Gillingham To Strood Sunday 22th May.

[Tharlow]

I am organising a trip to the Russian Submarine moored at Strood from The Strand, Gillingham.
This trip is similar to the Discover Your Estuary Trail No 4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VD2NKBt1n9M
except we are not visiting Hoo Salt Marsh (we shall do that on a later trip) but continue past Chatham to Strood .
Photos from the last trip can be found at
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1255&start=10

Timetable.
We will meet at the boathouse at 09.00.
Load boats and leave at 09.30.
Arrive at The Strand Car Park (free parking, toilets and café), Gillingham, ME7 1TT at 10.15.
Launch at 11.

A chart of the trip can be found at
http://www.visitmyharbour.com/harbours/ ... 2012-chart
Once launched we will cross the shipping lane and head eastwards to Hoo Ness then continue to the northern shore of the Medway at Port Werburgh.
We then follow the northern shore passing Cookham Wood Fort remains, the various yacht clubs and Upnor Castle until we reach Strood where there are steps for us to get out and eat our packed lunches.
This is a 5 mile paddle.
HW is at 14:01 and we will set off soon afterwards.
We will cross the Medway to the southern shore and follow it along past Sun Pier, The Historic Dockyard, Chatham, Chatham Lock Gates and Corporation Wharf where we can view the paddle steamer The Medway Queen and the preserved Lightship.
Then onwards to The Strand where I hope to land about 16:30.
This is shorter at 4.5 miles.
We then return to the boathouse to unload boats and leave by 17:30.
LW Chatham is at 20:07

The trip is 5 miles to Strood and 4.5 miles to return making a total of 9.5 miles.

Paddlers should be of a 2* standard for this trip.
This is an inter-club trip with our friends from Bewl Water and Maidstone Canoe Clubs.

If you have any questions either post them here or ask me at the ask on Saturday mornings.

If you are using club equipment, please book asap at:-
viewtopic.php?f=39&t=1478

[Martin Boardman]

Tim,
25th May 2016 is a Wednesday on my calendar?

[Tharlow]

It's also on mine!
Should read Sunday 22nd May 2016.
Have checked tides and changed above.

[Martin Boardman]

22nd clashes with the WWSR course, so not able to make that one.

[Jules]

I can make this trip, please book me on.

[Tharlow]

Arrived at The Strand and was met by 10 members of Bewl Water and Maidstone Canoe Clubs together with settled but overcast weather with the Medway having fewer waves than Danson Lake the day before!


This was Sadrine's first touring trip and proved to be a competent paddler with lots of stamina for the 9.5 mile trip.





With no waves to contend with and the tide behind us, we easily reached the steps at Strood for lunch and being near the high water time exit was quite easy.....and mud free.


Returning was again a relaxed paddle giving us time to look at Chatham Dockyard.




Finally, The Meridian Girls couldn't resist posing for this one!