Thames sailing barge ‘Blue Mermaid’ will visit Woodbridge Town Quay this weekend.
The sailing barge will deliver a sack of wheat from Kent, loaded aboard in Gravesend, and sails to the River Deben using just wind and tide. In return it will collect flour milled by Woodbridge Tide Mill (Woodbridgetidemill.org.uk), operated by Woodbridge Tide Mill Charitable Trust.
The flour will be sailed to Brightlingsea in Essex, where it is due to be rowed up St Osyth Creek for delivery to Thames sailing barge May and her Bread and Roses project. This is a female-led project aspiring to create a floating bakery to support women from all walks of life who have had to go through trauma in their lives. Its an innovative way of saving a Thames sailing barge no longer needed for her original purpose of trading under sail.
Engineless sailing barge
Sailing barge Blue Mermaid is an engineless sailing barge owned and operated by the Maldon based charity Sea-Change Sailing Trust. Blue Mermaid can carry up to 110 tonnes of bagged or palleted cargo in her hold – as well as carrying trainees developing essential life skills whilst on their voyage.
The barge is currently on a ten-week tour of the east coast, supported by the Heritage Fund. The barge arrived from Lowestoft with heritage trainees having completed their National Historic Ships ‘Traditional Seafarer’ certificate on their voyage, and will depart from Woodbridge on Monday 10th June with local apprentices onboard.
When to see the Blue Mermaid
In each port, members of the public can come aboard free of charge to view an exhibition of Thames sailing barge Heritage in the hold and watch an Arts Council-funded film, ‘Wind, Tide & Oar’ .
Blue Mermaid will be open to the public in Woodbridge on Friday 7 June from 6-7pm and again from 2-6pm on Sunday 9th June. All welcome aboard. Free tickets to the film screening in Woodbridge are already fully booked but are still available for other ports in the tour.
The exchange of wheat/flour is due to take place at 5.30 pm on Friday 7th June onboard Thames sailing barge Blue Mermaid at Woodbridge Town Quay.
