Mersea Island - West Mersea

FURTHER WEST, TO WEST MERSEA

This is the home of yachts and seafood.

This is the home of yachts and seafood. This is a town no less, with houses, shops and an Arts Centre. Eventually after going down several tantalising sea view cul-de-sacs we found ourselves on Burma Road. Along the road a bit is the West Mersea Yacht Club, which I had not seen for nearly forty years, when I crewed for one its members most weekends.

Parking up we entered the West Mersea Oyster Bar. Without a reservation we were offered a set at the bar. Arguably these were the best seats in the house with a great view over the boat yards. Trevor ordered a seafood platter for two and for himself a side order of half a dozen oysters.  

Strewn all around old hulks and skeletal boats, happily dissolving into the mud.

Every bit of our meal was delicious and served to us by an engaging crew, a chirpy atmosphere of this place rounded out the occasion.

After lunch we were back walking the Burma Road, nosing around the yards and oyster sheds with camera and sketchbook. All the boat yards were busy readying yachts for the summer. And strewn all around old hulks and skeletal boats, happily dissolving into the mud, sand and shingle. 

Only Essex can serve up such rich confection of experiences and use its big skies to compress these into riches, including super seafood (Mersea Island’s 'famed natural produce').

Footnote

TRAVELS WITH MY ARCHITECT 

The offbeat, kiss-me-quick atmosphere of the East Anglian and Kent seaside and coast fascinates architect and photographer Trevor Clapp and I.

These places portrayed in photographs and drawings we have taken/made at the time of each visit and the words I write soon after under the banner of Travels with my Architect. His implacable architectural eye has created some great photo’s, which will soon find a home on a dedicated website.

Some of the jaunts and drawings have been published and a book is available called Curious Coast.