Skipper Ian

Rick Martin clambers out along the Bowsprit Net, Pic provided by Rick

Like any other business we have to keep our customers happy so I am delighted today to be able to bring you some good feedback right from the sharp end. One of the lads on a recent Rotary sponsored, sail training charter has very generously written us the piece attached describing his adventures. He is Rick Martin (12) and he has also emailed us some nice pictures, one of which I used in a post recently and this one of Rick himself clambering out along the bow sprit nets (brave man!) I am using today. The article is, I am sure you will find, a brilliant piece of work and I am going to let Rick speak for himself.

Rick Martin writes…

“I was looking forward to going on board SB Cambria on September the 27th because I live near the river and see lots of ships coming and going but I had only ever been on a ferry and knew it would be a lot different. I enjoy outdoor activities and being away from home isn’t new for me.

When we arrived I finally saw how big SB Cambria actually was and I thought it was MASSIVE and had itchy feet desperate to get on board. Within the first few minutes on board I was learning new things like going down the stairs backwards. From there on I was learning non-stop. Some things were more important than others like how Skipper Ian likes his tea (every 20 minutes, milk and no sugar!).

Sorting out and adjusting life jackets was a very IMPORTANT job. To start with it felt weird with the life jacket on but I soon got used to it. Next job was wet weather gear, this was very funny as everything was too big for me – the only large things about me are my mouth and appetite! However on the positive side after all it would keep me dry.

My first meal on board was dinner and it was very tasty. It was nice to get to know everyone as we sat around the table to eat. Then we had to muck in washing and drying up, this was no problem to me as I have to help out at home with the chores. The tide was not right so we set the sails so we could set sail in the morning, this was challenging and hard work but lots of FUN. After that is was bedtime.

I woke up and had to pull SB Cambria along the pier wall so we could finally set sail. It was very challenging even with 7 of us but we had to all work together otherwise it was not going to budge. As we headed out into open water it was breakfast time (mmm bacon baps) and tea for the first time we felt the movement of the water beneath us, I thought we might have heard the water lapping against the sides but we didn’t, instead the peace was broken by Skipper Ian shouting orders!

During the next few days we did some fun things and some things that were vital to make the boat move. Some of the fun things were climbing the mast and out to the very front (both were a long way when I only have little legs), being in the row boat – rowing (phew hard work but only going round in circles !!!) and using the motor (mmm very nice !!!!), using spare tear-drop shaped rubber fenders as space hoppers, a knot race and Playing cards. The jobs we were encouraged to do were “Leo” (turning) and then tacking, steering (quite hard), raising and lowering the sail, raising anchor (hard work and messy hands), listening to the radio (shipping not music), looking out front for buoys (not boys) to avoid. There were some jobs we had to do like washing the decks. My favourite thing was “Leo” (turning) and then tacking because it was a lot of fun and you had to be quick. My least favourite thing aboard was washing the decks even though we used fire fighter hoses. I was determined to prove being smallest was not a problem and do everything on board as I wanted to make the most of my time on SB Cambria. I saw some AMAZING sites like seeing the Montgomery with its 2 rings of buoys around it. The first ring acted as a warning ring but the second as an offence ring because of the amount of explosives on board. We were lucky with the weather as it gave us lovely sun rises and sun sets.

I was sad to go home but made the most coming back to shore by dough-nutting in the little boat as I was given the chance to drive it. All in all it was a FANTASTIC weekend and I would love to have the experience again but do more sailing instead of as many activities. I am really grateful to all who give their time to make sure SB Cambria is available to allow others like me the experience of being on board. It really is a truly amazing experience. Thank you all.”

Thank you, Rick!

Cambria drifts aft from Gillingham Pier on the dolly line. Picture by Dave Brooks.

The following update on Cambria’s movements comes from Dave Brooks. We must also thank Dave for this lovely pic of Cambria leaving Gillingham Pier under sail power. The barge is here being allowed to drift aft on the tide while the dolly line, controlled by those new-start sail trainees from Rotary Club, keep the bow on station. When the bow has cleared the pier and the tops’l simultaneously set, the line is let go at the Pier and reeled in and the bow drops to starb’d to let the sail fill with wind. The crew quickly brail out some mains’l and we are under way. The trainees have her under sail, partly by their own efforts, within seconds of casting off which is always a complete thrill for them, and is poetry in motion for anyone on the quayside.

Dave’s update reads, “We have just completed a series of successful Rotary charters and have also competed in and won our class in the Medway Barge Match. We have also experimented with a new berth at Gillingham Pier and it has been a great success. It is really something to watch the barge arrive and leave under sail. We are very fortunate to have an extremely good crew as it takes a lot of skill to do this in an engineless barge.

We are also very pleased to welcome our new third hand Reggie who has been learning the skills of barging from Skipper Ian and Mate Dennis and coming on really well. He is also a big hit with the kids on the Rotary charters.
Cambria will now be going off on her Sea Change Charter and she will be competing in the Gravesend to Pin Mill Passage Match next Saturday. She will also be competing in the 150th Thames Barge Match which has additional significance that it is the Mark Boyle Memorial Match who sadly died late last year. Mark was instrumental in the Thames Barge Match and also in the Cambria rebuild. The match is on the 13th July and can ben seen from Pier Road Gravesend and at the finish at Erith.
It is expected that Cambria will be at Pin Mill again on the 5/6th July to be prepared for the above race.
A few changes going ahead with Cambria’s programme. She was expected to be in the Colne Match but has not been able to get a charter. She will now be entering the 50th Southend Barge Match (25th Aug). The whole match can be viewed from the end of the pier. We may have limited space available for the match. We will also be entering Swale Barge Match (3rd Aug) will advise of spaces for this match as I have the information.

Will advise of further activity later”

Thanks for that and for the photo(s), Dave.

Tag: Skipper Ian

The Customer is King

Movements update