Because of the logistics of camping, tides etc our GP14 event was actually held in Bradwell which is directly across the Blackwater River from Tollesbury. If you look at the first picture above you can just about see some masts in the distance, some are in West Mersea and others in Tollesbury to the left. Bradwell is very pretty with its marina and it is a very traditional English village, however it also has this .......
Bradwell Nuclear Power Station. I know that it is not very pretty and is politically incorrect in some quarters, but there are times when we love the power station. It can be seen from Clacton Pier, especially at night when it is all lit up. Believe me, when you have been at sea for 24 hours returning from Holland, it is the best sight in the world. Home is in sight even though we still have another 5 hours sailing ahead of us! Now that it is closed down, I hope that when they encase it in concrete they put lots of lights on top just to guide us weary sailors!
Funny how some of these non-you structures become so important to us. We have the cooling towers at Doel here on the Dutch Belgium border. You can see them for miles around too, and they have this familiarity thing about them that makes you know you are close to home. I agree your power station isn't pretty, but it's impressive! I hope they put lights on it too..
ReplyDeleteVal, on land we also have the Dartford Tunnel on the M25, once we get through it we feel like we are home even though we still have another hour's driving. Still at least at that point we are back in Essex!
ReplyDeleteAah, the Dartford tunnel. Must come back for a visit some time soon. The names just arouse all that nostalgia for me!
ReplyDeleteI am trying to be very good and stay away from Bluewater and Lakeside, as Pete keeps telling me, until we sell the house all spare money goes towards the barge! Still a girl has to have her little secret shopping spree every so often!
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