LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

SAILING IN GOOD COMPANY

Hadedah, and nine other boats come together on the East Coast for the postponed Corinthian cruise CLUB’S 95 TH ANNIVERSARY

Members celebrate milestone birthday at the clubhouse

THE MISSION TO SEAFARERS A moving account of mariners’ life under covid

PLUS ...

Photographic and artwork competition, narrowboat cruising, events and training programme, HPO news

CONTENT LITTLE SHIP CLUB

President: Mike Golding OBE

Commodore: Barrie Martin

COMMODORE’S COLUMN: Time to reflect and remember Barrie Martin reports ...........................................................................................3

Sail and Power: Charles Quayle

AT THE CLUB: Committee contact details; Advertising in Little Ship .......................................4

Vice Commodores:

Membership: Paul Banks Rear Commodores:

Commercial: François-Xavier Béry Social Secretary: Benedict Ryan Training: Paul Kelly

Hon Legal Adviser: Mark Turvey Hon Treasurer: Mark Vucic

Members of the Club Committee:

Andy Ormsby, Benedict Ryan and Stephen Sydes President’s Committee:

Arlene Keenan, Pete Newbury, David Roache, Don Shackley and Michael Forbes Smith Honorary Life Vice President: Sir Robin Knox-Johnston

Little Ship Club Ltd, Three Cranes Walk, Bell Wharf Lane, Upper Thames Street, London EC4R 3TB Tel: 020 7236 7729 Fax: 020 7236 9100 Internet: www.littleshipclub.co.uk Email: [email protected]

Directors: The Club Committee

Members: All Guaranteeing Members

Club Secretary: Nicholas Long Hon Librarian: Geoff Quentin

HPO Liaison Officer: Anne Le Verrier-Bizzey

Hon Chaplain: Fr. Tim Handley Hon Archivist: Ian Stewart

Editorial Committee: Brian Humber, Chris Nicholson, Deborah Wheeler

Managing Editor: Anne Billard

Design and production: Linda Mugridge Tel: 01843 215131 / 07388 902302 [email protected]

Advertising: for advertising enquiries [email protected]

Little Ship becomes ‘printed on demand only’

To make sure you keep receiving your printed copy of the Little Ship please contact the Club – turn to page 59 for further details and a contact slip. If you have done so already, there is nothing more for you to do, and the Little Ship will keep landing on your doorstep.

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CONTENT

LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

EDITOR’S COLUMN: Anne Billard introduces this edition of Little Ship ....................................4 NEWS FROM YOUR COMMITTEE: Membership: 102 new members recruited; Welcome to our new members ..............................5 Membership: Check your contact details online ............................................................5 Buoy Sponsors Group: New buoy sponsorship to promote the Club.....................................6 BOOKS: Reviews Hon Librarian, Geoff Quentin, reviews two books that he has enjoyed recently ..........................6

MEMORIAL SERVICE: Tributes to our dear friends: Richard, Norman and Robin Ian Stewart reports on the service for Richard Taylor, Norman Nathan and Robin Young ............7–8

AT THE CLUB: Laying up supper and prize giving Photographs by Paul Banks ...............................................................................9–11 City Sheep Drive Photographs of the City Sheep Drive and Livery Fair in London ..........................................11 Members celebrate the Club’s 95th anniversary Photographer Phil McCarthy captures the special time enjoyed by members and guests ........12–14 Casino night Members share their photographs of the black-tie event .................................................15 Full house for Shanties Evening Photographs by Paul Banks and Anne Billard ..............................................................16 FROM THE ARCHIVES: Little Ship notes Article first published in The Journal of the Little Ship Club, October–December 1947 ................17 CRUISING: Taking a leisurely pace Members enjoy a narrowboat cruise on the Trent and Mersey and Staffordshire and Worcester Canals. Mark Turvey reports ............................................18–21 MISSION TO SEAFARERS: Mission to Seafarers’ response to covid Report by Nina Edy, Senior Digital Communications Officer, The Mission to Seafarers ...........22–24

RALLIES: LSC boats gather on the East Coast for a delayed Corinthian rally Introduction by Anne Billard and photographs by Paul Banks .......................................25–26 A diary of some ancient (well mostly ancient) mariners Tim Bizzey reports ....................26–33 Perfect passage for A Day at the Races Barrie Martin recalls ..........................................33 Delighted to represent the Corinthians Larry Mead reports ............................................34 Rally first for sailors and Mahina Antony Smyth and Morgan Chambers recall .......................35 Hadedah night sailing on a Sunday morning David Houston reports .................................36 Rally poem by Melanie Gingell ..............................................................................36 RALLIES: Skippering debut First-time skipper, Anne Billard recalls the East Coast End of Season Rally ........................37–38 CRUISING: The Orion episode Club member David Lowe shares the true story of Orion’s epic voyage in 1956 ...................39–46 EVENTS AND TRAINING: On the water and at the Club Details of upcoming rallies, cruises, races and training opportunities ...............................47–49 AT THE CLUB: Photographic and Artwork Competition 2021 Winning pictures and report from Niki Gorick, Patrick Tyrell and Nicola de Quincey ...............50–53 AT THE CLUB: Recently on social media .............................................................54–56

ADVERTORIAL: savvy navvy ..................................................................................57 HPO NEWS: Let’s get together in 2022! Anne Le Verrier-Bizzey, HPO Liaison Officer shares her thoughts.........................................58 HPO CONTACT LIST...........................................................................................59 Cover photograph: ‘Hadedah, sailing from Portsmouth to Eastbourne’ by Mike Gill

COMMODORE’S COLUMN

TIME TO REFLECT AND REMEMBER

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s the official global death toll from the pandemic passes five million we can feel lucky that the Little Ship Club membership has so far escaped lightly from this highly infectious virus. It was right and fitting that we should celebrate the lives of three members who died during lockdown of other causes as soon as we were able after the restrictions were relaxed. A lovely memorial service was held by our Honorary Chaplain, Father Tim Handley at St James Garlickhythe to remember Richard, Norman and Robin, which is reported more fully on pages 7–8. Charlotte Brontë’s letter to her friend Ellen Nussey following the recent loss of her sister Anne to tuberculosis and two other siblings in the space of eight months is appropriate to the many who have lost loved ones. “The great trial is when evening closes and night approaches – at that hour we used to assemble in the dining room – we used to talk – now I sit by myself – necessarily I am silent – I cannot help thinking of those lost days – remembering their sufferings and what they said and did and how they looked at mortal affliction –“ This letter written in July 1849 is one of many precious manuscripts of some of Britain’s best loved writers forming part of the Honresfield Collection. This collection was to be sold and possibly broken up after being hidden for more than a century. Fortunately due to pressure from Friends of National Libraries (www.fnl.org.uk) and an anonymous donor this looks as though it may have been averted. The death of the much-loved Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh was suitably marked by one of the most wonderful memorial services at Windsor Castle. His connection to the Little Ship Club is recorded in a photograph proudly on display in the clubhouse. A virtual club night was spent in recounting some happy memories and sailing anecdotes. One such story was when sailing with Uffa Fox in Cowslip on the Solent one of his competitors called for water at the windward mark. His quick witted response was “I think you will find that it belongs to my wife!”.

Written on 11 November 2021 Barrie Martin reflects on the difficult year we have shared and remembers the friends we have lost. He recalls how the lifting of restrictions brought members together again both on and off the water and looks forward to our Club thriving with a full social, sailing and training calendar.

“Your Club has survived, 95 not out, and now is about to thrive again. Social and sailing events are back up to speed and training will soon be.”

The heinous stabbing to death of well-loved MP for Southend West, Sir David Amess, was also appropriately marked by a moment of silence before our Trafalgar Night Dinner. The excellent address and toast to the immortal memory at that dinner was given by LSC member WO (Retd) Mick Gentry, also a member of The Association of Dunkirk Little Ships. The Tuesday before we had heard from Heather and Stephen Dennett of Dennett’s Boatyard all about such motor yachts as Gay Venture, Breda, Sundowner and the amazing restoration work on many other Dunkirk Little Ships. We also witnessed their keen anticipation of the next “Return”, in which we have every intention of participating. Your Club has survived, 95 not out, and now is about to thrive again. Social and sailing events are back up to speed and training will soon be. Your Committee’s hope is that members and our reciprocal club members will use the clubhouse more once City offices are returning to more normal working patterns. Used not only for entertaining but also events and celebrations both work and family, and staying overnight in the cabins. Members have used the club rooms since the ending of restrictions for business meetings, a christening and a retirement party among others. Hopefully this will flourish, in tune with the relationship with our caterers, Bovingdons. What better than a view of Old Father Thames while socialising? All of the social events such as the joyful 95th celebrations, the Sunday Sheep Drive over Southwark Bridge, the rum tasting and club nights have been exceedingly well attended by members and guests as well as many new members. We offer a very warm welcome to all our new members and hope they will feel right at home either on the water or at the Club. Wishing all our members and friends a very Happy Christmas and New Year, and lots of sailing in good company in 2022. n Barrie Martin, Commodore LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

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AT THE CLUB

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EDITOR’S COLUMN WINTER 2021/22

Welcome to the winter issue of the Little Ship. As life finally returned to a semblance of normality, the clubhouse reopened and we met on the water: celebrating our newly found, double- or treble-jabbed, freedom. If you have not been able to join in the fun, read about it in this bumper issue. Celebrating our milestone birthday in style, we held both a black-tie dinner and a cocktail party: turn to page 12 for pictures. Our From The Archives piece, from the year 1947 when the Club reached 21, is a fascinating insight into how the issues our predecessors grappled with were really not vastly different from what we face today! We hope you enjoy reading about the East Coast (Corinthian) cruise: turn to page 25 for reports from various boats, including from the lone Corinthian who jumped through very many hoops to cross the pond and join us: past Master Larry Mead. Other contributions are from ‘rally virgins’ Antony and Morgan, Hadedah’s night sailing, and others sharing the fun we all had that week. Read about another ‘first’: my account of my first-time skippering, on the East Coast End of Season rally, to Burnham on Crouch (page 37). The beautiful pictures of this stunning part of the world are from Geoff Quentin. For a tale of a tremendous cross-channel trip, turn to page 39 to read about The Orion Episode: shared by Club member David Lowe, this is a magnificent demonstration of sailing and writing skills. Not ‘just’ sea sailors, ten of us joined the narrowboat cruise organised by Jonathan Hague on the Trent and Mersey and Staffordshire and Worcester canals. Mark Turvey’s account on page 18 perfectly captures the tone of a week of fun, scrapes and humour. At the Club meanwhile, the clubhouse was in full use for drinks, a buffet … or simply to rest weary feet, on the day of the City Sheep Drive (pictures page 11). Charlie Quayle hosted his first Laying Up and Prize Giving dinner; the evening saw a full clubhouse, for our President to award prizes. Charlie and his team brought a creative interpretation of the prizes, to much hilarity at times. Paul Banks’ pictures are on pages 9. We carry on with our series of articles from non-Club writers: for this issue, Debbie Wheeler coaxed the Nina Edy, Senior Digital Communications Officer, at the Mission to Seafarers to write about their work, how the pandemic has affected their operations and how technology is changing the Mission: a timely reminder at this time of year, page 22. Our Sailing, Social and Training programmes are as busy as usual (see page 47): on the water, the Fast Cruise series is in full swing. Early next year, we are invited to join our Corinthians friends in the BVIs. Looking to next spring, our usual opening season rallies, on both the south and east coasts, are in the calendar, as are the West Mersea, Calais, Holland jollies … Further afield, we are determined to visit Mallorca, enjoy a week on a gulet, and join the Corinthians for some ‘avoid-the-lobster-pots’ sailing in Maine in August. We will also be repeating and expanding our successful Regional Events: two are already in the calendar; look out for updates on the website. The Editorial Committee do hope you enjoy this issue, and reiterate our appeal for copy, photographs, comments … and content you would like to share with your fellow members. To get in touch: [email protected]. Anne Billard, Editor LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

PLEASE GET IN TOUCH n n n n n n n n n

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Commodore: Barrie Martin: [email protected] Marketing Committee: [email protected]

Membership Committee: [email protected] Racing Committee: [email protected]

Sail and Power Committee: [email protected]

Social Committee: [email protected]

Training Committee: [email protected]

Young Section: Benedict Ryan: [email protected] Editor: Anne Billard: [email protected]

If you are a new member, please contact Paul Banks: [email protected]

Events: for booking events please email [email protected] or contact Michelle Kimpton +44 208 786 7392 or contact Nick Long +44 207 236 7729 [email protected] Dinning: for booking tables in the dining rooms please email [email protected] or contact Kiera Green: [email protected]

ADVERTISING IN THE LITTLE SHIP

The Little Ship looks forward to helping you reach our audience of passionate sailors and great socialisers.

LITTLE SHIP AUTUMN 2021

TRANQUIL WATERS

Little Shippers enjoy the new season of sailing, racing and cruising

EVENTS AND TRAINING

Wide-ranging calendar of courses and Club activities on and off the water

SCIENCE AT SEA

SEAmester programme offers scientific opportunities to young South Africans

PLUS ...

From the Archives celebrates our 21st, Club news, book reviews, and messages from our HPOs

For details on how to advertise email: [email protected] The Little Ship also offers a small ads section, see page 48.

NEWS FROM YOUR COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP

MEMBERSHIP

102 NEW MEMBERS RECRUITED

CHECK YOUR CONTACT DETAILS ONLINE

In September we had two recruitment drives, one at The Southampton Boat Show and the other for the Sheep Drive which took place on Southwark Bridge, right next to the clubhouse. The Southampton Boat Show was quieter than usual, but we still received over 100 membership and training enquiries. Through networking at the Show, we identified four potential speakers for our Tuesday Club night talks. The Sheep Drive was particularly successful. We had more than 150 members and visitors pass through the clubhouse and 75 stayed for a sitdown buffet meal. There was much activity with sheep leaping around on the bridge, but the clubhouse was thriving, too. I would like to offer a big “thank you” to all the LSC members who helped at both these two events. Your efforts contributed to the recruitment of 102 new members in September and October.

In order for the Club and other members to communicate with you effectively, it is important that we hold up-to-date information about you. Please could you check the details which we hold and update them as necessary. The steps to update your details are shown below: How to check and amend your membership details on the LSC website 1 Log in 2 Click on Members and then My LSC Account, as shown below.

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Click on the EDIT tab; this will bring up the following options at the top of the screen:

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Click on each of the areas that you want to verify or change. After making changes, on each tab, click on SAVE at the bottom of the screen.

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WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBERS Matthew Alford Adrian Attrell Jodi Bartin Mark Bartin Bradley Baskett Surabhi Bishnoi Steve Blake Nick Borrett Mario Borza Paul Bostock Jeffrey Bradford Norah Bradford Christopher Burgess Jonny Burgess Tim Burne Michelle Cartwright Guy Collyer Vince Connolly Arthur Cook Colin Couchman Jill Cox Heather Dennett

Stephen Dennett Mark Dickens Victoria Dittmann Fred Finn Kevin Finn Christine Forrest Elizabeth Garner Sonja Garsvo Mr Gaughan Sharon Gaughan Andre Geel Najet Geel Mick Gentry Janet Gibson Ian Goodman Aleksei Gornoi James Gout Celia Greetham Charmian Griffiths Michael Gunston Stephen Hand Roger Harben

Sarah Hargreaves Adrienne Harper Olga Harper Roger Harper Wesley Harper Christopher Hawkes Gemma Hawkes Alexandra Henry Sue Hindwoodward Harn Ho Claudia Hogan Michael James Peter Jennings Peter Jones Simon Kaye Michael Kemsley Richard King Richard Kottler Courtney Lambert Patrick Lambert Daniel Lareau James Le Couilliard

Paul Banks, Vice Commodore Membership

Jane Lowe Catherine Macaulay Heather Mackay Francesca Mason Myles McDermott Lewis McDonald Stephen Messer Ajmal Mian David Mortlock Robert Murfin David Murr John Murray Yusuke Nakahama Andrew Palmer Michael Parker Julie Pearce Annie Prouse Martin Randall Elise Rasmussen William Rasmussen Norman Reed Nikolaj Samarec

Iain Sanderson Selina Sanderson Barbara Schurer Andrew Scrimgeour Gordon Seabright Sarah Sharp Wendy Shorter-Blake Josephine Siedlecka Sarah Sinclair David Sloper Tim Steel Rahul Tandon David Thompson David Tyrwhitt-Drake James Vaughan John Walter Kirsty Whitfield Margaret Willes

LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

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NEWS FROM YOUR COMMITTEE / BOOKS THE BUOY SPONSORS GROUP

NEW BUOY SPONSORSHIP TO PROMOTE THE CLUB

The Little Ship Club is to sponsor a Racing Mark in the Solent. From 2022 buoy No 43 will be named Little Ship Club. The buoy is currently named Yawl and is located on Ryde Middle. The purpose of the sponsorship is to promote the Club and bring the name Little Ship Club prominently to a wider audience in the sailing community. In order to do this a new group is now formed – The Buoy Sponsors Group. You are invited to ioin this group now! The annual cost of membership will be £250 for a single membership and £350 for couples. Benefits of group membership will include: n Providing funds for the buoy sponsorship and supporting the wider activities of the Club if funds permit. n An annual dinner (or maybe lunch) which is included in the cost of membership. To join now as a founder member of the group or for further information please contact: Jonathan Hague – [email protected] or 07795 691918.

Right: Buoy 43, currently named Yawl Below: chart showing Ryde Middle; circled: Little Ship Club buoy.

Hon Librarian, Geoff Quentin, reviews two books that he has enjoyed recently. Geoff is keen to hear from anybody who would like to join the book review panel, so please do get in touch! ([email protected])

THE NAGLE JOURNAL John C Dann Weidenfeld & Nicolson ISBN: 1555842232 A large and wonderful book given to our Commodore, who has donated it to the Club so we are very fortunate. The book covers the extraordinary adventures of Jacob Nagle. The voyages, the detail, the colour plates, the monochrome plates and the historical context make this book a wonderful and unusual addition to the Club library.

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LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

Jacob Nagle was an American born in 1761 who first served in the US army and later in the navy, he sailed all over the world meeting and serving under George Washington, Horatio Nelson and Lord Howe. His account covers voyages to China, India and Australia so he was very well travelled. Despite all his adventures, the danger and the ever present possibility of shipwreck he died peacefully at the age of 80 in Ohio in 1841. The prose is much as it had been originally recorded so the spelling and grammar are quirky to say the least and it takes a while to adjust. But it is so worthwhile as the picture it conjures up is very fascinating. One can quickly get lost in the narrative and

also marvel at the fortitude in the face of such ever-present dangers. He clearly kept detailed journals of his voyages and wrote as he spoke so words change spelling in the same paragraph giving the impression of him speaking with a strong accent. This book merits a long and careful study. It is definitely not a quick read to get to the end of the story but a detailed account of the extraordinary life of a much travelled seaman.

101 TIPS FOR STRESS-FREE SAILING Duncan Wells Adlard Coles ISBN: 9781472982001 This book is well worth the few pounds it costs. It is A5 format with only 127 pages but is packed with tips that are indeed useful. Every skipper will have a few complaints, mine would be why paint red and green to show port and starboard on the boom above our heads but overall there are lots of excellent tips. I will definitely add a few to my standard check lists. The simple diagrams are good, as an example the one on interpreting tell-tales works instantly and there are lots of such simple diagrams. Just the title of the book is important, we all want stress-free sailing, we want to enjoy the company, the wind in the sails, the peace and quiet so any tips to reduce stress are worth following. Do get this book and create your own start-up and shut-down lists, perhaps even copy some of the diagrams and stick them to a bulkhead.

MEMORIAL SERVICE In October 2021 a service was held in the church of St James Garlickhythe to remember the lives of three well-known Club members, who died during 2020. Ian Stewart shares the experience.

TRIBUTES TO OUR DEAR FRIENDS: RICHARD, NORMAN AND ROBIN

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uring 2020, three well-known members of the Club died while we were denied the opportunity of collectively celebrating their lives. Richard Taylor passed away in the spring; Norman Nathan in high summer; Robin Young at the very end of the year in his native Australia. None was felled by the corona virus: Richard and Norman lived long lives and succumbed to the inevitable results of age; Robin suffered a return of the aggressive cancer he had earlier beaten off. What they had in common was that they were held in high regard by their fellow members.

A MUCH-APPRECIATED SERVICE

In the aftermath of the corona virus pandemic, many people are still wary of venturing into certain places, or have lost a measure of confidence in meeting other people. Nevertheless, over 30 congregants joined Mrs Natalie Nathan on Tuesday 12 October in remembering her husband and our other two friends; by common consent, the service was both moving and life-affirming. It was, unusually for the Club, held in the church of St James Garlickhythe, about 100 yards upstream from our usual spiritual home of St Michael Paternoster Royal. There was a simple reason: St James is equipped with filming and internet broadcast facilities and viewers as far away as Australia and New Zealand participated. The traditional naval hymn ‘Eternal Father, Strong to Save’ enabled members to find their voices and ‘Crossing the Bar’ was beautifully sung by Judy

Above: Memorial Service at St James Garlickhythe. Below: Mezzo soprano Judy Brown. Below right: The Club’s chaplain led the service: Fr Tim Handley SSC, Rector, St James Garlickhythe.

Brown. Some will recall Judy working in the Club office before leaving to develop her musical career as a teacher and performer; despite a busy programme and being approached at short notice, she was determined to help us reflect on the qualities of three members whom she recalled with affection. Our Honorary Chaplain, Father Tim Handley SSC, had been given almost no opportunity of meeting the three due to the restrictions imposed to combat the spread of the virus. He was, though, able to commend their souls: after Judy had sung of the universal wish that “... I hope to see my Pilot face to face when I have crost the bar”, he cogently reminded all that they are “...known to God”. Members and Father Handley retired to the Club for a buffet lunch, which proved a congenial opportunity to renew old acquaintance.

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MEMORIAL SERVICE LIVES WELL LIVED

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Hunter Peace spoke first for Richard Taylor. They had sailed extensively on Hunter’s Lazy Life, in both northern waters and the Mediterranean, with Richard being a competent first mate and steady companion. Many members will recall Richard through his 20year tenure as instructor on the “Yachtmaster” shore-based course. He was not satisfied with simply plodding mechanically through the material; he was vigilant in improving the quality of training materials and every year edited his own handbook for the course. Although Richard had extensive technical knowledge of both navigation and seamanship, his real concern was to maintain a high standard of teaching practice. We do not have exact records but it is likely that the best part of 1,000 people have had their knowledge – and ultimately their safety at sea – improved through his dedication. He served twice as Rear Commodore Training; in more recent times, he developed the Braided Rope course, and helped to deliver the first of our seamanship courses to the London Universities Royal Naval Unit. Richard Keen spoke next for Norman Nathan, whom he had known through meeting at ports on the East Coast as well as in the Club. Norman exemplified that trait of some of the most able people of “hiding his light under a bushel”. If you met him as a casual acquaintance, he had that knack of making you feel as though he had just run into an old friend. This amiable character concealed a sharp mind. Norman entered the Army as a National Serviceman but was soon commissioned. In his subsequent career, he used his scientific and business abilities to make a significant contribution: his work concerned the storage and control of electrical power and is likely to have a long-term influence on our future use of “clean energy”. In short, Norman has left a valuable legacy for the whole of mankind. As befitted the personality of our departed friend, Geoff Quentin dwelt on Robin Young’s character, rather than formal achievements. Robin’s seafaring began early, with his training as a marine engineer for the Australia and New Zealand Line. He picked up a business degree and his last formal appointment was as facilities manager with Royal Holloway, University of London in Egham. Early last year, he returned to Melbourne to see his newly-arrived granddaughter and sail his boat; sadly, travel restrictions and the return of his illness deprived us of seeing him again. Those who knew him will treasure the image of the bluff Aussie, holding his pint and chatting to everyone; but that does not tell the whole story. He was a thoughtful man and one of the most positive people you could encounter. He rarely had a bad word to say about anyone. He had a keen interest in industrial archaeology; some may think that, and diverse sailing opportunities, the primary reason for his desire to retire here; his true motivation, though, was that he felt that the United Kingdom had a great future – quite an endorsement from a son of the “lucky country”. Richard, Norman, Robin: we shall miss you, and we wish you fair winds. n LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

Hunter Peace (below) gave the eulogy for the life of Richard Taylor (left) ...

“He was a great friend and shipmate and is very sorely missed.”

Richard Keen (below) remembered Norman Nathan (left) ...

“A man with an incisive mind, dry and perceptive humour, and a kind soul (...) Norman is missed by all ...”.

Geoff Quentin (below) spoke about Robin Young (left) ...

“Robin, we miss you, we will remember you and celebrate the very positive person that you were.”

Above: LSC members attend Memorial Service at St James Garlickhythe.

AT THE CLUB The Jack Orr Trophy was awarded to Antony Smyth and Morgan Chambers.

For Charlie Quayle's first Prize Giving and Laying Up dinner, Club President Mike Golding OBE hosted a full house. Charlie's sometimes creative interpretation of the prizes was a source of much hilarity at times. Pictures by Paul Banks.

LAYING UP SUPPER AND PRIZE GIVING

The Mayor’s Medallion was awarded to Freddie Halford, Michael Halford’s son.

The Perry Plate was awarded to Anne Billard.

The Alan Davis Salver was awarded to Pete Hampson.

The Suhaili Trophy was awarded to Brian Humber and collected by Debbie Wheeler.

The Royal Oak Cup was awarded to Tim Bizzey. Tim was also awarded the Orfordness Light Trophy.

The Corinthians Trophy was awarded to Jonathan Hague and Paul Banks.

The Goldie Cup was awarded to Greg Hirst.

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RALLIES

The Ramille Cup lwas awarded to Kevin Mulligan.

The RWJ Gibbon Ladies Cup was awarded to Anne Le Verrier-Bizzey.

The Hayes Griffin Dusseldorf Bowl was awarded to Liam Colette.

The Alexander Catering Rose Bowl was awarded to Paul Banks.

The Little Ship Club trophies on display at the clubhouse.

The Sir Robin Knox-Johnston Cup was awarded to Mike Golding.

Above: The Maurice Griffiths Challenge Trophy was awarded to Jonathan Hague. Jonathan was also awarded the Motor Cruiser Award.

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Left: The Slade Trophy (bone of contention) was awarded to Richard Strong.

LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

The Alan Walden-Jones Memorial Trophy was awarded to Tim Crabtree. Tim was also awarded the Vertue Cup.

AT THE CLUB

Above: The Old Seadog Trophy was awarded to Geoff Quentin.

Above:The Ladies Seamanship Cup was awarded to Nicola de Quincey and Antonio Sagrando. Left: The Baton was awarded to FrançoisXavier Béry.

SHEEP DRIVE

Above: The Sir RKJ Viking Trophy was received by Paul Kelly on behalf of Jodie Drulard.

Left: The Dr Anne Riches Bowl was awarded to Iain Muspratt.

This year, the City of London Sheep Drive and Livery Fair took place on Southwark Bridge. The Club had a stand at the fair and held an open day, welcoming members and visiting guests for a buffet lunch. Above: Pole position on Southwark Bridge. Above right: Anne Bizzey with City 0fficial in full regalia. Left: Yorkshire Shepherdess and friends. Right: Resting weary feet.

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AT THE CLUB

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THE ANNUAL DINNER DANCE

Held on Friday, December 12th, 1947

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o mark the special occasion of the 21st birthday of the club, the committee planned early in the summer for a big affair. Paul Watson Parker took it over again and secured our old venue, the Park Lane Hotel, which normally comfortably accommodates 550 people. Tickets were not to be restricted this time and the menu was to be the best procurable. Then the Ministry of Food curbed our ambitions. But despite the dinner cut and the later abolition of the “basic”, it was decided we simply must not abandon this great and much looked forward to winter function which we had held in unbroken sequence through blitz and war. A dance with a sit-down buffet supper and separate tables was finally decided upon, and it was hoped that transport difficulties would not deter support. Some of the floor space being sacrificed for table room reduced capacity to 420. Actually 500 members and guests attended and still some were disappointed, to the sorrow of the secretary who resisted last appeals reluctantly. The delightfully decorated ballroom, colourful tables and early assembled company lacked nothing of pre-war sparkle and gaiety. Hal Rose and his band were off to a prompt start at 8 o’clock with a well-filled dance floor. Shortly after, the President, Comdr. W. B. Luard, O.B.E., R.N., with his party and club guests, arrived. At 10.0 supper was served and the President’s tables turned to form one longer top table with the dance floor forming an empty and perhaps rather too large arena over which would float the toasts of the evening. The club extended hospitality to some of the Belgian friends who were such generous and kindly hosts to British entrants – many if not most of whom were L.S.C. members – during the Pavillon d’Or ceremonies last summer. The toast of the guests was again in the able hands of the Hon. Sec. J. J. Quill, and responded to by Monsieur A. (Freddy) Buysse, president of the I.U.M. Monsieur Henry Leten, Commodore Royal Sailing Club, Ghent, proposed “The Club,” to which our president replied. “Absent Friends”, by W. P., was not forgotten. Monsieur Henry De Vos, Belgian Director General of Marine was prevented at the last moment from attending but we were delighted to have Madam De Vos and other Belgian ladies with us. Dancing continued happily and without pause till 1.30 a.m. Like every former L.S.C. dance, time seemed all too short, and few had departed before the end. n D.W.D Published in The Journal of the Little Ship Club January–March 1948 LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

MEMBERS CELEBRATE THE CLUB’S 95TH ANNIVERSARY As the Club celebrates its milestone

birthday with not one but two parties,

we hope you enjoy the photographs of those two events. Comparing them

with the report of our 21st celebrations (see left), it seems like Club members have hardly changed, and the words from 1947 are still very apt in 2021:

“Like every former L.S.C. dance, time seemed all too short, and few had departed before the end”.

Cocktail party photographer

Phil McCarthy; Casino night photos by various Club members

AT THE CLUB

LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

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AT THE CLUB

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LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

AT THE CLUB

CASINO NIGHT

Ringing in a year of birthday celebrations, a black-tie dinner followed by a casino saw members enjoy a three-course meal and try their luck at the tables. Others meanwhile stayed out until the early hours of the next morning, putting the world to right with drinks in their hands, enjoying an un-seasonally balmy night on the Thames Path.

LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

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AT THE CLUB

FULL HOUSE FOR SHANTIES EVENING

The 11th edition of the Club’s shanties evening saw a full-house gathering to sing, recite, laugh, eat and drink in good company. Masterfully organised by Mark Turvey and compered by Michael Forbes Smith, stalwart favourites Haul Away Joe, Heart of Oak and Spanish Ladies mixed with an Ode to the Heads, some Nautical Definitions and the traditional URNU vignette. Mark and his usual singing crew’s movingly beautiful rendition of Crossing The Bar a perfect introduction to a silent collection for Help For Heroes, which raised in excess of £700. Photos by Paul Banks and Anne Billard.

Above and below: Clubhouse full with members and guests enjoying shanties. Top: The crew of Wolverine singing ‘John Tanaka’. Left: Nick Long introducing the evening’s charity.

Above: Alice, Ellie, Kirsty, Carol and Andrew and Mark led many shanties during the evening.

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LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

FROM THE ARCHIVES

LITTLE SHIP NOTES

This article was first published in the October–December 1947 edition of The Journal of the Little Ship Club.

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twenty-first birthday is, by tradition, a momentous occasion in the life of people and institutions; and the Club has now come of age. Founded by a few men of vision, enlarged steadily through the years – despite some growing pains – under the guidance and direction of devoted officers and committees, whose changing members muster names that will always be remembered, we have reached maturity with the largest membership of any Yacht Club, and a record of achievement, in peace and war, that remains unrivalled. The history of the Club is dealt with elsewhere. That we have made history in our own particular world cannot be denied – history that is the result of steadfastness of endeavour, singleness of intention and integrity of purpose. Today our aims and ideals remain unchanged in a rapidly changing world full of contradictions and complexity, scientific achievement and moral incapacity, political dishonesty and widespread greed. Our aims and ideals, many of which have been fulfilled, some of which still have to be attained, remain our inner strength. We hold fast to the essential virtues of personal experience, opinion and action. We impose no restrictions on rank or calling. We welcome all those who love ships and the sea – the mariners and the gentlemen, young or old, not forgetting their indispensable helpmates. Our lectures and classes, talks and discussions, formal and informal gatherings, together with our efforts to give those who do not own, or cannot afford ships, sea experience with others more fortunate – all shape to one end: to the realisation that the sea is still our heritage, and that the arts of seamanship and navigation, allied to the great art of sail, are as essential to preserve to-day as ever. With their preservation we are able to safeguard and strengthen those virtues of comradeship and

by W. B. Luard

“We hold fast to the essential virtues of personal experience, opinion and action. We impose no restrictions on rank or calling. We welcome all those who love ships and the sea...”

fellowship the sea bestows upon the best of its sons and daughters. And from those virtues, practised in their fullest sense, springs an abiding bond – the brotherhood of the sea, uncontaminated by the storms of political intrigue and passion, able to survive unscathed the inexplicable disregard afterwards of courage, daring and resource of the highest order in times of national emergency. It is our aim to enlarge that brotherhood, of which we, amateurs of the sea, form an essential part, and to remain worthy in the future, as we have done in the past, of our place in that great company of master mariners and men who, down the ages, have feared God, honoured the King and served their Country.

*** An outstanding summer, blessed by royal and festal sunshine, though in bondage to easterly weather, brought out nearly every ship that would float. It seemed as though everyone had determined to commission and gain the benison of sea and air. Cruisers, offshore racers, coastal and estuary lovers – all experienced an unsurpassed season, despite the price of fitting out and maintenance. And even the insurance companies, hard hit by the wicked weather of last year, have reaped their reward. Few, however, realised the symbolic significance of the prevailing easterly weather, so unusual and so well described by Conrad, though this year its duplicity and deceit remained mainly unleashed, a lurking threat below the horizon ....” For whatever its mood, there is something uneasy in its nature. Its duplicity is such that it will deceive a scientific instrument. No barometer will give warning of an easterly gale, were it ever so wet. It would be an unjust and ungrateful thing to say that a barometer is a stupid contrivance. It is simply that the wiles of the east wind are too much for its fundamental honesty.” That last sentence covers many things today.

LITTLE SHIP SHOP WINDOW – OUR SMALL ADS SECTION Our shop window is open to all advertisers and Club members have a 50% discount. There is no charge to Club members who advertise their own boats for sale. So if you have a rental property, items for sale, have a small business of your own or are a sole trader, advertise in the Little Ship Shop Window.

You can choose from these window sizes: 1/4 page – portrait – 92mm (width) x 128mm (height) – £200 1/4 page – wide landscape – 190mm (width) x 61.5mm (height) – £200 Landscape 3-quarters page width – 141mm (width) x 61.5mm (height) – £150 1/8 page – landscape half page width – 92mm (width) x 61.5mm (height) – £100 Small portrait – 43.7mm (width) x 61.5mm (height) – £50

For more information and to book an advert contact: [email protected]

FULL PAGE WIDTH LANDSCAPE 1/4 PAGE 3/4 PAGE WIDTH SMALL LANDSCAPE 1/4 PAGE PORTRAIT

1/8 PAGE LANDSCAPE SMALL SMALL

LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

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CRUISING

TAKING A LEISURELY PACE

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In September Club members enjoyed cruising the Trent and Mersey and Staffordshire and Worcester Canals on board

narrowboats, Lillian and Elinor. Mark Turvey reports.

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he sea: it’s in our blood!’, as we used to say in the Club’s advertising. Somehow, ‘Canal water: it’s what we’re made of!’ doesn’t have quite the same ring to it. Nor did it prove true when 10 members of the Club set off from Stone in Staffordshire in September on board the narrow boats Elinor and Lillian. Locks puzzle the uninitiated. The helpful lady from the Canal Cruising Company escorted the boats through the first of them. “It’s like a bath”, she said. “You let the water in at the tap end and you let it out at the plug end.” Those whose baths have taps and plugs at the same end remained mystified for much of the ensuing week, but, smiling and nodding, they set off clutching lock keys (which, from habit, they named ‘winch handles’) in search of the first pub, dinner and the Titanic Brewery’s Plum Porter. Many of those on board had set off north from Stone in 2019 up the Trent and Mersey Canal to explore the Potteries and the Caldon Canal. This time, we headed south down the Trent and Mersey and the Staffordshire and Worcestershire (pronounced ‘Staffs & Woofs’). Both are early canals, engineered by James Brindley, and they tend to follow the contours of the land, twisting and turning through the countryside. We followed the Trent and Mersey down to Great Heywood and turned onto the Staffs & Woofs, taking the boats through Tixall Wide (where the canal was LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

Above: Lillian working a lock. Below: Lillian at Tixall Wide.

widened to form a lake to enhance the view for the landowner) and on through Penkridge, skirting Stafford, to Wombourne, before turning and retracing our route. If the crews of Lillian and Elinor thought that a week organised by Jonathan Hague on board a couple of narrow boats might turn into a seven-day, 4mph pubcrawl, they were not disappointed. Elinor and Lillian managed to visited 10 pubs, two of them twice, and, although service on board Elinor was sometimes a few

CRUISING

moments late (“Steward! It is now five minutes past six o’clock!”), neither the quality of the beer nor the strength of Ron Gardner’s G&T’s could be faulted. Canal cruising in good company included rafting the boats, where the width of the canal permitted, so that their cruiser sterns could be convivially aligned, crews could be mercilessly teased about the day’s minor mishaps and wine could be surreptitiously nicked from the other boat’s galley. The canals afford the opportunity to tie up in the middle of nowhere or outside the pub, according to choice and the amount of beer and wine remaining on board. Catering on board both boats varied from

Above left: Thirsty work. Above: Breakfast should be eaten three times a day. Above right: Open countryside. Below: Will she fit in here?

gourmand to gourmet. It was occasionally adventurous (coloured precisely to match the cook’s jumper, but inedible); always filling (hastily slung together pasta); and often to sigh for (no shepherds were harmed in the making of this pie). W Somerset Maugham declared that “to eat well in England, you should eat breakfast three times a day.” He never tasted a Jonathan Hague or John DeWitt breakfast, but must have had such quality in mind. Neither Jonathan nor John, however, could be persuaded to produce this fare thrice daily. Their crews would not have been able to move if they had. Narrow boats do not behave like yachts and canal

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www.rivarevival.co.uk LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

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water generally doesn’t run like Portsmouth Harbour’s spring ebb, but boaters, dog walkers and Staffordshire wildlife were startled by hearty bellows of: “Stand by to take our lines!” In the absence of a gale, a narrow boat rests obediently where you put it, as you step off, preferably in silence, and tie it up or hold it by its centre rope (on the canals, a rope is a rope) while you wait for a lock. The crew of Lillian had taken the seaman-like

Above left: You’re getting the hang of it. Above: Beautifully curved bridges of mellow brick. Below: Communing with nature.

95TH ANNIVERSARY REGALIA Want to look as stylish as these happy and elegant members on your next cruise? Your post-covid social life demands a silk bow tie?

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LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

precaution of requesting lifejackets from the puzzled proprietor of the Canal Cruising Company at Stone. They then adopted the canal-like practice of not wearing them. It is unlikely that a life jacket would have assisted in the retrieval of Trish Calmels from the waters of the Staffs & Woofs, in which, as it turned out, she could stand up. The weather was kind, with only one morning’s rain. It is, in any event, one of the joys of narrow

CRUISING

boats that, at least until you get to a lock, it’s only the person at the tiller who gets wet. This is bearable, given a regular supply of tea. We all know that when the bow of our boat swings to the right, the stern swings to the left and vice versa. The effect is much exaggerated on a 70ft narrow boat weighing 20 tons, with the result that the stern, the tiller, the person holding the tiller, anyone else standing on the stern and the throttle are all inclined to become entangled in thorny canal-side vegetation if you get it wrong. A sharp turn on the Staffs & Woofs is to be named Gardner’s Bend. Ron has deep sympathy with the master of the Ever Given container ship and was relieved that Elinor’s predicament was short-lived by comparison with the blocking of the Suez Canal. The pace of life on the canal is gentle: 4mph maximum speed; no breaking wash; and dead slow past moored boats. The smiles of liveaboards when you pass at tick-over suggest that the crews of other hire boats are still wedded to life in the fast lane. Skirting Stafford and Wolverhampton, oblivious to the proximity of large centres of urban population, Lillian and Elinor followed the canal through dramatic tunnels of overhanging trees, past the backs

Top: Mooring in good company. Above: Unhurried life. Below: Gardner’s Bend.

of factories, over aqueducts, under beautifully curved bridges of mellow brick, past suburban gardens and through tracts of open farmland. Traffic noise intruded only when canal and motorway ran briefly parallel and, elsewhere, a train thundered past as if to emphasise why the route is not now one of commerce but of unhurried cruising in good company. n

BOATS ATTENDING

Elinor: Jonathan Hague, Lynn Williamson, Mark Turvey, Mary Malecka, Ron Gardner.

Lillian: John DeWitt, Anne Billard, Debbie Wheeler, John Strode, Trish Calmels

LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

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MISSION TO SEAFARERS

MISSION TO SEAFARERS’ RESPONSE TO COVID

The Mission to Seafarers is a charity that has

been helping crews and their families face the dangers and difficulties associated with a life at sea for more than 165 years. The covid pandemic has heightened the need for this support. Nina Edy, Senior Digital Communications Officer, The Mission to

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Seafarers, reports.

he current covid-19 pandemic continues to take its toll on seafarers and their families, as such, mental health and wellbeing support in particular has been at the heart of industry discussions, as has issue of on board connectivity. At The Mission to Seafarers (MtS), our welfare services remain in high demand as crews navigate the fastchanging and often confusing requirements of travelling during the worst global health crisis of modern times.

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LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

Above: Chaplain in Southampton Port, July 2021. Below: Bangkok, 2021.

NETWORK OF SUPPORT IN PORTS ACROSS 50 COUNTRIES

One of the most visible signs of The Mission to Seafarers is our network of port chaplains in 200 ports across 50 countries. Colleagues providing quayside support have had to negotiate rolling national lockdowns, crew shore leave restrictions and, in some locations, reduced port access. But despite this, they have still managed to visit more than 30,500 ships in 2020, providing more than 187,000 seafarers with on board access to communication facilities and care packages. Some of our chaplains were and are frustrated by restrictions limiting visits to the gangway, other than in exceptional circumstances. Such frustration is inevitable as all our compassionate instincts are to want to ‘normalise’ our face to face contact. Nonetheless, our teams have been completing shopping requests, and collecting items for seafarers such as medication. Fulfilling prescriptions have been particularly important for those seafarers living with conditions such as HIV and Diabetes where, without a constant supply of medication, a life-threatening situation can quickly develop. As parts of the (mainly developed) world begin to re-emerge from their covid-induced isolation, seafarers continue to bear the brunt. Too many nations have yet to designate mariners as key workers which afford them certain freedoms, and despite a growing number of seafarers receiving a vaccination, bans on shore leave remain in place, denying

MISSION TO SEAFARERS Left: Vaccinations given in Tuticorin. Below: MiFi unit, Bangkok.

seafarers access to a moment of refreshment, to recharge the batteries and reconnect before starting the next leg of their journey. We know shore leave is a vital part of maintaining a seafarer’s mental health and wellbeing. From our ongoing contact with seafarers in ports, through our digital interactions and through our recently published ‘Seafarers Happiness Index (SHI)’ report, we can see just how much this is impacting on seafarers – and their families. In some countries, we have been able to open up more of our port ministries. We are having to do so in a very cautious and staged way. Guidelines and best practice have been carefully drawn up in conversation with the shipping industry. We continue to reopen our centres and transport services where we can, with all the necessary precautions in place.

FACILITATING VACCINATIONS

As key workers who are vital to the global economy, there can be little argument against seafarers being prioritized for the covid-19 vaccine. Thankfully, seafarer vaccinations are well under way, and we are pleased to say that many seafarer centres (including some MtS ones), especially in North America but increasingly beyond, have played a major role in facilitating this. MtS and other local seafarers’ welfare organisations have been assisting where they can to get visiting crews vaccinated. Where possible, seafarers are being taken to local pharmacies and health providers and, in some places, being vaccinated on board ship.

PROVIDING ONLINE SUPPORT AND CONNECTIVITY

Prior to the pandemic our core work was heavily focused on face-to-face ship visiting, with the support of digital media. Fast forward to March 2020, and our teams all over the world became heavily reliant on online tools to communicate with and provide vital welfare services. Like many organisations, elements of our digital strategy have been brought forward to ensure seafarers can access support when they need it. Over the past 18 months, MtS has provided a 24/7 Chat to a

“... our teams all over the world became heavily reliant on online tools to communicate with and provide vital welfare services. ”

Chaplain service, where seafarers can get help and advice. Much of these interactions have involved consoling seafarers working on extended contracts or providing local port information. Others have required intense interventions, such as counselling a bereaved mother whose seafarer son died from the coronavirus. Our SHI became even more vital as it provided regular reports on crews’ anger and frustration at not being allowed off ship, and there are many who are considering going home and not returning. Crews remain tired and discouraged, and their plight proves that the life of a seafarer is still misunderstood and largely forgotten by those outside of the industry. We have provided strong broadband connections in our Centres and delivered data cards as part of our ship visiting, as well as delivering MiFi units to vessels while in port, enabling seafarers to connect with families and friends back home free of charge. The recent SHI report highlighted how ship-to-shore connectivity remains a key contributing factor to the decline in seafarers’ mental health, morale and social cohesion. The long-held contentious issue of WiFi costs, poor quality or no access at all to internet connection persists. LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

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MISSION TO SEAFARERS

PROVIDING CRUCIAL SUPPORT TO FAMILIES

It’s not just seafarers who have suffered during this pandemic, their families have also been hard hit. Often living in countries with under-developed healthcare systems, those left behind have had to deal with curfews, communication black outs and food shortages. When the Delta variant surged through India, many families in Tuticorin found themselves without adequate supplies to guard against the virus. Working with our partners, the MtS team in Tuticorin helped more than 20,000 individuals. Over a period of six months, parcels of rice, spices, fruits and vegetables alongside face masks, hand sanitizer, digital thermometers and pulse oximeters have been given to maritime families in need. Elsewhere, our family support network in the Philippines has provided online community, food parcels and emergency utility grants to families. We have also been offering covid-safe transportation for crews returning from their contracts.

RISE IN SEAFARER ABANDONMENTS DURING PANDEMIC

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The pandemic has contributed to a rise in seafarer abandonments. 137 entries were recorded in the ILO Database on Seafarer Abandonment in 2020 – a record number. Another depressingly high toll looks set to be reached in 2021. In many of these situations, crews are not only left without salaries, far too many have no provisions on board and are forced to rely on charities and local communities for food and water. In the UAE, Kenya, and Vietnam, local MtS teams have worked hard to ensure crews have enough food to eat and fuel to run generators and air conditioners whilst they advocate for resolution with the authorities. LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

Above: Wrapping care packages in Busan. Above right: Southampton July 2020.

“... have managed to visit more than 30,500 ships in 2020, providing more than 187,000 seafarers with on board access to communication facilities and care packages.”

SEAFARERS AND THEIR FAMILIES NEED OUR SUPPORT MORE THAN EVER

This is a new world – and it may be so for some time. Perhaps some things will never be the same again. What is clear is that seafarers and their families need us as much as ever, probably more. To ensure seafarers feel valued is one of the reasons The Mission to Seafarers exists. We work with a whole range of stakeholders to bring about innovative solutions to meet the need – from e-learning courses in financial literacy to quayside minivans and on board MiFi units. For over 165 years, The Mission to Seafarers has been helping crews and their families face the dangers and difficulties associated with a life at sea. With your help, we can continue to serve seafarers long into the future. n

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT:

WWW.MISSIONTOSEAFARERS.ORG OR CALL +44(0)20 7248 5202

RALLIES

LSC BOATS GATHER ON THE EAST COAST FOR A DELAYED CORINTHIAN RALLY

In August 2021 the postponed Corinthian cruise brought 40 sailors together for an east coast rally. Ten boats took part and several have shared their experience with readers of the Little Ship through reports and photos. Introduction by Anne Billard and photos by Paul Banks.

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his, our bi-annual Corinthian cruise, was somewhat unusual: due to take place in 2020, Brexit dictated a change in itinerary, and covid forced us to change dates. Ten boats, 40 participants joined the cruise from 21 to 28 August, with some crew changes taking place part-way. Extracts from Commodore’s welcome: “A warm welcome to all members and guests of the Little Ship Club and the Corinthians.

Top: Hadedah. Above left: First pontoon party of many, Woolverstone. Above: Ramsgate Harbour. Left: Sailing past Felixstowe.

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2

ITINERARY

1 Woolverstone:

22 August

5 Queenborough:

26 August

3 Burnham on Crouch: 23 August

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4 Chatham:

6 Ramsgate:

Approximate distances:

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LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

24–25 August

27–28 August

Woolverstone – Chatham: 100M

Chatham – Ramsgate:

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It is good to see so many friends gather on the Orwell, on the English East Coast for this, the 2021 cruise to the Thames and Medway Estuaries in the Little Ship Club’s 95th anniversary year (…). The Thames and Medway Estuaries have so much to offer the visiting cruising yachtsman. I am looking forward to visiting some of the most significant yacht clubs in the country; places with interesting sounding names such as Sunk Sand, The Warp, The Knock John Channel, Fisherman’s Gat and Barrow Deep; the historic Chatham Naval Dockyards and also the new energy generators of the Thames Array (…)”. The week saw a mixture of early starts, long passages, lay days, shore visits, lazy passages, informal meals, pontoon parties, ferociously disputed competitions, sun, rain, wind … and most of all, the joy of meeting old friends and welcoming new ones to the fun of Little Ship Club rallies, discovering new sailing grounds, revisiting old ones … a wonderful week in good company, crowned by an end-of-rally dinner at Ramsgate’s beautiful Royal Temple Yacht Club. Our thanks go to organisers Paul Banks, Jonathan Hague and Iain Muspratt. We hope you enjoy reports from some of the boats who took part, as well as the beautiful pictures from many of the participants. n

21 August

2 West Mersea:

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Above: East coast map highlighting the Corinthian rally itinerary and approximate distances. Inset: Drinking with friends. Right: Avventura, peaceful sailing up-river Below: Rally goers in Queenborough.

45M

RALLIES

A DIARY OF SOME ANCIENT (WELL MOSTLY ANCIENT) MARINERS Here is the story and log of Storm Petrel’s passage from the Solent to the East Coast and back to join the August 2021 Little Ship Club (Corinthian) Rally. By Tim Bizzey.

warm welcome from the crew of Hadedah. Here too was our principal and senior crew member Mike Gill complete with extensive all-weather gear and goodies. Had he looked at the weather forecast? Our physically and intellectually agile second crew Mark Turvey joins us in the evening also fully equipped with gear and goodies and a rather alarming looking bomb complete with fuse which turned out (having stood down the anti-terrorism squad) after closer inspection to be a very tasty cheese. We dine on board and prepare for an early departure tomorrow.

16 AUGUST – GOSPORT TO EASTBOURNE Distance 60m; HW Portsmouth 0550; HW Dover 0504; weather forecast NNE 3–4, cool ‘The ship was cheered, the harbour cleared Merrily did we drop Below the lighthouse top’ (The Rime of the Ancient Mariner)

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he Storm Petrel project was conceived only at relatively short notice for two reasons. Firstly, Tim and Anne had decided that advancing years would make it a rather demanding passage. Secondly the boat had an engine problem which might not have been resolved in time. Fired up, however, by the knowledge that the engine had been fixed and that three other yachts were planning the trip from the Solent, it was resolved that age must not be a barrier to adventure.

SATURDAY 14 AUGUST 2021 – OFF WE GO!

Above: Storm Petrel in the waves. Inset: Anne Bizzey, at the helm approaching the Solent.

Depart Haslar at 0800. Farewell to Portsmouth for a couple of weeks, set course for the Looe Channel where we arrive 1010 to a welcome from Trinity House vessel Patricia who is anchored and presumably waiting for a day’s work. By now the day is warming somewhat and with porridge downed with thankfulness we settle down to the long coast haul to Eastbourne via Rampion Offshore Wind Farm, the Seven Sisters and Beachy Head. Motor-sailed most of the day in calm seas, very few

Right: Crew member, Mark Turvey.

Skipper and crew hurriedly put together their gear, food, shopping, and sundry other liquid victuals and headed for the Red Funnel ferry at Southampton. Upon arrival at her home berth in Island Harbour it was ‘all aboard Storm Petrel’ and all haste was made to prepare for departure with the tide on Sunday.

15 AUGUST – ISLAND HARBOUR TO GOSPORT Distance 11.10M; HW Cowes 1532; wind SW 5 warm and wet

Depart Island Harbour 1530, all being ready, we have waited for free flow through the lock. Passage east to Portsmouth on the last of the flood, so far everything is working well. Arrive at Haslar Marina 1815 to a

LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

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RALLIES

other vessels to be seen but Hadedah caught us up through the morning and gave us a great display of parachute flying as she strode regally past. Truly sailing in good company. Docked at Sovereign Harbour, Eastbourne 1750.

17 AUGUST – LAY DAY IN EASTBOURNE

A lay day to get our thoughts and ship in order and a chance for Mike to see his sister for the first time for two years. We move our berth to moor alongside Hadedah and pick up fuel on the way, 84 litres. Skipper trips over rope and takes a tumble on the pontoon, missing a cleat by a millimetre which would surely have landed him in hospital! Must do better and crew disciplined for leaving pontoons and cleats lying about. Skipper now in limping mode! We tune up the food stocks and have a pleasant dinner at the Thai restaurant on the marina. We share cocktails with Hadedah to set an appropriate pattern for the cruise.

18 AUGUST – EASTBOURNE TO RAMSGATE Distance 62M; HW Dover 0752 and 2034; Forecast F2 V, freshening later to NE 3–4 occ. F5

Lock out Eastbourne 0715 with another day of favourable weather although the engine will have to do most of the work today. Dungeness Power Station looms up over the horizon, as usual it will be with us most of the day. We are on the lookout for refugee dinghies, but none are sighted. Soon, however, we see what appears to be a dinghy heading not for UK but for France. It turns out that they are training in an allweather rowing boat for a charity project. At 1100 we spot a tug towing an enormous barge leaving Rye Bay.

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No sooner have we decided to pass behind them than we are called up by Dover coastguard who ask us our intentions. It is tempting to be cheeky and say that this barge is looming so large that it is darkening the sky, but we observe the rules and respond with courtesy in the proper manner. All very friendly and they are happy with our course of action. Dungeness headland 1130. As we approach Dover the wind, true to form, pipes up as it freshens over and around the white cliffs and the sea, as the crew maintains it LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

Above left: Tim Bizzey. Above right: Hadedah, sailing from Portsmouth to Eastbourne. Above: Anne Bizzey, Eastbourne.

always does here, kicks up into horrid steep waves. Arriving at the Eastern entrance, we are called up by Port Control who ask us to get the hell out of here as there is a ferry coming in. We are of the view that we can get past in time but obey their instructions and turn in to the wind to wait and at the same time take in a much-needed reef. We resume course to Ramsgate passing through the Downs on the inside passage with, by now, flat (if to some alarmingly shallow) water and a pleasant evening breeze. We are delighted to see the waving reception party of Jonathan Hague, John de Witt and their crews standing on the breakwater ready to pick up our lines. We dock at 1800, a long day at sea but we have covered the long boring passage in style and are still in company with Hadedah.

19 AUGUST – LAY DAY IN RAMSGATE

We take a lay day to explore Ramsgate, one of our favourite towns. The weather is now warm and sunny, and the holiday crowds are enjoying being free of covid restrictions. We are dismayed to find the Royal Temple Yacht Club closed, so we are not the only ones suffering from covid hangover. Hadedah has moved on to pick up crew in Woolverstone but we are looking out for Mahina who has left the Solent a day later than us. She arrives in the evening, and the Solent boats are now all here except for A Day at the Races who will be sailing nonstop to the River Orwell.

RALLIES

20 AUGUST – RAMSGATE TO WOOLVERSTONE MARINA, RIVER ORWELL Distance 48M; HW Dover 1024; HW Sheerness 1136; forecast V2–3. Sun and cloud

Depart Ramsgate 0945. It looks like another motorsailing day, but we set off in good spirits and turn north to head for the Thames Estuary, that great passage planning and mud hopping challenge. Our course takes us to the Fisherman’s Gat, Black Deep, Little Sunk Crossing and thence via the Medusa to the Orwell. On passage we are distracted by a discourse on Channel 16 between the coastguard and a yacht that seems to have gone aground somewhere in the estuary. Check the charts ‘me hearties! On our approach to Felixstowe the Admiral spots the shape of a familiar red hull ahead. Skipper and crew assure the Admiral that it can’t be A Day at the Races, but the

Top left: David Houston on board Hadedah near Felixstowe. Top right: A Day at the Races. Above left: Storm Petrel near Harwich. Above right: Pontoon gathering in Woolverstone. Above: Sunrise over the River Orwell.

Admiral, as usual, is right: A Day at the Races has made it, her crew denying that they are weary! We fly our chute in salute but not enough wind to make it work. We berth at 1800 at Woolverstone Marina , who appear to consider us a nuisance! We are allocated what are really mud berths along with other Club members who we are nevertheless pleased to be meeting at last. The rally is beginning. The ‘high-jinks’ at Woolverstone Marina are best left for others to report upon but with our shoal draft we are quite comfortable looking out upon the Orwell mud. For your skipper this is another sentimental journey having sailed the east coast rivers for many years in the company of family.

21 AUGUST – LAY DAY, WOOLVERSTONE MARINA

Today is a lay day to prepare for tonight’s opening cruise dinner at the marina restaurant. There is not a lot to do as Storm Petrel is in good shape at the moment although the stern heads is still playing up as it often does. Problem now solved to everyone’s relief, so to speak. We all shower and beautify ourselves for the evening which is a great success and enjoyed by all. A discussion is developing as to time of departure tomorrow. As is always the case with nine vessels present there are nine different passage plans, varying from leaving at midnight to wandering off down the Wallet when the spirit moves us. We opt for the latter as we know a bit about the local conditions and turn in for a good night’s sleep. LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

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RALLIES

Departed Woolverstone 0759. We are rewarded with a cracking beam reach past Walton, Clacton and Frinton. The wind backs on us and freshens, in with a reef and hard work to windward to get there so eventually we take the cowardly approach and put on the engine. Mooring picked up West Mersea 1400. We settle for lunch only to be hailed and told that we are on a resident’s mooring. So, in pouring rain we up and away and find another, and, as it turned out, a better spot to spend the day and night. We later find out that the boat’s skipper was bluffing, and it wasn’t his mooring at all. So much for friendly relations. Crew go ashore but skipper feeling the effects of his fall, so he and the Admiral stay on board, a shame. Crew returns in the moonlight to report the warmest of welcomes from John Davison, HPO West Mersea.

Photo: Mike Gill

22 AUGUST – WOOLVERSTONE TO WEST MERSEA Distance 34M; HW Sheerness 0107 and 1325; HW Dover 1201 and 0032; LW Ipswich 0605; Forecast NW 4–5, sun, heavy rain later

23 AUGUST – WEST MERSEA TO BURNHAM-ON-CROUCH Distance 25M; HW Walton 1308; Forecast N 4, O/C with sun later

30

Departed West Mersea 0730 in gloom and miserable prospect. We seem to be early starters so hang around to wait for some masts to appear from the direction of the Nass. We motor sail back east to the Swin Spitway which proves to be a comfortable crossing with plenty of water and turn west into the Crouch for a pleasant run down into Burnham with the cloud lifting and the sun emerging. We dock at Burnham Marina at 1230. Our super-fit first mate and legal adviser (who hands out his business card at the slightest sign of an incident!) dashes round to help Pim to dock, as she has broken her throttle cable and so has no brakes. Tricky but successfully berthed without incident, no legal advice required! A delightful dinner was enjoyed by everyone at the marina restaurant. Early to bed, as the pace is hotting up with an interesting and longer passage tomorrow. LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

Top left: Storm Petrel leaving Burnham-onCrouch. Top: Bangoes under sail. Above: Lending Bangoes a helping hand.

24 AUGUST – BURNHAM-ON-CROUCH TO CHATHAM Distance 46M; HW Sheerness 0237 and 1447; LW Sheerness 0844 and 2123; Forecast NE 4–5, O/C

Departed Burnham 0700. Wise decision to keep the main under wraps for the day. On the nose all the way down the Crouch with nasty head sea and just missed the tide turning at the Whitaker ECB. Pleased to turn west with the wind now behind us and a romp

RALLIES Left: Bangoes under sail. Below: Canapé and cocktail competition – the winning team. Inset: Winning entry to the cocktail and canapé competition by A Day at the Races and Mahina.

towards the Medway on the genoa. There is a lot of shipping about this morning, probably because of the state of the tide. A dredger is moseying around ahead of us so in formal seaman-like manner we call him up on Channel 16, “what are your intentions?”

In Estuary English he informs us that he is not dredging but waiting for a pilot, so we leave him to starboard and continue on our journey. Avventura has been even cleverer than us (or so he thinks) and has headed further west and joined the Medway at the river entrance. But, dear reader, he has not gained much on us has he? We enjoy a peaceful sail up the Medway in company and lock into Chatham Marina at 15.15 where berths are reserved. We are on hand for the arrival, sideways, of Bangoes.

25 AUGUST – LAY DAY IN CHATHAM

Skipper is still suffering old age so stays around the boat most of the day while crew go exploring and meeting up with others. Victualling completed during the day, plenty of gin still available. Drinks party on board at 1800 and then on to another excellent dinner ashore at the Ships and Trades. Wine labelled ‘Aventura’ is available. What’s a missing ‘v’ between friends.

26 AUGUST – CHATHAM TO QUEENBOROUGH Distance 8M; HW Sheerness 0346; LW Sheerness 0940; Forecast N F5, O/C

Locked out of Chatham 0915. Motored down the chilly river in company, with the Admiral again providing what had become the Storm Petrel’s signature on-passage breakfast: excellent porridge with brown sugar and crème fraiche. Rafted three out on Queenborough pontoon 1145. Tide races through here and strong wind adds to the fun! Ashore for a pint and to talk passage planning, Queenborough is a charming place with very friendly and dedicated pontoon staff. The canapé and cocktail competition is held in typically stalwart British fashion: outdoors with the wind howling and the rain threatening. We are not successful which is a great sadness to us. Such is the seamless style of our Commodore that A Day at the Races and Mahina are triumphant! Eat on board and prepare for the final push to the last event of the rally. The miles are piling up.

IMPRESSIVE COCKTAILS AND CANAPÉS

The judges were very impressed by the amount of effort, imagination and creativity every boat put into both competitions. Not only did the food and drink taste good, but it looked great: much thought and effort went into the presentation.

In true Little Ship Club style, although the weather was grim, everybody kept on eating and drinking in the rain, and enjoying themselves.

There might be enough ideas here for an LSC drinks book! I liked both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks: some of the latter were very refreshing, and would suit a hot sunny day.

The names of the cocktails are well worth a mention: n Dominic

Cummings – a sting in the tail

n Symptom n Touching n The n The

free negative tests

the bottom

dry Woohan market

wet Woohan market

n Covid

quaffer

n Pim’s

pandemic pick me up

n Baby

Zoomers

n Pim’s

pandemic pick me up light

n Zoomaholics

Organiser, Paul Banks LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

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RALLIES

27 AUGUST – QUEENBOROUGH TO RAMSGATE Distance 47M; HW Sheerness 0426 and 1630; LW Sheerness 1020; forecast N F4–5, O/C with sunny spells

Departed Queenborough 0710, sails up with one reef in jib and main. Exit the Medway via the main shipping channel and thence to Oaze Channel, Princes Channel leaving the Red Sand Towers close by to starboard. Wind dying on us so shake out the reefs whereupon the wind almost immediately freshens again and back in with one reef to main and jib. Just the weather for the Admiral to take the helm with customary grin. Nipped across into the Queens Channel, seals basking on the Margate Sand to

Above left: Learning about sandbanks on the East Coast. Above right: Anne Bizzey leaving Queenborough.

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LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

starboard, and thence to E Margate port hand buoy and so to Ramsgate Harbour. A motor yacht of doubtful vintage bears down on us from the north in lumpy seas and as he hits a wave he appears to turn turtle but then recovers and speeds of in a northerly direction. Off the North Foreland a weird apparition appears ahead of us which turns out to be a ship’s rescue lifeboat converted for leisure use and painted in all sorts of trendy graffiti. We soon hear a Pan Pan and it transpires that its engine has failed, another job for the inshore lifeboat. Such excitement! We berth in Ramsgate Harbour at 1245. Luckily, we are mostly berthed together so we are able to enjoy some social intercourse and drinks all round. Eat on board. Yes, skipper still semi-incapacitated but manages a smile after a couple of scotches, the Admiral’s fine fare and much laughter with the ship’s company.

28 AUGUST – LAY DAY IN RAMSGATE

We enjoy a lay day in harbour with a chance to discuss homeward tactics including looking at paper charts, yes paper charts, to plot a route for Bangoes back into the Crouch. Inevitably the weather forecast is a topic of conversation but surprise, surprise, could there just be fresh northerlies for all next week? This is our last day of the rally and always a sad time with reflections on an impeccably planned and executed event by Paul Banks and his team. A big thankyou to Paul and his supportive skipper Ian Muspratt on Dolphin, and to Jonathan Hague for his invaluable navigation advice. At the end of the day, we shake out the glad rags, wash behind our ears, clean fingernails and then climb to the delightful Royal Temple Yacht Club, by now fully open and ready to greet us. A fine dinner follows welcoming drinks with speeches and presentations all round. Storm Petrel has won nothing, must try harder. Floggings will continue until the crew’s morale improves. What a nice place is Ramsgate, especially the Royal Temple, and always a delight to visit.

29 AUGUST – RAMSGATE TO EASTBOURNE Distance 62M; HW Dover 0400 and 1610; forecast N F2–3, and sunny spells at last Departed Ramsgate 0850 in loose company with A Day at the Races, Hadedah and Mahina. We take the inside passage along the beach past Walmer, Deal and St Margarets Bay. We think of the days of sail when

RALLIES sailing ships and the Navy would anchor sometimes for weeks in the Downs waiting for a change in the wind direction. It is said that Lord Nelson lived ashore in Deal in some comfort at such times. This time we are politely shepherded past Dover whilst listening to Mahina being called up by Harbour Control under her old name. Confusion all round which appeared to originate from the CMA not having registered her new name correctly. Our day continues in relaxed mode with endless photo opportunities as we ghost down the coast, past Folkestone, around Dungeness and thence back into Eastbourne. Wind decides to blow strongly as we are about to drop the sails which always makes for fun at the end of a long day. Locked in 1820, berth C12 starboard side to. Dinner on board and social with the others who drifted in about the same time.

Above: Tim Bizzey. Below: A Day at the Races.

30 AUGUST – LAY DAY IN EASTBOURNE

A Day at the Races and Hadedah depart for home, two yachts apparently on a mission! We wish them farewell and a safe passage. Mike goes to see his sister for the second time and those of us remaining tidy the ship, check the victuals and relax on a pleasant day. Mahina is alongside and Antony and Morgan join us for a shared dinner, much enjoyed by all and a chance for another good gossip. All good things must, however, come to an end and we turn in ready for the last leg home.

31 AUGUST – EASTBOURNE TO HASLAR MARINA, GOSPORT Distance 60M; HW Dover 0549 and 1811; forecast N F3–4, freshening to N F4–5 later, sunny spells

Fuel taken, 103 litres. Locked out at 0900, an uneventful passage on quiet seas, Looe Channel reached in good time and then a cracking broad reach back into Portsmouth Harbour. A long day due to light airs and unfavourable tides. Docked Haslar Marina 1900.

EPILOGUE

Storm Petrel carried us in safety and security for 452M (520 statute miles) without incident or damage. Special thanks to our crew for their company and support, to Mike Gill for his generous culinary skills, contributions, and always interesting conversation and to Mark for being an absolutely dedicated first mate who undoubtedly made it possible for us to complete the passage in good order. We had fitted a bow thruster prior to leaving with a view to extending our sailing days for another couple of years and confident in our new toy we had set off in the hope of easier boat handling for the future. Well, things never quite work out that way and the new toy became less and less effective until it gave no assistance at all. It transpired that the shared windlass battery had failed so a new unit fixed the problem. Having nearly aborted the passage at the outset we can now treasure happy memories of sailing together in good company and good weather to some old haunts, interesting places and with some absorbing navigation challenges along the way.

AND FINALLY

A huge thankyou from all the crew to our beloved Admiral Anne who catered tirelessly for us throughout the trip with only the occasional complaint about poor wine pouring or late washing up. What a star! n

PERFECT PASSAGE FOR A DAY AT THE RACES

T

he one constant feature of East Coast sailing is the muddy, shallow depths, difficult to navigate for deep-keel boats. Commodore Barrie Martin, A Day at the Races skipper, had grave misgivings about the boat’s deep keel, and how well she would navigate the swashways of the Thames and Medway estuaries. However, those were put at rest by the excellent itinerary and perfect passage planning by the cruise organisers. A Day at the Races lives on the Beaulieu River, quite a long way to go to join the cruise in Woolverstone. However, any anxiety over the delivery and return passages were also misplaced: as a F4 W-SW took us all the way to Woolverstone on the Orwell; before turning F4-5 N-NE for the cruise south and subsequent return to the Solent. It was wonderful to see seals in the Princes Channel and just passing Dover. All in all, this cruise could not have been better all around. n LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

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RALLIES

DELIGHTED TO REPRESENT THE CORINTHIANS

I

Corinthian, Larry Mead, the only American to join the

cruise, recalls his experience on board Avventura.

34

t was my privilege to crew on the Little Ship Club’s annual cruise in England in late August. This event was originally planned for 2020 but was put off a year due to the pandemic. While several Corinthians signed up to join the cruise (as LSC members join our cruises), I was the only one who managed to do it. Others, apparently, were deterred by the severe British anti-covid rules. I only just satisfied the rules myself, having to show negative covid tests both to fly to Britain and to fly back. I also had to fill out elaborate ‘passenger locator forms’ at the airport, of which I had no warning. Just getting on the plane was the toughest test of the entire adventure. On arrival, I first visited longtime friends in Essex. On 21 August they drove me to the start of the cruise, which was on the River Orwell, just south of Ipswich, on England’s east coast. The event drew nine boats and 39 sailors. The first day we sailed down the Orwell and then down the coast to West Mersea, then the next day to Burnham-upon-Crouch. Both of these are prominent sailing centers on tidal rivers that flow into the North Sea. The third day took us south and west into the vast estuary of the River Thames, full of ships going in and out of London docks. We then entered the River Medway, which branches off the outer Thames on its south side. Well up the Medway is Chatham, where England built and maintained much of the armada of wooden warships that gave her naval dominance during the age of sail. During a lay day, we visited the extensive dockyards, which are now a museum. The many dry docks have become a large marina for yachts. Amazing to think that this remote facility generated world power. Next day, the fleet tied up at Queenborough, an austere roadstead near the entrance to the Medway. The final day took us back out into the Thames estuary, then east along the Kentish shore and LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

Above: The crew of Avventura, Lynn Williamson, Jonathan Hague, Anne Billard and Larry Mead at the Royal Temple Yacht Club. Below: The fleet in Ramsgate. Bottom: Ramsgate Harbour.

around to Ramsgate, a striking Victorian town on the English Channel. The wind-up dinner was at the Royal Temple Yacht Club in Ramsgate, offering splendid views as far as France. This club was founded by the Temple in London, the former seat of the medieval Knights Templar and today one of the Inns of Court. Like so much in England, it has roots much, much older than anything in America. The LSC members are skilled sailors, very good at navigating in strong currents and shallow water. In a week I never saw even one boat go aground. I also found members to be formidably cheery and friendly – perhaps even more so than Corinthians. This cruise had fewer planned activities than in Corinthian cruises. Mostly, in every harbor, members quickly went ashore and gathered at the nearest pub, where immense quantities of beer were consumed. There was a dinner virtually every night, some of them planned as part of the cruise and others impromptu. The members all knew each other well, and they are able to talk about sailing and other things endlessly! The cruise enjoyed good weather – sun every day and little rain. And yet to me the contrast with normal American sailing conditions was stark. England’s east coast looks like land on a map or chart, but much of it is mud flats that appear and disappear with the tide. Conditions even in summer are cool and blustery by our standards. The British are so keen to sail that they will build harbors and yacht clubs in exposed locations that would not even be harbors in America. Rather than shun such conditions the British chose to master them, and thus came to rule a quarter of the globe. These Brits were just delighted to see at least one Yank represent the Corinthians. Many asked about our cruise planned for next summer in Maine, and several of them will probably join us. From past cruises, many wore caps and shirts sporting both LSC and Corinthian burgees. I came away with new friends and the sense that the ties between our clubs have never been stronger. That relationship is a huge asset as we seek to expand our membership (as they also are doing). n

RALLIES

RALLY FIRST FOR SAILORS AND MAHINA

T

Antony Smyth and Morgan Chambers share the

highlights of their first rally with the Little Ship Club. Top: Antony and Morgan on board Mahina. Above: Mahina off Dover. Below: Avventura’s cocktail competition entry: ‘Restricted in her ability to manoeuvre’.

A few of many highlights were: sharing time with our only Corinthian Club guest Larry, a retired history professor and ex-commodore, who became affectionately known to many as The American n sitting in baking heat at the well-appointed Chatham Dockyard experimenting with cocktail and canapé concoctions for the ‘best of’ competition, then sampling the dozen first-rate entries on a rain and wind-swept barge up an estuary in fading evening light n billeting late joining crew n meeting other crews and finding easy conversation from a shared passion. All in all, a wonderful week in a challenging and beautiful part of the UK. Although we had taken a previous boat up to St Katharine Docks, we had little idea of the beauty, complex history, charming towns, bird life and major installations on the rivers that feed the English East Coast and Thames Estuary. We are already signing up for future LSC rallies and cruises. n n

Photo: Paul Banks

he 2021 Corinthians rally around the Thames Estuary was a first for Morgan and me, although we became LSC members in 2006. It was also a maiden voyage for the new to us boat Westerly Ocean 49 called Mahina. She had been in various shipwrights and trades yards for nearly three years of extensive refit. It was time to go cruising since we had both slowly semi-retired through 2016 to 2020, In my case from a large financial services consulting and audit firm, and Morgan from a corporate HR life and teaching at UCL. We were unsure what to expect, and what behaviour Club culture would assume or welcome, especially as we are both from New Zealand, each with an English parent and we came to the UK via 11 years in Canada; for example: n should we offer crew berths – but the boat was untested on longer distances – not good to let down new mates n would our north American and South Pacific seamanship be frowned upon – broad reaching with only twin headsails n how many dresses should a lady carry for evening meals – one for each night, or two to alternate, and maybe one formal to finish? We found lovely, helpful, knowledgeable, and skilled people. We were very grateful to the skippers and crew of Storm Petrel, and Hadedah for pre-departure coordination, and the organisers Iain and Jonathan for frequent local knowledge tips on WhatsApp; as well as numerous others for good humour, interesting stories and shared problem solving.

LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

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RALLIES RALLY POEM

An hour of night

Day 1 we meet at Woolverstone marina Nine boats moor up, including Mahina

sailing gave Hadedah the much needed

Cinnebar joined at the Lock & Quay meal This was all part of the yacht club deal

swoosh out of Woolverstone Marina.

Day 2 was a very early start For most of the boats here taking part

David Houston

The weather was fair with gusty winds All on board navigating with bins

reports. Above: Sunset over the Orwell Bridge.

HADEDAH NIGHT SAILING ON A SUNDAY MORNING

O

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n Saturday evening we enjoyed the pontoon party and our dinner at the Loch & Quay, in Woolverstone. We had decided to leave at 0500 the next morning, which would give us the right swoosh and also allow enough water to get out of the marina without getting stuck on the mudbank. The idea was to ride the ebb tide from the marina to Harwich and the catch the flood to propel us down the Medusa Channel into West Mersea, so we turned in early because we knew we had a critical departure window the next morning. I heard the first alarm clock go off at about 0415 from another cabin and I knew mine would be going in a few seconds. After dragging on sailing kit I looked out and saw four pairs of eyes looking accusingly at me. The unspoken comment seemed to be, “Whose idea was this?” Anne made tea all round and we went out on deck to get ready to go. We looked at the boat on our starboard side and I thought, “Well bang goes our timing for today,” because they were in darkness and not a soul seemed to be stirring there. As we prepared for sea we made rather a lot of noise and soon Geoff appeared in the cockpit followed by Joy who was desperately trying to live up to her name. We all greeted each other as cheerfully as we could and as we started the engine and switched on the steaming lights I noticed that the echo sounder was reading 0.2m which meant we had about 10cm under the keel. I briefed the crew that we would spring out and then go hard astern to get clear of the pontoon and into the channel before the ebb could push us back. Bangoes slips and leaves, and as the echo sounder reading drops to 0.1m I call, “Let go aft.” Chris slips the aft line, “All clear aft.” Helm hard to port and engine ahead. The stern starts to swing away from the pontoon. Anna and Anne doing great things with fenders and headrope on the foredeck. Stop engine, wheel amidships, “Let go forward.” Hold my breath as we start to drift back. “All clear forward.” I hear the cry from Anne and put the engine hard astern and we shoot back from the quay and as we clear the pontoon and pass the Marina PHM to starboard, I see the welcome depth reading of 3.7m. Stop engine, line up with the channel and go ahead just as the collection of lines, fenders and crew all return to the cockpit and gear is stowed away. We look at each other – job well done. “Coffee” at least three of us say together and the tension disappears as we look around and see the lights of Pim, Bangoes and Avventura which we also identify on AIS. An hour later we see the sun rise over the cranes of Felixstowe and we have just completed the only hour of night sailing on the rally. n LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

Avventura left, leading the way Down the channel and far away

Perfect conditions for A Day At The Races Wrapped up warm, just see their faces West Mersea we make, without any fear Just in time for Jonathan’s beer Day 3 to Burnham, the start a rough sail But a welcome meal at the Swallowtail Lots of miles afloat for sailing boat Pim Tacking and gybing the sails atrim Sails aloft for Storm Petrel Flying gracefully like a pipistrelle

Day 4 to Chatham was a long haul But lots of thanks should go to Paul

Dolphin motored to Whittaker buoy Met A Day At The Races and shouted “ahoy” Northerly winds behind Bangoes Just glad it’s not on the nose

Day 5 a lay day at Chatham hard Most of the crews enjoyed the dockyard

Day 6 was Queenborough, a very short hop Only for an overnight stop

But mocktails and cocktails Dolphin did judge Canapés too, the results no fudge Day 7 to Ramsgate We couldn’t be late

The last party on the pontoon Was being organised very soon

Hadedah for an ibis is the call All on board are having a ball

A special mention for dear Rumpole The bobbing and rolling was taking its toll

Day 8 at Ramsgate we are in for a treat Are you ready to take your seat? Boats dressed up and people too All set up for a bit of a do

The Royal Temple Yacht Club we must visit The crews make sure not to miss it And lastly to thank the Little Ship Club Our sociable and friendly yachting hub

I’ve now come to the end of this short quip But I hope you agree, what a fantastic trip. By Melanie Gingell

RALLIES

SKIPPERING DEBUT

Skippering a boat for the first time made this year’s East Coast End of Season Rally particularly special for Anne

A

Billard. A report from a (sadly, Luddite) first-time skipper.

fter many years crewing on members’ yachts, I have long felt it was time to put those RYA pieces of paper to good use and try skippering. I first mentioned this to David Houston last May, who, very generously, “gave” me Hadedah one beautiful dawn, to sail back from Bembridge to Haslar. Nobody on the water at 0600, no wind, a beautiful morning … success all around, selfconfidence at an all-time high: I was determined to repeat the experience. Geoff Quentin had also offered, and I asked him if he would trust me on the East Coast End of Season Rally. His answer was one picture:

A rather short passage from Wallasea to Burnham – quite literally crossing the river … and a rather shameful testament to my knowledge of the geography of the East Coast … However, Geoff then suggested to take Bangoes downriver to the Roach to see the seals, then upriver for lunch at the Ferry Boat Inn in North Fambridge, before sailing to Burnham for the rally dinner. A total of 5M; dry and sunny weather forecast; and, a voyage I had done not long ago with Avventura: signs were positive that this may not end in muddy disaster. With a savvy navvy subscription, I felt confident that I could calculate time and hight of tides, ideal departure time etc. Armed with printed screengrabs, the app running on my phone, I felt prepared for the adventure. Saturday dawned, low water at 0900, departure planned for shortly after that time. Unfortunately, I

Top: Anne Billard at the helm. Above: Bangoes stuck in the mud. Left: Bangoes moored here.

LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

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RALLIES

had somewhat miscalculated my tidal height and Bangoes was, in fact, stuck in the mud in her berth until 1015! Leaving so much later than planned, as we motored down the Crouch, we met Avventura on her way upriver, and decided to follow her instead. Slowly, sailing, we made our way towards the North Fambridge Yacht Club landing jetty, where Bangoes was going to come alongside. As we approached, under the watchful eye of the Club’s Commodore, RC Training, and assorted experienced sailors, everything from my eyelashes down, inside and out, was shaking … But the weather was kind, Geoff’s instructions calm and collected,

Above: Nearing Burnham marina Above right: Crew members, Debbie Wheeler and Jenny Jones. Below: North Fambridge.

Shearwater 22’ 1960 4 Berth Trailer Sailor to Bradley & Powell Design

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LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

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Bangoes willing, Avventura crew ready for lines, and so we made it without trouble. Lunch was had – liquid for some, light for others in expectation of the rally dinner. Then it was time to motor towards Burnham Yacht Harbour. A smidgen more confident this time, although berthing in a marina a new experience, slowly we approached our allocated berth; a perfectly executed 90° turn, impeccably calibrated speed, we stopped. I really must acknowledge our RC Training’s help with lines to position the boat perfectly … but for a very first try, I was rather pleased with myself. Dinner had been organised at Burnham’s The Olde White Harte, a lovely coastal walk away from the marina. A walk, however, to be repeated in the dark after imbibing, as is Little Ship Club’s custom, just a little too much alcohol … not the best circumstances to have been given the wrong code to the marina gates, as Debbie and I experienced in the middle of the night. Thankfully, Avventura was there for the rescue again – then generously plying us with more drinks to “help” with the walk back to our berths, a couple of hours later. I owe thanks to Bangoes, for taking good care of us and being so forgiving; to Geoff for his generosity, encouragements and kind instructions; and to Jenny and Debbie for being such courageous crew. And to everyone on Avventura for their patience and support of a novice skipper. Will do better next time with the planning! n

CRUISING

THE ORION EPISODE

I

Club member David Lowe shares the true story of Orion’s epic voyage in 1956.

first came across this story many years ago in the form of a handwritten manuscript penned by Johnny Mursell, one of the three intrepid seafarers involved – Johnny had recently died and his son John, who was aware of the tale, had discovered the pages while going through his personal papers. John’s career involved a number of years with the RFA where he served as a navigation officer during the Falklands conflict – I met him when he became a chartered surveyor but he was also a very successful and well known amateur yachtsman in the Scorpion class in which he won several national championships and a couple of Europeans. I was recently reminiscing with John about our numerous sailing jaunts together and felt Club members might be interested in the story. The voyage was undertaken by two pals, Johnny Mursell and Johnny Marchment, both young scientists (26 years of age) working at the Admiralty Underwater Weapons Establishment on Portland, together with Johnny Mursell’s younger brother, Douglas (aged 20). Both Johnnies were experienced sailors – in particular Johnny Marchment, who had grown up around the Falmouth area and had huge experience working and helping on various yachts as a young lad, including as general skipper/mate/boat bum for the elderly owner (a one time RN Lt Cmdr and Arab linguist who worked undercover in the Middle East during WW2) of Eilun, a magnificent 60ft 1904 Alfred Mylne designed South Coast One Design with 2,800sqft of sail. The two Johnnies would eventually end up briefly owning Eilun, but that’s another story. In the years before the epic voyage, the two Johnnies, both members of Castle Cove Sailing Club, had become bosom pals, sharing rented accommodation in Weymouth, and sailing Johnny Mursell’s 22ft day boat Phyllida at every available opportunity. Their 1955 summer cruise was to Falmouth and back via Dartmouth, Plymouth, Fowey and similar on the return. All this in a half-decker with nothing more than an RAF compass in a wooden box to steer by and 30 inch headroom inside! As they had made Falmouth they decided to be more adventurous in 1956 and purchased a north Brittany pilot book for Xmas. They read that there was a Bal de Pompiers in Pontrieux on 17 July and decided to make that their goal. The following account of that trip was found in Johnny Mursell’s papers after his death in 1996. The handwritten script was dated 1.12.58. It’s worth remembering that in the 1950s there were few

navigational aids, and all they had were some outof-date charts, a tidal atlas, a trailing log and a very dodgy compass. They also had the Adlard Coles pilot and a (useless) hand bearing compass. They also did not have proper lifejackets, VHF radio, a life raft, harnesses, flares or any other safety features that are in common usage today. This story very neatly captures the – cavalier would be the wrong word – buccaneering spirit with which the two Johnnies approached their early seafaring adventures, and the experience gained helped shape their immense grasp of small boat navigation and superb seamanship which stood them and their sailing companions in such good stead in their future racing and cruising careers. Johnny Marchment spent many happy years in retirement updating Pilot Books on behalf of the Pilotage Foundation around Corsica, Sardinia, the Balearics and the Spanish coast. As a footnote it’s worth adding that the low pressure system which swept the Channel that summer in 1956 was recorded at 977 mb when centred just off Barnstaple at 0600 on the Sunday morning and the wind at the Lizard light registered Beaufort Force 11 with a gust of 78 knots. Just four hours later at 1000 saw the depression centred over St Catherines, and the wind was still in excess of 70 knots – hurricane force. The speed of the rapidly deepening depression and the extent to which it exceeded the forecast caught everyone on the hop. A freighter capsized and sank off the Kent coast and the RORC Channel Race fleet was scattered far and wide. This was the same storm that sank Warsash Nautical

The Orion, a Porpoise type yacht with four berths and an inboard engine.

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Above: Phyllida under power. Right: Phyllida’s outboard motor (attached to a 4x2 which was lashed across the cockpit) as auxiliary.

“... Friday 13 July 1956 was to be our departure date – superstition in one of the crew set our time of departure at 0001 on 14 July, which was also convenient for tides, travel and organising on Friday evening.” 40

College’s sail training ship the Moyana, which famously won the Torbay to Lisbon Tall Ships Race and then perished in the Western Approaches on the return leg, fortunately with no loss of life as the entire crew managed to scramble up the side of a freighter by pilot ladders and a cargo net. Several yachtsmens’ lives were lost in the Channel that weekend, and our two shipmates discovered later that they had been given up for lost. The original plan would probably have proved fatal, so if only as an object lesson the story might be worth telling. I had a boat, Phyllida, vintage unknown – 22ft long with a very wee cabin in which two have slept on the floor on air mattresses quite (un)comfortably on coastal cruises of a fortnight or so. She was a fast Bermuda rigged sloop on the lines of a Sunbeam. A trip to the Brittany coast from Portland was discussed with my friend, Johnny, and plans began to materialise along these lines when my younger brother, Douglas, heard and, although not an

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experienced sailor, wanted very much to come. This would have cramped the living quarters but it was decided that the three of us could manage. The trip was built round a statement in the Adlard Coles ‘bible’ of the north Brittany coast that there was a super festival at Pontrieux on the 17 July. Shortly after this another member of the Club who owned Orion, a Porpoise type yacht with four berths, expressed a strong desire to come on our cruise and said it would be possible if we used his boat. Now this seemed too good to miss though, sentimentally, the change of boat disturbed me. The Porpoise, although larger and safer and several times more comfortable, was slower under normal sailing conditions but had the infinite advantage of an inboard engine. On Phyllida we had been cruising with an outboard (attached to a 4x2 which was lashed across the cockpit) as auxiliary. The plans were finalised and Friday 13 July 1956 was to be our departure date – superstition in one of the crew set our time of departure at 0001 on 14 July, which was also convenient for tides, travel and organising on Friday evening. The owner of Orion fell ill in the week before the trip and by the Thursday decided not to come but to allow us to use the boat. Now this meant that we had luxurious conditions with provisions for four and plenty of space. After a hearty meal ashore we repaired on board, collapsed and lashed my Prout folding dinghy on deck, listened to the weather forecast and checked over our course. By midnight we were straining at the leash to be away so we wasted no time in casting off and leaving Portland harbour under two rolls with the wind a NE 4. I took the tiller since I had not sailed Orion before and my friend, Johnny, had sailed her once for a few minutes. With the wind force rising to 5 during the night we soon had a few more rolls in the main and went rolling across the Channel with a quartering sea and pouring rain. My brother, Douglas, settled down well for a novice until some time near dawn when he was thrown off balance by a heavy roll and crashed his back against the interior of the cabin top. This was the last time he was caught off balance for the trip. Dawn found us in quieter conditions on our way towards Alderney which we sighted at 1300, some 200 yards ahead in fog, and anchored at 1340 in Braye harbour. We spent a very pleasant evening at a local dance renewing acquaintances with some of the people and some of the beer. Sunday dawned a windless, foggy day but we set off for Guernsey under engine. The conditions persisted all day such that we almost hit Guernsey before we saw it. Sunday evening in St Peter Port was spent pretty quietly and Monday again dawned with mist and no wind. We took a bus ride across the island having decided that conditions were not suitable for sailing. About tea time we returned to the boat having decided to go to a dance in the evening. Douglas went off for a wash and shave ashore (Johnny and I were growing beards at the time!). While he was away we

CRUISING noticed a zephyr of wind had piped up and the mist had cleared. By the time Douglas returned we had to break the news that the only dance he’d do that night was on the foredeck with the jib. He discovered he had left his camera in a cafe on the other side of the island and with a quick dash by taxi, showed his willingness to cast off quickly with only his sixpence spent on a shave regretted. The night proved a fine sailing night although our course between Roches Douvres and Jersey allowed only Johnny to get any sleep when he abandoned attempts to navigate by sighting on the lights. We continued on our DR course until 0600 when the La Horaine lighthouse appeared exactly where it should have been and right on schedule. It was later discovered that the hand bearing compass was 15 degrees out and so dead beat that it hardly mattered anyway. At about 0900 we made for the entrance of Lézardrieux with the firm intention of pressing on up the river until we reached Pontrieux on this, the night of the festival. We passed a very uncomfortable looking, wind-against-tide mooring off Lézardrieux and wended our way up the very pretty river for 9 miles to the lock where we spent some three hours waiting for the upper gates to be opened. Our French was not understood by the lock keeper but we eventually locked in with three large sand barges as company. We motored up the narrow river until Pontrieux hove in sight where, suddenly, our peace of mind was disturbed by the sight of a very low bridge a few yards ahead. In turning round we found the channel only a few feet wide and the willing assistance of numerous jabbering children was enrolled to pull us down the river and tie up at a wall. A crowd gathered due to the fact that a male and female contestant could not agree that it was safe for us to tie up there as it was the local washing place. We left them arguing and moved down another 100 yards. My efforts at “Nous mangeons les petits enfants pour le dejeuner” seemed to impress the delinquents gathered on the wall and we had no further trouble. A few hundred yards downstream we had passed a yacht whose owner seemed strangely reluctant to have our company and whose directions had put us aground near the village bridge. We discovered later that this worthy gentleman must have had two wives which would explain his inhospitable attitude to the only other yacht and fellow countrymen in the vicinity. The party later proved more amenable and we enjoyed a meal in the local restaurant where we all had artichokes for the very first time under their guidance. Upon going ashore we discovered – somewhat to our dismay – unmistakable signs of a fair being taken away and the usual coloured paper litter of the day after a celebration. Adlard Coles had slipped up by one day in his book!! We spent two delightful days in and around Pontrieux and discovered from our lock keeper friend that we had to be at the lock at 0345 in order to get out on the Thursday. So 0315 saw us crawling from our bunks and wandering about collecting warps and

fresh water. We locked out successfully along with the same three barges which thundered down river ahead of us, ploughing through mud and water alike. A pleasant journey down river brought us to Lézardrieux where – bearing in mind the sloppy moorings seen on the way in – we anchored a little further down river. After breakfast we pottered ashore to see the sights and having just missed the bus to Paimpol we were taken there in the car of the owner of the Commercial hotel by his wife and son. In the evening we had a marvellous meal at the hotel and left our marks on a menu. They had a collection of such menus to gladden the heart of any sailing club. Some names were quite famous and others equally infamous. The wine seems to lend assistance to the pen and produce some remarkable efforts. Douglas remained unconvinced that French food was any good at all but he agreed with the wine, though I found a bottle with every meal gave me indigestion – so I gave up eating! Friday dawned overcast and windless again with, however, rain descending in bucketfuls – quite unsuitable for sailing or even going ashore. We spent until about 1600 eating, yarning and preparing for our next journey to Jersey. We had planned to go west to Morlaix but owing to the day’s delay and the urge for the flesh pots of Jersey we decided to go north instead. At 1600 we had run out of cheese and wine so Johnny and I went ashore in the dinghy leaving Douglas on board. We acquired our provisions plus three French girls who could not be persuaded that our dinghy was safe although they were eager to see the yacht. The next morning, Saturday, saw us underway at 0600. A misty haze cut visibility to about a mile and at 1530 Johnny, the navigator, popped up from below and said “see anything yet?” – “No” – head disappeared and he began poring over his charts and figures. At 1545 a head pops up and says “see anything yet?” – “No” – head vanishes and steam issues forth. At 1555 “see anything?” – “No!” – “Dead ahead?” – “No!” – “What’s the matter – are you blind?” – “Nothing there”. At 1610 Johnny emerges with hand bearing compass but still there is nothing to see. All this time we had been making a good four knots. At about 1630 I become uneasy and enquired what was up ahead that made yet another hurried appearance from below. “We should be in the middle of Jersey according to me” and still there was nothing in sight. Douglas began to cast anxious glances astern but refrained from saying “Perhaps we’ve missed it.” At about 1645 Jersey hove in sight – much closer than anticipated due to the deceptive haze. It was never discovered wherein the navigator went awry. (It was many years later that a senior member of the RCIYC told the navigator in the bar at St Peter Port that if the tidal range at St Helier exceeded 32ft, or some such number, then the Admiralty Tide Tables for the area should be used as a rough guide only – not as gospel as the navigator had been doing!) With the assistance of the engine and a recommissioned navigator we got safely into St Helier

“So 0315 saw us crawling from our bunks and wandering about collecting warps and fresh water. We locked out successfully along with the same three barges which thundered down river ahead of us, ploughing through mud and water alike.”

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“The night was disturbed by Johnny’s discovery that we were just off the edge of a very strong current which roared and caused broken water about ten yards from us although we were relatively still. ”

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Harbour and tied up to the western wall after pottering around looking for somewhere convenient. Douglas and I went into town to get a bath and upon our return about an hour later I observed Orion pottering about in the middle of the harbour. We sauntered to our previous berth and observed a crowd of bystanders and layabouts gathered gawping.The reason became clear when we got within earshot. A frantic Johnny was calling us all the names he could think of and a few more besides. Apparently he had been turned out of the berth and was, by this time, determined to sail on to Cherbourg out of this ********* hole. Three days and six moves later we left! This particular day stands out in my memory for other reasons apart from those of navigation and diction. We eventually tied up alongside a motor cruiser whose crew made us welcome and showed amazement that we had come in unassisted by pilots while they – following some guide book – had waited for four hours offshore flying a yellow flag or something waiting for a pilot. They eventually followed a fishing boat in! As we crossed the motor cruiser on our way ashore for a meal we were offered a drink – this turned out to be a tumbler full of whisky followed by another just the same by which time it was infinitely more difficult to ascend the slippery ladder to the quay than any of us would have credited. We agreed on the strange drinking customs of some people and weaved our way to a cafe. The rest of the evening is a little vague but involved draught Guinness, which Johnny recommended, and sundry other beverages. Sometime after midnight Douglas and I made our way back to the boat (Douglas was just prevented from stepping down on to the deck which was now 35ft lower than when we had gone ashore!) to find Johnny, who had returned earlier, in firm possession of the motor cruiser’s last bottle of whisky and the party was in full swing. There was no avoiding a further supplement to our already overstocked systems and we eventually made our way on board Orion at 0315. Johnny slept on a coil of wet rope without noticing anything amiss. Next morning was slow but lunch put us right again and we decided that Jersey, despite the vicissitudes encountered in the harbour, was worthy of our closer attention. Johnny and I had great difficulty in gaining access to most of the dances since we possessed no jackets or ties (in fact we were thrown out of eight hotels in one evening – not through excessive liquor intake I hasten to add but because we were improperly dressed) whilst Douglas in his immaculate way could go anywhere. Douglas and I hired a Fiat two seater and found that it would hold considerably more than two! After a very pleasant stay we decided to move on the Wednesday. Fog delayed us until 1300 and then we found the tide strength was all the book had said and we made no progress for an hour out in the main channel. We finally put back into St Brelades Bay where we anchored close to a yacht on which there was a man playing the bagpipes (I responded by

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playing the Trumpet Voluntary on our mutually owned trumpet that happened to be aboard and received a standing ovation!) to await a more favourable tide. At 1930 we set off again under motor and decided to anchor off Sark for the night and press on with the tide the next morning. The bay of our choice proved a little difficult to locate in the pitch dark and we had an anxious few moments when the navigator tried to mutiny. We finally found our destination after creeping round some rocks and even then our first attempt at anchoring found no bottom. We edged near some moored boats and anchored as close in as we dared. The night was disturbed by Johnny’s discovery that we were just off the edge of a very strong current which roared and caused broken water about ten yards from us although we were relatively still. (This anchorage is probably Harve Gosselin, tucked under Brecqhou, but is not named in the account). 0700 saw us underway on another windless day with a very pretty sunrise almost straight in our faces. The tide was again stronger than our engine and sails combined once we had rounded Cap de la Hague so we put into Port Racine from 1315 to 1815. We had a good roam around ashore and when we returned to the dinghy a thick fog had obscured all. We found the boat and then, under engine, crept towards a buoy on which we had previously taken a bearing for departure. We sailed for Cherbourg and nearly three hours later the harbour entrance loomed out of the fog. Our foghorn was the trumpet blown alternately by anyone who had some spare breath. We had several replies from the Queen Elizabeth which was uncomfortably close by but we made the harbour and she had to stay outside. Our stay in Cherbourg was relatively uneventful and we arranged to sail on the Saturday night so that we would get home to Portland in daylight on Sunday and Douglas could return to Southampton. We stored the yacht with much booze, eight ripe Camembert cheeses and petrol. By bad timing we missed the 1800 weather forecast but the next boat told us the forecast had been for SW force 5 to 6 with some rain. We had observed a steady and fast drop in the barometer all day and I was rather perturbed by this but the prospect of a wet rush home did not deter the other two crew members. We went ashore to a small back street restaurant and had a meal – going right through the five courses and so delightful was it that we went right through the menu again. This caused some difficulty as the waitress at first thought our French so bad that we did not mean what we said. During our second sitting the kitchen staff all came out and peeped round the door at us with wide eyes – then they tittered and vanished again. We made our way back on board and cast off at about 2100. We met another yacht of similar size coming in who said it was lumpy outside but tolerable. We rolled down two reefs and pressed on. The wind was SW force 5 so we made very good progress for a couple of hours by which time the

CRUISING wind had risen a little and the sea was getting big and tumbling. At midnight the radio gave a gale warning for most of the Channel (actually it said storm force 10 – something we had only read about). We had covered, by this time, some 15 miles in a NW’ly direction and to go back in the prevailing wind and sea conditions would have taken us six or seven hours hard slog by which time we reckoned to be nearly in Portland at the present breakneck speed. By 0300 we had had several rather dangerous gybes due to breaking seas taking control of the vessel. I was steering and it was getting more difficult to control Orion every minute. After a hurried consultation we decided to heave to and wait for the gale to abate. We were by this time reefed to the lower crosstrees and had the small storm jib on. I put her round into the wind where we lay pointing about north west, fairly comfortably, with the jib aback and making about two to three knots in a northerly direction. The idea of sitting it out did not appeal to Douglas at all and he could not understand why we didn’t take the sails off, get the engine going and just motor back to UK. We tried to explain that things were getting just a bit hectic for that. At 0500 I noticed that the slides were pulling off the mainsail so I steered downwind while Johnny rolled it right round the boom and made it snug. With the idea that since we were making about four knots under jib alone I’d steer for the Solent I sat out in the cockpit and did battle with the tiller. We made good progress for about 15 minutes when the jib gybed once too often and blew out with a terrible thundering noise which shook the entire boat. That was the end of ‘controlled’ progress, for the time being anyway. While Johnny took in the remains I found I could still steer effectively since we still made three knots under bare poles. We decided that good storm practice was to trail a couple of warps in the water to slow our speed and keep our tail to the wind, lash the tiller amidships and go below. We tied knots in the warps and trailed them over the stern. The cockpit was not selfdraining and any water in the cockpit found its way to the bilge. We put a cork in the drain hole with the idea of allowing the water to stay in the cockpit but keep the boat dry. The remains of the jib were now also resident in the cockpit so little water would accumulate there we decided. With both backstays set up we retired below having done all we could in the circumstances. By this time (0600) the darkness had receded a little and the sight which was revealed was quite impressive. The seas were getting quite steep and the wind was lifting the tops off in a smother of spray. Once battened down we took stock of our situation. The boat itself seemed in no immediate danger and was riding beam on to the seas. This worried us at first until we found that she bobbed up and down like a cork, assumed a fairly constant angle of heel and so was probably in her most comfortable position. We wedged ourselves in our selected corners and discussed breakfast but eventually

settled for biscuits, butter and cheese. Even this was only obtained at the risk of breaking one’s neck. The first shipping forecast of the day gave gale warnings all along the Channel areas with severe gale force 9 and storm force 10 for our particular area. This was received with a shocked silence in the boat. Douglas, I’m sure, did not quite comprehend what this meant, and Johnny and I had never experienced anything like this at sea. It meant things were going to get decidedly worse before they got better. The barometer was still dropping and was as low as I’d ever seen one. Our time was spent in various ways – the pump was situated outside the cockpit on the side deck – this was now operated from the doorway of the cabin with the pumpers feet being held firmly from within by someone while the operation was in progress. The running backstays seemed to jump slack and I had to set up the Highfield levers several times. It must have been the force of the water hitting the side somehow getting underneath the handles and lifting them. We found the water level in the boat rising quite suddenly one time and thought we’d sprung a leak since the hull was taking a fair old battering from the seas. I thought about the cork in the cockpit and sure enough it was missing. We hurriedly made another one from the end of a mop handle and stuffed it in the hole really hard. About 0930 we were all tucked into our corners when the boat went right over on her ear with a tremendous bang as water struck her bottom. Looking through the ports all one could see was green water. Water poured in through the air vents and all round the hatch and doors. Inside there was total confusion. The angle of heel was obviously more than 90 degrees. The engine cover came off and the tool box emptied itself on to the ports which were underneath – fortunately the toughened glass held. During this time the figure called ‘self righting moment = 1.8’ came to my mind. I had read it in a description of the Porpoise class. Slowly Orion righted herself and the water cascaded off the deck as we surfaced. There was much speculation upon how many times we could do that and come up again but the need to pump and get things shipshape again was very pressing. (Johnny was always sure that we turned completely over, that is we did a 360 degree circle, as his abiding memory was seeing the battery suspended by its leads hanging vertically with its bottom pointing to the hatch cover.) Internally there was great chaos. The battery had jumped out of its cradle and capsized, shorting itself across the throttle control spring and spilling its acid into the bilge. Everything which was normally held in place partly by gravity collected into the starboard bunk including the three residents brusquely ousted from their pet corners. A rapid replacement of the essentials was executed and then we opened the hatch to examine the exterior. Surprisingly little seemed to be affected. The Highfield levers needed resetting again and the dinghy which had been lashed to the foredeck was, not surprisingly, missing. I forlornly

“...the boat went right over on her ear with a tremendous bang as water struck her bottom. ... Water poured in through the air vents and all round the hatch and doors. Inside there was total confusion. ”

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“As we rose again we caught his legs and swung him clear of the rigging. The helicopter went full ahead and Douglas swung right through the oncoming wave. The winch man got busy and Douglas soared into the air, clutching his drooping trousers with one hand and waving with the other.”

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reported this to the anxious ear of Johnny below and then looked up the mast to see if all was well with the rigging. Lo and behold there was the prodigal dinghy 8ft up the mast tangled in the rigging by its painter and lashings. A bit of nifty footwork on the cabin top and we had it below in the cabin. Also two jerry cans of petrol which had again knocked our bung out of the cockpit drain hole, having loosened their lashings, were brought below. The mop handle got shorter and shorter! The burgee had been replaced by seaweed trailing from the masthead. The wind force must have been about Force 10 or 11 now and there was a continuous high moaning noise from all around with the air full of white spray travelling horizontally in sheets. Truly majestic combers were hissing past like small mobile mountains. In the valleys it was comparatively quiet and then, as if in an elevator, we would rush to a crescendo of hiss and roar and lay over in the wind. Sometimes we got swept along at a great rate for yards by the tumbling crests and then left to slide down to the peaceful valley on the end of our trailing warps. Quite poetic really. We all gazed out of the carefully opened hatch in awe before shutting it again. Seconds later white smoke appeared from under the engine hatch cover and my first thought was “fire”. Looking back on it now, this was an unlikely event in our aqueous circumstances. I whipped off the cover and, to the consternation of the other two crew, poured the doubtful contents of the sick bucket over the engine. Somewhat sheepishly I announced that we had no fire. It was chlorine gas from the battery acid in the bilge. We had the option of suffocating or opening the hatch to the plentiful fresh air and likely flooding up. We chose the fresh air and pumped vigorously again to clear the bilges. Comparative order was restored and we returned to our respective nooks except that Johnny now shared his with a sopping wet dinghy and Douglas with two petrol cans. Every now and then one of our down wind rushes would end in a gybe and anything not tied down securely changed sides. We had several other knockdowns during the day but none so chaotic as the first. During the afternoon the seas got longer and more regular and I think the force 10 must have abated to about force 8 by 1600 when a new sound was heard. The first impression of an outboard motor turned into the noise of a helicopter and we opened the hatch to wave at him and gave him the thumbs up sign. By sign language he invited us to share his humble abode but we gracefully declined saying to each other “Those things are inherently unsafe” or words to that effect (around that period a helicopter was dropping in the drink about once or twice a month at Portland). Suddenly, from our vantage point on the crest of a wave, we noticed a frigate F66 no more than 200 yards from us. The next wave top revealed the presence of a huge aircraft carrier. In fact we were almost surrounded by Her Majesty’s Navy. The frigate was plunging her bow into the seas right up to the superstructure and then heaving up, shedding water in great cascades as

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spray blotted out the bridge. I said to Johnny “look at those poor bastards on that ship – it must be hell!” The helicopter flew off towards the carrier and after waving cheerfully we retired below again. After a hurried consultation, it was agreed by a majority of two to one that my brother should go off in the helicopter, if it came back again, to find out what the weather was going to do and where we were (the radio had succumbed to the battering and soaking it had received during the knockdowns and we really had no idea where we were after 20 hours of drifting). Well, back came the helicopter with a great basket which it dropped into the sea about 200 yards away from us. There were various suggestions as to how Douglas was going to get into it, all of which were turned down, since it meant getting wet. Meanwhile we dragged out the ships’ lifejackets and put one on Douglas. When I knotted the tapes they all broke away from the jacket. We had not tried them before. The second one was no better but the third seemed to hold when tied gently. Douglas was more worried about his missing belt than anything else since his trousers kept falling down. Later it was found holding one of the petrol cans in place!! The helicopter, meanwhile, lowered a wire with a padded loop on the end. I was perched on the cabin top and Douglas was in the hatchway with Johnny holding him in place. I grabbed the loop, intending to stuff Douglas into it, but at that moment the boat took a dive down a wave and I was airborne. Not the plan at all!! I let go and, having travelled over the boom, landed back in the lee scuppers. The next time we were given some more slack and managed to get Douglas into the loop. Again the boat dropped away and he went up the mast getting jammed under the backstay. As we rose again we caught his legs and swung him clear of the rigging. The helicopter went full ahead and Douglas swung right through the oncoming wave. The winch man got busy and Douglas soared into the air, clutching his drooping trousers with one hand and waving with the other. “Better him than me” we both said, watching him grow rapidly smaller. Douglas had been given (strict) instructions to find out and let us know somehow the weather forecast, since our radio had gone for a burton sometime, and our position, and also to pass on the message that we were all right but we could take some days to reach land so tell everyone not to worry. Within about 15 minutes the helicopter was back overhead and dropped us a weighted canvas bag containing the information: “ Position 194˚, 22.5M Needles – wind dropping to 30 knots by 0800 Monday – good luck.” Cheering news indeed, the weather was going to get better not worse and the navigator maintained that we were only one mile from Romsey (bearings should be given from seaward but we knew what was meant and were suitably grateful). We had a lighthearted discussion about this and popped out to have another look around but, no, we were definitely not on the A27 and we put a cross on the chart in the area marked English Channel.

CRUISING Apparently Douglas was received very well on Bulwark and his request for information promptly complied with, but his request to be put back on the Orion was turned down. The Navy had been ordered to sea to search for survivors of the freak storm and now they had fished one out they were loath to throw him back again. He was kitted out with dry clothes and messed in the ‘gun room’ with the midshipmen. He could not understand why so many green sailors were lying about groaning. Meanwhile on board Orion, Johnny and I made use of the extra space to reorganise. To start with we dived into Douglas’s bag and equipped ourselves with a dry pair of immaculate white shorts each. After some beverages, to his disgust, Johnny found that if he lay down horizontal he felt sick. Now this was most unusual since he had iron guts and had been sick only once during all the bad weather. By rearranging the dinghy up against the mast he managed to prop himself at about 45 degrees and I think he tied himself down. We slept intermittently Sunday night with the lengthening seas and reducing wind (to force 8!) it seemed relatively comfortable. Once or twice loud bangs announced the arrival of an odd shaped wave but we were not thrown over so far as previously. 0800 Monday saw us up and about with a burst of enthusiasm for breakfast, which was washed down with petrol as we tried to clear the carburation system of the engine. It was not possible to put anything down, of course, as the motion was still violent and the wind was still at least force 7. This meant that everything taken off the engine went into a pocket or, if small enough, into one’s mouth. With much sucking and spitting we managed to get the engine going by 1100. An interesting feature quickly became obvious. The battery, having shorted across the throttle control spring, had de-tempered the spring and, once pulled, it drooped uselessly giving us no throttle control from the cockpit. Meanwhile Johnny was in his favourite position, crouched on the cabin top with his legs wound around the mast, clutching folds of mainsail while he retied about a dozen slides back on to the sail. Whilst this activity was going on a small coaster appeared and circled us quite closely. I think it was Norwegian. We had no signalling apparatus since the Aldis lamp worked off the battery and this was kaput. We waved and gave the thumbs up sign but couldn’t even tell him our boat’s name. About midday we got underway with the engine coughing a lot, every few minutes it was necessary to tickle the needle valve of the carburettor to keep the engine going. I steered whilst Johnny worked out a course for the Solent, prepared lunch, and tickled the carburettor. After a while it became obvious that, under engine alone Orion was struggling to climb the waves, which were still very high, and sometimes breaking heavily in the force 7 still blowing. At about 1330 we sighted land and an hour later identified it as St Catherine’s Point. An RAF Shackleton flew over at

this time and then circled and had a closer look. We could only give him the thumb’s up sign and show that we were underway. Shortly after this we hoisted the main with 11 rolls and this doubled our speed, giving the necessary power to cope with the wave tops without being pushed off course. Johnny, below, was producing gastronomic marvels, all of which had to be taken from a cup since the motion was still sufficient to upset normal routine. During this time we devised a system involving the much misused mop handle whereby I could prod the carburettor from the cockpit when the motive power began to flag. This system, I’m sorry to confess, often came adrift and to avoid more handle swinging Johnny would rush across, saucepan in hand, and reconnect the prodder. To be progressing homeward again gave us a smug feeling of satisfaction, which was only betrayed by an exchange of grins after I had been soused by two waves in a row. We had both grown beards on the three week trip and I remember getting the impression of a bedeviled gnome, peering up out of the fug in the cabin, proffering yet another cup of something. Have you ever tried to eat scrambled eggs from a cup whilst holding a cream cracker in the same hand? We had decided on the Lymington River as our objective and the journey was relatively uneventful, following the pattern I have described, with the Needles abeam at 2220. We romped along in the pitch dark until Johnny could pick up the leading lights to Lymington which he pointed out to me. Now, unfortunately, these lights were red, and being red/green colour blind once I had looked around for the marks a few times I must have lined up on some street lamps or something and the next thing I knew was an irate navigator wanting to know where his “bloody” red lights were!! Now comes the funny bit. We crept up the river looking for a likely mooring and when we spotted one it took us about five attempts to pick it up. “Call yourself a sailor, you couldn’t steer a pram” – “Well, don’t just look at it, pick it up” – “You’ve missed it by a mile” – “Damn, you’ll have to start the engine again”. The log reads simply 0005 Picked up mooring in Lymington River. The dinghy was damaged and we could not bring ourselves to repair it and row ashore at that time. I suppose we must have been tired. We both crashed with no further ado until about 0800. Then up, repair dinghy, row ashore and phone home. To our utmost surprise we discovered that in some circles we had been written off. My brother was the most worried since this was now Tuesday morning and he had left us Sunday afternoon and expected us back sooner. The fact that the carrier could not get into Portsmouth because of the weather and he had to be flown ashore on Monday morning did not seem to register with him. It took the family only 45 minutes to get from Southampton to Lymington and the Customs took a little longer. Meanwhile Johnny got it in the neck from

“... Douglas was received very well on Bulwark ... but his request to be put back on the Orion was turned down. The Navy had been ordered to sea to search for survivors of the freak storm and now they had fished one out they were loath to throw him back again.”

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CRUISING his mother for being so stupid but she made him a cake, I think. When the Customs’ man came on board Orion he got only half way down through the hatch, took one look at the shambles and a sniff and suggested we should sign the papers in his office ashore. We had eight (very ripe) Camembert cheeses to declare among other items.

IN RETROSPECT

1 Had we not been in a seaworthy yacht this story might never have been told. 2 Would we have been more comfortable with the warps over the bow – maybe lying head to wind and perhaps avoiding the knockdowns? (The Porpoise class was a very early skeg keel design and the navigator did not think the warps over the bow would have been any more effective, but there could have been some damage to the rudder as the boat progressed backwards rather than forwards) 3 Batteries should be strapped down and leak proof. 4 A watertight or self-draining cockpit is a great advantage. 5 A signal lamp should not depend upon the boats main battery supply. Nor for that matter should navigation lights be completely dependent on the main battery.

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Above and right: The Orion.

6 Douglas’s helicopter lift must have been one of the earliest on record and it was lucky the pilot was a quick learner. Nowadays one is recommended to remove the backstay and topping lift if someone is to be lifted off a yacht. The reason is that from the hover a helicopter winches up the person and the wind blows him downwind and, as Douglas found, he was blown through the backstay, mast, boom triangle and tried to lift the yacht on his shoulder. The pilot saw this and went full ahead which (a) dropped the helicopter’s height a little but also (b) swung poor Douglas through the oncoming wave. Also remember that the yacht was going up and down probably 20ft or so in the waves so the pilot really had his work cut out. After all that one could be forgiven for assuming we never went to sea again but the following weekend saw us back in Lymington with our respective girlfriends and we sailed the Orion back to her rightful moorings at Castle Cove. n

RALLIES

ON THE WATER AND AT THE CLUB

Time to plan your 2022 sailing season on and off the water. Here’s a round up of sailing activities and taste of the social events at the Club. All events are listed on the website: https://littleshipclub.co.uk/events/all

RALLIES AND CRUISES

2022 CRUISE IN BVI 4SATURDAY 29 JANUARY TO SATURDAY 5 FEBRUARY

The Corinthians have invited LSC members to join their Sail/Follow the Flag event. It is a chance to explore the British Virgin Islands (BVI) on board chartered monohulls and catamarans. LSC liaison: Anne Billard

WEST MERSEA RALLY 4SATURDAY 30 APRIL TO MONDAY 2 MAY

The new season opener on the East Coast will include dinner on Saturday at the West Mersea YC, and the annual pilgrimage to the Company Shed for a seafood breakfast on Sunday. Organisers: Jonathan Hague and John Davison

EARLY MAY SOLENT RALLY

4SATURDAY 7 TO MONDAY 9 MAY

Members will meet at Yarmouth for the first South Coast rally of the 2022 season. Berths will be booked at Yarmouth Harbour for the weekend and skippers may chose to book there for Friday night. Itineray includes a pontoon party, walk to Freshwater for Sunday lunch at the Red Lion. On Monday berths will be reserved at Island Harbour Marina for those who wish to extend the rally and enjoy a barbecue in the evening. Please use the Skippers and Crew Forum if you have space for crew or would like a berth. LSC members may charter the boats of the Metropolitan Police Sailing Club at their members’ rates. Organiser: Tim Bizzey

SKIPPER AND CREW SERVICE

CALAIS RALLY4SATURDAY 28 TO MONDAY 30 MAY 2022

The annual LSC rally to Calais is held in conjunction with the Royal Naval Sailing Association, Maldon Little Ship Club and the Royal Temple Yacht Club. Itinerary includes dinner at the Cercle Amical Maritime, Bubbly Recuperative Party on the host boat (hopefully an URNU Patrol Boat) and a prize giving reception at the Calais Yacht Club. Organiser: Jonathan Hague

MALLORCA CRUISE 4FRIDAY 10 TO SATURDAY 18 JUNE 2022

The Mallorca Cruise is postponed to June 2022, and will take place a week later than planned because of the Queen’s Jubilee. The cruise might also be extended to 25 June, to allow to visit South Mallorca. The plan is to arrive in Port Pollenca and enjoy the many sights and delights it has to offer before sailing to Ciutadella for a fancy dress pontoon party. A trip to Port Mahon, home to Lord Nelson is also in the mix before heading back to the bays of Alcudia and Pollenca for dinner at the Royal Club Nautico in Port Pollenca. Organiser: Anne Billard

CORINTHIANS CRUISE 2022 IN MAINE, USA 4SATURDAY 30 JULY TO SUNDAY 7 AUGUST 2022

Join the Corinthians / Little Ship Club cruise in Maine. See panel on the next page for more information. LSC coordinator: Paul Banks

For all your skipper and crew requirements please use the Skippers and Crew forum on the Club website. Or email your requests to: [email protected]

BELGIUM AND NETHERLANDS CRUISE4MONDAY 22 TO WEDNESDAY 31 AUGUST

Join us us for all or part of the two week cruise to Belgium and The Netherlands. Highlights of the cruise will include the Bollekes Festival in Antwerp, the Zierikzee Harbour Festival and the Cruise Dinner in Veere Yacht Club. Organiser: Jonathan Hague

GULET CRUISE IN TURKEY

4SATURDAY 17 TO SATURDAY 24 SEPTEMBER (TBC)

We are planning a relaxed cruise in Turkey sailing the luxurious gulets. No sailing skills are required, with the peaceful weather in the area the gulets normally travel on engine. Our HPO for Fethiye will be involved in the planning of this venture so we will have excellent local knowledge. Please contact the organiser if you are interested. LSC liaison: Anne Bizzey

FAST CRUISE 2021–2022 FAST CRUISE 4422 JANUARY

We plan to go to the Folly Inn, Medina River, Cowes (TBC).

FAST CRUISE 54 26 FEBRUARY We will be going to the River Itchen, Southampton.

FAST CRUISE 6426 MARCH

We will be going to the Royal Southern Yacht Club, Hamble for our season’s finale and prize-giving. Berths have been reserved at Port Hamble Marina. Organisers: Jill Moffatt and Charlie Quayle

ON THE WATER

For any queries, suggestions or offers of help with any of the Club’s on-the-water activities please email: [email protected]

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EVENTS AT THE CLUB

Club nights are held every Tuesday evening at the LSC clubhouse, here are some of the highlights.

DRINKS AND DINNER

421 DECEMBER AND 4 JANUARY Meet your Little Ship Club friends for drinks and dinner at the clubhouse.

CORINTHIANS CRUISE 2022 IN MAINE, USA 4SATURDAY 30 JULY TO SUNDAY 7 AUGUST 2022

The LSC has a long-standing relationship with The Corinthians association on the east coast of the USA. We meet up for a joint cruise every two years alternating between the USA and the UK or Europe. In 2022, the cruise will be along the coast of Maine. Starting in Rockland, Maine it will visit towns and harbours along the coast including Castine and Tenants Harbor and the final dinner will be held in Boothbay Harbor. Apart from Alaska, Maine is the most northerly state in the USA. The population is relatively sparse and there are few commercial vessels to be seen. The landscape has been partially shaped by the last ice age. Parts of the coastline are rocky with deep inlets, similar to fjords. There are many lighthouses and some are centuries old with unique designs. The climate in summer is similar to the south of England but a touch warmer. However, there is always the risk of fog. There is plenty of wildlife along the coast with sea birds and seals basking on sunny rocks. The seas are teeming with lobsters and there are also thousands of lobster pots which skippers and crew will need to keep a watchful eye out for. Some berths may be available on Corinthian boats or LSC skippers can charter a boat themselves. The cruise is being organised by the Corinthians but Paul Banks will liaise with the Corinthians over LSC participation. If you have any questions or would like to join the cruise, contact Paul Banks.

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HPO DINNER411 JANUARY

Our annual dinner for the Honorary Port Officers of the LSC offers them a chance to connect and share their stories, as well as provide updates of their time as HPOs during the last troubled year.

TALK: ROYAL INSTITUTE OF NAVIGATION418 JANUARY

At this year’s evening with the Royal Institute of Navigation Adam Egeland-Jensen and David Goddard will talk about the RN navigation system known as WECDIS. This is an upgraded version of the ECDIS system, which is used on commercial ships, with additions for RN requirements.

DINNER AND QUIZ425 JANUARY James Stevens will be our quizmaster tonight – expect sailing questions ... and others! Most of all, join in an evening of fun, vying for prizes.

TALK: TOBY MARRIS – JOLIE BRISE

41 FEBRUARY

Toby Marris to talk about Jolie Brise, arguably one of the most famous tall ships in the world. The ship has been sailed and maintained by pupils from Dauntsey’s School for 43 years.

TALK: DAWN PERRIER – MARY ROSE

48 FEBRUARY

The Mary Rose, flagship of Henry VIII sank in 1545 off the coast of Portsmouth. Its secrets remained there for nearly 500 years until the hull and all its contents were recovered 1979–1982. Dawn Perrier was a member of the dive team who were involved in the excavation of over 20,000 artifacts from the sunken wreck.

TALK: 60 YEARS AT BELL WHARF LANE415 FEBRUARY

Past Commodore Pete Newbury will talk on the history of the LSC as we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Club’s move to Bell Wharf Lane.

ANCIENT MARINERS’ LUNCH

422 FEBRUARY

Hosted by the Commodore, a lunch at the Club for those veterans who have been members for 50 years or more.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

41 MARCH

The AGM be a hybrid meeting, with a zoom link, starting at 1830. The meeting will be followed by dinner at the Club for those attending in person. Please join us to ensure the meeting is quorate. The closing date for registration is 1200, 25 February – details are on the Club website.

FITTING OUT DINNER

422 MARCH

The Fitting Out Dinner marks the beginning of the official sailing season. Speaker and menu to be announced.

TALK: THE PHOENICIANS BEFORE COLUMBUS EXPEDITION

429 MARCH

Phillip Beale to give a talk on the Phoenicians Before Columbus Expedition. Philip is an adventurer, expedition leader and author and has recently completed a 6,000 mile sailing expedition from Carthage across the Atlantic Ocean on a 600BC replica Phoenician ship. Philip wanted to prove that the Phoenicians could have sailed across the Atlantic Ocean 2,000 years before Christopher Columbus! After six months, and many challenges and excitements along the way, the Phoenicians Before Columbus Expedition made landfall in the Americas; proving that an ancient Phoenician sailing vessel was capable of reaching the ‘New World’. 

TRAINING

TRAINING

The Club offers the full range of RYA and LSC courses. Some courses have been scheduled and others are being planned. Here we outline some of the courses on offer, for further details including booking arrangements, on these and all our training opportunities go to the Club website.

RYA COURSES

DAY SKIPPER SHOREBASED THEORY

A comprehensive introduction to cruising for new and less experienced sailors. The course equips you with enough knowledge to navigate in familiar waters by day. A basic knowledge of lights is also included to introduce you to night cruising. The Club runs two versions of the course: n The long course, will be held at the clubhouse on Mondays (1900 to 2100) from 3 October 2022 through to April 2023 with a break in December. n The accelerated course, will run from Wednesday 2 February to Wednesday 13 April. It will be held on 10 Wednesdays from 1900–2100 and five Saturday classes from 0930–1630 (spaced at fortnightly intervals).

COASTAL SKIPPER AND YACHTMASTER OFFSHORE SHOREBASED THEORY

This course extends the techniques learned on the Day Skipper course. Some aspects of navigation are studied in more detail and additional seamanship subjects are introduced. The Club runs two versions of the course: n The long course, will be held at the clubhouse on Mondays (1900 to 2100) from 3 October 2022 through to April 2023 with a break in December. n The accelerated course, will run from Wednesday 2 February to Wednesday 13 April. It will be held on 10 Wednesdays from 1900–2100 and five Saturday classes from 0930–1630 (spaced at fortnightly intervals). n An accelerated course has also been organised for 2023, running from 1 February to 12 April.

YACHTMASTER OCEAN SHOREBASED THEORY

This course is for those aspiring to blue water cruising and is ideal for holders of the Yachtmaster Offshore certificate who are preparing for their first ocean passage. Although this is a shorebased course at the clubhouse, the Club possesses some sextants and there will be an opportunity to use them. The course will be held in the clubhouse on Mondays (1900–2100) from 3 October 2022 through to April 2023 with a break in December.

COURSES PLANNED

The Club is planning dates for the LSC and RYA courses, please join the relevant waiting list on our website and we will notify you when the next course becomes available. n n n n n n n n n

‘Hands on’ for the day skippers

Although the day skipper long course is strictly a shore-based course running at the Club over 20 Monday evenings, from October to April, there are so many things in the syllabus best learnt on a real boat. Taking groups of five at a time, each group spent a day on Lindisfarne, a Nelson 42, berthed on the Hamble. The mornings were spent on such things as safety, engine checks, radio procedure, distress alerts, lifejackets, life rafts, mooring techniques, etc, and practising knots and lassoing cleats. In the afternoons, each group crewed Lindisfarne into the Solent to practise

AED First Aid

Practical Weather Forecasting Boat Electrics

Basic Rope Work

Integrated Splicing

n n n

RYA VHF Short Range classroom

RYA VHF Short Range Certificate Examination RYA First Aid

Motor cruiser RYA Radar

RYA Diesel Engine

RYA Essential Navigation Online

MOB, to spot buoys of all kinds, and to learn the basic ‘rules of the road’, sound signals and day shapes. Getting up close to a SCM forced them to decide which side of the buoy they should sail, and a sudden change of course by a motor yacht on the port bow put the need to have regard to the Colregs, both as to the obligations of the stand on vessel and the appropriate sound signals. The general consensus: you learn and remember best when you actually have to do it, with the bonus that it was all good fun. Will we do it again? You bet.

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PHOTOGRAPHIC AND ARTWORK COMPETITION

ORGANISER’S REPORT

The Little Ship Club Photographic and Artwork Competition 2021 has received a wealth of fabulous images which represent a great variety of experience within the Club. The judges wish to say a huge thank you to every entrant for submitting your images. There were some clear winners and also some lively debates among the judges when we had to make some hard choices. We hope that everyone will enjoy these photographs and artworks in the magazine and on the screen in the Club. Most of all we hope that everyone will take part next year!

The judges: Niki Gorick (member, author and professional photographer), Patrick Tyrell (member and winner of the Commodore’s Choice 2020), Nicola de Quincey (member and co-ordinator).

CATEGORY 1: BEAUTIFUL BOATS Under sail or power or moored

First ‘Daybreak at dawn’ Guy Collyer

3rd ‘Blue Ensign at the races’ Leonardo Zangrando

Second ‘Polly Agatha off Cowes, September 2016’ Andy Ormsby

Highly commended ‘Fowey Lifeboat, July 2021’ Andy Ormsby

ALAN WALDEN-JONES TROPHY 2020 The Commodore’s Choice was awarded

to John Payne for ‘View from Clubhouse on our 95th anniversary’.

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When you are out and about, do start clicking in preparation for the the Photographic and Artwork Competition 2022. The categories are: n Beautiful boats n Portraits n Pets and/or wildlife afloat n Weather/water n Humour n Getting together n Artwork Entries should be sent to the dedicated email address: [email protected]

PHOTOGRAPHIC AND ARTWORK COMPETITION CATEGORY 2: PORTRAITS

Present day or from your family boating archives

First ‘Family boating Merlin Rocket on the Blackwater’ Geoff Quentin

Second ‘Annie’ Robert Nightingall

Third ‘Happiness is Pint Size’ Tim Crabtree

CATEGORY 3: PETS AND/OR WILDLIFE Afloat

First ‘Sealion meets snorkeller’ Bruce Evans

Highly commended ‘Pub on the Shannon Cruise’ Barrie Martin Second ‘Wildlife 3’ Geoff Quentin

Third ‘Life on the ocean waves’ Tim Crabtree

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PHOTOGRAPHIC AND ARTWORK COMPETITION CATEGORY 4: WEATHER/WATER

Preferably with an emphasis on climate change and sustainability. This category was split – dynamic and reflective

DYNAMIC

Second ‘Ray of hope?’ Paul Banks

Third ‘Kentish Flats Wind Farm from Red Sands Forts’ Barrie Martin

First ‘The big wave’ Kevin Mulligan

REFLECTIONS

Second ‘Early morning, Little Russel, July 2017’ Andy Ormsby Highly commended ‘L’Aber-Wrac’h sunset’ Robert Nightingall

First ‘Autumn clouds on the Staffs Canal’ Anne Billard

CATEGORY 5: HUMOUR

Third ‘Norway, early morning, pre-swimming!’ Steve Burgess

Capturing those humorous moments, captions are allowed on the image.

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First ‘I can’t go any higher’ Patrick Smith LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

Second ‘Just don’t argue!’ Geoff Quentin

Third ‘Ted missing another Zoom meeting’ Ian Muspratt

PHOTOGRAPHIC AND ARTWORK COMPETITION CATEGORY 6: GETTING TOGETHER Rallies and regattas or at the Club

Second ‘Turkey Cruise’ Geoff Quentin

First ‘The Blue Team’ Barrie Martin

Third ‘The Strong Team at the Squadron’ Barrie Martin

CATEGORY 7: ARTWORK

Any painting, sketch or artwork on the theme ‘The Sea, It’s In our Blood’

Third ‘Westering home’ Patrick Smith First ‘Low tide – St Ives’ Patrick Smith Second ‘The coast is clear’ Jennifer Mohsen

Highly commended ‘Floating’ Jennifer Mohsen LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

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AT THE CLUB

RECENTLY ON SOCIAL MEDIA...

It’s been an active few months for the LSC and Twitter gives a taste of what members have been up to.

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for more stories and pictures from the Club and our friends on and off the water. Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Nov 24 #shanties evening raising funds for @HelpforHeroes. Full house for the 11th edition of a hugely successful @littleshipclub1 members evening. Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Nov 19 Our wonderful @RYA Diesel Engine Course is back this weekend. Most modern sailing yachts have auxiliary Diesel engines which skippers rely on heavily for close-quarters manoeuvring. So get prepared for us! ... Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Nov 16 Joining our Club Night tonight we are welcoming Gelte Liebrand, founder and developer of ‘savvy navv’, who will talk us through the app and all its benefits within the boating world. Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Nov 12 Fast Cruise this Saturday 13th! Berths have been reserved at Southampton Town Quay. There will be one race with two courses. We will be having a table buffet at Kuti’s Brasserie ... Little Ship Club Retweeted

Jessica Simor QC @JMPSimor · Nov 5 Taylor #FBPE @retromrbtaylor

For crying out loud, please help this man have his wife returned home. What an awfully heartbreaking position to be in. Richard Ratcliffe has been forced to go on hunger strike because of the Governmen’s inaction and failure to #FreeNazanin. Please retweet and sign the petition. Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Oct 29 Next Thursday, 4 November we will be hosting a Watch Party at the #LSC to view the streamed TEDxCowes event on ocean sustainability. The Club’s all day menu will be available from 1100 until 1900 and the bar will be open too. More info ...

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Little Ship Club Retweeted

Navy Lookout @NavyLookout · Oct 27

RRS Sir David Attenborough on her way up the Thames today to participate in #IceWorldsGreenwich @RMGreenwich Via @jason_photos

Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Oct 26 It's a very special day for the #LSC as we commemorate our 95th anniversary! Join us in the celebrations, hosted by our President, Mike Golding OBE. This will be a lavish drinks party Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Oct 19 The #LSC is back with our annual celebration of Trafalgar Night this evening. We will also have an after dinner talk by Warrant Officer 1st Class Mick Gentry RN, followed by a delicious dinner at the Club. You don’t want to miss it! More info ... Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Oct 15 Tomorrow is an extra special day for us at the #LSC, we are going on a fast cruise! We will be joining the Island Sailing Club in Cowes for their Trafalgar Dinner, with a four course menu, champagne on arrival, and port to toast The Immortal Memory. More ... Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Oct 15 At our #LSC Club Night tonight we will be learning about the restoration of Little Ship Sundowner. Join us for an insightful evening and a delicious dinner afterwards. More info ... Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Oct 12 Today we commemorated Richard Taylor, Norman Nathan and Robin Young at St James Garlickhythe. They will always be remembered and we will hold them dear to our hearts at the #LSC. Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Oct 10 Beautiful morning on the River Crouch for @littleshipclub1 end of season East Coast rally.

AT THE CLUB Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Oct 1 Our training courses are back! Have you booked your place yet? Saturday 2 October @RYA Day Skipper Shorebased Theory Course and Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster Offshore Shorebased Theory Course (the latter running through December). For more info ... Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Oct 1 It is Friday and we would like to share with you some lovely pictures sent to us by one of our members from the race on Solid Air from Richard Strong and his crew. What lovely views! Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Sep 28 It’s Open Evening at the #LSC tonight! Join us and let us show you our wonderful club and inform you about the training opportunities we can offer you. We will finish the event with a lovely dinner and great drinks. More info ... Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Sep 26 @littleshipclub1 @citylordmayor celebrating life in @cityoflondon Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Sep 26 @littleshipclub1 started celebrating our 95th birthday! Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Sep 21 It's a special evening at the #LSC as we are reopening our Club for the official restart of our Tuesday Club Nights! Come and celebrate the autumn equinox this evening with us and indulge in the lovely mediterranean Mezze we will have ready for you ... Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Sep 19 Journey’s end for @littleshipclub1 #narrowboat cruise

Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Sep 17 This weekend is a really exciting one as The Spread Eagle Sailing Club Regatta is taking place in the Solent on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 September. Our Commodore Barrie Martin is organising it too! For further details ... Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Sep 16 Who loves dolphins? A lovely member has shared with us his footage of these precious wild creatures in #Weymouth last week. Check it out below! And keep an eye on ‘On the water’ events at #LSC to have opportunities such as this one yourself ... Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Aug 22 @littleshipclub1 #narrowboat #canalcruising Tixall Wide, Lilian Ginger, Gatehouse Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Sep 10 Come and visit @littleshipclub1 on our stand @SotonBoatShow

Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Sep 7 We are back from our very much needed summer break – join us for Club Night this evening at 6.30 via zoom. We have no scheduled talk so we can chat and share our holiday anecdotes. To find the link to the zoom meeting click here ... Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Sep 3 Booking is now open for the Finn Trophy and Crossley Cup Regatta 18–19 September. Dinner will be taking place at the Royal Yacht Squadron. Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Aug 30 @littleshipclub1 end of rally dinner @ramsgateweek011 Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Aug 29 @littleshipclub1 ADATR and Mahina heading for home, just south of #Dover LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

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AT THE CLUB Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Aug 25 September is around the corner and our autumn calendar is on our website. We encourage you to have a look and book any events you are interested in so you do not miss out. Check it here ...

Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Aug 17 Hard morning work on board Storm Petrel on @littleshipclub1 East Coast rally

Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Aug 24

Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Aug 17 Hadedah approaching Beachy Head.

@littleshipclub1 Bangoes, Storm Petrel, Pim and Avventura locking in Chatham. Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Aug 24 @littleshipclub1 Pim cruising serenely out of the river Crouch.

Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Aug 22 Whenever 2 or more are gathered ... @littleshipclub1 in good company. Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Aug 22 Sunrise on the #riverorwell for the first day of @littleshipclub1 East Coast Rally. Meet in #woolverstone Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Aug 18 @littleshipclub1 Storm Petrel arriving in #ramsgate: fleet gathering for East Coast #Corinthians rally Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Aug 18 @littleshipclub1 Hadedah arriving in #Ramsgate.

Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Aug 18 A different kind of #sailing craft off #dungeness. Photographed from @littleshipclub1 Storm Petrel on their way to #ramsgate

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LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Aug 16 @littleshipclub1 boats on their way to #ramsgate and #woolverstone for the start of East Coast Rally. Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Aug 13 Training corner at the #LSC today from 10am–6pm @RYA VHF Short Range Certificate (places available). Tomorrow and Sunday Diesel Engine course from 10am–5pm (places available). For more information ... Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Aug 10 It’s Tuesday and this means it’s time for our Virtual Club Night! Tonight we will be overviewing the English East Coast Cruise, covering the itinerary, cruise meals and events. Join us and meet some of the other participants! More Information .... Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Aug 5 Tomorrow we are celebrating Sir Chay Blyth’s 50th Anniversary Celebrations with an exciting parade of sail open to those with a yacht or motorboat. Our president @MikeGoldingOBE will welcome Chay at Royal Southern YC pontoon at 12pm. More information ...

Little Ship Club @littleshipclub1 . Aug 4 Congratulations to the British couple on a well-deserved gold medal! We are so proud, what an extraordinary day for the sport we love. #sailing #Tokyo2020 World Sailing The protest in the 470 Women has been dismissed. Great Britain Flag of United Kingdom have confirmed gold, with Poland Flag of Poland in silver and France Flag of France in bronze. #Sailing #Tokyo2020 #Olympics

ADVERTORIAL SAVVY NAVVY

savvy navvy Setting out to simplify boating technology, UK-based savvy navvy has gone from

strength to strength since launching just

four years ago, with more than 43 million

miles plotted by its hundreds of thousands users globally.

Constantly innovating its technology based on user

with our end-users to hear their views has enabled us to

app features this year. This includes the industry-first

simplify boating navigation,” says Jelte Liebrand, CEO and

feedback, savvy navvy has launched dozens of new major departure scheduler and shortly a functionality enabling users to see 3D terrain along coastlines will go live,

making a huge difference to both safety and confidence when navigating trickier waters.

make a better product that meets the market demand to Founder of savvy navvy.

“Any company that ultimately brings ease of use to a

boater’s sailing experience adds value to us and to them,” says Jelte Liebrand. Always looking ahead to the future of

“We’re constantly evolving and making changes based on

boating, one of savvy navvy’s latest partnerships set up

water enjoying boating. This year has been our biggest

from Scandinavia.

user feedback in order to get more people out on the

yet and while some is certainly down to the big boom

happening in boating at the moment, working directly

has been with all-electric boat manufacturers X Shore

“We are really keen to align ourselves with savvy navvy,

who have the same eagerness as us to do something new in the industry. Their mapping experience is so much

closer to what a modern consumer would expect. Unlike

other suppliers who have taken months to create a map

of charging points for us, we know as soon as the data is

there, savvy navvy can feature it to their app at speed

instantly making it accessible to its global users,” says

Stefan Wessels, Tech Innovation and Collaboration Lead at X Shore.

Heading into its fifth year, 2022 will see more exciting developments for savvy navvy, focusing on driving

engagement, innovating and using technical advances such as integrating with onboard systems like AIS and NMEA2000.

“Our vision from the outset has been for savvy navvy to be

in every boater’s pocket. With what lies ahead in 2022, we

are certainly expecting to come increasingly closer to that goal,” says Jelte Liebrand.

The Little Ship Club have teamed up with savvy navvy to offer a 20% discount to members on our easy to use boating navigation app. Go to: https://bit.ly/39uCxky for details.

[email protected] Q www.savvy-navvy.com LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

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HPO NEWS

LET’S GET TOGETHER IN 2022! HPO Liaison Officer, Anne Le Verrier-Bizzey, introduces three new Honorary Port Officers and, in a letter to all HPOs, looks forward to opportunities to get together, starting with the annual dinner in January 2022.

A LETTER TO OUR HONORARY PORT OFFICERS

It seems ages since I last wrote about our annual HPO Dinner, way back in October 2019, in fact. Despite the various lockdowns, we managed to keep in touch with you, our international representatives, during those successful zoom evenings when you joined us for updates on your corners of the world. I am now writing in the hope that 2022 will see life back to (at the very least almost) normal. The Commodore, Flag Officers, members and I look forward to meeting many of you for our annual HPO dinner, which always starts the year so successfully. The date for your diary is Tuesday 11 January 2022. At the time in writing, social life has opened up in London and around the world; we in the UK are able to travel a little further and most of us have had several jabs. I am therefore winkling you out of your hole and enticing you to join us in London for that evening: it will be so good to see you again. As this dinner is always so popular, please do book well in advance! I hope you might say a few words: I have started to organise the evening speaking slots, so please do notify me immediately ([email protected]) if you would like to contribute. Please keep safe and well and I look forward to hearing from you

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Anne Le Verrier-Bizzey HPO Liaison

LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

T

hree Honorary Port Officers have recently been appointed and they look forward to meeting Club members on their travels. Nick Moger, was appointed HPO for Portland/Weymouth, a good stopping off place for members sailing down the south coast. Do give him a call. Nick has been a member of the Club for a number of years. He was chairman of Marmalade, a specialist in insurance for young drivers, but is now retired having sold in March 2021. He kept his motorboats in Portland Marina for ten years and now lives in Shaftesbury. Steve Lawrence was appointed HPO for Phuket and Andaman Islands, Thailand. A member in the mid-1990s, Steve attended several Club rallies and crewed on broad Sigyn; however, his membership lapsed when he moved overseas. Steve visited the LSC stand at the Southampton Boat Show and introduced himself. An RYA Offshore Yachtmaster, Steve owns a monohull 40ft Babadudu berthed at Port Takola, a few miles east of Phuket. He and his wife have explored numerous ports and anchorages in Malaysia, Singapore, Borneo, The Philippines and Indonesia. He has also contacted our HPO Singapore, so very good coverage for all this area. Do get in touch if visiting Phuket or Singapore, they look forward to welcoming you to the Far East! Mimis Koutsodontis, HPO Corfu. Mimis has left Gouvia Marina and has rebuilt and organised a small marina in Benitses, eight miles south of Corfu city. He is a consultant for new projects in the area and looks forward to welcoming members to this new marina. n

Above left: Nick Moger, HPO Portland Weymouth. Above: Steve Lawrence, HPO Phuket and Andaman Islands. Below: Mimis Koutsodontis, HPO Corfu with Chris and Marina Nicholson.

LITTLE SHIP CLUB HONORARY PORT OFFICERS

UNITED KINGDOM +44 SOUTH COAST OF ENGLAND CHICHESTER HARBOUR: Brian Humber Mob: 07801 211658 [email protected] RIVER DART: David Clements Mob: 07802 151538 [email protected] PORTLAND/WEYMOUTH: Nick Moger, Mob: 07786 628123 [email protected]

EAST COAST OF ENGLAND BENFLEET: Terry Pond Tel: 01702 511868 [email protected] BRIGHTLINGSEA: Pete Hampson Mob:07496 004301 [email protected] RIVER CROUCH AND GREECE: Tom Davey Mob: 07961 351478 [email protected] RIVER DEBEN: Richard Keen Mob: 07801 627782 [email protected] RIVERS ORWELL, STOUR, ALDE & ORE: Bill Hughes Mob: 07917 797578 [email protected] RAMSGATE: Dr Rodney Pell, Mob: 07771 764169 [email protected] WEST MERSEA AND RIVER BLACKWATER: John Davison Tel: 01206 621843 [email protected]

WALES MILFORD HAVEN & FISHGUARD: Bill Preece Mob: 07836 747226 [email protected]

ISLE OF MAN Wendy Horn Tel: 01624 862000 Mob: 07762 926600 [email protected]

LEFKAS: Matt Ferraby Mob: 07958-936514 [email protected]

NORTH BRITTANY: Keith Martin Mob: 0691 352259 [email protected]

ITALY +39

CHANNEL ISLANDS ALDERNEY: Doug White Mob: 07781 137875 [email protected]

PARIS BASIN: Barrie Martin Mob: 7778 390825 [email protected]

JERSEY: Brian Alderson Mob: 07700 866846 [email protected]

GIBRALTAR +350

GUERNSEY: St Peter Port, David Mitchison Mob: 07781 154478 [email protected]

ICELAND +354

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND +353 CROSSHAVEN: Wietse Buwalda Mob: 872 601 755 [email protected] DUN LAOGHAIRE: Ronan Beirne Mob: 862543866 [email protected] GREYSTONES: John Murphy Mob: +44(0) 778 740 5675 [email protected]

SCOTLAND

GLANDOR-BALTIMORE: Don Street Tel: 353 028 33143 [email protected]

CALEDONIAL CANAL: Michael Salter Mob: 07802 694812 [email protected]

WATERFORD: Gabbie Ryan Mob: 861 638601 [email protected]

EAST COAST: Cairns Birrell Mob: 07710 451779 [email protected]

ESTONIA +372

LOCH LOMOND: Angus Annan Mob: 07785 523540 [email protected]

FRANCE +33

OBAN: Catherine Adams Tel: 01631 565333 Mob: 07770 817909 [email protected] [email protected]

CHERBOURG: Magali Hamon Mob: 0677 876577 [email protected]

LOCTUDY, SW BRITTANY: Jean-Michel Gaigne Mob: 682 112524 [email protected]

NORTHERN EUROPE

Ado Tikerpäe Tel: 53 010 450 [email protected] ANTIBES: David Lakeman Mob: 766 198445 UK Mob: 07748 725524 [email protected] BURGUNDY: Don Walker Mob: 07855 961508 [email protected]

Last updated 20/11/2021

Only mobile numbers shown – unless landline requested

GENOA: Alessio Gnecco Mob: 335 5492 196 [email protected]

SPAIN AND LANZAROTE +34 SICILY +39 Armando Addati Tel: +39 699308207 Mob: +34 3357 409289 [email protected]

Paul Shannon UK Mob: 07900 690159 [email protected] Egill Kolbeinsson Mob: 898 5181 [email protected]

CYPRUS +357 NORTH/SOUTH: Andy Chatterton Mob: 07816 526255 [email protected]

TURKEY +90

NETHERLANDS +31 AMSTERDAM: Gabe Langerak Mob: 645789923 [email protected]

MEDITERRANEAN BALEARIC ISLANDS +34 IBIZA: John Cardwell Tel: 971 34 24 15 [email protected] MALLORCA (NORTH): Ian Foster Mob: 670 235 569 [email protected] MALLORCA (SOUTH): Mark Grzegorczyk, UK Mob: +44 07774 118804, UK Tel: 20758 50172, [email protected] MENORCA: Christopher Collman Mob: 696 43 47 87 [email protected]

GREECE +30 CORFU & IONIAN SEA: Dimitrios Koutsodontis Mob: 6936647333 [email protected]

FETHIYE: Stuart Aikman, Mob: 535 599 8538 [email protected]

MIDDLE EAST YEMEN +967 ADEN: Capt Roy Facey UK Mob: +44 07549 344293 [email protected]

AUSTRALASIA AUSTRALIA +61 MELBOURNE: Graham Cunningham Mob: 412 151 944 [email protected] SYDNEY: Michael Wynter Mob: 409 833 350 [email protected]

FIJI +679 Bruce Phillips Mob: 9998 332 [email protected] or brucewhewellphillips@ yahoo.com

NEW ZEALAND +64

FLORIDA: Darryl and Lynne Currie Mob: 9047354639 Tel: 3862224136 [email protected] NEW JERSEY (SANDY HOOK TO CAPE MAY): Steve Tyler Mob: 732 673 8631 [email protected] NEW YORK (PORT): George Milne Tel: 201 567 0579 Mob: 201 960 4491 [email protected] NORTH CAROLINA: James Smart Tel: 252 975 1014 [email protected] PHILADELPHIA: Bill Thomas Tel: 610 668 1177 Mob: 610 416 0548 [email protected]

AUCKLAND: Steve Burrett Tel: 9425 9191 Mob: 21 942 732 [email protected]

BERMUDA +1 441

IZMIR: Faruk Gunlu Mob: 532 441 7616 [email protected]

BAY OF ISLANDS: Sarah Fountain Mob: 0274 365521 [email protected]

USA +1 ATLANTIC

AFRICA

AMERICAS

LYCIAN COAST: Hasan Kaçmas, Tel: 90 242 323 66 80 [email protected]

SOUTH AFRICA +27 CAPETOWN: Pete Martin Mob: 071 500 4253 [email protected]

SOUTHEAST ASIA SINGAPORE AND SOUTHEAST REGION +65

CANADA +1 VANCOUVER: Michael D Trundle Tel: 604 926 2925 [email protected]

USA +1 (EAST COAST)

SINGAPORE: Daniel Whittington Tel: 8298 3416 [email protected]

ANNAPOLIS: Larry Blount Mob: 443 282 0702 [email protected]

THAILAND AND ANDAMAN ISLANDS +66

BOSTON TO CAPE ANN: Ernest Hardy Tel: 617 846 6320 [email protected]

PHUKET: Steve Lawrence, Tel: 0926756820 [email protected]

BERMUDA: Galen Brislane Mob: 595 0033 [email protected]

BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS +1 284 Brian Gandey Tel:+1 284 494 4868 [email protected]

CARIBBEAN +1 649 Don Street Tel: 353 028 33143 [email protected]

ST MAARTEN +1 721 Jane Harrison Mob:1721 520 1530 [email protected]

Trinidad +1 868 Reg Potter Mob: 775 0285 [email protected].

CUBA +53 HAVANA: Comm José Escrich Tel: 7 204 1689 [email protected]

PLEASE GET IN TOUCH

For any information about the Club’s HPOs please contact Anne Le Verrier-Bizzey, HPO liaison [email protected] Any amendment to personal contact details should be sent directly to Anne and copied to Charlie Quayle [email protected] to keep the Club database up-to-date.

Little Ship becomes ‘printed on demand only’ – contact us to receive your printed copy

!

HPO CONTACT LIST

Please remember the Little Ship is a ‘printed on demand only’ publication. The magazine will continue to be published online and you will be emailed to let you know a new edition is available. To ensure you keep receiving your printed copy of the Little Ship please contact [email protected], or return this slip to Nick Long in the Club office: Little Ship Club, Three Cranes Walk, Bell Wharf Lane, Upper Thames Street, London EC4R 3TB. If you have done so already, there is nothing more for you to do, and the Little Ship will keep landing on your doorstep. Name:

..................................................................

Postcode: Tel:

Address:

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Mobile: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LITTLE SHIP WINTER 2021/22

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READY TO WELCOME YOU BACK TO THE LITTLE SHIP CLUB Little Ship Club: Three Cranes Walk, Bell Wharf Lane, Upper Thames Street, London EC4R 3TB 020 7236 7729 l https://littleshipclub.co.uk