐŶŽƐƚŝĐƐ Θ ƌĞƉĂŝƌƐ • ůĞĐƚƌŽŶŝĐƐ ƐĂůĞƐ Θ ŝŶƐƚĂůůĂƚŝŽŶ • KƐŵŽƐŝƐ ƚƌĞĂƚŵĞŶƚ Θ ƌĞƐƉƌĂLJƐ • 'ZW ƌĞƉĂŝƌƐ͕ ƉĂŝŶƚŝŶŐ Θ ǀĂƌŶŝƐŚŝŶŐ • • • •

tĞ ůŽŽŬ ĨŽƌǁĂƌĚ ƚŽ ǁĞůĐŽŵŝŶŐ LJŽƵ Richard & the Team

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f all the East Coast’s myriad attractions, it’s the contrast of quiet creeks and far-reaching riverscapes, bustling waterside towns and rich maritime history that we most love... after a sail in occasionally-challenging tidal waters and inevitably on-the-nose winds, there truly is no nicer place to call home! Two rivers that offer all this – and so much more – are featured in this edition: the Crouch on p34 and the Medway on p60. On p44 we dip our toes into the subject of outdoor swimming with a look at some places where you can take the plunge, and the like-minded souls who will help you do so safely. And, whether you want to be in, on, or simply by the water, you’ll find something of interest in our round-up of events, which begins on p13.

As always, The Coastal Guide remains a free-to-read resource thanks to the support of our advertisers and the organisations that distribute copies to their members and customers. As well as expressing our thanks to them, we also pay special tribute this year to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, which in 2024 celebrates its 200th anniversary. From the station crews and fundraisers to those among the supporting cast that supplied info for our features on p7 and p68 – we salute you all!

Tim & Gill

mail@thecoastalguide.co.uk The Coastal Guide coastalguideuk The Coastal Guide

The Coastal Guide 2024 ©East Coast Creative www.eastcoastcreative.uk * All information correct at time of going to press; please check individual websites for updates

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34

44

60

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Inside...

07 Two centuries of service: a tribute to the RNLI 13 Summer of fun: sailing & other events 32 North Fambridge’s Ferry Boat Inn 34 A river for all – exploring the Crouch 42 The best of all worlds: Bridgemarsh Marina 44 Take the plunge… outdoor swim spots & safety 55 On course: real-life learning at the IBTC 58 Holidays at Woolverstone Marina & Lodge Park

7 60 Beyond expectations: destination Medway 68 Tales of triumph & tragedy: an RNLI must-see 71 Congrats Lady Florence – still serving at 80!

72 Welcome to Royal Norfolk & Suffolk Yacht Club 75 Marinas & moorings 81 Snettisham Beach Sailing Club 83 Benfleet Yacht Club 85 Clubs on the East Coast and its rivers TheCoastalGuide 2024 5

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RNLI/Harry Stimpson

Two centuries of service As the RNLI celebrates its 200th anniversary, we take a look at some of its East Coast stations, characters and key events

C

redited with saving more than 146,000 lives since it was founded in 1824, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution operates 238 lifeboat stations and has seasonal lifeguards on over 240 beaches around the UK and Ireland.

Independent of the Coastguard and government, it’s a unique organisation that depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain a rescue service that’s not only survived the test of time, but today leads its field, designing and building its own lifeboats and running water safety programmes both at home and abroad.

First known as the Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Lives and Property from Shipwreck, the RNLI we know today was the brainchild of British military officer, author and philanthropist Sir William Hillary. In his later years Hillary lived on the Isle of Man, and it was on a reef here that HMS Racehorse was wrecked in 1822. About 100 members of the ship’s crew reached shore safely but nine people – six crew and three of the locals who’d rowed to their aid – died after the rescue boat was swamped by water on its final trip. Driven by personal experience of a previous rescue operation and concerned that »

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RNLI/Guy Fleming

RNLI/Chris Bishop

the families of the Manx men who died in the HMS Racehorse incident were left at risk of poverty – while the families of the crew who died in service were provided for with British Navy pensions – Hillary drew up plans for a lifeboat service to be crewed by trained people for all of the British coast.

Today, there are six RNLI lifeboat stations in Norfolk – at Hunstanton, Wells, Sheringham, Cromer, Happisburgh and Great Yarmouth and Gorleston.

Constructed in 1867, Hunstanton Lifeboat Station housed the RNLI’s first motor tractor and today operates an inshore B class Atlantic 85 lifeboat and one of only four inshore rescue hovercraft (above). At Wells, crews have been saving lives at sea since 1830 but the first RNLI lifeboat station here was built in 1869. The current boathouse is located on a sand and shingle spit just over a mile north of the town.

Sheringham’s station was first established with a private lifeboat in 1838, then in 1867 the first RNLI boat was launched from a carriage housed

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at the east end of the town near the Crown Inn. Some 125 years later, in 1992 Sheringham became the first station to receive a B class Atlantic 75 lifeboat.

Just a short distance along the coast, Cromer is synonymous with Henry George Blogg (left), who joined the crew in 1894 at the age of 18 and was Coxswain from 1909-1947.

No lifeboat crew member has received more decorations for gallantry; Blogg won the Gold Medal of the Institution – which is only given for conspicuous gallantry – three times, won the Silver Medal four times and also held the George Cross and the British Empire Medal.

Further south, Happisburgh’s Lifeboat Station has operated from Cart Gap since 2010 due to coastal erosion at its previous site, while the lifeboat station for Great Yarmouth and Gorleston – presented with 58 awards for outstanding rescues – is celebrating nearly 200 years of service. Notable rescues include, in 1979, laying

RNLI/Adam Prescott

a 65ft pathway of planks to rescue more than 100 holidaymakers from the pleasure boat Queen of the Broads after they’d spent 10 hours stranded on mud banks on the Norfolk Broads and, in 1996, the rescue of six people and saving of the yacht Olline in a violent storm force wind, rough seas and a very heavy swell – an 11-hour service for which Coxswain David Mason was awarded the first medal for a service carried out in a Trent class lifeboat.

One of the oldest lifeboat stations in the British Isles, Lowestoft was founded in 1801 when its first rowing lifeboat was built by Henry Greathead who, 12 years before, had built for South Shields the first lifeboat of all, the famous Original. Six years later Lowestoft took her place in the history books by having the first sailing lifeboat, built for the Suffolk Humane Society by Sparham of Lowestoft; Frances Anne served until 1850 and saved some 300 lives. Five years later, in 1855 the station became part of the RNLI. The Lowestoft station’s crews have received 45 awards for gallantry and taken part in many notable rescues – its lifeboat Michael Stephens

RNLI/Derry Salter

was among 19 of the RNLI’s boats which went to Dunkirk in 1940 to help with the rescue of the British Expeditionary Force. Working in Dunkirk Harbour, she was twice rammed by motor torpedo boats but went on carrying men through crowded darkness to the ships outside and returned to Dover under her own power.

Suffolk’s complement of lifeboat stations is completed by those at Southwold and Aldeburgh (the latter’s two vessels are pictured top left). The Southwold RNLI lifeboat station was founded in 1840 and since then its crews have launched the lifeboats 1,004 times and saved 272 lives, while at Aldeburgh a station has been operating since »

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RNLI/Harwich

1826 and has been part of the RNLI since 1852, its lifeboats launching 1,267 times and saving 693 lives.

In Essex, history was made in 2021 when Di Bush (above) was appointed Full-Time Coxswain for Harwich RNLI (main photo on previous page) – the first woman in the RNLI to hold the position.

Just over a century earlier, a Silver Medal was awarded to Coxswain William Hammond and a Bronze Medal to Second Coxswain J.C. Byford at Walton and Frinton for the overnight rescue of 92 people from the SS Peregrine, which was wrecked overnight at the end of December 1917.

Established in 1878, Clacton-on-Sea lifeboat station houses two inshore lifeboats in a modern boathouse built in 2006, while West Mersea was one of the RNLI’s first inshore lifeboat stations and the Burnham-on-Crouch Station – founded in 1966 and located in Burnham Yacht Harbour To mark its 200th anniversary, the RNLI’s 200 Voices podcast series shares stories of kindness, courage and pride from supporters, volunteers and those who’ve been rescued. A special anniversary range of merchandise is available in RNLI shops and on its website, and among the many events marking the charity’s milestone year, a relay-style event is taking a special scroll to every RNLI region and country in 2024 so that lifesavers can sign its ‘One Crew’ pledge on behalf of their communities. A map on the RNLI website shows where the scroll has been, where it’s heading next, and details of events along the way.

The Historic Dockyard Chatham houses the RNLI Historic Lifeboat Collection, which shows how lifeboats have changed over the last century through interactive displays, archive film and audio clips. Until September this year, it’s also the location of RNLI 200: The Exhibition, which celebrates the 200th anniversary of the lifesaving charity (see p68).

For details on all the above, and more, see www.rnli.org.

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– is one of only a few that house their inshore lifeboats in a floating boathouse. In contrast, Southend-on-Sea has two boathouses, one at each end of the busy resort’s 1.25-mile long pier.

Close to the mouth of the Medway and operating from within the old naval port, Sheerness lifeboat station last year received a huge donation of £78,000 when Allhallows Yacht Club was wound-down after failing to negotiate a new lease with its landowners.

Further north, Gravesend (top) became one of the RNLI’s newest lifeboat stations and one of four operating on the Thames after a new search and rescue service for the river was announced in 2001. Another within this group of four, Tower RNLI is the RNLI’s busiest station – crew aim to launch within 90 seconds of an emergency call being received and in June last year the station reached the milestone of 10,000 lifeboat launches (above), having saved the lives of 381 people in its 21 years of service.

RNLI/Nathan Williams

RNLI/Nigel Millard

RNLI lifeguards have been patrolling beaches since 2001, sharing safety advice, providing first aid to those who need it, and saving the lives of those who get into trouble in the water. It’s a proactive approach that, across over 240 beaches in the UK and the Channel Islands, saw them in 2023 recording almost three million preventative actions, attending 14,213 incidents, helping 19,979 people – more than half of them children – and saving 86 lives. Qualified in lifesaving and casualty care, highly trained, strong and fit, before a lifeguard even sets foot on a beach he or she will have taken part in months of training, and must be able to swim 200m in under three and a half minutes and run 200m on sand in under 40 seconds. To find your nearest lifeguarded beach, see www.rnli.org.

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448.97

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A summer of fun awaits!

There’s lots to see, do and support on our coastline, rivers and lakes...

Calling all competitors, challenge-seekers and cheerleaders: there’s a whole host of reasons to get on, in, or near the water in 2024. Some events are fiercely contested, some offer fun for all the family and others set out to raise funds for deserving local causes... take a look at our round-up and you’re sure to find something that ‘floats your boat’!

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Aldeburgh to Orford Flotilla A

fabulous fund-raising event for those who love being in or on the water, the famous Aldeburgh to Orford Flotilla takes place on 28 July.

Participants can swim, SUP, row, canoe or kayak through an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty from Aldeburgh Yacht Club to Orford Sailing Club, a distance of just under five miles assisted by the outgoing tide. Each is encouraged to raise money through sponsorship which will be match-funded and given to The Alde and Ore Estuary Trust, a charity that works to preserve, maintain and improve river defences and flood protection in this beautiful Suffolk location.

•www.aoetrust.org/flotilla-2024

First Light Festival C

elebrating the UK’s first light of the summer solstice in its most easterly town, the First Light Festival takes place on Lowestoft seafront on 22-23 June. Showcasing artists and performances from around the world, the event is now in its fourth year, and features a free outdoor programme followed by a series of ticketed events that take place in venues adjacent to the beach, promenade and in the town. On its second day, the festival begins with a shoreline gathering at dawn when participants can enjoy daybreak yoga and music. First Light Festival 2024 will include sporting challenges on the beach, a showcase of local musical talent, a performance by stand-up comic and writer Shaparak (Shappi) Khorsandi and a jazz concert at the Royal Norfolk & Suffolk Yacht Club. Just a short walk along the beach from the festival site, a popup campsite is specially created for the weekend.

•www.firstlightlowestoft.com

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Three Rivers Race K

nown as ‘Europe’s toughest inland sailing race’, the Three Rivers Race takes place on 1-2 June this year. The course of this Horning Sailing Club event covers over 50 miles and three different rivers – the Bure, Ant and Thurne– and sees competitors having to lower masts to navigate the three bridges at Potter Heigham and Acle. Each has up to 24 hours to complete the course. The start of the race is the best time for spectators to view the fleet in one concentrated mass, waiting in groups of around 10 boats upstream of the start line at Horning Sailing Club.

•www.3rr.uk

Thames Traditional Boat Festival T

he Thames Traditional Boat Festival takes place on 19-21 July, promising three days of family fun in the company of dozens of classic river craft and Dunkirk Little Ships. Taking place opposite the Royal Regatta course at Henley-on-Thames, this 45th celebration of all that’s best in British boatbuilding and craftsmanship evokes the nostalgia of boating from a bygone era. The event owes its origins to rising concerns in the 1970s over the demise of many unpowered craft, seen neglected and rotting along the River Thames. The idea of a rally, to be held annually and open to anyone, was taken up by the River Thames Society which agreed to organise an event in 1978. Over the years since then the festival has welcomed the involvement of many boat clubs and societies, but the emphasis has always been on the preservation of beautiful craft, and its awards are still keenly fought for.

•www.tradboatfestival.com

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SwimAlton S

uffolk’s Alton Water is the setting for Pacesetter Events’ season opener, a multidistance swimming challenge scheduled for 9 June. The course features a beach start leading to a long, exposed reach across the widest section of the reservoir and offers a range of options to suit swimmers of all levels, starting from a half-mile distance that would be ideal for newcomers to outdoor swimming. For the more experienced, the 5km and 10km courses are considered a huge benchmark, with participants given three and four hours to complete each respectively.

•www.swimrutland.com/swimalton

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Nore Race B

enfleet Yacht Club once again hosts this year’s Nore Race – a combined open cruiser and dinghy event held over a 20-mile circuit of the Thames Estuary, starting and finishing at Southend Pier. The club has organised the Nore Race since the 1930s and it’s the only race that many of its skippers and crews compete in each year. Together with the Round Canvey Race (see p25) the Nore Race makes Benfleet Yacht Club a must-visit for sailors and watersports enthusiasts from as far away as Yorkshire and Devon, as well as clubs closer to home along the East Coast.

The Nore Race includes all classes of sailing dinghies and cruising yachts, both multi- and monohull. This year’s event takes place on 29 June, when there’ll be split start times for the dinghy and cruiser classes, with the ‘fast multihull’ dinghies completing two laps. Dinghy sailors travelling to take part in the Nore Race are welcome to use the launching facilites at Benfleet Yacht Club, but as they are a long way from the start line, special arrangements are in place with Thorpe Bay Yacht Club, Alexandra Yacht Club and Thames Estuary to allow those from outside the area to use their club launching facilities – do check first – and a pennant is handed to each entry to fly on their back stay. A prizegiving event takes place at Benfleet Yacht Club on 5 July.

•www.benfleetyachtclub.org

Medway Yacht Club Keelboat Regatta O

ffering a mixture of windward – leeward courses, more complex river courses and longer estuary races, this relaxed event features three classes of handicap racing for cruisers plus one design racing for Dragons, Sonatas and Squibs. Taking place over the weekend of 12-14 July, the regatta starts on the Friday evening with a practice race before the points series starts the following morning. Cruisers and Squibs will have a maximum of three races over the weekend while the Dragons and Sonatas will have a maximum of six races. Off the water, there’ll be live entertainment on the Saturday evening, and on the Sunday there’s a lunchtime hog roast followed by a late-afternoon prizegiving ceremony.

•medwayyachtclub.com

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Aldeburgh Fun Team Relay Triathlon O ne of Suffolk’s premier seaside towns is the setting for a fun relay later this summer – the Aldeburgh Fun Team Relay Triathlon.

Taking place on 15 September, the event started in 2015 when a group of friends wanted to get families, friends and colleagues together for some sporting fun on the coastline at the end of the summer season – since then they’ve raised over £30k for charities including the Aldeburgh RNLI, East Anglian Air Ambulance and a local cancer research support group. The triathlon sees teams of three completing a 750m sea swim, 22km bike ride and 5km off-road run.

•www.heritagecoastevents.org.uk

Harwich International Shanty Festival S teeped in seafaring history, Harwich is the perfect setting for a weekend that celebrates the songs of the sea. Taking place on 11-13 October, this festival attracts artists and audiences from all over the world as Harwich fills with a colourful array of singers, musicians, pirates, street theatre actors, maritime craftspeople and more. Rousing sea shanties can be heard emanating from the many real ale pubs in town and the entertainment continues along the quayside, on board historic ships and at iconic sites including the fabulous Redoubt Fort. Shanty trains, workshops, demonstrations, concerts, barge trips and historical re-enactments all add to the mix, suitable for all ages and much of it free of charge.

•www.harwichshantyfestival.co.uk

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North West Norfolk Week O

rganised by the North West Norfolk Sailing Association and known colloquially as Norfolk Week, this event offers close racing at a different location every day. Run every year since 1949 – except for 2020 when Covid restrictions prevented it – this family-friendly event is due to take place in 2024 on 20-27 July. Sailed at all the clubs in the area, a near-unique feature is the variety of sailing on offer. Snettisham Beach SC (see p81) is on the Wash and offers large open sea courses, while the Ouse Amateur Sailing Club offers non-tidal river racing.

The largest coastal salt marshes in the world stretch between Brancaster and Blakeney with sailing at Brancaster Staithe, Overy Staithe, Wells and Blakeney SCs. Daily, weekly and sometimes random prizes and trophies mean that there is something for everyone, and the facilities offered by the host clubs are as varied as the sailing itself.

•www.norfolkweek.co.uk

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Thames Valley Boat Show T he Thames Valley Boat Show takes place at MDL’s Penton Hook Marina in Chertsey, Surrey from 31 May to 2 June. Sponsored

by TBS Boats and organised in association with BoatLife and MDL, the show is free to enter and offers an opportunity to get on board a range of boats and chat to leading marine companies including Bates Wharf, Tingdene and Bray Marine Sales.

Visitors can expect 100 dedicated sales berths afloat, 40-plus marquee spaces ashore and 50 boat spaces ashore, plus family-friendly activities such as SUP sessions and demonstrations of dinghy sailing. Hot on the heels of its NEC show in February, BoatLife is one of the driving forces behind the event, continuing its bid to make boating accessible to all, regardless of budget or experience level.

•www.thamesvalley-boatshow.co.uk

Outlaw Half Holkham Weekend F

or those able to go the extra mile (or more), North Norfolk’s Holkham Estate provides a beautiful backdrop for a weekend of sporting challenges this summer. Taking place on 6-7 July, the Outlaw Half Holkham Weekend offers a range of multi-sport events for all the family to enjoy. On the Saturday, a Gravel Sprint event comprises a 750m lake swim, an off-road bike course and a 5km run – all within the traffic-free grounds of Holkham Estate. On the Sunday, an Aquabike event involves a 1.2-mile lake swim followed by a 56-mile bike course through the villages of North Norfolk before returning to the Holkham Estate. The main event, the Outlaw Half, sees competitors complete the two Aquabike courses before finishing with a 13.1-mile run on the roads and tracks around the estate.

Each main-event athlete will have a live tracker so supporters can follow their progress, and both triathlons offer a twoor three-person relay option so different competitors can complete each leg and come together to cross the finish line.

•www.outlawtriathlon.com

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Burnham Week T

he region’s ‘most challenging and friendly’ regatta, Burnham Week attracts a full range of sailors, from national champions and beginners with cruisers, one designs, multihulls and dinghies. The sheltered waters of the Rivers Crouch and Roach and all-tide access to the Thames Estuary are the setting for a variety of courses and there’s plenty of action off the water too.

This year’s event is from 24-31 August, and prizegiving is followed by a firework display that draws crowds all along the quayside.

•www.burnhamweek.com

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Deben Café Bar on HMS Vale

Licensed café bar on the aft deck of an old war ship floating in the

River Deben alongside Melton Boatyard near Woodbridge.

Café: Barista Coffee,

Cold Drinks, Ice Creams, Bar Snacks, Good Food, Meaty, Veggie, Vegan

Dog friendly

Bar: Draught &

Bottled Beers, Ciders, Fizz, Wines & Spirits, 18+yrs Hot Drinks

Riverside Beer Garden: Stunning

River Views, Peaceful Setting, Good Vibes

One mile river wall walk from the Tide Mill. Friendly welcome. Trains stop Woodbridge & Melton. Parking in Melton Street. Walking/cycling destination; no parking on the Boatyard.

01394 388643 | www.debencafe.co.uk | on HMS Vale IP12 1PE

40 Tonne Dock Lane, Travel Hoist Cranage Seasonal Lifts 30 Berth Marina Storage Ashore Easy Access for Road Transport or Surveys Expert Marine Advice

DebenCafe Bar

goose.sleepless.pouch

MELTON BOATYARD LTD

Marine Engineering Plumbing Blasting Electrical Carpentry Steel, GRP & Stainless Steel Repairs Welding & Fabrication Wide Beam & Canal Barges

Engineering

Large Undercover Workshops

Grit Blasting

Painting & Varnishing

Epoxy Systems

Topside Resprays

Osmosis Treatment

All Paint Systems

With all the new ways of communication available these days, we still prefer you to phone 01394 386327 to discuss your needs.

Or better still, come onto the boatyard in person. It’s much easier that way.

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How to Contact us:

Phone: 01394 386327 Melton, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 1PE

www.meltonboatyard.co.uk info@meltonboatyard.co.uk

Barge matches

B

arge matches have taken place on the East Coast for more than 150 years, the vessels sailed just as competitively now as they were in their heyday. Barges and smacks compete in a series of races throughout the summer, with points, prizes and cups awarded.

At the end of the season, the vessel securing the most points across the year is declared Champion Barge. Races are held on the Orwell, Colne, Blackwater, Thames, Medway and Swale rivers and, alongside the official races, there is also a Passage Rally from the Medway to the Orwell, and an unofficial match at Whitstable every year. Match dates confirmed for 2024 (correct at the time of going to press) are: • Medway (Gillingham) – 1 June • Southend – 8 June • Thames (Gravesend)– 15 June • Pin Mill (Ipswich) – 29 June • Blackwater (Maldon) – 13 July • Swale (Faversham)– 10 August • Colne (Brightlingsea) – 14 September The Sailing Barge Association is a superb source of information on the history of these evocative

vessels and – if you’re keen to get on board some – has a comprehensive list of the boats available for charter.

•www.sailingbargeassociation.co.uk

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Swale Regatta

A

n inclusive and welcoming atmosphere for all sailors is the focus of the Swale Regatta, which takes place on 21-23 June this year. Various sailing clubs come together to host this series of races on the Medway and Swale rivers, offering free entry and the opportunity for sailors to experience racing without the stress of a highly competitive environment. Yachts rendezvous at Queenborough on the Friday, with a race heading towards Medway Yacht club for an overnight stop. On the Saturday, races will return from there to Queenborough, and on the final day the course starts near Sheerness and heads either into the Medway or out in the estuary – depending on weather conditions – with a finish that allows all boats time to get back to their moorings on the afternoon high tide.

•www.swaleregatta.co.uk

Dock2Dock Swim

L

ined by historic cranes and with iconic Canary Wharf and the O2 in the background, Royal Docks is the setting for the Dock2Dock swim on 14 September. Having started with just a few hundred swimmers nine years ago, the event has grown in size but maintains a fun atmosphere, offering a range of distances for all ages and abilities to choose from, starting from 1.5km and going up to an epic 15km. The event village will be located close to Royal Docks Watersports, opposite London City Airport, and included in the entry fee – which starts at £30 – is a free pre-event swim (on the day before) plus safety boats, kayaks, and paddle boarders in the water, feed stations for distances 3km and above, postswim refuel and a finisher’s medal. All swimmers must have current National Open Water Coaching Association membership, which is currently £15 per year and gives access to over 40 NOWCAaffiliated venues throughout the UK along with discounts on courses, access to events, insurance cover other member benefits.

•www.lovesportsevents.co.uk/dock2dock-2024

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Round Canvey Race B

enfleet Yacht Club’s Coastal Rowers are an active group of enthusiasts – the club has a number and variety of fixed- and sliding-seat coastal rowing craft available for all members to use, and many compete in major events in other parts of the UK as well as the near continent.

Keeping the action close to home, Benfleet Yacht Club organises the annual Round Canvey Race, a rowing, row/sail or paddle event that covers a 14.5-mile circuit of the entire coast of Canvey Island. This annual open event was established in 2010 and an eclectic mix of vessels have competed to date: fixed-seat and sliding-seat row boats, surf skis, kayaks, outrigger canoes and a variety of sailing dinghies. The current time record is one hour 44 minutes – an average speed of 7.2 knots. This year’s Round Canvey Race is due to take place on 6 July. The course includes four tidal barrages, there are bridges to pass under – so masts will come down – and all craft must be suitable for deep water and potentially rough conditions. Free overnight camping is available at Benfleet Yacht Club, which is on the northern shore of Canvey Island – an evening BBQ and bar add to the fun ashore.

•www.benfleetyachtclub.org

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Suffolk Yacht Harbour Classic Regatta T he River Orwell’s Suffolk Yacht Harbour hosts its annual Classic Regatta on 14-16 June. Founded in 2002, the SYH Classic Regatta welcomes both sailing and motor yachts – entry criteria requires vessels to be pre-1970 design of traditional construction. Sailing yachts should have a Bermuda or gaff rig and be built of wood or steel.

Modern classic yachts with wooden or steel hulls are also welcome. IRC points racing for fast, slow and Stella classes takes place in Dovercourt Bay, Harwich Harbour, and the Orwell and Stour estuaries. Hosted

by Haven Ports Yacht Club (HPYC), a varied social programme ashore centres around the renovated LV87 lightship in the centre of the SYH marina, in front of which the majority of regatta yachts are berthed to create a busy, social atmosphere.

•www.syhclassicregatta.co.uk

Medway Marathon T

he Medway Marathon has been an annual endurance challenge for sailors for over almost 60 years. Organised by Medway Yacht Club, the race on 30 June is open to all classes of monohull dinghies and day keelboats with a RYA PY number.

The 26-mile course runs between Upnor in the west and Queenborough spit to the east and is in a tidal area that sets strategic problems and demands high levels of boat handling skills. It tests every part of the angles of sail, which doesn’t give a huge advantage to any particular boat and presents a great tactical challenge as the tide plays a big part in a sailor’s success. A sister halfmarathon event is open to helms who were under 23 at the start of this year.

•www.medwayyachtclub.com

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Maldon Mud Race M

aldon’s famous Mud Race takes place on 2 June, attracting competitors, spectators and press from all over Europe.

Last year nearly 20,000 people watched as entrants completed a 500m dash over the muddy bed of the River Blackwater, raising more than £35,000 for charity. The action takes place at the town’s Promenade Park, and racers can compete as individuals or as a team.

•www.maldonmudrace.com

East Anglian Offshore Racing Association C elebrating its 75th year in 2024, the East Anglian Offshore Racing Association brings more than 20 East Coast yacht clubs, from Ramsgate to Lowestoft, together for a series of on-the-water challenges.

Starting with a 200-mile North Sea Race on 10 May – run in conjunction with the Royal Ocean Racing Club and Royal Harwich Yacht Club – the season continues until 13 September when the last race, held in conjunction with West Mersea Yacht Club, is an 80-mile course from the Essex island to Ostende. Two 50-mile races take place on the weekend of 15-16 June when yachts race from Burnham-on-Crouch to the Medway and back, and from 8-12 July there’ll be a series of day races overseas as EAORA Week heads to southern Holland with visits to Veere, Zierikzee and Bruinisse.

•www.eaora.org.uk

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IOSSC Round the Island Race T he East Coast’s own Round the Island Race is due to take place on 31 August-1 September when the Isle of Sheppey Sailing Club hosts its endurance event – at 40 miles it’s the UK’s longest annual dinghy, catamaran and board race and not to be confused with other ‘24-hour’ races which allow for a change of helm and crew. Sailed clockwise around the island, the race was established in 1959 and starts and finishes at Sheerness. It includes tidal sea, river and estuary sailing – larger dinghies and multihulls have to be stopped, heeled over and walked under the inner span of the lifting road bridge at Kingsferry. The race is open to all classes of dinghy, catamaran and sailboard. Typical passage times are between three and 10 hours – current course records are one hour 52 minutes for multihulls, two hours 17 minutes for monohulls and two hours 34 minutes for sailboards.

•www.iossc.org.uk

Felixstowe Triathlon W

inner of Triathlon England’s Large Event of the Year award in 2022, the Felixstowe Triathlon takes place on 21 July this year. Based at the town’s seafront leisure centre, the event comprises three races.

In the Super-Sprint event, competitors complete a 300m pool swim before a 20.5km cycle ride and 3km run. There’s a 750m sea swim, 20.5km cycle ride and 5km run in store for Sprint competitors, while those tackling the Standard course will face a 1,500m sea swim, 41km cycle route and 10km run – if tide or weather causes cancellation of the sea swim then Standard and Sprint Competitors will complete a 300m pool swim instead.

•www.felixstowetriathlon.uk

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Mersea Week and Town Regatta M ersea Week celebrates its 50th anniversary this year and, in addition to all its regular fleets, will be hosting the RORC IRC East Coast Championships, East Coast Sonata Championships and ILCA Grand Prix. One of the Essex island’s premier sporting fixtures, Mersea Week is organised by a committee of volunteers from the Dabchicks Sailing Club and West Mersea Yacht Club – competitors can use the facilities at both clubs and are also offered free moorings for the week courtesy of the Mersea Moorings Association.

A beacon of tradition and custom, Mersea Week takes place on 18-23 August, its races on the River Blackwater complemented by a programme of on-shore entertainment. A day after, on 24 August West Mersea Town Regatta is a separate, longestablished event with around 100 boats competing in six classes, which include Smack, IRC and Cruiser events. Other events include a swimming race and greasy pole challenge, and the day’s fun concludes with fireworks set off on the mud and lighting up the River Blackwater.

•www.merseaweek.org •www.mersearegatta.org.uk

Chrissie Westgate

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Brightlingsea Regatta B

rightlingsea buzzes when its Regatta weekend takes place on 6-7 July.

Popular town clubs – including Colne Yacht Club, Brightlingsea Coastal Rowing Club and the Brightlingsea Sailing Club – will offer people the chance to get out on the water to try sailing, gig rowing and powerboating. There will also be the opportunity to see competitive sailing, with a variety of races and challenges scheduled – watch as skilled sailors battle for supremacy in a display of strategy, speed, and teamwork. Off the water there’ll be live entertainment, a vibrant marketplace featuring local sellers and crafters and a range of famly-friendly activities. A spectacular free firework display rounds off the day’s events – able to be viewed from the harbour all the way to Bateman’s Tower, this dazzling show is a memorable highlight every year.

•www.brightlingsearegatta.com

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Historic riverside pub is a haven for boaters Located in North Fambridge, one of Essex’s oldest and best-loved riverside inns is a popular destination for boaters on the River Crouch There are six comfortable bedrooms in an annexe at The Ferry Boat Inn, available for bed and breakfast all-year-round.

The Ferry Boat Inn, Ferry Road, North Fambridge, Essex CM3 6LR Book your table or room online at www.ferryboatinnessex.com 01621 738844

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W

ith records dating back to 1807, The Ferry Boat Inn in picturesque North Fambridge is steeped in history. The pub’s timber cladding and wooden beams will have witnessed a colourful history of landlords, tales of treachery – and, in one case, horse-snatching – over the past two centuries. Nowadays, the pub’s reputation for fine food, good beer and local produce has grown, making it one of the most popular riverside inns in Essex.

Back in 2021, the Grade II-listed building underwent major interior and exterior refurbishments, combining historic charm with 21st-century comfort. The weatherboarded inn is open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks, and there are also six refurbished bedrooms in an annexe, available for bed and breakfast all-year-round. Most importantly, the 16th-century character and charm remains within this much-loved inn.

The pub is now run by North Fambridge local Nicki Baseley and her family. Visitors will find ample free car parking, electric vehicle charging and visitor berthing for those arriving by boat. The scenic riverside footpath provides the perfect pre-curser to a visit to the inn with views of mudflats and salt marshes which are home to a variety of wildlife. The neighbouring Blue House Farm Nature Reserve is an area internationally important for wildlife and a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

Visitors arriving by boat can enjoy one of Essex’s most

Fambridge Yacht Haven is suitable for boats up to 16m in length and up to 18 tons. Owners get complimentary use of a floating tender pontoon and seven-day ferry service. There’s even a handy pontoon for easy pick up and drop off for crew.

comprehensive boating facilities. It is not hard to see why Fambridge Yacht Haven is commonly referred to as ‘the jewel of the River Crouch’.

The marina is split across two sites: on the riverside is the Yacht Station with access to the marina’s 120 river moorings, visitor pontoon, boatyard and The Ferry Boat Inn; within Stow Creek is the Yacht Haven and the 200-berth marina, indoor and outdoor boat storage, 40- ton boat hoist and marina café. There’s even a handy undercover ‘customer workshop’ facility.

The swinging mooring service is supported by a ferry which operates seven days a week during the summer season. The ‘Devon Lass’ ferry is supported by Fambridge Yacht Club and West Wick Yacht Club members, getting boaters from the visitor pontoon to their river moorings.

Owners also get complimentary use of a floating tender pontoon, with moorings suitable for boats up to 16m in length and 18 tons.

The friendly nature of Fambridge Yacht Haven is likely owing to the fact that most berth holders have been here for many years and have had the time to get to know each other and the staff. The marina crew have a wealth of boating expertise from cruising and racing to RIBs and motorboats. As a result, they’re able to provide advice and guidance from many years’ experience on the water and cruising the local area. What’s more, Fambridge’s location means that it’s far more rural than many other marinas, allowing boaters to sit onboard in peace and quiet.

Fambridge Yacht Haven, Church Road, North Fambridge, Essex CM3 6LU www.yachthavens.com 01621 740370

»

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A river for all

Contrasting wide-open expanses of water with tranquil, wildlife-rich creeks and islands, the Crouch offers something for every sailor, watersports enthusiast and peace-seeker…

F

34 TheCoastalGuide 2024

lowing through a landscape full of character, the waters of the Crouch are some of the busiest on the East Coast. A playground for yacht crews, dinghy sailors, paddle boarders, rowers and water-skiers, the river is also a thriving habitat for wildlife and the location of the biggest man-made wetland in Europe.

The river forms the southern boundary of the Dengie Peninsula – an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with the North Sea to its east and the River Blackwater to its north. It might not be a conventionally pretty place – the miles of saltmarsh and milky sky here provided inspiration for works by both HG Wells and Hitchcock – but the peninsula has a beguiling beauty that extends across the Crouch and its creeks.

Widely known as the ‘Cowes of the East’, the

main riverside town of Burnham-on- Crouch is synonymous with white sails and yachts racing through its tidal waters. Burnham’s relationship with the water has not always been quite so respectable: three centuries ago many of the boats on the Crouch would have been loaded with contraband, as smuggling activities supplemented the local community’s earnings from its famed oyster beds.

Today, the river’s reputation as a centre of sporting action attracts a different type of traffic, while its quieter parts provide an alluring contrast for those who simply want to switch off awhile.

Whatever your reason to visit, you’ll get a warm welcome from the clubs, locations and companies featured here…

With a waterfront lined by historic buildings, boatbuilding yards and sailing clubs, Burnhamon-Crouch has long been associated with crews and their craft, ranging from single-handed dinghies to ocean-going racing yachts.

The first Burnham Regatta took place in 1893 and the event grew in popularity as – in the days before marinas offered year-round access – racing fleets from further south enjoyed a final fling at Burnham before their boats were laid-up for winter in the mudberths of the East Coast rivers. Challenging »

TheCoastalGuide 2024 35

yet friendly, Burnham Week comprises eight days of river racing ending with a prizegiving ceremony and firework display.

This year’s regatta takes place from 24-31 August, see www. burnhamweek.com for details.

There’s much more to this yachting hotspot, however. Built on cash from fertile farmland, oysters, boatbuilders and the aforementioned smuggling, Burnham has more than 100 listed buildings. Look out for the 1877 red-brick octagonal Clock Tower (right) and white-washed Victorian weatherboard cottages while you explore the town’s restaurants, pubs, cafés and shops – there really is something to suit every appetite, plus a faux Art Deco cinema, The Rio (right), which was the last in the country to change from gas emergency lighting to electric. For more history and current screenings, see www.rioburnham. co.uk.

Along the waterfront, the Grade II*listed Royal Corinthian Yacht Club (www. royalcorinthian.co.uk) was built in 1931 by

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Joseph Emberton, who was also responsible for Olympia in West London. Credited with instigating the start of Burnham Week in 1893, the Royal Corinthian (above) hosts the Squib East Coast Championships in May 2024, and its own One Design Regatta in July – of the 16 wooden Royal Corinthian One Design boats that are still around, 11 compete regularly at the club – a reminder of the beauty of traditional racing before the advent of fibreglass.

Just a short stroll upstream, Royal Burnham Yacht Club (www.rbyc.uk) was founded in 1895 and has a busy calendar of class racing and cruising events. En-suite rooms and selfcontained apartments within its modern clubhouse can be booked for overnight stays; on the water, visiting yachts can, by arrangement, be accommodated on the club’s hammerhead.

Follow the riverside path and The Quay (top right) is home to some stunning homes and The Anchor and Ye Olde White Harte hotels, both of which date back to the 1600s; for further thirst-

quenchers, follow Doctors Lane inland just past the latter and you’ll be on the High Street where you’ll find 17thcentury coaching inn The Star (right).

Back on The Quay, the weatherboarded HQ (below right) of the Crouch Harbour Authority (www.crouchharbour.uk) sits just above the river’s edge. CHA’s jurisdiction extends into the Thames Estuary from the Whitaker Channel inwards, some 13.5nm seaward from Burnham and includes the numerous creeks around Foulness Island. The authority operates river patrols using its 9m launch Watchful and a 5.45m RIB for the enforcement of speed limits and byelaws and frequently for assisting other small craft in difficulty, while the Pilot Cutter Crouch Trident is used to escort commercial ships.

Upstream, Priors Boatyard is another of the waterfront’s iconic landmarks – in the 19th century this was the heart of the town’s flourishing boatbuilding industry, and today it’s surrounded by a photogenic cluster of houseboats (centre right). The Pier here is embarkation point for cruises with Seal Trips Essex (www. sealtripsessex.co.uk) and the nearby Cabin Dairy tearoom makes for a pleasant pit-stop before the path leads further along the sea wall towards

Burnham Sailing Club (www. burnhamsc.co.uk), which was established in 1930 and attracts a wide range of boats with its midweek evening racing programme.

Close by, Burnham on Crouch & District Museum (www. burnhammuseum.co.uk) tells the story of the town and the Dengie Hundred area. Local finds and exhibits from the Stone Age to the present day cover fishing, the oyster fishery, farming, boat building and the local iron foundry – all displayed over two floors in a former boatbuilder’s premises.

A line of houseboats, sports centre and the Riverside Park mark the western edge of the old town, while at low water a small beach is revealed close to the entrance to Burnham Yacht Harbour. »

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CHEERS! One of the driest and warmest parts of the UK, the Crouch Valley is turning into a hotspot for still English wines. In fact the southand west-facing countryside close to the Crouch has the biggest concentration of vineyards in the UK, and two of them are within walking distance of the river. Positioned on the slopes between Althorne and Latchingdon – the nearest marina would be Bridgemarsh, or you could take the train from Burnham – Clayhill Vineyard (www.clayhillvineyard.co.uk ) and Crouch Ridge Vineyard (www.crouchridge.com) produce grapes for award-winning wines and have on-site facilities including a café and bistro.

Constructed in 1989, Burnham Yacht Harbour (www.burnhamyachtharbour.co.uk) has 350 finger berths catering for vessels from 7-14m, and substantial lateral berthing for larger vessels and visitors. All have access to water and electricity and there’s a fuel berth and full service boatyard, with a travel hoist for vessels up to 35 tons. Off the water there’s an ablutions block, the Swallowtail restaurant and bar (www. swallowtailrestaurant.co.uk), and a Clarke and Carter brokerage (www.clarkeandcarter.co.uk).

You’ll find plenty of interest within a short stroll of the pontoons here. Founded in 1966, Burnham-on-Crouch Lifeboat Station (below) has a two-storey storage facility and shop ashore, but is one of only a few RNLI stations to house its inshore vessels in a floating boathouse. On the last Saturday of each month, the station opens

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its doors to the public, offering visitors a chance to see its two vessels up-close, shop and chat to crew and supporters. For more details search for Burnham-on-Crouch Lifeboat Station on Facebook, or see www.rnli.org.

Also seen within the Yacht Harbour are Alert IV and Sentinel, the vessels of the Essex Police Marine Unit (below) which polices 562 miles of waterways and coastlines from the Thames at Crayford Ness to the River Stour in Manningtree, working closely with partners such as the RNLI, the National Crime Agency, Port of London Authority, Border Force and the Coastguard Agency. You can learn more about the unit’s work at www.essex.police.uk/marine.

Head upriver away from Burnham’s mass moorings and Yacht Harbour, and to starboard you’ll spot the race hut of Creeksea Sailing Club (www.creaksea.org.uk), founded in 1957 and originally using a slipway that had been built to service RAF fast rescue boats and the Navy’s Motor Torpedo flotilla which used the Crouch in wartime. This low-profile club attracts a keen band of members, with racing for all classes of dinghies and an active cruising membership.

A little further on, the river bends to pass

Burnham Yacht Harbour

south of Bridgemarsh Island, where the remains of a former brickworks stand within a haven for wildlife and saltmarsh flowers. Follow Althorne Creek around the top of the island and you’ll find Bridgemarsh Marina – once one of the Crouch’s best-kept secrets, this family-owned marina has a new on-site manager and recently unveiled a £1m-plus programme of updates that include state-of-the-art pontoons plus a new toilet and shower block. With a licence for 195 pontoon berths, Bridgemarsh Marina (www. bridgemarshmarina.co.uk) is suitable for boats with a maximum draft of 1.4m and is just a short walk from Althorne Station, giving great access to other parts of Essex and London.

Back on the Crouch, North Fambridge Yacht Club (www.northfambridgeyachtclub.co.uk) has regular events including club racing, cruises and social gatherings,, and is based at Fambridge Yacht Haven Yacht Station, 6nm upriver from Burnham and just a short walk from the historic Ferry Boat Inn (www.ferryboatinnessex.com).

With sheltered marina berthing, scenic river moorings and plenty of space ashore, Fambridge Yacht Haven (www.yachthavens.com/fambridgeyacht-haven) offers flexible berthing packages, fully-serviced pontoons, boatyard services, an adventure playground and an on-site cafe which is also home to West Wick yacht Club (www. ww-yc.co.uk). Adjacent, Blue House Farm Nature Reserve (www.essexwt.org.uk) is a migration hot-spot for a variety of birds. A seven-acre lake within the Yacht Haven provides the perfect place to learn how to paddle board – see www.wot-sup. co.uk for info on lessons and equipment hire.

The Crouch becomes narrow and more »

Bridgemarsh Marina

Fambridge Yacht Haven

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WILDLIFE-WATCHING On the southern bank of the Crouch, Wallasea Island is the biggest man-made wetland in Europe, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty comprising 1,800 acres of saltmarsh and mudflats. In an extraordinary feat of engineering, it was created from three million tons of recycled Crossrail tunnel spoil and is now a flagship RSPB reserve. Wallasea Island sits within a Special Protection Area which covers the Crouch and Roach estuaries, home to various waders and wildfowl. It’s a magical landscape of marshland, lagoons, ditches and sea with several walking trails.

To visit this nature lover’s paradise, take the ferry that runs from Burnham Yacht Harbour to Wallasea Island and Essex Marina (www.burnhamferry.co.uk) – by car the drive would take around an hour, but by river it’s a 10-minute trip.

Based at Essex Marina, Charter Discovery (www.charterdiscovery.co.uk) offers seal watching trips, a number of them accompanied by an expert guide from the RSPB. Its two-hour trips take passengers along the Crouch, Roach and the creeks and, when tides allow, operate from the Yacht Station by the Ferry Boat Inn upriver at North Fambridge.

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shallow once past North Fambridge, but sailing and watersports still feature large, with South Woodham Ferrers Yacht Club (www.swfyc.com) (above left) sitting close to the 300-acre Marsh Farm Country Park and offering a busy sailing programme as well as groups for kayaks, paddle boards and Gigs. Woodham Ferrers Water Ski Club (www.wfwsc.co.uk) is also based here, and offers two pontoons, a slalom course and beach area plus a ski area of around one mile long and quarter of a mile wide.

Beyond, the north bank of Fenn Creek is home to the friendly Eyott Sailing Club (above, see www.eyottsailingclub.org.uk). The creek’s twists and turns combined with the tidal flow challenge all levels of sailing ability and also provide a safe learning environment for members with dinghies, canoes, kayaks and paddle boards. A key event in the club’s calendar, Eyott Week is open to visitors with dinghies of 13ft or less and takes place on 21-25 August this year.

At Hullbridge on the southern side of the River Crouch, Upriver Yacht Club (www.upriver.org.uk) was established in 1936 and has facilities for all types and age of sailors. The club offers a visitors’ buoy and additional visiting yacht moorings by arrangement, and hosts its own four-day regatta at the start of August. Downstream, Brandy Hole is a large area of saltmarsh and saltings, once used for the production of marine salt and for the cultivation of oysters. Its name is said to come from the days when it was known for the smuggling of contraband goods – mainly tea, wine and brandy.

Downriver and opposite Burnham Yacht Harbour is Essex Marina (www.essexmarina. co.uk), with 500 deep water moorings, including 50 swinging moorings, all with access to the sea at all states of the tide. Located on Wallasea Island, the marina also has a boat brokerage (www.boats.co.uk) and is home to Essex Park & Launch (www.essexparkandlaunch.co.uk), which offers a vessel launch and retrieval service alongside boat servicing and winter storage.

ROW THE BOAT Rowing boats in all their many guises are a common sight on the Crouch. Formed in 2014, Burnham-on-Crouch Coastal Rowing Club is based at Burnham Yacht Harbour, its Gigs – open coastal rowing boats – powered by a crew of coxswain and four rowers.

The club’s mixed and single-sex crews row all year, competing in local events including the winter race series of the Harker’s Yard Gigs Association and also further afield in events such as the Great River Race on the Thames. The club offers ‘Try Before You Join’ sessions for those interested in membership – see www. burnhamrowingclub.co.uk for info.

Upriver, South Woodham Ferrers Yacht Club (www.swfyc. com) has a Gig-Rowing section and a range of club-owned boats.

It hosts ‘learn to row’ courses throughout the year, and its events calendar includes races and more relaxed rowing socials.

A go-to in the ocean and offshore racing world, Rannoch Adventure (below) is based just outside Burnham-on-Crouch. If you fancy a go, the firm offers ocean rowing experience days – a chance for participants to try out an ocean rowing boat under the supervision and guidance of an experienced coach – from Burnham Yacht Harbour. Those looking for a longer adventure can join a Roxy Expedition – Rannoch’s flagship boat and expert skippers take rowers on the water in locations including Scotland, Scandinavia and the Baltic Sea, with a crossing from the Canaries to the Caribbean in winter.

See www.rannochadventure.com for info.

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Best of all worlds

With a new manager and £1m-plus investment in state-of-the-art facilities, family-owned Bridgemarsh Marina is back on the map

T

he River Crouch has long been a place of contrasts. Synonymous with sailing and socialising, its wildlife-rich waters offer safe haven amid a historic landscape that never fails to captivate. In the tranquil upper reaches of the river, the Crouch Valley rises gently to enjoy far-reaching views of saltings, marshland and mudflats. And it’s here that you’ll find beautiful Bridgemarsh Marina – family-run, friendly and fully invested in offering a first-class service for berth holders and visitors.

Tucked behind Bridgemarsh Island on Althorne Creek, the marina has long been one of the

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Crouch’s best-kept secrets. But today Bridgemarsh Marina has much to shout about – including a new on-site team and a £1m-plus programme of updates that have included, in 2023, the installation of state-of-the-art pontoons. A new toilet and shower block has boosted the on-shore facilities, security CCTV offers peace of mind for boat owners, and there’s electric and water on both the pontoons and on the hard standing for those who choose to store ashore.

Bridgemarsh Marina has a licence for 195 pontoon berths, and is suitable for boats with a maximum draft of 1.4m. Yard services such as

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE polishing and antifouling are available; when it’s annual maintenance time, the marina can cranelift boats up to 9 tons, while for a quick wash-off or check below the waterline, scrubbing posts are available free to berth holders too.

The facilities may rival those at other marinas on the river, but the personal touch persists; berth or visit here and you’ll soon be on first name terms with marina manager Mick Thurlow (above right), who was recruited specially to oversee the new phase of development. With a background in boat deliveries, firefighting and almost 30 years of work at a local boatyard and lodge park, Mick’s enthusiasm for both the Bridgemarsh rebirth and the River Crouch is clear.

“I was asked to come and have a look at the marina, and to talk about how it could be improved,” he says. “I had an instant, really good feeling about its potential, and am so pleased I decided to take-on a new challenge – the investment has been huge and the attention to detail amazing… the new pontoons really demonstrate the owner’s commitment to doing things properly.” When he’s not in the boatyard or on the pontoons, Mick is to be found in the

marina’s quirky floating reception/office, a former houseboat. A new office and reception area are included in the planned updates, but the warm welcome will remain unchanged.

“We want the marina to continue as a familyfriendly and laid-back location,” Mick says, “one where people can enjoy their boats, the water and the landscape in a relaxed atmosphere.

Value for money is one of the key things we offer, but there’s a great, easy-going sense of community here too, and we’d love more people to experience it.”

Bridgemarsh Marina is mid-way between Burnham-on-Crouch and North Fambridge, and sits at the end of a long and leafy lane just a short walk from Althorne Station, which offers good links to London and the surrounding areas. Opposite the marina, Bridgemarsh Island is around 3 miles upstream of Burnham. The remains of a brickworks hint at its history as a source of clay; regular occupation ended after the flood of 1953 and the island is now a haven for wildlife and saltmarsh flowers.

• For more information on fees and facilities, see www.bridgemarshmarina.co.uk or call the marina office on 01621 740414.

TheCoastalGuide 2024 43

Take the plunge After a surge in popularity during the pandemic, outdoor swimming has entered the mainstream. Alexandra George suggests some East Coast places for a fresh-air dip, and the people who can help you do so safely...

T

he outdoor swimming community saw a huge swell in numbers during the era of Covid-related lockdowns, with people across the UK opting for a fresh air exercise session when pools and other sporting facilities were closed.

Statistics published in early 2021 estimated that participation in outdoor swimming had increased three-fold since 2019, while the Outdoor Swimming Society reports that an astonishing 7.5 million people now venture

44 TheCoastalGuide 2024

into the UK’s rivers, lakes, lidos and seas. In a survey of its community, the OSS (www. outdoorswimmingsociety.com) – a pioneer of open water events and provider of free, authoritative information – found that 84 per cent of respondents said they enjoyed scenic swims with a focus on landscape and nature, with 69 per cent swimming for mental health and 65 per cent for health and fitness. Forty-two per cent said they like solo swims, 39 per cent like adventurous swimming, 23 per cent do distance

swimming and 15 per cent swim competitively.

Water-wise, lakes now have as many fans as the sea – with 41 per cent of people choosing each as their favourite type of water to swim in – while 14 per cent choose rivers as their favourite water, and the remaining four per cent say their swims are spread across open water venues, lidos, tidal pools and estuaries.

You’ll find a range outdoor swim locations around the East Coast, plus like-minded folk to keep you safe and in good company... »

TheCoastalGuide 2024 45

FUN FOR ALL THE FAMILY Tollesbury Marina (www.tollesburymarina.com) in Essex has its own heated and undercover pool for berth holder and visitor use, but just next door Woodup Pool (right) is an open, saltwater pool that provides a family-friendly introduction to outdoor swims, paddles and play. Open from late May, the pool has an area of sand at one end, making it feel more like a beach, plus a picnic area so you can stay the day… and best of all, it’s completely free to use. The pool naturally fills with water on spring tides – roughly every two weeks – and its use is at your own risk as no lifeguards are in attendance. With a maximum depth of around 1.5m, the pool will be sectioned off for kayaking activities on a number of dates throughout summer, leaving a small area for paddling only.

Check www.tollesburyparishcouncil.gov.uk for details.

The tidal creeks close by are a popular alternative location for more experienced swimmers (right). If you plan to take the plunge in areas like these a brightly coloured tow float is a bare-minimum essential, ensuring you’re visible to passing yachts, motorboats and personal watercraft as they negotiate the notoriouslyshallow waters here.

FRESH WATERS

E

ven the most proficient pool swimmer will have to adapt to being in open water where weather, temperature, tides and currents all need to be considered. Before you make the switch, work on your technique – in open water legs are mainly for balance and position, allowing the arms to be the main focus of power, while maintaining a steady rhythm allows relaxed breathing and maximum energy efficiency.

‘Sighting’, which allows you to get a visual bearing of where you are in the water, is important to learn too; the temptation is to lift the head, but the best outdoor swimmers raise only their eyes out of the water, crocodile-style.

If it all sounds a little daunting, some expert coaching could be a wise investment. A GB agegroup Aquathlon champion, Nicola Butler (pictured on p44 and far right) is an elite swimmer with a track record in offering bespoke coaching and training plans for all levels (www.

46 TheCoastalGuide 2024

peakfitandtrain.com). And with access to both the heated outdoor pool (above) and lake at the heart of the upmarket Fritton Lake private holiday club (www.frittonlake.co.uk), as well as the beautiful beach at Lowestoft, Nicola’s well-placed to offer 1:1 and small group swimming sessions in stunning locations on the Norfolk/Suffolk border.

She says: “Outdoors, no two swims are the same, even in the same location. Outdoor swimming gives you a sense of freedom and allows you to be at one with nature – something you simply can’t match in a pool. Every experience is different and exciting due to the

huge number of accessible locations, scenery, environmental conditions and varied temperatures.

Although these factors do pose some risks and challenges, if you swim with a buddy or small group, safety concerns can be easily covered and allow for an exhilarating experience, both mentally and physically. Many beaches and lakes have seasonal lifeguards now, but whenever you swim in open water, remember to grab a tow float, a brightly coloured hat and a swim buddy and enjoy one of the most rewarding, free and fun activities.”

Further south, Seamus Bennett is a certified Swim Smooth coach who, since 2017, has run squad sessions at Felixstowe Leisure Centre’s bright, deck-level seafront pool plus dozens of open water intro sessions from the town’s Blue Flag beach. Suitable for all levels from novice to elite, Seamus focuses on each swimmer’s specific needs to get them swimming further, faster, more confidently and safely. Learn more at www. swimsmooth-suffolk.co.uk. »

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GOING WITH THE FLOW Sailors usually spend most of their time trying not to get wet, but one Norfolk sailing club has created a special membership category to fully embrace the nation’s new-found enthusiasm for outdoor swimming.

Celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2024, Great Yarmouth & Gorleston Sailing Club made the move after being approached by some of its area’s hardier inhabitants. Based around a core group of swimmers who brave the water 365 days of the year, the sailing club’s swim members (left) meet early morning most weekdays and on some Saturdays, with a WhatsApp group to keep everyone connected. In summer the group enjoys an early evening swim once or twice a week too. For details see www.gygsc.org.uk/membership – swim membership in the club’s special anniversary year costs just £75.

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DOCKLANDS DIPS

How about a swim at one of London’s most iconic venues, Canary Wharf? Supported by the National Open Water Coaching Association (www.nowca. org) – the UK’s largest network of safe open water venues – Love Open Water (www.loveopenwater.co.uk) offers the opportunity to swim in the waters of Middle Dock, with views of One Canada Square and Newfoundland to enjoy from a whole new perspective.

Love Open Water ensures that the water at Canary Wharf is regularly tested and reaches high levels of cleanliness as required by EU Bathing Standards, its sessions are lifeguarded, and they can be enjoyed by competent open water swimmers over the age of 10.

Regardless of ability or experience, all swimmers must have brightly coloured headwear (a swim cap, hat or headband) and a bright tow float in the water; access to the water is from a pontoon and some changing huts are available. To take part you’ll need to buy NOWCA membership at £15 per year – it grants access to all 40 of the association’s UK locations – and sessions cost £8.50 per swim.

Love Open Water also offers swim sessions at London Royal Docks, and at both London venues a range of coaching can be arranged, to suit everyone from beginner swimmers to triathlon trainees.

If you’re race-ready, a Royal Docks Swim event takes place on 13 July, with competitors completing five laps of a 1km course in one of three waves – relaxed, medium and fast – using front crawl, breaststroke, sidestroke, or even doggypaddle; the only stroke not permitted is backstroke.

»

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LIDO LOVE

Brightlingsea is home to the only still-open historic lido in Essex (www.brightlingsealido.org).

This much-loved swimming facility started life as a tidal seawater pool in 1932 and, following total reconstruction in the 1970s, is an important feature of the town’s Western Promenade. The lido (above) has a 50m unheated pool plus a smaller pool for children. Changing facilities and sunloungers are available, and there is a café on site.

Close to the southernmost point of the Suffolk Broads, Beccles Lido (www.beccleslido.com) sits in a beautiful spot beside the River Waveney.

Choose from the main pool which has a 3.7m deep end, springboard and a slide; a 75cm deep toddler pool and an adjoining 27cm deep splash pool that’s perfect for young children and babies – all three are all heated in the summer. There’s also a café, children’s adventure play and family picnic area, plus all-weather exercise equipment.

Just downriver from Gillingham Marina (www. gillingham-marina.co.uk) in Kent, Medway’s only open air swimming pool, The Strand Lido (right), features a family-friendly outdoor pool plus a café and play park areas. Saltwater and not artificially heated, the swimming facilities available here include an outdoor leisure pool, six 25m lanes, a toddler paddling pool, childrens’ slides and a 300m lazy river plus sunbathing areas at the water’s edge. The Lido is operated by

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Medway Council and visits must be booked online in advance – see www.medway.gov.uk/strand for more details.

Welcome to Brightlingsea Harbour, a small mixed leisure and commercial port in Brightlingsea Creek, close to the mouth of the Colne where it meets the Blackwater and Thames Estuaries. Brightlingsea Harbour is a Trust Port managed by Brightlingsea Harbour Commissioners, who also run Waterside Marina. Facilities include: Water Taxi • Fresh Water • Fuel • Sewage Pump Out • Laundry • Showers • Maintenance Posts • WiFi and Electric in the marina • Waste Disposal.

Ferry and Harbour Tours – explore the historic harbour and its surrounds on our family-friendly foot ferry and tour boats. Take a trip across the water to Mersea Island or Point Clear, or enjoy the stunning scenery alongside the River Colne on a cruise to the quaint village of Wivenhoe, where a delicious meal at the renowned Black Buoy inn awaits. Alternatively, book an exclusive charter and we’ll create the perfect private voyage for you, your family and friends. Dogs and bikes are welcome on board, so everyone can join in the fun!

For information on Brightlingsea Harbour, the foot ferry and harbour tours, pop into the Harbour Office, download the Brightlingsea Harbour App, see www.brightlingseaharbour.org or call 01206 302200, VHF Channel 68

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YOUR GATEWAY TO NATURE’S PLAYGROUND Invest in a boat or holiday home on the Broads and make memories that last a lifetime

TINGDENE MARINAS & BOAT SALES

BOAT SALES

Are you ready to immerse yourself in the beauty of the Broads and beyond? Look no further than Tingdene Marinas and Boat Sales, your premier destination for the ultimate boating experience.

Whether you’re a boat owner wanting to make the most of this stunning waterway or a holidaymaker seeking adventure, Tingdene Marinas has everything you need to elevate your Broads experience to new heights.

Looking to start or enhance your boating journey? Explore our new and used boats for sale on the Broads.

LEISURE AND VISITOR MOORINGS AVAILABLE Our marinas boast first class facilities designed to cater to your every need. Join us and enjoy 28 nights free mooring at other Tingdene marinas plus other benefits and discounts including: • Pump out • Fuel* • Family friendly restaurants • Showers and toilet facilities • Launderette

FIND OUT MORE: newsportsboats@tingdene.net 01933 551606

BOAT HIRE For those seeking a hassle-free experience, we also offer boat hire and boat club at Broadlands Marina and Waveney River Centre.

• Slipway • Indoor heated swimming pool** • Play areas** * Waveney Only ** Broadlands and Waveney Only

Get in touch to find out more:

WWW.TINGDENEBOATING.COM | T: 01603 717804 | E: MARINAS@TINGDENE.NET

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TINGDENE HOLIDAY PARKS

HOLIDAY HOMES FOR SALE

Welcome to the Broads, where every day holds the promise of adventure and tranquillity.

Imagine waking up to the gentle sway of boats on the water, stepping out to greet the day with a paddleboard excursion, or simply casting a line into the pristine waters teeming with fish. With our exclusive holiday parks offering direct access to the Broads, this dream can be your reality.

Invest in your family’s future and create memories to last a lifetime with a holiday home on the Broads.

BROADLANDS PARK & MARINA

HOLIDAY VILLAS FROM £59,000

HOLIDAY LODGES FROM £99,995

WAVENEY RIVER CENTRE

Our holiday parks are waiting to make your family holidays complete. With onsite swimming pools, play areas and family-friendly bars and restaurants, everyone will enjoy all there is to offer.

1, 2, 3 & 4 HOLIDAY LODGES FROM £155,000

BRAND NEW ECO LODGES FROM £265,000

HOLIDAYS ON THE BROADS To book a holiday at one of our parks please call www.holidaysforallseasons.co.uk | 0800 270 77 27

Get in touch to find out more about exclusive opportunities on the Broads:

WWW.TINGDENELIFESTYLEPARKS.CO.UK | T: 0800 270 77 27 | E: LIFESTYLE@TINGDENE.NET

TheCoastalGuide 2024 53

UPCOMING OPEN DAYS 1ST JUNE & 24th AUGUST 2024

• 100% GRADUATE EMPLOYMENT RATE SINCE 2021 BURSARIES FOR 2024 NOW AVAILABLE!

ROLLING START DATES AND FLEXIBLE TIMETABLE FOR OUR BOATBUILDING AND WOODWORKING & JOINERY COURSES

DON’T JUST LEARN TO BUILD A BOAT. LEARN TO BE A BOATBUILDER. www.ibtc.co.uk

• courses@ibtc.co.uk • 01502 569 663

IBTC_Coastal_Guide_Half_Page copy.indd 2

11/04/2024 19:02

Welcomes you to one of the most attractive harbours on the East Coast

Full Marina Facilities

Temporary & Permanent Berthing Available Winter Storage Ashore or Afloat

www.titchmarshmarina.co.uk Harbour Office T: 01255 672 185 VHF Channel 80 info@titchmarshmarina.co.uk

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On course

A new bursary scheme and flexible timetable make the courses at IBTC more attainable for the next generation of boatbuilders

I

nternational Boatbuilding Training College (IBTC) is an award-winning college situated in the coastal town of Lowestoft. Perched on the edge of the Broads, IBTC sits on the northern shore of Lake Lothing, an ideal location in which to discover the craft of boatbuilding.

IBTC (www.ibtc.co.uk) offers a variety of boatbuilding, woodworking and boat maintenance courses suitable for those looking for a career in the industry, as well as individuals wanting to develop new and existing skills.

The main feature of the college’s curriculum is its full-time boatbuilding course. Over the course of 47 weeks, students cover the skills required to build and maintain boats in comprehensive detail. Students work on a wide range of boatbuilding projects under the expert supervision of knowledgeable instructors in the college’s working boatyard, and the results are

impressive. Not only does IBTC boast a 100 per cent employment rate since 2021 among its boatbuilding graduates, but last year the college was awarded the prestigious Best Maritime Training and Education Programme Award as part of the National Maritime SME Awards 2023.

Despite the excellent quality of IBTC’s course, for many potential participants the 47-week boatbuilding course would be a huge time commitment. For those looking to get a taste of what building a boat entails – whether as a try-out before committing to the full course or simply as a unique stand-alone experience – IBTC has, therefore, launched a new boatbuilding experience day. Packed with hands-on exercises, demonstrations and talks, visitors have the chance to try their hand at steam-bending wood, cutting dovetail joints, caulking and ropework.

While visitors won’t be able to sail home in their »

TheCoastalGuide 2024 55

own wooden boat, they will make their very own dovetail joint, rope keyring and steam-bent timber ring – rewarding and far less logistically challenging objects to take home!

IBTC’s boatbuilding experience day is not the only new addition to its already-impressive programme of short courses. Other new courses include boat maintenance evening classes, tool maintenance, build-your-own-canoe classes and a Level 2 boatbuilding course that spans four months.

It’s no secret that the cost of living is becoming more expensive, and this includes education.

With this in mind, IBTC’s bursaries are making access to high-quality, skills-focused education more accessible to those who might otherwise face financial obstacles when applying. Open to UK citizens between the age 18 to 40, IBTC is offering bursaries that will cover up to 50 per cent of their full-time boatbuilding course fee. To apply, simply visit the IBTC website and fill out the online bursary application form.

If reading about what IBTC has to offer has put the wind in your sails and you’d like to learn more about the college, the ever-popular IBTC open days allow visitors to experience the college first-hand. You will have the chance to visit the joinery workshop and boat shed, meet instructors and students, and see the wide range of projects that they are working on. A full list of open day dates can be found on the IBTC website, with the next one on 1 June 2024. If none of the open day dates fit your schedule, the college is happy for you to arrange a visit by email or phone.

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With plenty of projects under way, including a new duck punt and Nordic folk boat, the best place to keep up to date with all things IBTC is through social media. On its Instagram page you can find a wealth of clips and pictures of student activity, and various fascinating boatbuilding construction processes.

•www.ibtc.co.uk Although based in Lowestoft, IBTC is often on the move up and down the country. This year it will be at a range of nautical and woodworking events, including the Royal Norfolk Show, Brest Maritime Festival, Thames Traditional Boat Festival and Southampton Boat Show. At these shows you can expect to find IBTC showcasing the skills and techniques that have been taught to generations of boatbuilders at the college.

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TheCoastalGuide 2024 57

First-class facilities for all Woolverstone Marina features a luxury lodge park amid a glorious riverside setting

W

The luxury lodges accommodate up to eight guests along with pets and can be booked via the MDL Holidays website: www.mdlmarinas.co.uk/holiday-parks.

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oolverstone Marina and Lodge Park is set in 22 acres of glorious parkland overlooking the picturesque River Orwell. It is part of MDL Marinas, Europe’s leading marina operator, which has 18 sites across the UK. The site at Woolverstone comprises of a first-class marina along with a luxury lodge park, specially designed as a destination for both on-water and land leisure pursuits, as well as attracting new visitors seeking a family-friendly retreat.

Shane Cheshire, Marina Manager, says: “The lodges are ideal for those looking for a taste of the outdoors with a touch of luxury. With their clean, modern aesthetic and open plan living space, they provide accommodation for up to eight guests. All our lodges have spacious living and dining areas and woodland balconies. We also have a wide variety of pet-friendly accommodation and are currently expanding this year due to popular demand.”

The marina has 235 pontoon berths, numerous swinging moorings, a first-class facilities block, a diesel pontoon, electric vehicle charging points and a new restaurant and bar for 2024. There is an active events calendar planned by the Woolverstone Marina Berth Holders Association and the Marina team will also be hosting a variety of events with various culinary offerings throughout the season.

Woolverstone Marina and Lodge Park offers pontoon berths, swinging moorings, easy-access slipway and

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Woolverstone is a family-friendly destination for leisure pursuits both on and off the water

trailer sailing packages as annual, monthly and overnight options giving you the ultimate flexibility to enjoy your boat. There is also Volspec, a main Volvo Penta dealer on-site, as well as Seapower, an electronics and engineering specialist, Suffolk Yacht Services, a brokerage, Aqua Detail, a boat detailing specialist and Sail & Cover, a sail repair and cover manufacturer.

“Visitors can enjoy a great range of watersport activities, including an RYA-accredited sailing school for both sail and powerboat courses,” adds Shane.

“For those who like to keep their feet firmly on dry land there is a children’s play area, and beautiful walks and cycling trails nearby that are suitable for all ages.”

Woolverstone is an excellent base for cruising as well as enjoying the local rivers. Beyond the Orwell and the Stour there are numerous creeks in the Walton Backwaters to explore. To the south, the Colne and Blackwater estuaries offer varied sailing, while turning north takes you along the coast to the River Deben, where leisure sailors can cruise upriver past Ramsholt to the pretty town of Woodbridge. A little further up the coast is the Ore/Alde River, Havergate Island and on to picturesque Orford and then to Aldeburgh.

If you’d like to go further afield, Ostend in Belgium is only 92 miles from Woolverstone, whilst Holland and France are also within easy reach.

Woolverstone Marina & Lodge Park, Woolverstone, Ipswich, Suffolk IP9 1AS 01473 780206 woolverstone@mdlmarinas.co.uk www.woolverstonemarina.co.uk @MDLHolidays @woolverstone.marina

www.woolverstonemarina.co.uk

TheCoastalGuide 2024 59

Beyond expectations Sheltered tidal waters and a host of must-see locations make the Medway a place to linger…

S

teeped in history, rich in wildlife and full of contrasts, the River Medway shares its name with a region that incorporates the towns of Strood, Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham and Rainham, plus the villages of the Hoo Peninsula. Once a creative inspiration to Dickens and Turner, the river is home to a range of watersports clubs, while for leisure sailors it’s popular as a gateway to the capital as well as the continent. But explore its surrounds and you’ll find world-famous landmarks, old-fashioned charm, a thriving cultural scene and some ambitious regeneration programmes – all of which mean this mighty river merits so much more than a passing glance.

Arrive by boat and you’ll have an unrivalled vantage point, experiencing a unique view of some of the Medway’s most iconic locations. Historic forts, busy ports and power stations are contrasted by peaceful creeks and riverside parks as you head upstream towards St

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Mary’s Island, where this watery highway passes Chatham Maritime Marina and The Historic Dockyard Chatham to port, and Upnor Castle to starboard. Rochester’s magnificent castle and imposing cathedral dominate the skyline as the river snakes further onwards, before this reach ends where Medway Bridge Marina nestles in peaceful juxtaposition with the busy M2 viaduct ahead.

It’s within close quarters of this short stretch of water that you’ll find some of Medway’s key visitor attractions, many of them linked to the region’s maritime heritage. For more than 400 years Chatham Dockyard built, repaired and maintained Britain’s warships. Admiral Lord

Nelson had strong links with Chatham and learned much of his seamanship on the Medway, so it was only fitting that his flagship HMS Victory was built here, and a number of seamen who sailed into battle with him came from the area.

Many of the defences seen from the river were important to the dockyard – Upnor Castle was built on the orders of Queen Elizabeth I to protect the naval warships at Chatham, while Napoleonic Fort Amherst afforded protection from landward attack from the 1700s until the end of WWII. One of Britain’s leading heritage destinations, the 80-acre Historic Dockyard Chatham (www. thedockyard.co.uk) is run by an independent charity, Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust, »

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which celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2024.

Immersive exhibition galleries, historic warships and important objects from the Royal Museums Greenwich and Imperial War Museums collections make for a full day out at The Historic Dockyard Chatham (above), with access to all included in an admission ticket that’s valid for a year, so you can return at no extra cost.

Chatham is the largest town centre for shopping in Medway, with a fully pedestrianised high street and a modern shopping mall where many brand-name stores can be found. Known as Chatham Intra, the area where this high street meets Rochester is a creative and heritage

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quarter, buzzing with artists, makers, designers, performers and purveyors of international cuisine and fine ales.

It is, however, to beautiful Rochester that most visitors make a bee-line. Here, the high street is lined with independent boutiques and a great range of eateries and inns – a place where even the most reluctant will find some retailrelated enjoyment. Among the many beautiful buildings here is a host of must-see properties, including Grade I-listed Eastgate House which has a maze of stunning interiors and, within its pretty gardens, the Swiss Chalet (below) once used as a study by author Charles Dickens and relocated here from his former home at Gad’s Hill Place.

Further along, Six Poor Travellers’ House was immortalised in Dickens’ Christmas short story entitled The Seven Poor Travellers, while the impressive Guildhall Museum – featured in Great »

Situated beside the River Medway as it snakes around St Mary’s Island and pictured on p60-61, turreted Upnor Castle (www. english-heritage.org.uk) is in a picturesque village setting backed by wooded hills. Built in 1559 as a gun fort to defend the warships at anchor in the reaches of the Medway and Chatham Dockyard, it proved ineffective against the Dutch assailants who attacked more than a century later. With its gatehouse and main building open for viewing, the castle sits at the end of Upper Upnor’s cobbled high street (above), which has characterful weatherboarded houses and two welcoming inns. Nearby, Lower Upnor is home to Medway Yacht Club (www.medwayyachtclub. com) and Upnor Sailing Club (www.upnorsailingclub.co.uk) while a little further downstream, close to the village of Hoo, is Wilsonian Sailing Club (www.wilsoniansc.org.uk).

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Expectations – tells the story of Medway from its Roman origins to the modern day. It’s midway along the High Street, however, that you’ll find one of the city’s best-known attractions.

Rochester Cathedral (above), built in 604 and England’s second-oldest, features glorious

Norman architecture as well as one of the country’s finest Romanesque facades and some excellent examples of later Gothic styles as well as a magnificent 14th-century Chapter Library door. Tours can be booked via the website (www. rochestercathedral.org), but visit any time and

GET ON THE WATER Head upriver from Historic Dockyard Chatham and Sun Pier offers daytime moorings for visitors as well as an embarkation point for a number of river trips.

Jetstream Tours (www.jetstreamtours.com) offers river cruises, private charters and excursions from Chatham plus Gravesend, Queenborough and Southend. Guided tours take you along Medway’s shoreline, wildlife-rich Thames estuary islands and further afield to the eerie Second World War Maunsel forts at Red Sands, nine miles from Southend and six miles from Whitstable.

Operating from Gillingham Marina and Sun Pier, Chatham, Red 2 Red (www. red2red.info) offers high-speed RIB cruises, excursions and charters.

If you prefer a slower pace of travel, Tiller & Wheel is custodian of three historic vessels – the Sailing Barges Edith May and Ardwina (right) , and the Whitstable Oyster Smack Thistle F86. Their home port is Lower Halstow, but Edith May and Thistle also sail from Chatham and Queenborough – tides and schedule permitting – and offer a range of days on the water, with passengers encouraged to be involved in setting sails and steering the ship. For more details, see www.tillerandwheel.com.

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you’ll find knowledgeable guides happy to explain the many wonders here; the cathedral gardens are well worth a wander, too.

Within a stone’s throw of the cathedral, the towering keep of Rochester Castle (top right) is one of the tallest in the country. Built to guard an important crossing of the River Medway, the imposing fortress remained viable until the 16th century. Today its grounds host a number of events ranging from music festivals to festive markets – see www.visitmedway.org for more.

Just off the high street, Restoration House (right) has further links with Dickens. The amalgamation of two medieval buildings, it was here that Charles II stayed on the eve of his Restoration, and the building inspired Satis House – the home of Miss Havisham – in Great Expectations. Today it’s home to a wonderful collection of English furniture and paintings plus an unusually-large walled garden.

Across the road from Restoration House, The

Vines is a Grade II-listed park with an impressive avenue of mature London Plane trees bordering a central path. Used by medieval monks to cultivate vines, the gardens were referenced in Dickens’ novel The Mystery of Edwin Drood and offer a calm place to sit within view of the cathedral spire. »

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Eight miles from Sheerness, Gillingham Marina has berths for up to 500 boats across two basins – one tidal, and the other a locked basin with extended access over most tides. Off the water, the marina has a members’ bar and restaurant, showers, toilets, and a laundry room, plus a children’s playground. Within its expansive boat repair workshops, the marina (www.gillinghammarina.co.uk) has hoists with 65-ton and 20-ton capacities to cradle vessels up to 26m.

Upriver, Chatham Maritime Marina (top left, see www. mdlmarinas.co.uk) is at the heart of a striking multi-million-pound leisure and retail development. Close to a factory outlet shopping complex, multi-screen cinema and numerous restaurants and bars, the marina – part of the MDL Marinas group – offers boatyard and pumpout facilities, fuel and a purpose-built lifting dock accessible at all states of tide.

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There’s been a river crossing at Rochester since Roman times, but the bridge you see today (above) is in fact made up of four different structures: the Old Bridge, the New Bridge, the Service Bridge and the Railway Bridge. The last bridge to cross the Medway before it flows into the North Sea, it sits just below the castle; between the two, Rochester Bridge Chapel is one of the few surviving chapels of its kind in the country. Built in 1393, it had three priests who would bless travellers on their journeys.

Next door, the Victorian Bridge Chamber is used by the Rochester Bridge Trust ( left, see www.rochesterbridgetrust.org.uk).

Rochester Bridge has an air draft of 5.9m at high water springs and the river shallows dramatically once past it, so upstream the river is only suitable for motor cruisers and small sailing craft that can lower their masts.

Small craft moorings on either side of the river here belong, on the port side, to Rochester Cruising Club (www. rochestercc.co.uk) and on starboard to Strood YC (www.stroodyachtclub.jimdofree.com).

It’s just a short walk from here to The Historic Dockyard Chatham (www.thedockyard.co.uk); en route between the two, the Copper Rivet Distillery (www.copperrivetdistillery.com) produces artistan spirits in a historic Victorian Pump House. Book a tour and you’ll learn about the entire process of making vodka, gin and whisky from grain to glass. Tours end with a complimentary tipple in The Pumproom cocktail bar and restaurant; for the full experience follow with a meal in the distillery’s fine dining restaurant and bar.

An esplanade edges the river as it flows upstream from Rochester and it’s here – just below the walls of the castle and a short walk from the high street – that you’ll find Rochester Cruising Club (www.rochestercc.co.uk). With around 100 pontoon berths – most accessible at all states of the tide – plus a fuel pontoon and clubhouse, the club can accommodate visitor

berthing when booked in advance. A riverside path replaces the esplanade at Baty’s Marsh Nature Reserve; beyond, Medway Bridge Marina (below left) covers 7.5 acres at the foot of the M2 bridge, offering a range of finger and alongside berths on floating pontoons, plus a pontoon with further berths accessible for half the tide – usually four hours either side of high water. With storage ashore, CCTV and securitygate access to the pontoons, this family-owned marina (www.medwaybridgemarina.co.uk) also has toilet and shower facilities, a 25-ton boat hoist and on-site engineers and electricians.

The Medway and Swale Boating Association is made up of more than 30 clubs and other organisations whose 4,000 members regularly use the waters of the two rivers for recreational purposes ranging from water-skiing, dinghy racing, canoeing and rowing to motor cruising, yachting and dinghy racing. For navigational updates, news of events and links to tidetables and webcams, see www.msba.org.uk.

TheCoastalGuide 2024 67

Tales of triumph and tragedy

Already home to the UK’s largest collection of historic lifeboats, The Historic Dockyard Chatham is the perfect location for a summer exhibition that celebrates two centuries of the RNLI

A

fascinating collection of stories and artefacts features in a one-of-a-kind exhibition which pays tribute to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution in its 200th anniversary year.

Open until September, RNLI 200: The Exhibition is at The Historic Dockyard Chatham, and tells the stories of the men and women who have risked their lives to save others come rain or shine, storm or hurricane. From triumphs to tragedies, from oar-powered vessels to today’s boats packed with cutting-edge technology and from introducing the first lifeboats on the River Thames to rolling-out a UK beach lifeguard service, the RNLI is a world-leading search and rescue organisation credited with saving over 146,000 lives since it was founded in 1824.

In partnership with the RNLI Heritage Trust, The Historic Dockyard Chatham already houses the RNLI Historic Lifeboat Collection. Featuring a range of vessels from an 1897 pulling and sailing lifeboat to the more familiar Arun class and Blue Peter inshore inflatables, the collection shows

68 TheCoastalGuide 2024

how lifeboats have changed over the last century through interactive displays, archive film and audio clips.

This summer’s RNLI 200: The Exhibition delves deeper into the charity’s past, featuring characters such as Henry Blogg – the most decorated person in RNLI history, holder of three Gold and four Silver RNLI medals, and considered a lifesaving legend for his 53 years of service on the Cromer lifeboats where he saved 873 lives with the help of his courageous crew.

In ‘No.1 Smithery’ at the famous Dockyard, visitors will be able to experience HMS Racehorse’s final voyage, via video projection, and learn about the fabled ship that wrecked on a reef off the Isle of Man in 1822, inspiring the beginnings of the charity.

Sir William Hillary (left), who launched the RNLI – first known as Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Lives and Property from Shipwreck – lived on the island and witnessed many shipwrecks off the Manx coast. Aware of how some townsmen had lost their lives after

taking their boats out to HMS Racehorse to try to save her crew, he decided action must be taken to establish a lifeboat service.

Bringing the RNLI’s story into the 21st century, the exhibition also features Tracey Emin’s painting of a lifeboat preparing to launch, inspired by her childhood memories of Margate and painted in 2014 to support cross-Channel swimmer James Stephenson who was raising money for the RNLI. Visitors will also see some familiar names among the supporters of the RNLI, including Spike Milligan who, in characteristically humorous style, donated funds specifying that they were to pay for a pair of boots.

Tragically over the past two centuries, more than 600 crew members have lost their lives trying to save others at sea. In honour of those, the exhibition includes a digital version of The Lifeboat Service Memorial book, listing the names of all those who have given their life in the service of the RNLI. Hayley Whiting, Heritage Archive and Research Manager at the RNLI, says: “RNLI 200: The Exhibition is a unique opportunity for people to find out more about the RNLI – from its founding in 1824, through the triumphs, tragedies, challenges and developments of its

history, right up to the current day lifesaving service the charity provides around the UK and Ireland.

“We are proud to share our important heritage, from the first annual report to commemorating the bravery of those who took part in the evacuation of Dunkirk during the Second World War and looking at the advances in engineering made over our history. We hope also to look ahead to inspire the future generations of lifesavers and supporters who will take the RNLI into its next century and beyond.”

• The Historic Dockyard Chatham is run by Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust, an independent charity that celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2024). For visitor information see www.thedockyard.co.uk.

TheCoastalGuide 2024 69

Onboard breakfast, lunch, supper or dinner* cruises using the very best local Suffolk produce.

Perfect for birthdays, anniversaries, family outings, corporate entertainment or office parties. Year round sailing. info@rivercruiserestaurants.co.uk www.rivercruiserestaurants.co.uk For further information, please ring Kris or Craig on 07831 698 298 . 01473 558 712 *

Allen Gardiner only

70 TheCoastalGuide 2024 River Cruise Restaurants_Coastal Guide 2019_Full page advert_195mm x 135mm.indd 1

12/03/2019 13:44

Congratulations, Lady Florence The flagship of Suffolk’s River Cruise Restaurants business reaches 80 this year…

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s the sun sets behind the majestic castle and church of Orford in Suffolk, Lady Florence glides gracefully along the river. Bearing decades of history, memories and a legacy that spans generations, her 80th birthday is not just a milestone for a vessel – it’s a testament to resilience, adaptation and the enduring spirit of those who have cherished her over the years.

The Lady Florence story began amid the chaos of World War II, when she was born not as a pleasure cruiser, but as an Admiralty supply vessel, built to serve the needs of the British Navy. Constructed in 1944 by J. Bolson and Sons of Poole in Dorset, Lady Florence was one of over a thousand Motor Fishing Vessels (MFVs) commissioned during the war. Her purpose was clear: to transport essential supplies to battleships stationed off the South Coast – a vital role in the defence of the nation. The war ended, however, just as Lady Florence was completing her sea trials, sparing her the horrors of battle. Instead of being sold off to fishermen, as many of her counterparts were, she found herself in the hands of private owners who recognised her potential beyond wartime duties.

Renamed Lady Florence in 1983, she embarked on a new chapter of her life as a restaurant river cruiser.

Offering scenic tours along the tranquil waters of the Olde and Ore under the stewardship of Geoffrey Ingram Smith, her transformation from a utilitarian vessel to a charming cruiser began, marking the birth of the River Cruise Restaurants business in Orford in 1984.

Over the years, Lady Florence has become more than just a boat; she became a cherished part of the community, weaving herself into the fabric of local life. John and Sue Haresnape took over the business in 1992, ushering in a new era of expansion and innovation, and the Lady Florence experience evolved to include breakfast, lunch, supper, and even dinner cruises, catering to the diverse preferences of passengers.

As the years rolled by, Lady Florence remained a constant presence on the river, and in 2014 the Haresnape family made the decision to consolidate their business in Suffolk, bringing the Allen Gardiner – another beloved WWII vessel – from South Africa to Ipswich.

Now, as Lady Florence turns 80, she stands as a living testament to the resilience of wooden ships and the enduring allure of river cruising, while also a symbol of the region’s deep-rooted commitment to preserving maritime heritage.

The family connection continues too, as son Craig and Kris, his partner, carry on the legacy of their predecessors. “Lady Florence’s journey is far from over,” says Craig. “With each passing year she continues to write new chapters in her remarkable story, reminding us of all the enduring power of history, heritage, and the boundless spirit of adventure on the open waters.”

Lady Florence sets off from Orford Quay and cruises along the Alde and Ore, serving up outstanding scenery to accompany every meal.

Each cruise includes a detailed commentary on both the intriguing history that made this area and the wildlife which now inhabits it. For more information see www.rivercruiserestaurants.com.

TheCoastalGuide 2024 71

Iconic club has much to offer on and off the water

There’s a warm welcome for all at the Royal Norfolk & Suffolk Yacht Club

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owestoft’s seafront has many landmarks, but none is more elegant than the Edwardian clubhouse of the Royal Norfolk & Suffolk Yacht Club. Tucked inside the town’s busy Outer Harbour, this striking Grade II*-listed building is an all-weather haven for sailors at all states of the tide, organises racing at sea for a number of competitive classes, and offers a unique setting for dining, drinks and overnight stays.

Almost-instant access to the uncluttered waters of the southern North Sea make RN&SYC – one of Britain’s oldest yacht clubs – a fabulous location for regattas; Squibs, Merlin Rockets, Toppers, Lasers and the highly competitive Broads One

72 TheCoastalGuide 2024

Design keelboats all take part in racing here and in early August this year the club will host its own Sea Week Open event. After a day of fierce competition, the excellent social facilities within the clubhouse are ideal for post-race catch-ups – private function rooms can be booked for more formal events and presentations.

Leisure sailors receive an equally warm welcome; RN&SYC has its own marina with pontoon berths for members’ and visiting vessels.

Facilities include water, electricity, fuel, pump-out and waste disposal, plus 24-hour access to toilets, showers and laundry facilities. New glass-fronted floodwalls for 2023 enhance the view across the marina. All vessels must call VHF Ch14 for permission to enter and leave Lowestoft’s busy working harbour, and call VHF Ch80 for

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

instructions on berthing in the RN&SYC marina.

The RN&SYC was founded in 1859 and last year was the 120th anniversary of its iconic clubhouse. Visit and you’ll find stunning original features including period fireplaces, a snooker room and an impressive art collection.

Generations of members have ensured that their Royal Club continues to preserve its traditions, while fully embracing the changes required to continue its future success – numbers have risen from 94 in the foundation year to more than 750 today – with Family and Junior categories among the memberships available. Visiting crews and competitors in any race sponsored or organised by the club have access to all the facilities too, and as an accredited RYA Training Centre RN&SYC offers courses for power boating and yachting as well as a range of shore-based tuition.

You don’t have to be a sailor or boat-owner to join the RN&SYC, however: an extensive schedule of social events appeals to adults and children both on and off the water. For many the opportunity to meet friends, enjoy a drink and dine in such a distinguished setting is appeal enough; the club has two well stocked bars – one for members only – alongside a traditional restaurant and an airy sun lounge for food and drinks with marina views.

•www.rnsyc.net

The RN&SYC has nine comfortable rooms for overnight guests, alongside a quiet seating area overlooking the marina. Members can book two complimentary nights’ accommodation each year, while for non-members B&B rates are highly competitive – prices for 2023 range from £32 for single occupancy of a room with shared facilities to £70 for an en-suite twin room.

Arrange a stay and you’re perfectly positioned to explore the Suffolk Heritage Coast, which stretches south from Lowestoft to Felixstowe. Upmarket Southwold, Aldeburgh, Orford and Woodbridge are all within driving distance, and for nature-lovers Dunwich Heath and the RSPB reserve at Minsmere are must-do destinations.

Upriver, Oulton Broad (below) is the southern gateway to the Broads National Park and a busy sporting centre with many places to shop, eat and drink. The extensive water frontage makes a walk around Nicholas Everitt Park unmissable; call into the Lowestoft Museum to see one of the best collections of Lowestoft Porcelain as well as other artefacts relating to the area’s history.

Alternatively, stroll the promenade from RN&SYC and you’ll see the gorgeous sands of South Beach (above), the stunning Victoriana-style East Point Pavilion – a hub for street food vendors and year-round events – and the Claremont and South Piers.

Some very fine properties and genteel Kensington Gardens sit above the prom as you reach the neighbourhoods of Kirkley and Pakefield; the former was the birthplace of composer Benjamin Britten while the latter has a pretty cliff-top church and is home to Lowestoft’s oldest pub.

TheCoastalGuide 2024 73

ECB_Coastal_Guide_half_page.indd 1

74 TheCoastalGuide 2024

Beta Marine Authorised Dealer

14/04/2024 16:54

MARINAS & MOORINGS

Brightlingsea Harbour

Tollesbury Saltings

Titchmarsh Marina

Bradwell Marina

Burnham Yacht Harbour

Bridgemarsh Marina

Essex Blackwater Marina

Maylandsea

blackwater-marina.co.uk

Bradwell Marina

Bradwell

bradwellmarina.com

Bridgemarsh Marina

Althorne

bridgemarshmarina.co.uk

Brightlingsea Harbour

Brightlingsea

brightlingseaharbour.org

Brightlingsea Morgan Marine

Brightlingsea

morganmarine.com

Burnham Yacht Harbour

Burnham-on-Crouch

burnhamyachtharbour.co.uk

Essex Marina

Wallasea Island

essexmarina.co.uk

Fambridge Yacht Haven

Fambridge

yachthavens.com

Ha’penny Pier

Harwich

hha.co.uk/leisure/mooring/

Heybridge Basin

Heybridge

waterways.org.uk

Leigh Marina

Leigh-on-Sea

leighmarina.co.uk

Leigh-On-Sea Sailing Club

Leigh-on-Sea

leighsailingclub.org

Royal Corinthian Yacht Club

Burnham-on-Crouch

royalcorinthian.co.uk

Stour Sailing Club

Manningtree

stoursailingclub.co.uk

Titchmarsh Marina

Walton Backwaters

titchmarshmarina.co.uk

Walton Yacht Basin

Walton on the Naze

waltonyachtbasin.co.uk

West Mersea Yacht Club

West Mersea

wmyc.org.uk

Wivenhoe Sailing Club

Wivenhoe

wivenhoesailingclub.org

TheCoastalGuide 2024 75

Medway Bridge Marina Family-owned Medway Bridge Marina, located beneath the Medway Bridge in Rochester, has an unrivalled reputation for service and professionalism. For more than 40 years we have catered for motor cruisers of all sizes, with services including lift-out, scrub-off and hard standing.

Our floating pontoon berths are accessible at all states of the tide – finger berths accommodate craft up to 9m (30ft) and alongside berths can cater for larger vessels. We also have a pontoon with berths that are accessible for half the tide – usually 4 hours either side of High Water. All berth holders are entitled to discounted fuel, free parking and have 24-hour access to their boat as well as the toilets and shower facilities.

We offer: • Up to 25-ton boat hoist • Storage ashore • CCTV at entrance to site • Security gate access to the pontoons • Fresh water and electric at every berth • Waste facility • Toilet and shower facilities • On-site engineers marine engineers and electricians In addition, our Flexible Mooring Scheme allows annual berth holders, by prior arrangement, to take up to three months holiday with their craft and add the amount of time they are away to their 12-month agreement – this means you can enjoy up to 15 months mooring for the price of 12!

Medway Bridge Marina is also home to Medway Bridge Marina Car Sales, and has a storage compound for up to 90 caravans and motor homes. For any enquiries, please email Sam Dallas Marina Manager: sam@medwaybridgemarina.co.uk

www.medwaybridgemarina.co.uk

Medway Bridge Marina Ltd, Manor Lane, Rochester, Kent ME1 3HS • 01634 843576

76 TheCoastalGuide 2024

MARINAS & MOORINGS

Wells Harbour

Chatham Maritime Marina

North Kent Allington Lock

Allington

allingtonlock.co.uk

Allington Marina

Allington

allingtonmarina.com

Chatham Maritime Marina

Chatham

chathammaritimemarina.co.uk

Conyer Creek Marina

Sittingbourne

conyercreekmarina.co.uk

Cuxton Marina

Rochester

cuxtonmarina.com

Elmhaven Marina

Rochester

elmhaven-marina.co.uk

Gillingham Marina

Gillingham

gillingham-marina.co.uk

Margate Harbour

Margate

portoframsgate.co.uk

Medway Bridge Marina

Rochester

medwaybridgemarina.co.uk

Medway Pier Marine

Gillingham

01634 851113

Port Medway Marina

Cuxton

portmedwaymarina.co.uk

Queenborough Harbour

Queenborough

queenborough-harbour.co.uk

Royal Ramsgate Marina

Ramsgate

portoframsgate.co.uk

Swale Marina

Conyer Creek

swalemarina.co.uk

The Embankment Marina

Gravesend

theembankmentmarina.co.uk

Gallions Point Marina

River Thames

gallionspointmarina.co.uk

Hermitage Community Moorings

River Thames

hermitagemoorings.org

London

Imperial Wharf Marina

River Thames

imperialwharfmarina.co.uk

Limehouse Marina

River Thames

aquavista.com

South Dock Marina

River Thames

020 7252 2244/07950 805509

St Katharine Docks

River Thames

skdocks.co.uk

Wells-next-the-Sea

portofwells.co.uk

Norfolk Wells Harbour

TheCoastalGuide 2024 77

MARINAS & MOORINGS

Tidemill Yacht Harbour

Shotley Marina

Broadlands Marina

Woolverstone Marina

Suffolk Broadlands Marina

Oulton Broad

tingdeneboating.com

Felixstowe Ferry

Felixstowe

07803 476621/01394 270106

Fox’s Marina

Ipswich

foxsmarina.com

Ipswich Beacon Marina

Ipswich

beaconmarinas.co.uk

Lowestoft Beacon Marina

Lowestoft

beaconmarinas.co.uk

Orford Quay

Orford

01394 459950/07528 092635

Ramsholt

Ramsholt

07930 304061

Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club

Lowestoft

rnsyc.net

Shotley Marina

Shotley

shotleymarina.com

Southwold Harbour

Southwold

01502 724712

Suffolk Yacht Harbour

Levington

syharbour.co.uk

The Royal Harwich Yacht Club

Woolverstone

royalharwichyachtclub.co.uk

Tide Mill Yacht Harbour

Woodbridge

tidemillyachtharbour.co.uk

Waldringfield Moorings

Waldringfield

waldringfieldsc.com

Woolverstone Marina

Woolverstone

mdlmarinas.co.uk

78 TheCoastalGuide 2024

TheCoastalGuide 2024 79

Situated at the mouth of the River Blackwater, Essex, TSL’s natural marina provides yacht moorings, boat & mast lifts, winter storage and local access to associated services. Great for sailing too!

Benefits include; ● Hardstanding area ● Hauling & Launching ● Access to our maintenance posts ● Access to water and electricity ● Located just 15 minutes from the A12 ● Coded Toilet and shower block for customer use only ● Private parking ● Recycling, rubbish and chemical wash out facilities ● Local chandlery, tea room and other amenities

Range of half-tide berths available Join our friendly, welcoming community

Visitors welcome - find out more, visit

TSL-ONLINE.CO.UK

.

.

Mob: 07521 318155 Tel: 01621 868113 E-mail: info@tsl-online.co.uk

80 TheCoastalGuide 2024

Snettisham Beach Sailing Club History, heritage, and a unique location

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nique on the Norfolk Coast in that it has both an inland lake and open sea available, Snettisham Beach SC is a busy, friendly West Norfolk club with a great history, an unrivalled reputation for running top events and training, all on an exciting tidal stretch of The Wash. The club is one of the leading watersports clubs on the East Coast, with family-friendly, multi-level dinghy fleets, wind and kite surfing, paddleboarding and kayaking plus a busy clubhouse and bar. We also have a thriving radio controlled model yacht section who meet and race on Friday evenings.

The club is home to multiple National and European class champions and we run organised social sailing activities alongside a friendly but competitive racing programme. For racing the location is always exciting, with every day bringing new conditions from wind and tide.

The club boasts excellent facilities including a concrete launching ramp, adjacent dinghy and car park, plus spacious changing rooms. Our west-facing terrace overlooks a beautiful sandy beach – enjoy spectacular evening sunsets as you sit on the veranda with a drink or a meal.

After a year of development the club is now completely green, with all our electricity and hot water provided using solar technologies, making our green sport even greener!

With events throughout the season, racing every weekend and bank holiday from March to October plus social events throughout the year, we welcome visiting watersports enthusiasts and their families. The club hosts a number of Open Meetings throughout the year and an open Summer Regatta, plus four days of North West Norfolk Week (www.norfolkweek.co.uk) of which SBSC was a founding member. The junior fleet enjoys its own programme of racing on the lake at weekends and a Wednesday Evening Club, plus a sea racing programme as skills develop. All of this available as a family membership at less than £6 per week! Please check our website for details.

Our Cadet Weeks for beginners through to experienced sea sailors have always been very popular and bookings are now open for our two Cadet Weeks in 2024, however, due to demand, places are only open to club members. Still time to join if you want to book a place! www.snetbeach.co.uk facebook.com/Snetbeach

SBSC has a dedicated RYA Recognised Training Centre which runs courses for adults and children throughout the season, from April to October. Sailing is a fantastic sport and a great way to relax and unwind with friends and family, so why not make the most of your summer in England and book a course, or arrange some private tuition at a time to suit you? All our courses are bookable on our website www.snetbeach.co.uk or, if you’d like to know more, please email courses.sbsc@gmail.com.

On Sunday 19 May we are running a club open day which is a great opportunity to visit the club, see our facilities, have a go on the water and make the most of some special offers on courses and membership.

We would love to see you there!

Snettisham Beach Sailing Club, Snettisham Beach, Kings Lynn PE31 7RB 01485 542647 commodoresbsc@gmail.com courses.sbsc@gmail.com www.snetbeach.co.uk TheCoastalGuide 2024 81

TheCoastalGuide 2024 9082TheCoastalGuide 2023

Benfleet Yacht Club Open to new members

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ounded in 1922, Benfleet Yacht Club is a large and friendly members-run club located alongside Benfleet Creek, on the northern shore of Canvey Island in Essex.

The club offers great opportunities for all craft – dinghy sailing and coastal rowing mainly take place in the sheltered waters of Benfleet Creek, while for cruising yachts, the Rivers Medway and Swale are just a few hours away, and slightly further afield are the superb cruising grounds of the East Coast rivers. For a great summer cruise, Benfleet is within striking distance of the northern coast of France and Belgium and the vast inland waterways of Holland.

Complementing the club’s busy sailing

Low Cost Moorings and Winter Lay-Up available Benfleet Yacht Club offers a large number of tidal moorings for yachts, along with second-to-none on-shore storage for both yachts and dinghies. A range of membership options and a one-off club joining fee are applicable £150), but the club is keen to be affordable for all: it’s possible to keep a 29ft yacht here for less than £757a year – and that includes haul out, winter lay-up and relaunch! programme and popular Cadet Sail Training Week, a superb clubhouse includes a bar that’s open lunchtime and evenings seven days a week, and there’s an active social and entertainments programme all year round.

Benfleet Yacht Club is well known for organising The Nore Race, a combined open cruiser and dinghy race that covers a 20-mile circuit of the Thames Estuary, starting and finishing at Southend Pier.

Since 2010 Benfleet Yacht Club’s Coastal Rowers have also organised the Round Canvey Race, an annual open event in which rowing, paddling and sailing vessels complete a 14.5 mile circuit of Canvey Island. An eclectic mix of craft have competed to date, with boats from as far as Whitby travelling to take part.

Details of both events can be found on the club website – we also have disabled facilities.

Benfleet Yacht Club, Canvey Road, Canvey Island, Essex SS8 0QT 01268 792278 membership@benfleetyachtclub.org www.benfleetyachtclub.org

TheCoastalGuide 2024 83

84 TheCoastalGuide 2024

COASTAL CLUBS

Eyott Sailing Club

Brightlingsea Sailing Club

West Mersea Yacht Club

Essex Alexandra YC

Southend

alexyachtclub.co.uk

Ardleigh SC

Ardleigh

ardleighsc.co.uk

Benfleet YC

Canvey Island

benfleetyachtclub.org

Blackwater SC

Heybridge

blackwatersailingclub.org.uk

Bradwell Quay YC

Bradwell-on-Sea

bqyc.org.uk

Brightlingsea Coastal Rowing Club

Brightlingsea

brightlingseacoastalrowingclub.co.uk

Brightlingsea SC

Brightlingsea

sailbrightlingsea.com

Burnham-on-Crouch SC

Burnham-on-Crouch

burnhamsc.co.uk

Chelmsford Canoe Club

Chelmsford

chelmsfordcanoeclub.co.uk

Clacton Canoe Club

Clacton-On-Sea

clactoncanoeclub.co.uk

Clacton-on-Sea SC

Clacton-on-Sea

clactonsailingclub.org.uk

Colne YC

Brightlingsea

colneyachtclub.org.uk

Crouch YC

Burnham-on-Crouch

cyc.org.uk

Dabchicks SC

West Mersea

dabchicks.org

Essex YC

Leigh-on-Sea

essexyachtclub.co.uk

Eyott SC

South Woodham Ferrers

eyottsailingclub.org.uk

Gunfleet SC

Holland-on-Sea

gunfleetsailingclub.co.uk

Harlow Blackwater SC

Maylandsea

harlow-blackwater-sailing-club.com

Harwich Town SC

Harwich

htsc.co.uk

Hostellers SC

Paglesham

hostellerssailingclub.org.uk

Island YC

Canvey Island

islandyachtclub.org.uk

Leigh on Sea SC

Leigh-on-Sea

leighsailingclub.org

TheCoastalGuide 2024 85

COASTAL CLUBS

Harwich Town Sailing Club

Clacton-on-Sea Sailing Club

Walton & Frinton Yacht Club

Benfleet Yacht Club

Essex Maldon and Dengie Canoe Club

Burnham-on-Crouch

madcanoeclub.co.uk

Maldon Gig Rowing Club

Maldon

maldongigclub.org.uk

Maldon Little SC

Maldon

mlsc.org.uk

Marconi SC

Southminster

marconi-sc.org.uk

Maylandsea Bay SC

West Maylandsea

maylandseabay-sc.org.uk

Mersea Island Rowing Club

West Mersea

mersearowingclub.org.uk

North Fambridge YC

North Fambridge

nfyachtclub.co.uk

Rowhedge Coastal Rowing Club

Rowhedge

rowhedgecoastalrowingclub.teamapp.com

Royal Burnham YC

Burnham-on-Crouch

rbyc.org.uk

Royal Corinthian YC

Burnham-on-Crouch

royalcorinthian.co.uk

Southend Canoe Club

Southend-on-Sea

southendcanoe.org.uk

Stone SC

Southminster

stonesc.org.uk

Stour SC

Manningtree

stoursailingclub.co.uk

Thames Estuary YC

Southend-on-Sea

teyc.co.uk

Thorpe Bay YC

Southend-on-Sea

tbyc.org

Thurrock YC

Grays

thurrockyachtclub.org.uk

Tollesbury SC

Tollesbury

tollesburysc.com

The University Community SC

Brightlingsea

ucscbrightlingsea.com

Up River YC

Hullbridge

upriver.org.uk

Wakering YC

Rochford

wakeringyachtclub.org.uk

Walton and Frinton YC

Walton-on-the-Naze

wfyc.co.uk

West Mersea YC

West Mersea

wmyc.org.uk

Wivenhoe SC

Wivenhoe

wivenhoesailing.org.uk

86 TheCoastalGuide 2024

COASTAL CLUBS

Erith Yacht Club

Medway Yacht Club

North Kent Conyer Cruising Club

Whitstable

conyercc.org.uk

Erith YC

Erith

erithyachtclub.org.uk

Gravesend SC

Gravesend

gravesendsailingclub.co.uk

Hampton Pier YC

Whitstable

hpyc.org.uk

Hollow Shore Cruising Club

Whitstable

hollowshorecc.org

Herne Bay SC

Herne Bay

hernebaysailingclub.co.uk

Hoo Ness SC

Rochester

hooness.org.uk

Hundred of Hoo SC

Rochester

hundredofhoosailingclub.org

Isle of Sheppey SC

Sheerness

iossc.org.uk

Lower Halstow YC

Lower Halstow

lhyc.org.uk

Medway Cruising Club

Gillingham

medwaycruisingclub.org.uk

Medway Watersports Trust

Gillingham

medwaywatersports.co.uk

Medway YC

Lower Upnor

medwayyachtclub.com

Queenborough YC

Queenborough

queenboroughyachtclub.co.uk

Rochester Cruising Club

Rochester

rochestercruisingclub.co.uk

Royal Temple YC

Ramsgate

rtyc.com

Sandwich Sailing and Motor Boat Club

Sandwich

ssmbc.co.uk

Segas SC

Gillingham

segassailingclub.co.uk

Strood YC

Rochester

stroodyachtclub.jimdo.com

Tonbridge Town SC

Tonbridge

tonbridgesailing.org

Whitstable YC

Whitstable

wyc.org.uk

Wilsonian SC

Hoo

wilsoniansc.org.uk

Docklands Sailing & Watersports Centre

Isle of Dogs

dswc.org

Greenwich YC

Greenwich

greenwichyachtclub.co.uk

London

TheCoastalGuide 2024 87

COASTAL CLUBS

Snettisham Beach Sailing Club

Hunstanton Sailing Club

Norfolk Blakeney SC

Blakeney

blakeneysailing.co.uk

Brancaster Staithe SC

Brancaster Staithe

bssc.net

Coldham Hall SC

Surlingham

coldhamhallsailingclub.co.uk

Dereham Canoe Group

Swanton Morley

derehamcanoegroup.co.uk

Gt Yarmouth & Gorleston SC

Gorleston-on-Sea

gygsc.co.uk

Hickling Broad SC

Hickling

hicklingbroad.com

Hickling Windsurfing Club

Hickling

hicklingbroad.co.uk

Horning SC

Horning

horning-sailing.club

Hunstanton SC

Hunstanton

hunstantonsc.co.uk

King’s Lynn Coastal Rowing Club

King’s Lynn

klcrc.club

Norfolk Broads School of Sailing

Acle

norfolksailingschool.co.uk

Norfolk Broads YC

Wroxham

nbyc.co.uk

Norfolk Punt Club

Barton Broad

puntclub.co.uk

Norfolk School Sailing Association

Filby Broad

nssa.co.uk

Northern Rivers SC

Acle

nrscsailingclub.com

Ouse Amateur SC

King’s Lynn

oasc.co.uk

Snettisham Beach SC

King’s Lynn

snetbeach.co.uk

Snowflake SC

Horning

sfsc.co.uk

Wells SC

Wells-next-the-Sea

wellssailingclub.co.uk

Wensum Ospreys Canoe Club

Fakenham

wocc.org.uk

Whitlingham Adventure

Norwich

whitlinghamadventure.org.uk

Yare SC

Norfolk

yaresailingclub.org.uk

88 TheCoastalGuide 2024

COASTAL CLUBS

Deben Yacht Club

Felixstowe Ferry Sailing Club

Aldeburgh Yacht Club

Royal Harwich Yacht Club

Suffolk Adastral Park SC

Ipswich

adastralsailing.org.uk

Aldeburgh YC

Aldeburgh

aldeburghyc.org.uk

Alton Water

Stutton

altonwater.co.uk

Beccles Amateur SC

Beccles

becclesasc.co.uk

Deben Rowing Club

Woodbridge

debenrowingclub.co.uk

Deben YC

Woodbridge

debenyachtclub.co.uk

East Suffolk Wakeboard & Water Ski Club

Felixstowe

eswsc.co.uk

Felixstowe Ferry SC

Felixstowe

ffsc.co.uk

Fox’s Marina YC

Ipswich

fmyc.org.uk

Haven Ports YC

Levington

hpyc.com

Iken Canoe Club

Aldeburgh

ikencanoe.co.uk

Ipswich Canoe Club

Ipswich

ipswichcanoeclub.org.uk

Ipswich Rowing Club

Ipswich

ipswichrc.org.uk

Kessingland Sea SC

Kessingland

kessingland-seasailingclub.uk

Lowestoft Cruising Club

Lowestoft

lowestoftcruisingclub.org

Lowestoft Rowing Club

Oulton Broad

lowestoftrowingclub.org.uk

TheCoastalGuide 2024 89

COASTAL CLUBS

Southwold Sailing Club

Woodbridge Cruising Club

Royal Norfolk & Suffolk Yacht Club

Waldringfield Sailing Club

Suffolk Orwell YC

Ipswich

orwellyachtclub.org.uk

Oulton Broad Water Sports Centre

Lowestoft

oultonbroadwatersportscentre.co.uk

Pin Mill SC

Pin Mill

pmsc.org.uk

Royal Harwich YC

Woolverstone

royalharwichyachtclub.co.uk

Royal Norfolk and Suffolk YC

Lowestoft

rnsyc.net

Shotley Point YC

Shotley

shotleypointyc.org

Shotley SC

Shotley Gate

shotleysailingclub.co.uk

Slaughden SC

Aldeburgh

slaughdensailingclub.co.uk

Southwold SC

Southwold

southwoldsc.org

St Edmundsbury Sailing & Canoeing Ass

Bury St Edmunds

westsuffolksailing.org.uk

Waldringfield SC

Woodbridge

waldringfieldsc.com

Waveney & Oulton Broad YC

Oulton Broad

wobyc.com

Waveney Sailability

Lowestoft

waveneysailability.co.uk

Woodbridge Cruising Club

Woodbridge

woodbridgecruisingclub.org

90 TheCoastalGuide 2024

The Swallowtail Restaurant and Bar is situated in Burnham Yacht Harbour and with its full height sliding doors has stunning views of the marina and River Crouch.

The large open balcony has an amazing new canopy which means you can enjoy alfresco dining no matter the weather.

We are open 7 days a week.

We welcome visiting groups, functions and families and our friendly staff will make it their aim to give you a truly memorable experience.

Please call us on 01621 785505 or visit our website: www.swallowtailrestaurant.co.uk Foundry Lane, Burnham on Crouch, CM0 8BL

TheCoastalGuide 2024 91

- 350 fully serviced berths - Safe and secure moorings - 24 hour tidal access - Restaurant, bar and conference room - Heated workshop - Shipwrights, engineers and outfitters - Yacht brokerage - Refurbished shower and toilet block - Free Wifi - Direct rail links to London

For a full list of incentives and deals please visit our website www.burnhamyachtharbour.co.uk or call 01621 782150