April?? Our Annual Meeting!

Once again we hope to be the guests of Harlow Blackwater Sailing Club, Maylandsea.   Last year we met there from 1200hrs, to start our official meeting at 1230hrs,  took less than an hour.  The  bar was open for us and  there were sandwiches available.  If anyone would like it there is a  very good fish and chip   shop   instead or for later.    We left a burgee to display in the club bar.

Hope to see a few of you there!?  Your chance to meet us if you do not get to other meets.

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2nd May Mundon Meet. This is a Bank Holiday Weekend so we have an extra day!  H.W. Lawling Creek about 1900 Saturday  could be a BBQ on the beach in the evening  if the weather is right or a raft up?

Sunday sail in company to Maldon maybe before dropping back on the tide to anchor.... wherever we fancy, maybe up another creek, down near Mersea Quarters, with a nod to M.G.!

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Sunday 24th May, Southend Air Show. Whit Bank Holiday  Sail from the Blackwater/Crouch /Colne or Harwich Saturday (or Sunday)  morn to arrive HW Southend.  HW about 1300 on the  Sunday.

 Linger for the air show Sunday, then across to the Medway.  We are hoping to meet up with several local boats and aim to lock in to Gillingham  in the afternoon.  We tried to get into Chatham before, but they could not cope and now their website is down.....  so instead intend to go for Gillingham.  It is just a short walk to the dockyard.. and cheaper!

Visit the Chatham website for map of dock layout etc...   Stay to savour the new Dockyard museums and restaurants, See their site for a plan etc  http://www.thedockyard.co.uk/ , then leave Wednesday or Thursday, to head home, or  we were hoping, to sail in company to Ramsgate.  just for the hell of it! 

I hope to have free copies of the Ramsgate guide and tide tables to give away at Danbury.

Dates slightly elastic on this one!  Berths will need to be booked at the Chatham docks I just need to know who wants to come!!  01621 778859 

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June 21st, the summer solstice cruise!  Join us in the Essex/Suffolk Rivers for about a week.

We were going to try to organise a Dutch cruise again, but there were not many takers, so instead a trip into the Essex rivers was suggested.

We intend to sail from The Blackwater, wherever the wind blows!  Could be Pin Mill and Ipswich, or Fambridge and Paglesham, who knows!  Contact me on 01621 778859, or call Fiddler's Green on the VHF ch. 16 or 77 that week to meet up with us!

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Solent Meet.  August Bank holiday Weekend.  

Last year was a disaster with two of the host boats being laid up, this year we are confident that the boats, crews, weather and venues will all be perfect.  more later!

Newtown Creek, Friday  (ideal for our boats) near Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight.  There’s a brilliant little pub which has won I of W  Pub of the year more years than I can count at the bottom of the creek and the views are spectacular. 

Good real ale, and close to Yarmouth as well – yet beautifully quiet and peaceful and the sunsets are something else.   

Thrash across the bay to Studland for Saturday night BBQ  

Sunday Night at Fareham Creek (FMBSC) for another BBQ  or may be a more central location depending on attendees.

Depart for home ports on Monday.

 Dave and Paul are host boats,

Contact Dave. 'Galatea'   David.Newble at IOW.gov.uk 

or Paul.  'Fram' paul.usher at eds.com   Telephone 07790 492089

Or either boat on VHF 16.

Lets see if the first meet can be a good one!  Paul thinks there will be another Eventide and maybe a GH sailing out from Fareham...

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North West, North East, Scotland and the South West?  Well we have members in all these areas, if one of you likes to tell us where you hope to be one weekend or week, we can circulate it and maybe we might get lucky and another boat will hove over the horizon.  Two boats you have a meet, several a great one!  Contact us to give us that venue!

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Saturday 29th August, West Mersea Meet.  Bank Holiday Weekend. HW 20.14 approx. Neap tides, so we will stay afloat on the 'borrowed' moorings!

Once again we are guests of Maurice's old club on the Saturday afternoon for a drink on the lawn outside, at about 5pm..  Followed by a walk up the road to one of the eating houses!  HW. Saturday about 2015.  We once again hope to have arranged snug moorings, in the upper Strood channel,  as we have done in previous years courtesy of Tony, one of our members.   There should be a tad more water at L.W. this year!  There will also be the WMYC boatman, Jeff,  on hand or we can use our dinghies as we have in the past...  Call sign YC1 on channel 37 (Why Sea One) if you need the taxi, but be warned prices have gone up, £3.00 single late night in 2007! . 

There are rooms to let we have heard at the  Victory Pub, 01206 382907 for Saturday and Sunday if needed, this means those who would like to come by road can meet us at the WMYC on the Saturday, arrange to come for a sail in company with us on Sunday, maybe a short sail to the Bench Head and back,  then later  a drink  at the WMYC again.

Last year we  booked a table (for 22!) at the Oyster Bar for a meal on the Sunday.  It was a great success and we might like to repeat that!   If anyone   wishes to come and join us please ring on 01621 778859 to add your names to the list.

Monday for returning to base....

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Saturday 12th September, Walton on Naze BBQ.  LW approx 1225 Harwich

An early start from the Crouch/Blackwater/Colne and either an early start or a nice run back Sunday afternoon, arriving after dark so weather permitting!  Anchor off Stone point and BBQ on the sands in the afternoon/evening. 

Meet off the Bradwell Baffle at 0500!!  Sail in company to Stone point, for an afternoon/ evening BBQ.  Leave  before L.W. Sunday, 1230 for the sail back.  Forecast for Staurday, SSW 3 to 4. becoming SE 3 on Sunday, I wish!

 I am hoping Mavis and Brian,   will be  acting as 'host boat' on  01255 679085.

 October 18th, end of season cruise in the Blackwater, Colne area.  

 Spring tides,  HW Bradwell 1254.   So maybe  island circling, fancy doing the figure of eight round Northey and Osea?  Not many can, or ever do!!   We do!  Plenty of creeks to explore.  Stay  for 3 or 4  days or as long as the weather holds, no intention of going far, or fast!  Wind down with us.

Last Wednesday of almost every month,

at 8 p.m. in The Bell P.H. Main Road, Danbury    

The Essex sailors try to meet here every month for a pub meal and a drink.  Numbers attending each month vary, but we nearly always there! To make sure though, give me a ring, in case we are off sailing!   Record is to date is 18 people and conversation ranges from ancient monuments, (no not me!) to holidays and sometimes even boats!  Great crowd, good atmosphere.

Just some of the owners at the Bell at Danbury!

For further details on  the Danbury meets, call John Williams on 01621 778859 or  Doug Hoadley on 01708 477028. 

You are very welcome to join in on any of the events and cruises and we would welcome those of you that have expressed an interest in meets elsewhere, to come forward with a simple date and venue, we will do the words here and see what transpires.  You might be surprised. Go on contact us! e-mail or phone.