Blackwater Raid

Dates: Tuesday 9 – Saturday 13 August 2022

The Raid will be based at the Essex Outdoors Bradwell Centre, Waterside Road, Bradwell Waterside, Southminster CM0 7QY with sailing from Bradwell Marina next door to it.

The Centre provides accommodation in bunk-bedded cabins, pitches for caravans/motorhomes (some of which could be rigged with electrics), and pitches for tents. It is envisaged that they will provide breakfasts and packed lunches. They are also able to provide a crewed RIB to accompany the fleet.

Cars and trailers can be parked at the Marina after launching. For our kind of boats there is all-tide access from the marina. Sailing will take place to some or all of Wivenhoe, Mersea, Brightlingsea, Maldon, Osea etc.

Please note that we will probably be limited to 20-25 boats so please register your interest soonest.

The exact programme needs to remain as flexible as possible and will depend on tidal and weather conditions.  The programme below is highly speculative and aspirational at this stage.

Thus, apart from Tuesday and Friday evening/Saturday am and the evening eating arrangements, everything is fluid.

Tuesday 9th August 2022

Day:

Arrival and registration

Launch boats up to 17:00

Evening:

19.00 Welcome reception at Bradwell Marina Bar & Restauarant

19:30 Supper

Wednesday 10th August 2022 and Thursday 11th August 2022

Breakfast 07.30- 08.30

Briefing 09.00

Sail

Lunch

Return

Supper

Friday 12th August 2022

Breakfast 07.30- 08.30

Briefing 09.00

Sail

Lunch

Recovery of boats by 17:00 – using both the slip at the marina and at the Outdoor Centre

Supper at Stone Sailing Club (tbc)

SATURDAY 13th  July

Breakfast 07.30- 08.30

Go home unless other arrangements made

ACCOMMODATION:

Cars and trailers can be parked at the Marina which is next door to the Centre. A barrier pass can be had for the week to allow cars out of the secure compound.

The Centre will be exclusively ours for the week. Bedrooms at the Centre are available that week – there are a number of 4,6 and 8 berth cabins, but enough to be able to accommodate many more than we will need. They can also provide pitches for motorhomes/caravans or tents with showers, loos and drying rooms in the centre. There is WiFi at the centre.

The Centre has their own workshop in case any running repairs are needed.

The Centre is not licensed to sell alcohol, but you are welcome to bring your own. There is a games room and an indoor archery range(!).

We have arranged to base the fleet at Bradwell Marina (https://www.bradwellmarina.com/) and raft up on their pontoons. This will give walk-ashore access for the whole fleet, together with WiFi. showers and lavatories. There is also an excellent cafe and licensed bar situated there. If preferred boats can be brought up the slip at the Outdoor Centre and kept on the hard standing.

FOOD:

This is not a fine-dining area, but all raiders will have

• Buffet-style Full English Breakfast in the Essex Outdoors Centre Wednesday – Saturday.
• Packed lunches Wednesday to Friday
• Supper Tuesday to Friday evenings

COST:

The cost of the raid is as follows (this includes 4 breakfasts, 3 packed lunches, 4 dinners, mooring fees, car and trailer parking).

• For those wanting to stay in the Centre, £385 per person (arrive Tuesday, depart Saturday).Please note that you may end up sharing a room with crew from another boat, though as mentioned before there are plenty of rooms.
• For those caravanning/motorhoming/camping it will be £285 per person
• For those living aboard £260 per person (food included at the Centre)

There is no charge for children under 5, but while the Centre is happy to accommodate small children, you will need to bring your own gear – high chairs, cots etc

The 2022 Raid is fully subscribed (from 2020 !) and already has a lengthy waiting list. We are therefore unable to accept any new registrations.

A booking deposit of £75 will secure your place.  If a booking is cancelled after the initial deposit is received it may be possible to refund it after the Raid once all bills are settled if funds permit.  However this is not guaranteed.

402410, 61420933 and Raid England are the details you will need if making a BACS transfer. If you are making an overseas transfer you will need to know that HSBC is the bank, Market Place, Henley-on-Thames, UK is the address together with some or all of the below.  Please can you “pay” the transfer fees as well because UK banks charge us a lot for accepting money from outside the UK ( although I believe it is free for you if within the ECalthough possibly not true after Brexit(!)), but contact me first to discuss the best way of paying.

IBAN:GB21MIDL40241061420933

BIC:MIDLGB2113V

I now believe that one of the new transfer agents like Transferwise (https://transferwise.com) offer a very good service and great exchange rates.  I have used them for sending Euros when registering for various events in Europe (Morbihan, Venice, Douarnenez) and various ski trips. and they can obviously send sterling to the UK.

Anyone planning a trip to Douarnenez in 2022 may also care to use them to pay your accommodation fees there.

If you use this link (https://transferwise.com/u/geoffreyp23) apparently I will get some money which I will use to buy drinks (for the group, not me) at one of the Raid evenings.

otherwise please send an old-fashioned cheque made payable to:

Raid England

to
Geoff Probert

60 St. Marks Rd.

Henley-on-Thames,

Oxon

RG9 1LW

Geoff Probert

01491 577220

geoffprobertatgmaildotcom

(substitute at & dot with the usual symbols in order to defeat the automated spammers)