read more

This section deals with the River Medway from Gillingham up to Rochester Bridge. As opposed to the first section of the Medway which appears to be a vast open expanse of water at high tide, in this section the River is far more confined.

In this section also there are many facilities for a visiting yachtsman, including three marinas plus several boatyards and clubs. The scenery varies from depressingly industrial to pleasantly rural on the northern banks. Navigation is straightforward but shipping is still encountered, although not of the size found nearer to Sheerness.

A yacht will find its progress blocked by the bridge at Rochester, but motorboats can carry on as far as Allington, and then via locks as far as Maidstone. This part of the Medway is covered in a separate article.

The area has a history deeply interwoven with the Navy, with the huge Chatham dockyards that once built and refitted ships. Some details are provided in the history section. The Dutch once sailed up the River and gave the Navy perhaps the biggest drubbing it's ever had... details of this are in the history section attached to Medway 1, covering the entrance at Sheerness to Gillingham Reach.

With the Navy dockyards only closing in the 80s, there is an abundance of skilled nautical workers in the general area. Certainly in the 90s it was possible to get just about any kind of work done on a big heavy boat, from dry docking to repairs and fabrications.

All normal town facilities can be found in Gillingham and Rochester, with town facilities on the other bank being a bit thinner on the ground. ... read more

read more

Approaches from the sea to this area have already been covered in the article called Medway 1, which deals with the approach to Sheerness, and from Sheerness as far as Gillingham Reach.

From Folly Point (westwards of which there is a 6 kn speed limit) the buoyed channel runs westwards with Hoo Island to the North and Gillingham Marshes to the South. Shortly after passing the red can buoy No. 28 (Fl.R.5s), which you leave to port you will come to the first yachting facility.

Pilotage information: ... read more

read more

Marina facilities are covered (with prices) in the order you come across them from the sea, Gillingham Marina, Hoo Marina, and Chatham Maritime Marina. There are other mooring facilities around this area for longer term customers, esp. those who can take the ground.

Unless you have a small boat able to take the ground, there is no real opportunity for anchoring in the area described, as the channel is too narrow. A bilge keeler could take the ground in the area to the south of Hoo Marina after a bit of a recce at low water.

Gillingham Marina. ... read more

read

read

read

read

read