Mulberry harbour

[bass_junkie83]

Well not actually the full mulberry harbour, but one of the small Phoenix caissons I believe which would have been one of the building blocks of a mulberry harbour as used in WW2, before occupied French ports could be captured.
This large concrete structure was being towed out to the channel from where it was constructed, and as I understand became detached from the tug that was towing it, beached on a sand bar and broke in two as the tide went out. It has been a landmark on the Essex coastline, approximately 2km out into the estuary at Thorpe bay ever since.

Image-004 by David Walker, on Flickr

Image-005 by David Walker, on Flickr

Image-006 by David Walker, on Flickr

 

[lindsay]

interesting, I've seen all the ones at Arromanches in Normandy so this is an interesting aside to that.

 

[ajophotog]

We have one of those in Langstone Harbour just off potsmouth, must have beenquite common for these to break up. Nice photos btw.

 

[Dale.]

Very cool, the colour of the water really works with these too.

 

[Son_of_Thor]

That's an interesting viewpoint on them. Like Lindsay I've seen them in Normandy but didn't realise there were any examples in the UK

 

[gman]

Love the first one and an interesting perspective from above. I take it that's the new drone paying for itself already?

 

[Mintchocs]

Without the people in the last photo it’s hard to imagine the size.

 

[bass_junkie83]

Thanks all.

There were a couple of people in the first couple of shots but I cloned them out as I liked the simplicity, but kept them in the last as you say it sets the scale.

There RNLI hovercraft makes daily visits as the tide turns to make sure people don't hang around too long. The are always people that head out without considering tide times and get themselves cut off and stuck in the mud flats.

 

[F1.2]

I have passed this lot's of times on my way out from and back to my boat mooring in Leigh on Sea , It's err a sunk concrete box , I never thought I should photograph it , Brought back some memories , Thanks.

 

[woof woof]

Yup. Interesting story and good pictures too.

Well taken Dave