The Quintin Barflies late summer outing this year was a little closer than last year’s trip to Venice but was equally charming in a visit to Queenborough on the Isle of Sheppey, near the mouth of the River Medway. Adrian Ballardie had previously formed a connection with Marco Devereux and Nick Aish, members of Queenborough Rowing Club, and the Barflies were invited to a morning’s pull on the local waters.
Simon Wood was the first on location, staying in a cabin cruiser attached to the Queen Phillippa pub on Saturday night. The remaining nine plus Rosemary Griffiths travelled in groups or independently, arriving at about 9:45 am on a glorious 1st September. Queenborough Rowing Club welcomed our arrival with croissants and tea or coffee before we were sorted into three crews of six: four rowers, a cox and a passenger.
The boats were wheeled along the roads for a short distance from the QRC boatyard to the Hard, a long slipway which stetches out to the low water mark in a tributary of the Medway known as the Swale. Even this reach is many times wider than the Thames at Chiswick and once we ventured out into the Medway any land seemed a long way off. Although the water was relatively calm, there was quite a popple on the surface due to the direction of a strong breeze and the incoming tide. This was in contrast to the smooth water once we entered Shepherds Creek, sheltered by Dead Man’s island. Once out of the creek there was a swift pull through the moored boats and across the navigation channel before arriving back at the Hard – about an hour and a half on the water.
Once the boats were safely stored back in the boatyard there was more tea, coffee and croissants before we retired with Marco and his dogs to “The Old House at Home” pub, situated opposite the Hard, for a well earned pint of ale and a team photograph. Then it was another beer at the “Admiral’s Arm” and a brisk walk to the “Queen Phillippa” for a late lunch.
Many thanks to Adrian Ballardie for organising and to the members of Queenborough Rowing Club for their hospitality. We hope we have encouraged them to make a return visit to Chiswick for a taste of rowing on the upper tidal Thames.
Photographs of the trip may be found at https://quintinboatclub.org/gallery/index.php?ref=3496.
