Kaushik Patowary
Jan 28, 2021
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At first glance, the concrete piles lying off the coast of southeast Essex, near the town of Shoeburyness, looks like the exposed columns of an old pier, but in reality is a defensive structure erected across the mouth of river Thames to prevent ships from crossing into. At one time, this so called “boom” extended all the way to the other side of the water channel to Sheerness in the Isle of Sheppey.
The Shoeburyness boom across Thames estuary. Photo:
The Shoeburyness boom was originally built during the start of the Second World War to prevent German ships and submarines from striking Britain at its most vulnerable place shipping. At any given time, the island nation had about 2,500 freighters sailing from around the world bringing in goods. The British also used ships for the movement of goods within the country, via the Thames and its numerous canals, as well as along the east coast of the island.
Three urban explorers were fined for breaking Covid rules after they got stuck on an abandoned fort in the Thames Estuary and had to be rescued after their boats floated away.
The trio - one of whom had come all the way from Manchester - visited the WWII-era Red Sands Forts near Whitstable and ended up being stuck there overnight.
After failing to flag down passing boats the men eventually accepted they would have to call the Coastguard and were rescued by the RNLI on Sunday morning.
An RNLI captain points to the Red Sands Forts near Whitstable while approaching them on Sunday to rescue three men who had got stuck on them