Swallows & Amazons 26-28 June
Apologies - you are too late! booking has closed for this year.
Channel your inner John, Susan, Titty or Roger. Or even Nancy, Peggy, Mother or Mastodon.
Join us to explore the not so Secret Water behind Walton. Three days again this year.
We will sail from the fantastic and welcoming Walton and Frinton Yacht Club, and from Titchmarsh Marina where we can stay afloat.
We can now share some more details:
- Titchmarsh marina are happy for us to use the deep water pontoon on the same basis as last year - this means we have the option of staying afloat and making more use of the tides.
- Slippage and storage of trailers is confirmed by/at our new sponsors of H&O (Hipkin and Oxley, previously Bedwells). Also at the Club.
- Camping for tents is confirmed at the Fenland site with thanks to the Wilberforce family.
- Pitches for motorhomes are available on 'Dolphin Square' as before
- There will be a meal on Saturday evening at the club details TBC.
- We will self cater for at least one night
- Some may want to arrive on Thursday evening
- Booking will open soon!
Tide times in BST
HW Friday 26th 10:09 , 22:28
HW Saturday 27th 11:01, 23:20
HW Sunday 28th 11:45, 00:04
Image: Swallows and Amazons 2025 by Steve Mitchell
Tessa Hodkingson's words written for the 25th in 2024 are included below for newcomers:
The annual Swallows and Amazons Race is a delightful celebration of the diversity found in small Gaffers, the sailing adventures of the Walker & Blackett children, the wonderful back drop of the Walton Backwaters and of course, the ever forgiving, ever clinging Essex mud.
It all started some 35 years ago when Jon Wainwright and Brian Hammett started a "race around the island" for the smaller boats and dinghies at the Shotley Classic Boat Festival in 1989. It proved very popular with all the open boats and even some smaller cruisers, so eventually it broke away to form its own weekend event. The title of the weekend seemed an obvious choice, paying homage to Arthur Ransome and his inspirational books about the youngsters, delighting in their adventures and their freedom with their small gaffers in these very waters.
In the early 2000s we were regularly hosting 40 to 50 small boats at Swallows and Amazons, it was often the largest East Coast event. The boats were a wonderful collection, including real classics over 100yrs old, ex fishing boats including Lune whammels, winkle brigs, smacks boats, barge boats, whalers, also racing dinghies, 1920s one designs, dinghies and self-built boats, and they came from all over England and Wales in a spirit of goodwill and fun.
Saturday was race around Horsey Island, launch as soon as there is water and try to get back before the mud reappears. There were always adventures and spills, dinghies full of families and dogs, some definitely had pirates aboard, some pausing to seal watch and others offering tows to those becalmed without an outboard and needing a helping hand home.
Being a race, of course, there are prizes, but having such an eclectic fleet, handicapping is virtually impossible, so we made many classes, many prizes and a rule that each boat could only be awarded one prize, to share them around as much as possible and encourage all.
Sunday is fun day (just in case the race was not fun enough) we have had dinghy treasure hunts, sail in company to a picnic spot, visit the actual Swallow Island (by landowner invitation), seal trips and exploration into the furthest, shallowest backwaters.
As the years have gone by Swallows and Amazons has reduced in size, but the spirit of fun and inclusivity remains, prizes for all and never more than one each. There is an increasing fleet of east coast smacks boats that regularly support the event and all small gaffers and assorted classics are very welcome. Come by sea or land, enjoy the secret waters and friendly pirates, watch out for seals and mastodons … they can all be found here.
Swallows & Amazons 26-28 June
Areas -> East Coast -> Events
Channel your inner John, Susan, Titty or Roger. Or even Nancy, Peggy, Mother or Mastodon.
Join us to explore the not so Secret Water behind Walton. Three days again this year.
We will sail from the fantastic and welcoming Walton and Frinton Yacht Club, and from Titchmarsh Marina where we can stay afloat.
We can now share some more details:
- Titchmarsh marina are happy for us to use the deep water pontoon on the same basis as last year - this means we have the option of staying afloat and making more use of the tides.
- Slippage and storage of trailers is confirmed by/at our new sponsors of H&O (Hipkin and Oxley, previously Bedwells). Also at the Club.
- Camping for tents is confirmed at the Fenland site with thanks to the Wilberforce family.
- Pitches for motorhomes are available on 'Dolphin Square' as before
- There will be a meal on Saturday evening at the club details TBC.
- We will self cater for at least one night
- Some may want to arrive on Thursday evening
- Booking will open soon!
Tide times in BST
HW Friday 26th 10:09 , 22:28
HW Saturday 27th 11:01, 23:20
HW Sunday 28th 11:45, 00:04
Image: Swallows and Amazons 2025 by Steve Mitchell
Tessa Hodkingson's words written for the 25th in 2024 are included below for newcomers:
The annual Swallows and Amazons Race is a delightful celebration of the diversity found in small Gaffers, the sailing adventures of the Walker & Blackett children, the wonderful back drop of the Walton Backwaters and of course, the ever forgiving, ever clinging Essex mud.
It all started some 35 years ago when Jon Wainwright and Brian Hammett started a "race around the island" for the smaller boats and dinghies at the Shotley Classic Boat Festival in 1989. It proved very popular with all the open boats and even some smaller cruisers, so eventually it broke away to form its own weekend event. The title of the weekend seemed an obvious choice, paying homage to Arthur Ransome and his inspirational books about the youngsters, delighting in their adventures and their freedom with their small gaffers in these very waters.
In the early 2000s we were regularly hosting 40 to 50 small boats at Swallows and Amazons, it was often the largest East Coast event. The boats were a wonderful collection, including real classics over 100yrs old, ex fishing boats including Lune whammels, winkle brigs, smacks boats, barge boats, whalers, also racing dinghies, 1920s one designs, dinghies and self-built boats, and they came from all over England and Wales in a spirit of goodwill and fun.
Saturday was race around Horsey Island, launch as soon as there is water and try to get back before the mud reappears. There were always adventures and spills, dinghies full of families and dogs, some definitely had pirates aboard, some pausing to seal watch and others offering tows to those becalmed without an outboard and needing a helping hand home.
Being a race, of course, there are prizes, but having such an eclectic fleet, handicapping is virtually impossible, so we made many classes, many prizes and a rule that each boat could only be awarded one prize, to share them around as much as possible and encourage all.
Sunday is fun day (just in case the race was not fun enough) we have had dinghy treasure hunts, sail in company to a picnic spot, visit the actual Swallow Island (by landowner invitation), seal trips and exploration into the furthest, shallowest backwaters.
As the years have gone by Swallows and Amazons has reduced in size, but the spirit of fun and inclusivity remains, prizes for all and never more than one each. There is an increasing fleet of east coast smacks boats that regularly support the event and all small gaffers and assorted classics are very welcome. Come by sea or land, enjoy the secret waters and friendly pirates, watch out for seals and mastodons … they can all be found here.