Thames approaches

[Julian Porter]

Is anyone here familiar with the Medway and Thames approaches?

[Justin Greig]

Hi Julian - my cruisng experience is very limited so I'm not super qualified to comment, but I have done a fair bit of sailing in the Medway, and my mooring is on the Swale so here goes: I think the first reasonably sheltered mooring you come to after rounding North Foreland is in the Swale near Harty Ferry. This is quite a popular mooring for yachts visiting from the East Coast and is sheltered except in Easterlies. The Shiprights Arms at Hollowshore is a great place to eat and Faversham (up nearby Faversham Creek) is well worth a visit (but note the creek is a bit awkward as it dries). Further up the Swale, Queensborough is a bit run down but the harbour is a pleasant refuge. If you were planning a visit to Chatham dockyard (which is worth doing) I'd pause here and take the train, rather than sail up the Medway which is a bit bleak.
https://www.visitmyharbour.com/harbours ... faversham/