Kent

Our final talk of the Winter Warmer season is on Thursday 13th March 2025 is by Rob Smith. With so many ships visiting London, it is hardly surprising that there have been thousands of shipwrecks in the Thames. This talk tells the story of 12 ships that have sunk in the Thames and Medway, from a Roman cargo ship, to a mysterious sinking in the Cold War.

On Thursday 13th February 2025 Barry will be talking about the heritage Tug Kent which is based in Basin number One at Chatham in Kent. She was built in 1948 at Lowestoft and began her life on the Medway berthing ships in the ports of Rochester and Sheerness. The tug worked for 40 years being deployed in various locations including Scotland and the near continent. It was taken out of service in the 1980s.

On Thursday 9th January 2025 Tim will describe the role of a Marine Pilot in the UK, the Master/Pilot relationship and what to expect of a merchant ship bridge team. He will give an overview of the industry & ship types trading on the Thames & Medway and variations of berths & shipping terminals on the Thames.

On Thursday 12th December 2024 CA member Maxine Maters will give us a talk on her experiences sailing through Russia.

On Thursday 14th November 2024 at 20.00 there is another opportunity to hear a talk by our own Jeremy Batch.

Our Winter Warmer meetings for 2024/5 start on Thursday 10th October at 20.00.

Our first talk is by Dick Holness when he will be updating us on the navigation and sailing in these waters.The East Coast Pilot has become the bible for cruising sailors in the waters from Great Yarmouth to Ramsgate.

The adventures and confessions of a delivery skipper by David Sharp

We are very grateful to CA Kent member David Sharp for stepping in at the last moment to give our final talk of this winter season. We have booked Dick Holness to give us an update on the East Coast Pilot in October when the next edition of his book will have been published.

David's talk will be about the highs and lows of a delivery skipper together with the stories of some extraordinary boats, crews and owners.

The story of how this race was re-created for the modern era on its fiftieth anniversary, the struggles, the highs and lows, and above all the bravery of the skippers, who shared the dream of recreating Sir Robin Knox-Johnston’s historic achievement of being the first man to sail around the world alone, non stop.

And how Sir Robin himself helped to make it happen.

Barry Pickthall the Golden Globe Race Ambassador, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston and CA Kent member Tim Bishop at the awards ceremony at Les Sables d'Lonne in 2023

The Marina Manager Chris Windsor will give us an overview of the new outer marina which opened to sailors in April 2023. He will gives us the background to the development and update us about the re-opening of the Wellington Dock which is scheduled for 2024.  Jim Pascall from the VTS team will inform us about the call up procedures for entering and leaving the port.

Thursday 11th January 2024 at 20:00

Venue The Dog and Bear Hotel Lenham ME17 2PG

Claire will talk about the origins of marine mammals and some of their characteristics and habits, both  near our shores and further afield. This informative presentation will discuss the interaction between Orca and sailing vessels, the threats that marine mammals face, what we can do to help and how to report our sightings.

Thursday 14th December 2023 at 20:00

Venue The Dog and Bear Hotel Lenham ME17 2PG