Essex

Welcome to the Essex Section

The Essex Section provides a calendar of events for CA members and their guests throughout the year. The section was formed in 1993 and has continued to grow steadily with around 400 members and an increasing range of activities, which includes a programme of talks, mid-week lunches, the traditional fitting-out and laying-up suppers and summer rallies.

Where We Meet

Our evening social events are held in the very hospitable premises of the Blackwater Sailing Club, Basin Road, Heybridge Basin, Maldon, CM9 4SD. Congratulations are due to them for winning the 'Yachts & Yachting' Yacht Club of the Year award for 2014. The food is good and excellent value (though not compulsory), and there's plenty of parking space. The club is down a turning off Goldhanger Road, towards Heybridge Basin. Entrance to the club grounds is 200 yards on the left (in the dark, so keep a good look-out!). Then you just watch out for the speed bumps as you drive past the boat park towards the clubhouse.

Directions are:Exit the A12 at the Hatfield Peverel junction. Take the B1019 to Heybridge (approx 6 miles). Turn left at the first roundabout on to the B1026. Turn right at the second roundabout staying at the B1026 towards Goldhanger. After one mile, turn right for Heybridge Basin. The club entrance is 200 yards on the left.

Our meetings are held in the main function room of the Club which is on the first floor and has superb views over the river.

You pay £13 (members) £15 (non-members) for a two-course dinner with coffee at our regular evening meetings. Alternatively, just turn up a bit later for the presentation and pay £3 per person if you are a CA member or £5 if you are not. The evening starts at 7pm with dinner. Talks begin at 8pm and finish at 10pm. There is plenty of parking space and a bar is available.

We also organise mid-week lunches which are held at various locations in different parts of the county. These are informal and no booking is required - guests are also very welcome. Just turn up on the day. If you can let us know you are coming, it helps with catering.

Forthcoming Events

There are no forthcoming events currently scheduled.

To see seminars and lectures organised by members of the CA see here, or to see a calendar of all events see here.

Interested in Finding out More?

Please contact the Section Secretaries, John and Penny Blakesley and Ray and Suzanne Kay at essex@theca.org.uk or
CA staff at office@theca.org.uk or +44 (0) 207 537 2828.

Cruising Sections

Baltic

Covers the Baltic Sea, Norway, Iceland, Greenland and Faroes. Holds a popular introductory seminar every spring.

Biscay

Covers Western France, Spain and Portugal as well as crossing Biscay. Holds a popular introductory seminar every spring.

Blue Water

For those sailing outside of European waters. Holds a popular Blue Water seminar in the summer.

Celtic

Covers waters from Land’s End to Cape Wrath. Meets at various west coast venues to share knowledge on all aspects of cruising the region.

Channel

Covers Northern France from the Belgian border to Normandy and the South Coast of England. Holds a popular introductory seminar every spring, and organises summer rallies.

European Inland Waterways

Covers over 30,000 km of navigable rivers and canals passing through over 20 countries. Meets spring and autumn at CA House.

Mediterranean

Covers the Mediterranean from Spain and Morocco in the west to the Levant in the east, and includes the Black Sea. Meets at CA House in the winter, and afloat in the summer.