Queensborough, Isle of Sheppey
May 3, 2022
HM 180. Queenborough and the Isle of Sheppey
Deadman's Island, Slaughterhouse Point, Smugglers Gut.... the local names give away the flavour of this area. It is easy to imagine Tudor naval hulks resting on the expansive mud, full of Napoleonic POWs.
This little known part of England on the north coast of Kent has quietly watched over the entrance to the Thames for centuries. At the NW tip of the Isle, Sheerness houses an active commercial port, but it is Queenborough Harbour where the visiting sailor lands...... oh... and Dutch invaders in 1667.
Dividing the Isle from the mainland is a very tidal stretch of water called The Swale. Neither a river nor an estuary, it is a 17 miles arm of the sea, rather like the Menai Strait. Before it silted up, it was one of the main routes to London and gave nearby Sittingbourne and Faversham much trade. Now it is a quiet cruising ground for yachts happy to enter (very) shallow waters.
From miles away, a high bridge looms above the bird filled marshes. In fact two bridges, a fixed high road bridge and next to it, something which looks like it belongs to a model railway set - a combined road and rail vertical lifting bridge (photo 5) - the only kind in the UK and great fun to sail under.
Queenborough is a Community Interest Company harbour which is unusual. A CIC exists to benefit the community rather than private shareholders. Looking after the harbour is an unusual HM, David Lavender. 30 years a policeman both on land and water but he also worked for the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) supervising fishing quotas and licenses as well as marine planning. Have you ever wondered who controls "planning" on the water - building new quays, jetties, piles and sea defences? The MMO does, and as part of DEFRA it has wide ranging powers ... another post I think!
Thank you David for hosting Good Dog and her crew, another very different harbour and adventurous sailing ground that I can highly recommend.
Deadman's Island, Slaughterhouse Point, Smugglers Gut.... the local names give away the flavour of this area. It is easy to imagine Tudor naval hulks resting on the expansive mud, full of Napoleonic POWs.
This little known part of England on the north coast of Kent has quietly watched over the entrance to the Thames for centuries. At the NW tip of the Isle, Sheerness houses an active commercial port, but it is Queenborough Harbour where the visiting sailor lands...... oh... and Dutch invaders in 1667.
Dividing the Isle from the mainland is a very tidal stretch of water called The Swale. Neither a river nor an estuary, it is a 17 miles arm of the sea, rather like the Menai Strait. Before it silted up, it was one of the main routes to London and gave nearby Sittingbourne and Faversham much trade. Now it is a quiet cruising ground for yachts happy to enter (very) shallow waters.
From miles away, a high bridge looms above the bird filled marshes. In fact two bridges, a fixed high road bridge and next to it, something which looks like it belongs to a model railway set - a combined road and rail vertical lifting bridge (photo 5) - the only kind in the UK and great fun to sail under.
Queenborough is a Community Interest Company harbour which is unusual. A CIC exists to benefit the community rather than private shareholders. Looking after the harbour is an unusual HM, David Lavender. 30 years a policeman both on land and water but he also worked for the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) supervising fishing quotas and licenses as well as marine planning. Have you ever wondered who controls "planning" on the water - building new quays, jetties, piles and sea defences? The MMO does, and as part of DEFRA it has wide ranging powers ... another post I think!
Thank you David for hosting Good Dog and her crew, another very different harbour and adventurous sailing ground that I can highly recommend.