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Home , Chatham railway station, Fort Amherst, River Medway, Upnor, Upnor Castle

Picture perfect: A stunning sunset on the River The This short jaunt through the heart of leafy , provides plenty to delight fans of Britain’s maritime heritage, plus challenging waterways and some of the best marina facilities this country has to offer report by richard johnstone-bryden

he River Medway cuts through the heart of ‘The Garden of ’, yet until T the demise of the military bases at and Chatham it was known as the Navy’s river. Today, the gap left by the closure of these establishments is increasingly filled with leisure and commercial activities. With its close proximity to , the east coast rivers and Europe, the River Medway is a strategically placed cruising ground offering the boating enthusiast 22 nautical miles of tidal waters from Sheerness to Allington Lock (near ) followed by a further 19 miles of non-tidal waters to the market town of .

84 l January 07 mbmclub.com RIVERGUIDECRUISING The??????????????? river medway

Situated at the heart of this historic waterway are the towns of Gillingham and Chatham, together with the city of Rochester. Between them they boast an array of tourist attractions, modern marina facilities and local amenities. Lower Medway The Medway buoy in the marks the beginning of the approach channel to the River Medway and the edge of Medway Ports’ area of jurisdiction. From this point onwards boaters should monitor VHF Ch74 to keep track of the movements of the The southern bank of Gillingham Reach is home to the Medway Cruising Club large commercial ships using the various docks along the river. those using the lower stretches of the below 50m can proceed in either the The wreck of the WWII ship SS Richard Medway in June 2005. same or opposite direction as a LNG Montgomery lies to the north of the An exclusion zone applies to the area tanker providing they can safely do so, main approach channel approximately around the LNG terminal. Whenever a outside the main navigation channel. two miles north east of Sheerness. She LNG tanker is berthed at the terminal, Having cleared the exclusion zone sank in August 1944 and is believed to vessels are not permitted within a 250m around the LNG terminal it is merely a have approximately 1500 tonnes of arc of the cargo transfer arms case of following the buoyed channel explosives still onboard. An exclusion (approximate position listed as through the open marshland, past the zone around her is clearly marked by a 51°25.9405’ N 00°42.5448’ E). This zone and on to ring of yellow buoys and should not be drops to an arc of 150m when there are the Medway towns. Even though high entered under any circumstances. no LNG vessels moored at the terminal. water covers many of the mud flats and The river entrance is overlooked A speed limit of seven and a half knots saltings lining the main channel along to the west by the 244m applies to all this stretch of Gillingham high chimney of Grain craft passing Until 1746 the the river, those power station and the exclusion river was without detailed was the birth- Garrison Point to the zone. If “ local knowledge place of Will east. A powerful light necessary, impassable above are advised not Adams, the first mounted on top of vessels below Maidstone to stray far Briton to sail the Medway Ports 50m long can beyond its limits. office at Garrison Point pass within the The Medway towns to Japan warns of large ships exclusion zone providing they keep at ” underway. Shining least 100m away from moored LNG Pass the fort on Hoo Island’s Folly Point upstream it warns of inbound tankers and observe the seven and a and a six-knot speed limit comes into ships. Shining downstream indicates half knot speed limit. force, before rounding out on to the the movement of outbound vessels. Whenever LNG tankers are underway Gillingham Reach. The southern bank of The completion of the country’s only between the Medway Buoy and the this reach is home to the Medway Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminal on LNG terminal, no craft can cross the Cruising Club, SEGAS Sailing Club and New housing the resulted in the channel less than one mile ahead or Gillingham Marina. The entrance to developments line introduction of new guidelines for half a mile astern of the tanker. Vessels Gillingham Marina’s locked basin can be Wickham Reach seen between the large gas holder and the marina’s modern leisure centre. Helmsmen attempting to enter the marina’s lock, which can be accessed up to four and a half hours either side of high water, need to be aware that tidal streams vary on the Medway from about one and a half knots at neaps through to three knots at springs. Those wishing to use the marina’s nearby tidal basin can do so for up to two hours either side of high water. The Medway waterfront, along the southern bank beyond Gillingham Marina, is set for major changes in the years ahead. This is all thanks to a sustained regeneration programme triggered by the closure of in 1984. >> mbmclub.com January 07 l 85 Castle is fronted by a water bastion jutting out into the River Medway

times, Hoo was required to support 100 Factfile Hoo Marina Roman centurions. The club was formed Berths: 120 20 tonne crane, cafe in 1948 as a cruising organisation for the How to get there Train stations at Rochester, Visitor Berths: Dependent on number Prices: £12 per night including owners of both sailing and motor craft. of vacant berths electricity and VAT Chatham and Gillingham Facilities include a club house, slipway, Facilities: Water and electricity, toilets, VHF: Ch 80 or 37 “Hoo Marina” connect via London Victoria showers, boat and engineering repairs, Phone: 01634 250311 moorings in Hoo Creek and dry storage. as well as the regional Kent The most unusual collection of boats rail services. There are along this stretch of river are moored at regular bus services Port Werburgh, located next to Hoo between Rochester, Marina, and home to 112 intriguing Chatham and Gillingham as vessels including a former gunboat, light well as services from craft, barges, tugs and passenger boats. to Rounding the top of St Mary’s Island Maidstone and . you enter Upnor Reach and soon pass Slipways . The gun fort here was Gillingham Pier’s wide The departure of the left a the edge of St Mary’s Island, and the commissioned in 1559 by Queen concrete slipway is suitable 400 acre site that has been split into opening of Chatham Maritime Marina Elizabeth I to protect the fleet when it for all sizes of trailboats two three areas. The eastern corner, within the former No1 Basin, are early was at anchor in the reaches of the hours either side of high containing one of the three locked signs of the progress being made. The Medway and Chatham Dockyard. Sadly, water. Launching fees vary basins, was handed over to Medway marina can be accessed via a lock at all the castle proved ineffective when according to size of craft. Ports and transformed into a successful states of the tide although the depth Admiral de Ruyter lead a Dutch raid up Port Medway Marina’s commercial dock handling more than over the sill drops to 1.5m at MLWS. the Medway on 12 June 1667. It was slipway can cater for all sizes of trailboats up to one 500 vessels a year. The other two basins, subsequently used as a barracks prior to Hoo Marina and a half hours either side together with their surrounding land, its opening as a museum after WWII. of high water. were allocated to the South East The north shore opposite St Mary’s England Development Agency for Island is home to five of the river’s clubs Chatham Dockyard Books and charts commercial, leisure and residential uses. including the Hundred of Hoo Sailing Further along this reach the covered n Admiralty Leisure Folio Completion of waterside houses along Club, so-called because in Roman slips and preserved warships of The ‘SC5606 Thames Estuary to Tower Bridge’ n Imray ‘2100.3 The Kent Gillingham Marina Berths: 500 Coast River Medway’ Visitor berths: Dependent on the number of n ‘East Coast Rivers vacant berths Cruising Companion’, Janet Facilities: Water and electricity on pontoons, Harber, Nautical Data, showers, toilets, laundry, pump out, 64 ton and £19.95 20 ton boat hoists, chandlery, provisions n ‘East Coast Pilot including an off licence, petrol, diesel and bottled Lowestoft to Ramsgate’ by gas sales, bar and restaurant, on site leisure Colin Jarman, Garth Cooper centre, full boatbuilding facilities including two & Dick Holness, Imray, heated spray booths, helicopter landing pad £19.95 Prices: Tidal basin £1.40 per metre per day n ‘Reeds OKI Eastern including electricity and VAT. Locked basin £2 Almanac’, Adlard Coles per metre per day including electricity and VAT Nautical, £22.99 VHF: Ch 80 “Gillingham Marina Lock” n ‘East Anglian Skipper’s Phone: 01634 280022 Guide’, Sahira Publications, free of charge

Medway Gillingham START 1 5.6 miles 2 8.2 miles Cruising Marina 3 Club Medway buoy Garrison Point Gillingham Pier CRUISING The??????????????? River medway

Historic Dockyard Chatham come into Don’t miss... view. In contrast to the other two parts of the former Naval base, which were Free guided walks The City of Rochester developed in the second half of the 19th Society organises a series century, much of this 80-acre site dates of 90-minute public guided from between 1704 to 1855, forming the tours between Good Friday world’s best-preserved dockyard from and the end of September. the age of sail. They depart the city’s The site will open daily in 2007 from 10 visitor information centre at February to 28 October and weekends 1415 on a Saturday, only in November, before closing for a Sunday, Wednesday and two month shutdown. Visitors are public holidays. Tours are free although donations to advised to allow at least five hours to the society are gratefully appreciate all of the attractions, received. Alternatively, pick although full-priced individual tickets up a leaflet from the city’s are valid for a year from the date of issue, visitor information centre to so if you run out of time you can always follow the Dickens trail come back again. around Rochester to see Highlights include a collection of RNLI the local places that were lifeboats and major exhibits recreating featured within his books the Royal Dockyard of 1758 and such as Restoration describing the 400-year history of the House, Eastgate House and the Guildhall. Naval base. On view is the Victorian sloop HMS Gannet (1878), WWII The destroyer HMS Cavalier (berthed in dry Museum dock on the site where construction of Discover The Duke of Nelson’s flagship HMS Victory began in Wellington’s map of 1759) and the submarine HMS Waterloo at the Royal Ocelot, the last of the 400 Engineers Museum in Gillingham, where you can warships to be built by Small The great keep of towers over the River Medway the dockyard for the craft, such also see Victorian guided Royal Navy. but remember to purchase a England. The castle’s chequered history torpedoes, tanks and a as , can Harrier jump jet among the £1 token before going includes a siege in 1215, when King Rochester get as far as 6000 items displayed ashore to be able get back John brought the south east tower across 25 galleries. At the end of Chatham through the security gate to crashing to the ground, after setting fire Reach, the river winds past your boat. to it using the fat of 40 pigs. The rebuilt Underground tunnels Chatham Ness and the top of The pier is just a short walk from keep provides the perfect backdrop to a Explore the tunnel complex Rochester. Progress beyond the fixed the imposing Rochester Castle. This series of concerts within the grounds of Chatham’s Napoleonic is restricted to those medieval fortress was commissioned in during the summer months. era . craft with an air draft of less than 5.9m. 1087 by Bishop Gundulf, who made use The other landmark to dominate the Boat trips For those wishing to visit the historic of the surviving Roman city walls. Its Rochester waterfront is the equally Leave your boat behind heart of Rochester during daylight towering 34.5m high central keep was historic Rochester Cathedral, which is and take a cruise back in hours, the pier located upstream of commissioned by Archbishop de the second oldest in England, founded time onboard the Rochester Bridge provides an ideal Corbeil in the 12th century and is the by Bishop Justus in 604. Both preserved paddle steamer stopping point. It has 12 free moorings – tallest Norman keep to survive in buildings are a few moments Kingswear Castle. This >> historic vessel was built by Philip & Son of Dartmouth in 1924 and operated Chatham Maritime Marina regularly along the Berths: 310 picturesque River Dart until Visitor berths: 12 1965. The coal-fired paddle Facilities: Water and steamer was electricity on pontoons, subsequently restored by toilets, showers, laundry, the Paddle Steamer 20 ton crane, petrol and Preservation Society. diesel sales, waste During the summer months disposal, WiFi hotspot, she undertakes a Prices: £2.60 including programme of day, VAT and electricity afternoon and evening VHF: Ch80 “Chatham excursions departing from Maritime Marina” either Rochester Pier or the Phone: 01634 899200 Historic Dockyard Chatham.

4 Upnor Chatham 5 Rochester 1.1 miles 2.9 miles Castle Maritime Castle 1.5 miles Chatham Docks Marina Rochester Bridge Rochester Cathedral mbmclub.com January 07 l 87 CRUiSING THE RIVER MEDWAY

Useful numbers Medway Ports harbour master captain Steve Gobbi: 01795 596596 VHF Ch74 Kent Area Office: 01732 223222 Allington Lock Duty Navigation Officer: 01622 752864 Hoo Ness Yacht Club 01634 250052 London seems a world away in leafy Kent Hundred of Hoo Sailing Club walk from the town’s Victorian High battleship HMS Bulwark, to pay their 01634 250102 Upper Medway Medway Yacht Club Street with its restaurants and shops. respects to the 738 members of her 01634 718399 The eight-mile long stretch of river The 100 pontoon berths located ship’s company who were lost when Medway Cruising Club downriver of Rochester Pier belong to she exploded off Burntwick Island, while between the Medway Bridge and 01634 852654 the Rochester Cruising Club (RCC), embarking ammunition on 26 Allington Lock is restricted to motor Medway Motor formed in 1905. Since 1960 RCC has November 1914. The cruise usually boats with low air draught, due to the Yacht Club organised the annual Admiral’s Cruise concludes with the Sunset ceremony constraints imposed by the various 01622 737647 when the Mayor of Medway, who also back at the clubhouse, followed by a fixed bridges. pedestrian Rochester Cruising Club holds the ancient title of Admiral of the champagne reception and buffet. footbridge is the lowest of these 01634 841350 River Medway, inspects the waters Medway Bridge Marina lies structures, with an air draft of 2.87m Wilsonian Sailing Club under his/her jurisdiction. The Admiral’s approximately one and a half miles at mean high water spring. These 01634 250318 Upnor Sailing Club Barge together with the other official upstream of Rochester Bridge, where upper stretches shoal appreciably with 07092 197923 boats are supplied by members of the the view is dominated by the three an average depth of 0.9m to 1.2m at SEGAS Sailing Club club. Joining their craft at Hawkwood bridges that make up the Medway low water. 01634 855365 Stone, the Admiral’s party, which is Viaduct, more commonly known as the From Hawkwood Stone to Allington Port Werburgh usually accompanied by up to 200 Medway Bridge. Two of the bridges Lock, yachtsmen are advised not to sail 01634 252107 boats from the river’s other clubs, makes carry the M2 motorway, while the third too close to the banks, due to a number Rochester Visitor its way to Garrison Point. On the way, will form part of Channel Tunnel high of piles and other obstructions. The 19 Information Centre the fleet pause beside the wreck of the speed rail link. miles of non-tidal waters beyond 01634 843666 Allington Lock come under the The Historic Dockyard Chatham jurisdiction of the Environment Agency. 01634 823800 Port Medway Marina Daily, weekly and monthly short-term Berths: 250 pontoons (due to rise to www.chdt.org.uk crane, 20 ton boat hoist, 16 ton boat licenses can be obtained either from 350 by 2007) Paddle Steamer hoist, bar and restaurant, boat and Allington Lock’s Navigation Officer or Visitor berths: Dependant on the engineering services, chandler’s (to ‘Kingswear Castle’ the Environment Agency’s Kent Area number of vacant berths open March 2007), slipway 01634 827648 Facilities: Water and electricity on Prices: £10 per night including VAT Office. From 1 March to 31 October www.pskc.freeserve.co.uk pontoons, toilets, showers, laundry, two VHF: Ch37 “Port Medway Marina” Allington Lock is operated for two hours Upnor Castle 40m x 7m dry docks, 22 ton mobile Phone: 01634 720033 either side of high water, when those 01634 718742 times fall between 0700 and sunset. The www.medway.gov.uk/ rest of the year the lock is manned for tourism Royal Engineers Museum the same tidal window, providing it 01634 822839 Medway Bridge Marina occurs between 0800 and 1600. With a www.remuseum.org.uk Berths: 100 pontoon berths and minimum of 24 hours’ notice, transits Fort Amherst 75 residential berths outside these hours can be arranged. 01634 847747 Visitor berths: Dependent on Craft drawing less than 1.2m can www.fortamherst.com number of vacant berths reach Tonbridge, although heavy Facilities: Water and electricity flooding causes shoals to develop in on pontoons, toilets, showers, 16 the river, especially downstream of the ton boat hoist, chandlery, petrol, diesel and gas sales, cafe, B&B, 10 locks. It’s not always possible to clear engineering services, boat repairs the shoals before the start of the Prices: £1.30 per metre per night boating season, so visitors should including VAT and electricity proceed with caution when there has VHF: Ch80 “Medway Bridge been any localised flooding. Equally, it’s Marina” worth consulting the Navigation Phone: 01634 843576 Officers at Allington Lock for the total latest information. 46.2 miles 6 Medway Bridge Marina 8 miles 7 19 miles 8 Medway Viaduct Allington Lock Tonbridge 88 l January 07 mbmclub.com