The Swale May 2014

Sunday 25.5.14

Distance 7.5 nm

Wind South 3-4 gusting 5
No crew

Flying along under an East Coast sky

Setting off early from Greenwich with Spray on the Trailer, Conyer is an hour away and after the hello’s and paying of fees there is just the right amount of time to rig and launch on the top of the tide. It's a peaceful marina and despite a lovely breezy morning not much traffic out into the Swale. The creek is winding and a times narrow. You have to trust the channel markers which take you well in towards the banks on the bends. Then out into the Swale. Sails up and suddenly the motor speeds up, driven by the sails - time to kill the engine. Peace, combined with a tingle of excitement as we get under way with just the wind taking over. This is what makes sailing so satisfying, the sound of water in the bow and the thrill as the wind gets up. We whizz through South Deep past the moorings (for later) and shoot out into the Swale proper. At this point of the tide it's a wide and inviting waterway. Beware though, the channels are narrow and the water is shallow. That's fine in a Drascombe and at times I'm down to 0.7m on the depth gauge. I must check what that actually is, if its really the depth below the hull I must be close to grazing the oysters with the centre board.

Sail setting reasonably well on a reach

Beating up and down the Swale at 4.5 - 5.5 knots is fun and towards the end of the morning the sails are setting really well and the speed is as good as it can be in these 3-4 winds. As the wind increases I am frankly over canvassed and the boat is heeling but I'm not stopping now to reef, it's too much fun. Besides playing the sheets like a dinghy to keep her from heeling too far is entertaining. Slightly surprisingly I get wettest going about, a sloppy tack or perhaps a particularly strong gust.  The Swale is looking good today and the water, while not actually blue, is reflecting the sky and looking quite unlike an east coast estuary. In a hour and fifty minutes I cover 7.5nm and a top speed (over the ground) of 8 knots.  Time to stop before I tire and start making silly decisions. I beat back into the South Deep channel and when the wind comes too far onto the nose give in to motoring which is actually a relief after the boisterous wind in the sails. This outboard is growing on me. It's heavy and not so new but on low revs it gets along confidently and most important, quietly.  Moored up along with three other boats, this place is a well kept secret, a special spot. The birds on Fowey Island chatter and cackle and rather bizarrely I have the company of a cuckoo calling from somewhere behind the sea wall. A large unidentified hawk glides over us flying low and bothered by gulls. I hope its a Marsh Harrier.  As the tide sinks so does our viewpoint and the mud glistens on either side, above us. The mud is so wet that against the light it reflects like the water and the two are indistinguishable from one another. The effect is odd, drying boats and buoys hovering strangely high up. Now its time to attempt a watercolour in Turner primaries. This could go wrong.  

  

Evening:  It did go wrong, too purple or something. Anyway, a spectacular evening, light and calm except for the screaming birds on Fowey Island. Interesting how as soon as a place is designated a bird sanctuary it fills with birds - or perhaps it's the other way round.  The sun an inch above the horizon the water flat and the reflected light seems brighter. 

Monday 26.5.14

Windier and wilder. The wind has moved into the north overnight, which apart from having to get up to stop the halyards vibrating, was peaceful. Serious breakfast followed by spring clean while waiting for the tide. As we get to within an hour of high water out of nowhere a parade of large yachts appears returning to the marina. Where were they in the night, one wonders, to have timed it so precisely? Swale Marina is as friendly and calm as ever. This has been a thoroughly worthwhile outing despite 5 o'clock exhaustion each day. The outboard misbehaved this morning, running badly while cold. Time for an official Honda service!

An easy recovery on the excellent slipway at Swale Marina

The Tidal Thames Drascombe Association Rally - May 2014

We chose one of the windiest weekends of the year for the Drascombe Association Tidal Thames Rally and consequently there was a drop in the numbers actually attending, mostly due to this weather forecast. It was nevertheless very enjoyable and those who did attend had a good experience of the river and of Greenwich and Erith Yacht Clubs. From a possible 12 boats in all the rally actually involved 5 boats. The Drascombe Asociation members were joined by the London Nautical School (2 gigs) on the Sunday with a large contingent of youth sailors from the School and from Erith Yacht Club.

The weather was changeable with strong winds and gusts arriving just as forecast. This gave us challenging force 5-7 winds and heavy rain squalls interspersed with sunshine and rainbows. A grand backdrop to the tidal Thames landscape for our visitors.

Visiting boats arrive 

The Rally Programme:

Friday: Visitors arrived by water, (from Shepperton upriver), or by road and launched and moored ready for Saturday.
Saturday: Downstream from GYC to Erith Yacht Club where we were made welcome and shown around the club before setting off back to GYC in the evening.
Sunday: From GYC upstream around the dome, across the Meridian Line to the Royal Naval College, the Cutty Sark and back.

Spray

Seeva under jib and mizzen

The Sailing Experience:

Although sailing was limited due to the very strong winds, we had a brisk sail down under jib and mizzen sails and a motor back against the wind on the Saturday. We were accompanied by the club safety boat Yellow Peril, the brave crew of which had a rather wetter experience than the Drascombe sailors who’s boats are well known for their good behaviour in choppy waters. Sunday proved more ‘sailable’ under reefed mains as well. The wind and tide whipped up a significant chop but this did not dampen spirits and the river proved its usual mix of scruffy, beautiful and interesting.

Marsh Magic sailing round the dome

Conclusions and lessons learnt:

GYC and the Tidal Thames is a good venue for a Drascombe Rally and weather permitting the fleet could have gone further downstream and back - perhaps to Gravesend. The two clubs would welcome a rally again and could easily cope with larger numbers. Launching and pontoon mooring all went smoothly and the presence of safety boat on Saturday, although not strictly necessary, was much appreciated and will have given visitors more confidence. Visitors thouroughly enjoyed the experience and were grateful of the welcome they got at Greenwich and impressed by our facilities - one even writing an account of the weekend in epic poem form.