Mersea Island - The Wild Edge of Essex (courtesy of White Tip Media)

Things are returning back to some kind of normal on the Island, the day trippers and holiday makers are starting to return.

The restaurants and Cafes are operating as takeaways and even the pubs are offering some libatory relief where possible. Welcome to the Summer on Mersea Island.

I’ve lived here for over 25 years, and I’m still surprised by the amazing things there are to know about Mersea Island. I thought it would be great to list out what I think they are for me at the moment, and, of course, please share your ideas and thoughts :)

(1) Mersea really is an Island, one of many in and around the coastline of Essex. The Island is cut off from the mainland when the high tide rises above the Strood, the local name of the causeway that joins Mersea Island to the mainland.

Legend has it that the ghost of a Roman Centurion guards the causeway, sometimes visible when the sea mists roll in. Nestled like a pearl within the River Blackwater, in waters considered inshore, that stretches all the way down to the Thames.

The Island is a mecca for east coast sailors seeking to river cruise the old trading routes down to the Thames plied at one time, by the thames barges and gravel boats of years gone by.

(2) Mersea is the most eastern island in the UK and has been a holiday destination since Roman Times. Close by you find the Islands of Cobmarsh, Ray, Northey, Osea and there are a further 16 in Essex. Few are inhabited and most are or have protected wetlands.

Mersea Island boasts

1. Incredible scenery

2. Abundant wildlife

3. Sailing holidays, sail experience days & water sports

4. Boat trips

5. Charter boats and yachts,

6. Holiday parks and caravans,

7. Airbnb accommodation,

8. Fine restaurants,

9. Great seafood and

10. Super spaces to experience and explore

11. Mersea’s very own Loyalty Club with special offers from all the retailers, activity providers etc

seaskipr.com is proud to offer our own brand of water based experiences.

(3) Despite the island being used to the ebb and flow of the tides, Mersea once suffered a Tsunami in the aftermath of the 1884 earthquake, the most destructive earthquake known in Britain for over 500 years. The earthquake only lasted for around ten seconds, but in that time the surrounding area was reduced to chaos. Shortly after a ‘gigantic’ wave hit the eastern side of Mersea, depositing a layer of sediment far inland.

Mersea Island a World Class Destination

(4) Mersea is a world championship venue and boasts World and Olympic medalists in Sailing. Both Saskia Clarke and Hannah Stodel have competed and triumphed at the highest level in World and Olympic sailing and both are from Mersea Island. We salute their respective successes. Also, in 2015, the Paramotoring World Championship was held on the Island.

We often see the guys preparing and flying their rigs from a field near the Strood. I should also mention the triathalon Island Races series. Whilst not a World Championship in its own right, the series has become an extremely popular event over the past 8 years and is very well run and presented. World Championship material in the making, I’m sure.

(5) Mersea Island is world famous for its Oysters. Since Roman times, Mersea has been an exporter of Oysters to world capitals and famous culinary establishments. We often pick up oysters on the shore and have eaten them on occasion. If you prefer them served on a plate, the best places to find them on the Island are the Company Shed and the West Mersea Oyster Bar.

(6) Mersea Island is a working fishing town, prized for its fishing fleet, fishermen and oystermen. This local industry continues to thrive despite the pressures on fishing stocks, industry decline and regulation. Indeed, by way of Mersea Island Fresh Catch, the enterprising fishermen have been selling, successfully and directly to consumers for some time.

A format that guarantees about the freshest catch you can get (its about 30 meters from the boat to the stall), fish is available Tuesdays & Thursdays from the Mersea Hammerhead, supplied by local boats, Jess CK 946, Valkyrie II CK 5, Jessica M CK 157, and Lunar Beam CK 135.

Smuggling and Pirates on Mersea Island: A Rich History

(7) Mersea Island is not just a holiday destination for tourists, but also for migratory birds. Many species winter on the island and use it as a stopover on their spring and autumn migrations. The video above is the teaser for a 20 minute feature on the Island’s feathery friends. See here for the full version.

(8) Smugglers abound(ed) in and around Mersea Island. According to the Rev. Baring-Gould, in his Mehalah:a story of the salt marshes,

“The mouth of the Blackwater was a great centre of the smuggling trade: the number and intricacies of the channels made it a safe harbour for those who lived on contraband traffic.”

Indeed, many attribute the genesis of modern yacht racing to the local smuggling trade, as there was great stock placed in yachts that could outrun the revenue boats: necessity being the mother of invention.

(9) There be Pirates, but not as you’d know them. This of course bears reference to the pirate radio station, Radio Caroline, who’s antics in the sixties helped usher in a revolution in music, where the BBC were no longer able to control what we listened to.

Radio Caroline were able to do this by broadcasting from a ship in international waters, where the long arm of the law could not reach. of the five ships used.

The most memorable were Mi Amigo (that sank) and it’s replacement the Ross Revenge, that now is anchored in the River Blackwater, near the Bradwell Power station (another relic from that era).

Tuning in to medium wave radio was more of an art form than today’s digital offering, with the signal phasing in and out, requiring a swift repositioning of the aerial to keep the tune playing. Crystal radio sets and small transistor radios, those were the days!

(10) Until recent times, people from Mersea where known for their unusually brown teeth. Attributed to naturally occurring fluoride the local water supply, drinking water was taken from the St. Peter fresh water spring, a major source of water for over 1,000 years.

Modern sanitation has eradicated this feature of pre 20th century Island life, the well was declared unfit in 1925 and was capped. Todays, the spring water flows under the boardwalk across St. Peter’s Meadow (Village green).

Mersea Island can be found on the East Coast of Essex, UK. It is about an hour from Stansted Airport by car, an hour from London by train and just under two hours from Heathrow or Gatwick Airports. Come visit us - stay and sail on Mersea Island with seaskipr.com.

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