thames estuary

[mvlloyd85]

Good afternoon

I am new to the forum, my name is mark, pleased to meet you all

i dont know if im in the right place to find this information but im gonna give it a try

i live in canvey island, which overlooks the thames estuary

around 8 years ago im told that hundreds of people gathered at the seawall stretching the whole of canvey to witness one of the worlds largest ships passing by, i am told by some people that it looked over a mile long

i was not around at this time (around 8 years ago) and have only lived on canvey island for 3 years.

i am amazed by ships anyway, and spend many a night with the dogs watching them pass by

i have searched on the internet to try and find such information but had no luck

maybe someone could help me

apparantly the crew on the ship knew everybody was there as they all waved, seemed a big event having the ship in the thames

thanks in advance

[John Jones]

Hi Mark,

Welcome to the site and pleased to hear that you enjoy watching the ships. Canvey Island is indeed a good place for it on the Thames but as far as your question is concerned you've got me stumped!

Not many of the world's largest ships visit the Thames any more and I certainly hadn't heard of this spectacle despite keeping a watch on the arrivals and departures.

It would have been about 8 years ago that the Frontline VLCC 'OCANA' paid a visit to Coryton. This was the first and last VLCC (Very Large Crude Carrier) arrival for a long time, she weighed in at 300,144 DWT and 332.94m length overall. Not exactly a mile long and I believe she arrived and sailed under the cover of darkness so I'm sure this can't be the event to which you are referring.

I'm intrigued, but don't believe everything people tell you on the sea wall down there. They are prone to telling porkies

Best Regards
John J.

[mvlloyd85]

Hi John

Thanks for your reply

Yes canvey is perfect for it, unfortunately I'm about a ten minute walk from the sea wall itself, but my partner and most of her family that live in canvey have holiday holes on thorney bay so its an ideal place to sit with a flask and a camera.

Obviously most of the activity is in the day but even at night you get a whole variety of vessels coming through

Apparently it's one of the largest Shipping lanes I'm told, at the moment it's currently been excavated and dredged for the new superport they are building near the oil plant on canvey, according to news articals I have read the dredging will allow some of the worlds largest vessels to pass through

Sorry to bore you with all of that.

As far as this mystery boat is concerned my partner actually saw it along with family members, she seems to think it was koerien or from
Some sort of oriental country and was defiantly in the day, she said people were there in there hundreds

I fear I'm becoming a little obsessed with it all I be honest 

Hopefully someone will remember it

Mark

[Phil English]

Hi Mark,

Like John, I know Canvey very well and even have relatives living there, but I have never heard of that story. I too am stumped. The longest ships built are (or were) around 400 metres (1300 feet) and, as far as I am aware, none of that size have visited the Thames in recent years, only the slightly smaller OCANA, which John mentions.

Perhaps it wasn't one of the world's largest ships, but a ship of other significance. A Royal Navy aircraft carrier, for instance. However, a RN courtesy visit is not that unusual and wouldn't explain the massive crowds !

Very curious!

Brgds
Phil

[John Jones]

Yes canvey is perfect for it, unfortunately I'm about a ten minute walk from the sea wall itself, but my partner and most of her family that live in canvey have holiday holes on thorney bay so its an ideal place to sit with a flask and a camera.

Hi Mark,

Last time I spotted from Thorney Bay the 'security men' took one look at my long lens, decided I was paparazzi and ejected me 

Best Regards
John J.

[mvlloyd85]

Haaaa sounds about right for the 'thug ex bell marsh' security he has working for him.

Luckily im on polite terms with them but only after them admitting after approaching me for the first time that it took them a good 20 minutes to conjour up the courage to come and ask why a 6ft 4 man dressed in waterproof camo with a big dog and a camera lurking around.

I did actually explain one night about this mystery vessel that I was looking for and they seemed quite friendly, one even commented that it was in the local papers the day week before it arrived telling residents it would be passing

He seemed to think it was some sort of war ship but did also say it was the longest object he had seen pass through our part of the estuary

And John next time your in that area let me know beforehand and I'll make sure your not bothered!

[franks]

i live at canvey for last 40 years .and 5 minutes from seawall i work on jetties along the river.about 8yeas ago there was a drilling platform towed past canvey crowds gathered along the wall watch it pass could it been that?

[mvlloyd85]

it may well have been that

you dont know the name of it by any chance do you

and by any chance how would i get work along the river? or even on one of the vessels for that matter

many thanks

[BobS]

I live overlooking the river at Gravesend. There was a large oil rig called KINGSNORTH UK towed up the river and anchored off Tilbury. But that was in 1976 - a bit more than eight years ago.