Chiltern Grapevine Issue 41
Mad Dogs and Briceys Go Sailing the English Channel In January You must be mad, was the comment that summed it all up from our friends when we told them that we were going sailing in the English Channel in mid-January, with a weather forecast that was not too good, the coldest weather for 3 years was on its way. The Tall Ships Youth Trust of which we are supporters provides training for youngsters in life skills, teamwork and the disciplines required for ocean sailing. So what are a couple of oldies doing on a youth boat? Well, during the winter season they run these voyages for adults who pay for the privilege to crew these Yachts in icy waters, so raising funds to subsidise youth sailing. It is something we wanted to do for some time, we missed an opportunity last year, so when we heard they were recruiting a crew for a return voyage from the London Boat Show for a 5 day Channel voyage returning to her home port at Portsmouth we jumped at it; well it’s not often that one gets the opportunity to crew a thoroughbred racing yacht like this. The Challenger yachts were designed by Chay Blyth for the BT Global Challenge Yacht Races, they are big 72 ft. long with 2.1m keel, steel built with massive sails, not the lightest of ocean racers, but built to endure long distance and severe weather. 10am Sunday St Catherine’s Dock, we meet up with the Yacht and the other 11 members of the Crew, a familiarisation tour of the The night watch vessel and H&S briefing ready to sail at midday high tide. The weather was bright and cold but thankfully not raining for our journey down the Thames to our first destination, an overnight mooring at Queenborough on the Isle of Sheppey at the mouth of the River Medway. Through the Barrier we sailed under the Queen Elizabeth Bridge, our mast was so high it looked as though this might be a problem (but of course it had sailed in this way a few days ago). As we travelled, the Thames estuary getting widCont’d on page 6
Chiltern Branch Newsletter April 2015 www.waterways.org.uk/chiltern