Medway 2, Gillingham Reach to Rochester Bridge, inc the Marinas

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

The entrance to Gillingham Marina can be identified by a large cream coloured building situated just to the west of it's lock gates. Berths can be had here in a locked inner basin or just a bit further on in the tidal basin. Full details will be given shortly.

The River starts to swing to the North West, and you will see the entrance to the docks lying almost ahead of you, and between Gillingham Marina and the docks there is a timber pier, followed by an inlet. This is a Gillingham Pier, and the inlet contains a slipway, some moorings and facilities. This is covered more fully a bit later.

Past the entrances to the ship docks, the River trends northwest for a while with the south-westerly bank following the dock walls. Once past Hoo Island on your starboard side there is a fairly large expanse of drying mud outside of the main River. The deepwater is defined by heavy mooring buoys on your starboard side and yacht moorings on your port side at this point.

Hoo Marina, the second yachting facility you will come to lies across these mudflats to the North.

In November 2013 the adjacent Port Werburgh took over this marina and at the moment has no facilities for visiting yachts. These notes on how to get in there have been left on our site for interest and in case they reverse that policy some time in the future.

It can either be accessed directly across the mudflats given a sufficient rise of the tide, or through a twisting little gutway marked in yellow or the chart. This is known locally as the Orinoco channel, and has significantly more water than trying to go across the mud.

The start of this channel is identified by a small unlit westerly cardinal buoy lying just inside the trot of heavy craft moorings, and it is marked by withies. This Marina can also be accessed via a small marked channel that runs around the North of Hoo Island, also marked on the chart. Access to this channel from the East is in the region of the green conical buoy Darnett No. 23 which is in the main River Medway just off this chart. (See Medway 1 article). Just to the South West of this buoy you will find a small unlit green buoy No.1, and generally westerly course with a touch of North will bring you to the small unlit red can buoy West Hoo No.2 which is on the chart.

This channel also gives access to Whitton Marine via West Hoo Creek.

If heading for Hoo Marina via this route let the chart be your guide and follow the channel round with one eye on the depth sounder. It is important to identify the beacons marking the gap in the causeway and pass between them. Once past these beacons head South West towards the unlit westerly cardinal buoy lying just away from the heavy craft moorings. About halfway there you can swing hard to starboard picking up the Orinoco Channel mentioned above, marked by withies.

This channel may look a little tricky and unpromising, but I have taken a 60 ton MFV through the middle channel and up the drying West Hoo Creek to the facilities of Whitton Marine more than once..

More about Hoo Marina follows.

Assuming you are pushing on towards Rochester and not diverting, your path up River is fairly clear and easy to follow from now on. It is well marked by buoyage and also significant numbers of small craft moorings on either side.

As you pass through Cockham Reach you will see industrial dockyard type scenery to port and more pleasant wooded scenery to starboard. The River bends round to port while on your starboard side amongst the small craft moorings you will have passed the Medway Yacht Club, the village of Lower Upnor with Upnor Sailing Club and thrusting out into the River, Upnor Jetty. This is Upnor Reach, and it heads south with a touch of West as far as Chatham.

Again, the run of the River is defined by the small craft moorings on either side. Opposite Upnor Castle and Upper Upnor Village on your starboard side you will see the lock at the entrance to Chatham Maritime Marina. It has traffic lights, and a newish looking building with a little clock tower on top.

This MDL Marina is formed within the old dockyard, and access is by the above-mentioned lock. There is 24-hour access for boats of 1.5 m draft or less, and the lock remains open for free flow at certain times. Full details of this facility will be given shortly.

From here through to Rochester Bridge there is very little in the way of facilities for yachts or leisure craft. There is a facility calling itself Victory Marina on the port side just past the entrance to Chatham marina; we rang to enquire if they take visiting boats and were told that they did if they have space but they refused to give any further information. If planning to pass under the bridge which has an air draft of 5.4 m at HWS (obviously a bit more at lower tides) it is simply a matter of continuing up River, which now becomes far more industrialised.

Continue South down Chatham Reach, round the U bend to starboard at Chatham Ness and generally NNW up Limehouse Reach followed by a another U bend to port at Gashouse Point, and then under the bridge. There are various piers and landings plus plenty of heavy mooring buoys and shipping wharfs. If you do get this far you may be unsurprised to find a derelict Russian submarine rotting away on moorings. In fact there seems to be quite a few rusty looking barges and other vessels festering away in this area.

This just about covers the waterborne journey from Gillingham to Rochester Bridge.