Tag: Faversham (Page 1 of 2)

Spring Maintenance

New kitchen; Pic by Ian Ruffles

New kitchen; Pic by Ian Ruffles

Today’s pics are both by Ian Ruffles. You can see that the winter has been fruitfully spent changing the galley area around, extending the worktops and cupboards. This to help make the galley more fit for creating the large amounts of servings of, for example, breakfast when the bigger parties of sail trainees are on board.

The poly-tunnel part of our winter work, though, is nearly done and Dave Brooks has posted this following call to arms to anyone who would like to help as we uncover the barge and get her fit again for sailing.

Dave writes ….

“We are now 5 weeks from leaving Faversham for the dry dock at Oare Creek. We have achieved quite a lot in the close season but now is the time for making the barge look the smartest she has been since she first left Faversham in 2011. This is the proposed schedule for the following weekends.

28/1. Painting Sprit, Inner Rails, Windlass (all buff)? Deck (blue) This needs to be concentrated on the foredeck back to the fore horse so that the Poly Tunnel can be disassembled and stacked neatly later.

7/8 Mar. Dressing Sails (Ian to confirm location) On the barge. More painting as above moving aft.

14/15 Mar. Dressing Sails if overrun or postponed due to weather from last week.On the barge Continue painting as before. Wheelhouse and iron work. Begin rigging out.

21/22 Mar. Removal of Poly-tunnel. Rigging out

28/29 Mar. Possibly moving to Oare. Gear Up.

Will advise what can be done at Oare after consultation with shipwrights.

Desperately need bodies for all these weekends. Please beg wives, girlfriends, family and friends to come and help, and pass on to anybody I have missed.
Please advise if you can make any of the dates.”

 

Mark Grimwade anchor, pic by Ian Ruffles

Mark Grimwade anchor, pic by Ian Ruffles

Meanwhile some bad news and some good news. It seems we have been broken into again and (reports Ian Ruffles) “Unfortunately yesterday when we arrived at the barge to continue our galley painting, we found the barge had been broken into again. As you can imagine us at Cambria Trust together with our volunteers this year who have worked so hard to get her ready for the new season are feeling quite upset, this has now put us behind in our preparations, so as per Dave’s post if you can give some spare time to help us that would be much appreciated.”  Stolen was the Flat Screen TV, the Surveillance box, laptop, hand held radio, money and, for some reason, a box of Weetabix. On the good news front, a gent called Mark Grimwade has let us have (back) an old anchor sold to him in the 50s by Cap’n Bob Roberts for use as part of a mooring at Pinmill. Thanks Mark!

 

Date for your Diaries

Nautical Festival

Nautical Festival. Poster borrowed from Facebook feed of Griselda Cann-Mussett

A date for your diary if you can be anywhere near our home port of Faversham in July, the 2014, this year’s Faversham Nautical Festival. This is once more the product of the Kentish Sail Association and takes place on Sat/Sun the 12th and 13th of July. More info on the Kentish Sail website, to which I will put a link on our Useful Links page.

Restoration Video Now on Sale

Cambria's Hold during Restoration (Dec 2010)

Cambria’s Hold during Restoration (Dec 2010); Picture by Matt Care

Tonight I bring you news of a HUGE treat which you might like to avail yourselves of.  Thanks mainly to Mark Chapman you can now buy aboard, for the very attractive price of just £10 a DVD of the Restoration of Cambria. Throughout the build and before, Mark was frequently all over the barge armed with a video camera and has hours (probably days, even weeks!) of footage starting as the old hull was towed in her lighter from Sheerness to Faversham, of her poly tunnel cover being erected, of the dismantling stages and new framing. It continues through the finishing, painting, and then Flotation Day, rigging and then first charters and races back at sea.

 

I loved watching this for this review and it brought back so many memories of first frames, deadwoods, keelson, carlings, deck beams and all the other bits we saw coming together over the 3 and a bit years of the project. I am, however, in a bit of a compromised position about giving this a fair review as it is my voice on the commentary. Obviously, I think it’s good, but I know I was really only the ‘guinea pig’ used to get some kind of sensible commentary down on tape. The real intention was to get a choice of far more knowledgeable, experienced and expert voices on this job but (no names, no pack drill) in the end none of these folk could commit to the time, so Mark has gone with my comments. I have had some generous feedback since; it seems that folk like my non-technical, simplistic style because I explain things well to non-experts. I think that’s a compliment; it might mean I am a dunce!

 

Either way, you get for your £10, 54 minutes of lovely footage with plenty of skilled work and lovely baulks of wood to linger over. Mark got literally everywhere – in, under, between, over and round the ends. You see the pitiful state of the old structure and see it transformed into the gorgeous barge we know today.

AND THAT’S NOT ALL!

Mark has added at the end a series of “Bonus Features” which are themselves, well worth a look and a lovely thing to have in your own private records and archives of barging.

These are, in order

  1. (6 minutes) The early footage from Seven Seas film “When the Wind Blows” which features Cambria in the opening credits, has some stuff about London Docks in the old days and then commentator AP Herbert talks us around a working model of a sailing barge. This is in The Queen’s English as you’d expect but APH amusing drops into trying to ‘do the accents’ when talking about the “topsail, or torps’l as ‘they’ used to call it”
  2. (11 minutes) Of film shot by Mark on board the Cambria as she was making her way up the Thames for the Jubilee Pageant. As well as shots of Cambria from the decks, including a nice bit looking up through the rigging as they went under QE2 Bridge (Dartford), you see some of the other vessels making their way up river, including an MTB and a ‘Vic’ boat. We also go under Tower Bridge (towed, if I remember correctly, by the tug which then went on to pull the bell-ringer carillon vessel in the Parade of Ships) and there is nice footage of SB Cygnet crewed in period costume.
  3. (26 minutes) My absolute favourite bit of this whole DVD! There is a long section from Mark’s archive (which came to him from the late Chris Chipchase, former Cambria Volunteer) of Captain Bob Roberts chatting away to the camera and recordist as he and Dick Durham (then 18) sail Cambria in the Orwell, delivering cattle cake and then heading for Pin Mill for his daughter’s wedding. I regret that I cannot currently tell you where this film came from and I am checking with Mark, but when I do find out I will edit this post accordingly. Bob chats away for the whole time about barging and sailing generally as well as expressing his sadness at modern changes and the fading out of his days-of-sail lifestyle. He talks about Nelson and the naming of the Medusa Channel, of how he (Bob) won a Choristers’ Scholarship to Grammar School, and of how, when told to smear cold tallow on 700 eggs so that they would keep in the ship’s provisions store, he took a shortcut, heated the tallow and dipped the eggs in hot, cooking the eggs and making them go off. He talks of the variety of tasks a bargeman would need to be able to do and of his trips to the Americas during the Great Depression lay-ups. We see the barge being unloaded of the cattle cake. He talks proudly of the Orwell and its fame – of his daughter’s wedding to come, of the big houses on the river banks once owned by the likes of Admiral Vernon who introduced ‘grog’ to the Navy. He bemoans the appearance of slab-sided “ugly” container ships and recounts yarns about smugglers. In one pub a sign of a cat was put up to announce the all-clear (No Pussy, No Sail, he says). One old boy had his wife buried face down because she’d threatened to scrabble up out of the grave if he went with another woman after her death – he thought she’d scrabble down deeper by mistake and he’d avoid the haunting. There were also stories of smugglers using Shotley Church (Shotley Church without no steeple; Drunken Parson, wicked people!). At the end he is a bit rude about us, the new barging ‘amateurs’ (They need to earn their bread and butter under sail; then they’d know what life is about!) but I understand that is just Bob’s jaundiced style. All in all it is a brilliant film. Bob is talking most of the time while frequently looking away from camera at sea or sails and turning the wheel this way and that. We see Dick scrambling nimbly up the rigging at one stage, too.

That is about enough on that one – I seem to have got carried away! As I said, £10 very well spent, and currently available on board or through the shop.

Faversham Stories

It is a bit of a Faversham based post today starting with the fact that I have now received and been able to watch my copy of the latest film by Mike Maloney of ‘Red Sails’ fame; this one called Visions of a Creek. In this, which was never intended originally as a DVD for sale they tell the story of the controversial saga of Faversham’s Standard Quay being pretty much closed down as a barge-repair and maintenance centre (all be it we may see it retained as a safe haven for mooring in winter). It also discusses the current efforts to repair and reinstate the swing bridge which gives access to large craft to the Upper Basin and the project to establish the old gasworks Purifier Building as a  venue for Marine Trades and related apprenticeships. Well worth a look if you can get hold of a copy. I think there were a limited number made; I bought mine through Mike’s Countrywide Productions website (link from our useful links tab).

Faversham Nautical Festival stand

Faversham Nautical Festival stand manned by Hannah and Miranda Pihama with Cathy, Mark and Kess Chapman; Pic by Griselda Cann-Mussett

Earlier I advertised the Faversham Nautical Festival as a ‘date for your diary’. This has now happened this weekend and by the look of all the pictures on Facebook, many by Nathalie Banaigs, it was a bright, warm sunny event well supported by folks clad in summer wear. I have now had from Griselda Cann-Mussett (Faversham Creek Trust) a lovely picture of our own effort, the manning of the Cambria Trust Shop by (pictured here), Hannah and Miranda Pihama with Cathy, Kes and Mark Chapman. Nice to see you all, guys and well done on keeping on the Volunteer bit. It must have been nice to do a bit in warm sunshine for a change.

Notice of AGM

The New Cabin in Cambria's hold under construction

The New Cabin in Cambria’s hold under construction, Picture by Dave Brooks.

From the Trust today comes notice of our AGM. This is your chance as a ‘stake holder’ in the barge and her goings on, to have your say in how she is run and what we are doing with her. You will also be able to meet and greet the Trust officials and hear reports on the Financial Situation and the state of play of Cambria (The Business).

Boss of Volunteers, Basil Brambleby, wearing his Company Secretary hat, has the following….

Notice for the 4th Annual General Meeting

To be held on 21st April 2013 at 12 noon

In London River House, Port of London Authority,

Royal Pier Road, Gravesend DA12 2BG

Business to include:

Minutes of A G M 2012

Report on years activities

Adoption of Accounts

Election of Officers

A.O.B.

Copies of the Appropriate Minutes, Accounts, and Agenda will be available.

 

If you are able to attend, please advise me by e-mail: cambriatrustsecretary@live.co.uk  Or by ‘phone: 01634 710721


Various public parking  areas are nearby.


Best regards,

Basil Brambleby, Company Secretary

Meanwhile, Dave Brooks, in Facebook, reports that, “Cambria leaves Faversham this afternoon for a shakedown sail and then on Monday she is under charter to Sea Change. She will spend a short time at Maldon and then comes back to Gravesend ready for Rotary charters. It is expected that Cambria will spend her time mainly at Gillingham and Gravesend. Any body wishing to see Cambria racing this season can do so at the Medway ,Thames , and Colne Matches. Other races may be added. Watch this space fro dates and info.”

Thanks Gents.

Call to Arms

Black bags

Duvets and bedding stowed below in black bags in a cabin to keep dry. Picture by Basil Brambleby

As our picture shows, it’s not all getting cold and wet, struggling with ropes in a force 8. Cambria is now back in Faversham and being snugged down ready for the winter. This post is a call to arms for any Volunteers who have time over the various weekends to come and help out including doing this simple cleaning, tidying and stowing, in this case, the bedding into dry black bin liners to keep them from the damp through the cold months. The rigging has all been lowered after the sails were unfurled on a sunny day to let them all dry, so that the working sails could all be ‘unbent’ from the spars. The gear will then be raised again less the sails and will stay up for the winter, the lowering also having given us a chance to check the blocks and fittings which are normally 70+ feet above the decks. Skipper Ian Ruffles has been on hand to manage these operations.

If you would like to volunteer for any of these duties – cleaning, snugging, painting etc please either come on down to Standard Quay in Faversham, or email us on CambriaTrustSecretary@live.co.uk

 

 

Painting Volunteers Needed

Webbing

Webbing; Picture by Matt Care

It’s that time of year again. Now that the barge is back in Faversham for the winter we have a need again for pairs of hands to do a bit of painting. Please if you have an hour or so free on any weekends through the winter, join our happy crew and come down to help get the barge ready for the next season. You can contact us via the email address (CambriaTrustSecretary@live.co.uk) or, if you’re in the area, come down to Standard Quay and hail somebody aboard (“Oy! Cambria!” generally works!). There’s generally a small group of happy chatty folk at it and some breaks for tea and cake. This can be ruffty-tuffty painting, outdoors in the cold wind, or it can be more like house decorating down below decks gliding a nice coat of gloss onto a galley wall. For a week or so we will also be in the dry dock so there will be a chance of some barnacle scraping and anti-foul slapping down below on the flat bottom, if you’re feeling more extreme, but nobody will insist you do anything you are not comfortable with. We can also cope with sessions outside of the weekend under some circumstances. Give it a go! The Cambria thrives on Volunteer help and you would know that you had been there and done that!

One Final Charter

Gravesend Chart

Gravesend Chart; Picture by Matt Care

Cambria is now getting readied for her final charter (as far as we know at present) of 2012. These last three are the Young Carer ones sponsored by The Rotary Club, the first two (now completed) were skippered by Ian Ruffles, the final one this weekend will have our Master Shipwright, Tim Goldsack in charge. After the weekend sail they will finish up in Faversham where the barge will be prepared for winter and any maintenance she requires. In all three charters the Crew has been our old friends Denis Johnson and Shipwright Ryan Dale both of whom are, by all accounts, thoroughly enjoying the experience and getting used to the role and very good at it. It’s no easy thing sailing a barge anyway and to mentor the sail trainees and keep them safe and well at the same time while ensuring they enjoy the break is an achievement worth ticking off on your CV. Well done to all four of you guys. You are part of the Trust’s pride in our old girl and the good works she is currently involved in.

 

Once she’s in Faversham, of course, the usual opportunities will start up to try a bit of volunteering yourselves. We use volunteers for all kinds of tasks from tidying and cleaning to painting and to showing members of the public around the barge, selling merchandise to polishing the brasses, helping with lowering the ‘gear’ and messing with rigging. It can be hard work (if you want it to be) or it can be simply “messing about in boats”. If you are interested in getting involved, contact either Secretary Dave Brooks, or Company Secretary Basil Brambleby, both on CambriaTrustSecretary@live.co.uk . Give it a go!

New Roof!

Good progress on the Purifier Building on Faversham Creek, new home for a Maritime Trades Apprenticeship scheme and workshop, organised by the Faversham Creek Trust, whose website today carries a picture of the new roof. This is, I think, the old metal frames of the old roof taken down, restored and repaired, then re-installed and a new skin put on.

New roof on

New roof on the Purifier building in Faversham, photo buy the Faversham Creek Trust.

There is a nice comment from one Chris Marshall which reads “I can’t help being impressed by how much progress is being made in renovating the Purifier Building. It is also becoming apparent what a handsome building it is now that the windows have been unblocked. Keep up the good work!”. We quite agree, CM!

Meanwhile, good luck to all the barges competing in the Swale Match today. If you are a Facebook-er like we are, look up Faversham’s ace photographer, artist and organiser of the 365 Year-in-the-Life picture exhibitions, Nathalie Banaigs, who has some superbly atmospheric early morning pictures from Harty Ferry where she was dropping off some friends to join their barge for the race. They are pictured wading out through a flat calm in beautiful pale grey light, with them and the withies and boats all creating striking reflections. Lovely pictures, Nathalie. You don’t always need red sails to make a good ‘barge’ picture.

Orinoco Storm

Orinoco Storm; Storm over Sheppy pictured from SB Orinoco

Orinoco Storm; Storm over Sheppey pictured from SB Orinoco

I was impressed by this fantastic photo taken by one of the Crew on SB Orinoco (Sorry, not sure who) who captioned it “Thunderstorm rolling over Sheppey whilst we sit in the sunshine.” Orinoco have kindly allowed me to reproduce it here. Orinoco are, of course, old friends and fellow Faversham-based bargemen. I do not think they have their own website, but they do have a Facebook presence as http://www.facebook.com/SBOrinoco . Nice one guys. I hope you didn’t get rained on.

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