A Nostalgic Return to St. Katharine Docks Marina, London
“If we were going to spend a winter aboard our boat in Europe, we’d look for an idyllic setting with a colorful history where well-traveled international cruisers gather. That’s precisely what Horst Wolff and Julia Shovein have done. After hopscotching across the Med for Istanbul in recent months, they nestled into a cozy spot at St. Katharine Docks in central London.” This was our introduction to Horst and Julia as they arrived in London in 2012 during their seven-year sail around the world. They had sailed to the South Pacific aboard their San Francisco-based Island Packet 35 Pacific Star in 2008. Today, the couple is still sailing, and recently returned to St. Katharine Docks Marina (as land dwellers this time), where they reconnected with the vibrant international sailing community. Julia sent us the following update.
It was with absolute joy my husband and I returned to St. Katharine Docks Marina (SKD) next to the Tower of London. We fondly called this place home for seven months before the 2012 Olympics during a break in our seven-year circumnavigation. This past Thanksgiving we flew into London from Seattle to join our friends on their yacht — unlike our previous experience of sailing our own Island Packet 35 across the English Channel, up the Thames Estuary amid a mix of picturesque urban and rural scenery, through the Thames Barrier, and into a central London lock leading to the famous St. Katharine Docks Marina.
Memories of this peaceful sanctuary amid the hustle and bustle of London overwhelmed us. It was so good to be back in a place where we’d had so many positive experiences. First and foremost had been the opportunity to explore and enjoy the sights of London in a leisurely fashion with the added luxury of having our own bed to sleep in each night. My London guidebook listed 205 attractions that put the cultural and historic aspects of the city into perspective. I was able to check 200 highlights off my bucket list. How wonderful to be living next to the picturesque Tower with access to a nearby tube station and light rail station to help us explore the entire city!
Our time at SKD celebrated the strong sense of community and camaraderie formed among sailors. During our time the guest berths were filled with over two dozen international visitors spending the winter in London. Now, there are about a half-dozen cruisers taking advantage of the lower winter-rate fees. We had a standing Tuesday morning breakfast together at one of the nearby restaurants to exchange information about everything — currently they meet on Monday mornings — discussing shows, activities, events, news and the most economical way to do everything. One of the best tips was the “day of” theater tickets in the West End. Rising early, you get in a queue in front of the theater you want to attend that night to buy the limited reduced-cost tickets. Fellow cruisers had tips to offer about everything, and we often ended up arranging excursions together and sharing meals at some of the nearby pubs: the Prospect of Whitby, Captain Kidd, and the Grapes (a longer walk near Limehouse Basin Marina, where canal boats are available for rental.) This last pub was owned by Sir Ian McKellen, who had his Oscar nonchalantly sitting on a shelf.
Nearby Limehouse Marina also houses the Cruising Association, an organization founded in 1908, which hosted interesting seminars, among their other activities. The most interesting presentation for us was by the Chandlers, a couple captured by pirates as they made their way through Pirate Alley the year before we made the crossing. They had been held hostage for 13 months. One of the sad stories of our stay at SKD was the absence of another American boat that had reservations that winter along with us, the SY Quest. The four on board had been killed while crossing Pirate Alley.
Other projects our community of sailors shared at SKD included group workdays, such as gathering all the anchor chains that needed re-galvanizing to be packed and shipped to Birmingham, since London no longer provided this service.
When our friends Leslie Perreault and Gary Bryan of SV Spellbound made a return cruise to London from the Eastern US via the Azores this fall, we were thrilled to visit them at our old stomping grounds. We were delighted to find another American couple, Gus and Helen Wilson, whom we’d met previously at SKD. They have become UK residents and return annually to winter at SKD, and it was very good to see them again.
With our friends, we ascended the Horizon 22 skyscraper to view the many new buildings in London, apparently booming despite the economic woes brought on by Brexit. The city remains one of the most lively and spectacular places to be.
We again made many familiar treks around the city, including one to the Mayflower Pub, where Sir Christopher Jones, who captained the Mayflower, rests in a nearby churchyard. The ship is said to have left for America from that location.
The St. Katharine Docks exhibited many improvements, including new luxurious bathrooms and beautiful docks. A touch of celebrity class is provided by Pete Townshend, who has a sound studio in a barge located on the East Dock.
Our times at St. Katharine Docks are full of vibrant and rich memories of the extraordinary sailors we met there and the appeal of one of the greatest cities of the world. We were so fortunate to be able to return.
– Julia Shovein, formerly of SV Pacific Star, currently SV Purple Haze. Author of Murder on the Squid Row Run and other sailing mysteries.
You can learn more about Julia’s sailing books in December’s Latitude 38. And at JuliaShovein.com.