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Introduction Along with the Oyster Yawl, no vessel reflects Whitstable's maritime history more vividly than the Thames Sailing Barge. As you will discover from our dedicated Thames Barge pages, these pugnacious but elegant craft served as the workhorses of the east coast waters from the 19th century until 1970. As such, they transported a variety of cargoes between a network of ports including Whitstable and the trade provided a significant contribution to the town's economy. It also provided employment for many Natives. We have devoted this page to one particular vessel. It is one that remains a feature of the harbour's South Quay and it is one that provides the chance for the public to sample the delights of sailing in a bygone era. It is, of course... The Greta.
Trips and Hire.... Before we embark on a series of photos of the vessel and some of its current day exploits, let me point out that The Greta is available for charter for the annual barge matches, a day trip or more extensive cruises. You can relax on board or join in with the crew. To discover more about these possibilities and the history of The Greta, visit the web site, email or phone as follows....
We would like to thank crew member Peter Dalrymple and owner Steve Norris for allowing us to show the photos and for providing details of The Greta.
Steve Norris, Alfie (mate) and Greta
The Greta at Sea....
Nothing quite compares with a sailing ship at sea for elegance, grace and tranquillity. This is beautifully captured by Peter in the lovely sequence of shots below....
The Maunsell Forts...
The Greta is of course one piece of our maritime history.... but a dip into the Thames Estuary on her decks allows you to get close to another piece..... albeit more recent....
These are the World War II Maunsell Forts in the Thames Estuary. Designed by Guy Maunsell, there were actually two types of fort.... Navy and Army. The Navy forts were constructed first and comprised "Roughs Tower", "Sunk Head Tower", "Tongue Sands" and "Knock John". They were spread across the outer limits of the Thames estuary between Harwich and the Isle of Thanet. Their prime purpose was to protect allied shipping. Following the success of the Navy operations, three army forts were built closer to the mouth of the Thames - The Nore, Shivering Sands and Red Sands. They arrived in 1942 and housed anti-aircraft batteries. Each comprised seven towers connected by walkways. A central control tower was located in the centre and surrounded by gun towers and a searchlight tower. Their main function was to protect London from enemy bombers The Nore Towers have now been consigned to history but both the Red Sands and Shivering Sands Towers are visited by The Greta. The towers featured in Peter's photos are the Red Sands installation. Mind you, there is nothing quite like getting close.... and the Greta can get very close....
The metal constructions are now showing some wear, tear and rust.....
Fortunately, a project has been set up to preserve and restore the forts. For further information about this and the history of the structures, you might like to visit the Project Red Sands web site at...
Wind Farm
The deck of the Greta was also the platform for some more of Peter's superb photos. The subject is another development that etches a fascinating shape on the skyline at Tankerton.. However, this time the scene couldn't be more modern or, perhaps, more controversial.....
It is, of course, the new wind farm comprising 30 high-tech windmills. By now, many of our readers will be familiar with the distant outlook from Tankerton promenade. However, a much better view can be obtained from a Thames Sailing Barge homing in on the development from the sea! It is then that you realise just how big those mills really are! In the photo above, the structures can been seen dwarfing a sizeable tug. In the shots below, we get some idea of the overall height of the structure compared to the size of the maintenance platform at the base.....
Perhaps the most impressive view comes from beneath the sails....
It remains to be seen whether the pictures have captured a lame duck in the making or the birth of a new and cleaner power source for the long term future. Either way, Peter's camera has captured a moment in local history.
Many Thanks...
Our thanks and best wishes go to Peter Dalrymple and Steve Norris for providing the photos and information for the article. Now if we have given you some ideas for a trip or charter, remember that The Greta web site, email address and phone number are as follows...
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