Tour of Hoo Salt Marsh Island.

[Tharlow]

Tour of Hoo Salt Marsh Island.
Bank Holiday Monday 26th May 2014

I am organising a Meridian club trip to visit Hoo Salt Marsh Island in the Medway estuary to see the Hoo Fort, abandoned wrecks,various wildlife and the newly restored Medway Queen paddle steamer,

Chart of the area is here
http://www.visitmyharbour.com/harbours/ ... 2012-chart
This is a short trip of 5 miles but it does involve crossing the shipping lane twice and having the final hour of the incoming tide against us.
Therefore paddlers should be of a 2* standard.
This is an inter-club trip with our friends from Bewl Water and Maidstone Canoe Clubs.


Timetable.

Meet at Boathouse at 09.00 to collect boats and equipment.
Leave at 9.30
Meet at The Strand Car Park, Gillingham, ME 7 1RJ (free parking with toilets and café) at 10.30.
Launch at 11.00.
Cross shipping lane to south of Hoo Island and follow shore east and then to the north.
High Water 11.50.
Continue heading north to the Medway shore at the remains of Cookham Fort for packed lunch at 12.30.
Leave 13.00.
Return to west of Hoo Island then cross shipping lane to Corporation Wharf, Chatham to view restoration of boats.
Return to The Strand slipway by 15.00.
Retire to café for those who want to.
I hope to be back at the boathouse by 16.30.
Low water is at 18.07.

For all enquiries and to let me know you would like to join us, please contact me by the forum or ring Kathryn Moody on 01322 52 49 59 or speak to us at the boathouse on Saturday.

[Tharlow]

Here's one more to add to the itinerary of things to see...
'Octopus spotted in Gillingham Marina by harbourmaster '
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/news ... ina-16444/

Plan to take something to feed it; sandwiches? Pringles? kebabs? ...Giles?
Anyone know what an octopus eats?

[Jules]

I really hope this is the trip we were talking about because I'd like to be there.

[Tharlow]

Good to see a good turn out on this short trip with Kathryn, Julia, Alex and Pete with Matt and Katie from Meridian joining Mark, Richard, Steve from Maidstone.





Old track and sleepers from the island's disused military railway.


Julia enjoying (or so I am told) her first estuary trip...


..with Pete, Matt and Katie making good progress in the open despite the wind.

Time was spent exploring the wrecks used to stop erosion of the salt marsh.




Inside Hoo Salt Marsh


Kathryn exercised her Right of Way by stopping a passing ship.


Very much a day of mixed weather and mixed paddling including paddling across, against and with the tide and quite a few eddies and confluences to deal with.
The only disappointment of the day was the lack of wildlife.
Few birds, no seals and fortunately no sign of the Gillingham octopus which gave me a few sleepless nights.

[Jules]

Great pictures! Thanks Tim