Essex By The Sea

Brightlingsea is the only location in Essex with an open air public swimming pool. The classic 1930's style lido is celebrating it's 90th anniversary during 2022. The large facility is now run by the community with many volunteers keeping the pools open for the public to enjoy over the summer months. Mick Barry is a trustee and joined Owen pool side to talk about the success of the lido. To book a...

Royalty and the sea have deep connections to each other. For past jubilees boat pageants and naval reviews have taken place to celebrate the occassion. In 2022 for HM The Queen's Platinum Jubilee, a boat pageant is set to take place off the coast of Harwich with over seventy boats taking part. The parade will sail past Ha’penny Pier, round past Harwich beach, then turning towards the Suffolk coast...

Southend is not only home to the world's longest pleasure pier, but it's also home to the UK's shortest funicular railway. Unusually for a funicular railway, the cliff lift at Southend has just the one car to take you on a smooth ride from Western Esplanade up to Clifton Terrace. The cliff lift is run by volunteers, and more are needed to keep this 110 year old attraction going. Nigel Gayner welco...

Burnham-on-Crouch is home to one of the first floating lifeboat stations. The RNLI have a base in Burnham yacht marina, with volunteers called out to all sorts of shouts from people in difficulty along the Essex coast as well as inland along the River Crouch. Volunteers Steve Harris and Nathaniel Head showed Owen Ward around the rare type of lifeboat house that's unique on the Essex coastline. If...

The Naze could be gone within the next few years. That's the prediction of David Eagle who is the acting Chairman of The Naze Protection Society. The society is aiming to slow the coastal errosion taking place around The Naze at Walton. According to their measurements, the errosion is happening at a fast rate than previous years and there's real worry the sea could break through within a year! If...

Up and down the coast of Essex hundreds of people belong to rowing clubs. Some of these boats were even made on the Essex coast as well. The WivGigs Rowing club are based in Wivenhoe on the River Colne and can be found regularly rowing on the water and challenging other local rowing clubs to races. Owen took to the water with the WivGigs Rowing Club to have a go and find why so many people take up...

Over 400 years ago a small ship set sail from Harwich on a voyage to the new world. The Mayflower left Harwich with a number of sailors from the town aboard, before eventually sailing to Massachusetts where the pilgrims wrote the Mayflower Compact. During 2020 the town of Harwich was due to celebrate it's connections to The Mayflower, however due to the pandemic celebrations were postponed. Now a...

During the early 1900's Southend was booming.  Tourists were visiting for day trips, while Southend and surrounding villages were expanding as more people moved to the area and commuted to work. But then when war broke out in 1914 - Southend changed. People started to leave the town, hotels stood empty and the military moved in. Many of the hotels in Southend helped with the war effort and be...

The Essex coastline is extreamly varied and it's not just Essex By The Sea exploring what it has to offer. Radio Lento is a podcast series created by Madeleine Sugden and Hugh Huddy. They record soundscapes which are perfect listening for escaping the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Described by some as "slow radio", Madeleine and Hugh's episodes transport you off to a different location each...

2022 marks the 200th anniversary of HM Coastguard, and one of the country's first was based on the Essex coast. Stephen Robert Kuta has spent years researching his family history.  One of his relations is among the countries first coastguards and was based in Walton-on-the-Naze twice during his career. Owen went along to Walton-on-the-Naze to find out more about Admiral Jonathan Webb. Check o...

Southend-on-Sea is set to host an amazing light display which will lauch a series of events to mark the Essex coastal town being made into a city. Nine large-scale light installations from around the world will transform Southend. LuminoCity will take place between 16 - 19 February 2022 with dazaling light installations stretching from Southend's Victoria Circus to the world famous pier. Councillo...

It's been described as the "undercarriage of Clacton", ranked in the top ten worst places to live and many have said it's the most deprived area of the UK. But that's not how some residents of Jaywick see the place! Danny Sloggett runs the Jaywick Sands Happy Club and joins Owen Ward in this episode to talk about the positives of Jaywick. If you've got a story, Owen would like to hear from you! Em...

Electric vehicals are becoming more common on the streets of the UK, but electric trams used to glide along them over 100 years ago. Southend's trams started in 1901 providing cheep transport for locals and daytrippers alike. The network was centered around Southend High Street with routes stretching west to Leigh-on-Sea, north to Prittlewell and east to Thorpe Bay. Owen Ward met up with Richard D...

Until 1922 the only access to Foulness Island was along The Broomway. The journey along the treachous six mile path is only possible at low tide and only recomended with a guide. Broadcaster Ray Clark put his Wellington boots on and takes us on a journey out into the Thames Esturary. Also in this episode is previously unheard audio from the archive and some outtakes as well! If you've got a story,...

Sailing along the the Essex coast dates back centuries, and it's a tradition that continues today. Sandy Miller is a local photographer and has won a national award for a picture he took while out on the River Blackwater near Mersea Island. Sandy joins Owen in thie episode to talk about the award winning picture and his passion for photos of the Essex coast. If you've got a story, Owen would like...

Cobmarsh Island was twice the size 1923 compared with 2021 according to research conducted by CITiZAN: the Coastal and Intertidal Zone Archaeological Network. Archaeologists and reserchers have been working on project looking at the changing coastline around Mersea Island. Speaking to Owen Ward, Danielle Newman and Lawrence Northall have praised local islanders in their help with the project which...

Essex may have the longest coastline, but it surprisingly doesn't actually have many lighthouses. There is one however near Grays. The Port of London Authority has recently spent £380,000 replacing it. Leading that project has been Peter Trent , the Port of London Authority assistant civil engineer, who had told Owen all about the project. If you've got a story, Owen would like to hear from you! E...

The Empire Windrush docked at Tilbury in 1948 bringing migrants from the Caribbean. Their stories have formed a large piece of artwork on one of the original walkways where these citizens stepped foot on British soil for the first time. Artist Evewright - a decendent himself of someone who travelled to Britian on the Windrush - has created the temporary artwork on the 432 panes of glass. He joins...

Early on an autumnal morning, dozens of people gather on the Essex coast at Chalkwell for an early morning swim. Recorded on the first World Bluetits day, in windy and wet conditions, Owen finds out what the appeal is of open water swimming with Lisa Monger from the Bluetits of Leigh. If you fancy joining the Bluetits of Leigh - and other flocks around the Essex coast - can be found on Facebook. I...

If you’ve been to the beach at Chalkwell and looked out into the river you will probably have noticed an eight meter high obelisk standing out in the river. This is the Crowstone and it was built in the 1800's, but in the summer of 2021 it was given grade two listed status. Allan Brodie, the Senior Architectural Investigator at Historic England and author of The Seafront, joins Owen to discuss it'...

Britain's first cruise line to launch since the coronavirus pandemic begun taking bookings in the summer of 2021. Ambassador Cruise Line is based in Purfleet and will begin premium cruise holiday sailing from Tilbury for great value prices. Owen caught up with Commercial Director Chris Coates to find out more about this brand new cruise line based on the Essex coast and where they will be sailing...

What better way to enjoy the sights of the Essex coast than by open top bus. Route 68 in Southend is operated by Ensignbus and 2021 is the second year they have run the seasonal route popular with tourists and locals alike. Normally, large red modern open top buses provide the service, but on occassions heritage buses are also used. Owen found out more from driver Michael Botton before taking a tr...

During the summer, a number of brightly coloured giant hares appeared in Southend. Attracting people for miles around, Essex By The Sea had to investigate to find out more. Owen hopped down to Chalkwell Esplanade to meet Natalie Solomons who knows all about the summer fundraising arts trail. More information about the trail can be found on their website www.haresabouttown.co.uk If you've got a sto...

Right in the top corner of the Dengie peninsular, lies an almost forgotten airfield. Over shaddowed now by the former Bradwell Nuclear Power Station, the former RAF base was once a busy war airfield hosting aircrew from many allied nations. Eric Simonelli, if the deputy chair of the RAF Bradwell Bay research group, who are building a profile of what life was like for the crews stationed in this re...

For over a decade, hundreds if not thousands of people have come to Harwich each summer to enjoy Essex's fastest growing combined Arts Festival. Last year The Harwich Festival went online, but it's back this year! Peter Davis is the Artistic Director for the festival and told Owen what people can expect for 2021. For more information and to book tickets for the festival, take a look at their websi...