Chatham to Bradwell

14th August 2018

Across the Thames Estuary towards Bradwell and this turned out to be the best sail of the season. There was another boat of similar size and somehow we left it standing. After about an hour we decided to put a reef in, once again the 1st reef was still a bit dodgy. We had thought we'd solved the problem earlier in the season, but obviously not. So we put in the second reef. The boat we'd whizzed passed earlier caught us up, however once we sorted the sails out off we went again. We weren't trying to race it but for some reason we were flying.

It really was a brilliant sail, we went across the Spitway at 7 knots, a real yeeha moment. Showed how much our confidence has grown over the years. As at one stage we would have crawled across checking constantly. Now we had confidence in our equipment and navigation skills.

The only downside was when we were nearing Bradwell we were told there was no room at the inn! I had rung up the day before to be told we couldn't book but there wouldn't be a problem. I must have sounded really pathetic on the radio as the marina manager said we could moor up on the fuel berth the only snag was we couldn't do that till after the fuel berth closed at 5 pm. I found a mooring buoy and stayed there until we were able to go in.

We had a very comfortable night on the fuel berth and were moved along early doors by a fishing boat going out as we were in their way. They told us we shouldn't have moored there but I did inform them that's where we'd been told to go by the Marina Manager.  Later in the morning we did get a berth. The boats they'd expected to leave the pervious day hadn't left because of the weather.

Bradwell is definitely as marina that has tide constraints.

Once again we had a good couple of days at Bradwell. We took the wall along the coast to St Peter's church. It is an amazing place. Part of the church is built out of a wall from a Roman Gatehouse. The church is still in use despite being isolated and having no electricity. It is well worth a visit.

On the walk back we found that a pub that had a bad fire a few years previously had just reopened and it was Steak Night, it would have been rude not to have booked in. The food was excellent in fact there was so much we couldn't manage a pudding.

In the village there was a scarecrow competition and I enjoyed looking at all the different entries. People's imagination never fails to amaze me.

This was an area that was very much part of the war. There was a squadron of spitfires and hurricanes, however on the memorial it is a Mosquito. But I do like this memorial, it is also a reminder that it wasn't just the British that fought to protect the UK.

A slightly shaky evening view.

Sailing information
Chatham to Bradwell - 44.8 NM
Time taken  - 8 hours