Sailing to the Abandoned WWII Towers of the Thames Estuary | Ep. 2

Sailing to the Abandoned WWII Towers of the Thames Estuary | Ep. 2

Welcome aboard Episode 2 of The Weekend Skipper! Today, we are taking the Quicksilver 755 Weekend offshore, departing the River Crouch and navigating the busy commercial shipping lanes of the Thames Estuary. Our destination: the imposing and deeply humbling Red Sands Maunsell Forts.

⚓ Read the full behind-the-scenes story on how I secured this £98,000 loaned boat (and the constant risk of her being sold mid-series) over on my Substack: https://johnjohnsonyachtbuoy.substack.com/p/how-i-got-my-hands-on-a-98000-quicksilver

After slipping our lines at 09:00, we navigate past the eclectic local fleet of Essex and head out into the estuary. Sharing the water with large commercial shipping requires a sharp eye on the AIS and VHF, but the reward is entirely worth it. Arriving at the 1943 anti-aircraft towers is a profound experience. Standing in the shadow of these silent, rusting fortresses brings home the stark reality and immense sacrifice of the personnel who served as London's first line of defence against incoming bombers.

A massive thank you to the team at Clarke and Carter for generously loaning me this brilliant vessel for the journey.

In this episode:

Leaving Burnham Yacht Harbour and passing the local working boats.

Managing a £277.52 fuel stop and calculating our reserves.

Navigating the Thames Estuary commercial shipping lanes safely.

Exploring the history, emotional weight, and legacy of the Red Sands Maunsell Forts.

Coming up next time:
Stay tuned for Episode 3, where we investigate the dangerous wreck of the SS Richard Montgomery, explore a D-Day Mulberry Harbour Phoenix Caisson, and cruise past Southend Pier—the longest pleasure pier in the world.

Join the community:
If you want to continue the maritime conversation off-YouTube, come and chat with me in The Wardroom: https://johnjohnsonyachtbuoy.substack.com/

If you enjoyed coming along for the ride, please do hit that like button, make sure you are subscribed to the channel, and let me know your thoughts down in the comments section. Where should we explore next?

Fair winds and safe passages.

Видео Sailing to the Abandoned WWII Towers of the Thames Estuary | Ep. 2 канала Yacht Buoy