Category: Places
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South Dock towards Ullapool 2019
I had decided, after a wobbly moment, that it was time that Sumara had a refit. I had become increasingly nervous about the engine after an engineer told me it was on its last legs and my teak decks were beginning to look a bit shabby. Even the varnish was now rather patchy. For convenience,…
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Whoops rather a long gap between posts!
I’m still alive and really looking forward to 2019. The reason for the long pause was that something had to give way. The Arthur Beale project has proved surprisingly exhausting especially on top of the stress of running my other company so I had to let things go. It got so bad that I almost…
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Maldon Mud Race 2017
Having had to pull out due to a broken arm in 2015 the Maldon Mud Race has been on my list of things to do for a while. This year we entered it with some trepidation. The race originally started in the seventies when a local pub placed a barrel of beer on the far…
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South Dock Marina Boat Yard Update October 2016
On 19th September we were invited to another “consultation” regarding the proposed development on the South Dock Marina Boat Yard site. The proposal has once again changed and now the height of the tallest tower has increased to 28 floors and the percentage of “affordable” housing has dropped even further. They are clearly getting tight…
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Southwark Council Plan to Destroy More of our Marine Heritage
The Red Scotch Derrick Crane in Odessa Street is now under threat from developers seemingly working with Southwark Council’s support. This old docklands crane is the last one remaining in Rotherhithe and was left standing as part of the London Docklands Development Corperation’s commitment to preserving some of the dockland heritage of the area. Rotherhithe was…
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New Vertue Spotted – Mea V89
During my rather too short summer holiday whilst in West Mersea I spotted this fine Cheoy Lee built Vertue called Mea. Andrew, the friendly driver of the club launch, also pointed to another Vertue moored a few cables away but I can’t recall the name. Mea was built in 1959 of teak on ipol frames with…
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South Dock Boatyard Update – Destroying London’s Industry
July 2016 – South Dock Yesterday morning a “Headline Report” about South Dock Boat Yard landed on our doormat. It shows how after “consultation” with the local people Southwark Council have decided to make the tower blocks even taller. They are still claiming an increased boat yard space despite plonking 213 flats on top of it! As Southwark…
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New Vertue Spotted Cilix V210
23rd May 2016 Just after we arrived in Troon Harbour a nice varnished boat arrived. It was a Vertue called Cilix. She was built in Holland in 1993 from green oak frames and iroko planking. Alan was the owner and he had sailed from her base on the River Fal in Cornwall. Alan will be…
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Scottish Islands Peaks Race
Spring 2016 Oban – Troon This is no normal race and it is well to remember that! For sailors it is a demanding race which takes in some tricky tidal areas. Unusually for a race, picking up the crew or dropping the anchor, has to take place under sail. Equally it is a demanding race for…
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Watch the Race Live
You can track the Scottish Island Peaks Race below: Browser not compatible. Click here for Full Screen Viewing