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This was Whitstable Wanderer cruise number three from a series of five, for 2003, kindly organised by WYC members Glenda & Ian Nevill.

Fourteen participants gathered on Sunday morning July 20th in WYC dinghy park for Ian's briefing. They would soon disperse to launch 5 Wanderers [four local and one visiting [us]], we were also to be accompanied by a WYC Laser 'Stratos'.

Our destination, a new one for Ian & Glenda, was to be the beach just past the historic and unusual land mark of 'The Reculver Towers' - a now semi derelict twin towered church standing on the remains of a Roman settlement and once used as a navigations beacon. The distance to this lunch time location was about 6 sea miles.

The 5 Wanderer + 1 Laser fleet departed the foreshore at WYC at 10:10 on an ebbing tide and headed East in a gentle SW F2/3 wind.  The weather was fine and sunny and the temperature was climbing as we set a NW course to avoid the 0.75M long 'Whitstable Street' - a shingle spine projecting due North from the shore.

Everyone settled back in the idyllic sailing conditions to take in the North Kent shoreline views, enjoy the warm weather and chat to other wanderer/laser crews. Soon the remnants of the former Herne Bay Pier came and went to starboard. Just the pier head remains now and an imposing structure it is is now in it's isolation.  As we passed it by it was being used by some jet skiers who circled it at speed. The twin towers of Reculver were now easily seen a further 3 miles distant.

So good was our progress, enabled by the favourable winds and tide, that some of us furled the jib and settled further back into the boats just enjoying the ride.  The Laser 'Stratos'  kept doubling back so as not to creep ahead of the fleet.

The imminent approach of 'Black Rock', an unmarked rocky outcrop close to our intended landing spot and shown with a 1mtr drying height on the chart, snapped us all from a gentle sailing. Calls between boats about its whereabouts, compass bearings and binoculars were all bought into play to ensure that we were safely past this 'threat' before we turned toward the shore for our lunch stop. None of us hit it, but then none of us saw it, we just new that, like Moby Dick, it was lurking beneath us somewhere.

As we all turned off the run and headed for Reculver beach the F3 provided a short but exhilarating reach toward the shore and we all safely glided up to the edge of the shingle. The six boats were left bobbing about on their anchor while we all took up residence for our lunch on the beach under the Reculver Towers church above us.

Some of us went of to explore the surroundings with it's Roman and later history.  En route to the Information centre and facilities we strolled though the grounds close by the remains of the 'Towers' and marvelled at the photos of the two huge timber beacons built, in Victorian times, atop the towers as an aid to navigation along this area of the north Kent coast and Thames estuary.

During our lunch break the tide had turned and it's inevitable but steady advance up the beach had left one or two boats just out of reach on the anchorage! There was nothing for it, in the case of the Laser, but to swim out and climb aboard!

We all departed Reculver at about 14:00 and commenced a 6 mile beat back to Whitstable. Although still warm and with intermittent sun the wind had picked up to F4, as forecast, with occasional gusts to F5 and a short chop was running also to make it 'interesting' and a bit wet.  Some boats hove to and reefed the main, some also furled the jib.  What worked best for us was to sail close into the shore where the wind and waves were both slightly reduced. However all boats returned safely to WYC arriving about 16:30.

As the only visiting boat [W863] we decided to let all the Open Golf traffic and usual M25 Sunday evening 'maddness' subside before setting off for our Sussex homes. After thanking Ian and Glenda and bidding our goodbyes to the others we spent a leisurely couple of hours de-rigging and just soaking up the atmosphere in the lovely town with it's quaint and unspoilt buildings, shops and working harbour.

The glorious evening weather and fabulous sun set helped round off a great day and although we didn't know it at the time, put us in the relaxed frame of mind to survive the horrendous traffic queues waiting for us down the road!

Thanks to Ian & Glenda for organising this series of Whitstable cruises.  The next one is timed [Aug 23rd] to coincide with the Swale Barge Match - should be exciting to get up close to a 80+ft of racing barge in full sail!! Great hospitality from WYC and it's members. This north Kent Wanderer enclave comes highly recommended.

Attending boats and crews:-
 

Report and photos by Terry Pullen & Judy Porter W863 July 26th 2003.