Sailing Barge Greta

Part 2

In this copy free feature we continue our sail off the North Kent coast on S.B. Greta

Skipper owner Steve Norris with Sav'

Wind in the sails a steady 3 knots under the keel before the breeze dropped right away

What a helmsman useless it had to happen

Only consolation is that my grandparents built & sailed barges from Conyer

The new sight on the North Kent Seascape from 2003

The weather test rig for the Windfarm on the Kentish Flats 5 miles off the Whitstable Herne Bay Coast

Some 30 wind generators are planned, power will come ashore at Hampton Pier

Constant clean of the bird droppings from the solar panels was overcome

By fitting an effigy of a long eared owl to deter seagulls from landing - it works

Information retrieved is sent to the development office at Whitstable Harbour

Above the Windfarm at Hoyle Wales opened in 2003 courtesy of National Windpower & the New Scientist December 2003

The 30 turbine Windfarm produces 2MW from each turbine (Mega Watts) & is fed into the National Grid

This is the same number & size of turbines planned for the site licensed for development on the Kentish Flats but output will be 3MW ie 90MW

Opposition to Windfarms comes from fishermen who are concerned that their trawls will be hindered

Residents who say their views are spoilt

But mostly the MoD & the Civil Air Traffic Control (ATC) who have scuppered 48 offshore & 34 land Wind Farms

The "ping" generated by ATC returns a Radar Cross Section (RCS) in effect a turbine can look like a 747 Jumbo Jet & stationary objects like large buildings can be filtered out

This is unique to the UK as by contrast Danish ATC have not lodged one single objection to their Windfarms

Recreational & commercial concerns during construction should be directed to Morton Milthers (WVC) Whitstable harbour, CT5 1AB call 0773 987 8460 or email [email protected]

Picture courtesy of the Whistable Times Thursday 22nd January 2004 of a drilling rig on its way to Holland stopped to make some test bores 2004 to ensure that pylon platform legs won't sink into the mud

For more information on the Windfarm development off the Kent Coast visit the Kentish Flats website

Alternatively contact them direct : Kentish Flats Offshore Wind Farm, PO Box 218 Whitstable Kent CT5 1WZ UK

Or see the Elsam the Danish parent company site

Elsam A/C - Kentish Flats, Overgade 45, DK-7000 Fredericia, Denmark

There's mare detail on Sea Drilling at Vestas & Windpower

The Excel 2 pictred on 28/10/04 in Whitstable Harbour owner skipper Les Bates is under contract to the Windfarm Project

Alternatively contact them direct : Kentish Flats Offshore Wind Farm, PO Box 218 Whitstable Kent CT5 1WZ UK

Elsam A/C - Kentish Flats, Overgade 45, DK-7000 Fredericia, Denmark

Long time family friend Barge builder author Don Satin with mother at the wheel

The books written by Don Satin & published by Meresborough Book available from the Rainham Bookshop

You might like to look at the Black Ship a family website but with fascinating information on Barge Building at Conyer: Sara, Sirdar & Cumbria included, along with the Brickworks of Smeed Dean & Company Limited

Container ship heading East

Steve lifting the starboard Lee board

On the approach to Shivering Sands

Pilot launch making its way West back to the Medway

The 6 remaining Towers on Shivering Sands

Once home to Radio Sutch & City from 1964 - 1967

Navigate from Sutch & City Part 1 for the story of Radio from Shivering Sands & Offshore to buy a CD documentary on the Pirates on the forts

GI Southern Gun & Control Towers with Essex coastline behind

Remains of the Detroit generator just visible inside

See Radio Sutch & City Part 1 for the full story & Offshor Shop for CD Documentaries

All that remains of the Jungle Walk between Gun 1 & the Control Towers

See Fort Fax for the history of the Thames Estuary Forts

Shivering Sands remains of jungle walk

Shivering Sands South Cardinal Buoy with the Isle-of-Sheppey in the background

Bofors, Gun 1, & Control Towers

Only 6 of the original 7 Towers remain on Shivering Sands the remnants of Gun Tower 4 were dragged away in 1966

The leg remains of Gun Tower 2, the Steel House was broken up & went for scrap the Oxford Picture Frame Base is at Cliffe

Again navigate from Radio Sutch & City Part 1 & Fort Fax for the whole story

Gun 4 & Searchlight Towers

Gun 1, 4, Control & Bofors Towers with Red Sands Forts in the distance

Gun 1, 4, Bofors & Control Towers

Gun Towers 3 & 4

Searchlight Tower used until 1992 used by the Port of London Authority

Navigate from Radio Sutch & City Part 1 to see a PoLA helicopter landed on its roof & for the full story & Offshore for CD Documentaries

Looking South West

The Searchlight Tower looking West up the Swale

North Cardinal Buoy through to South Cardinal

Kent coastline in background

South Cardinal Buoy left North right

Car container ship heading to Queenborough

This feature continues in Greta Part 3

For more pictures of Red Sands navigate from Red Sands Rendezvous : Red Sands 2003 for pictures off Whitstable Coast go from : Whitstable Harbour Day 2003

For news on the Red Sands preservation project see Seatribe

For all the Shivering Sands Army Forts & its Radio Stations navigate from Sutch & City 1

For the Navy Forts & their Radio Stations navigate from Radio Essex 222 & Sealand One

For details on all the Thames estuarty Forts see Fort Fax

Make sure you also see the NAB "Mystery Tower" the forerunner to the Maunsell Forts in Sailing the Solent

For more maritime adventures see Afloat

For the range of documentary Offshore Radio CD's, an audio visual tour around a Naval fort in Sealand the Grand Tour VCD, books, & a video on the Army & Navy Forts visit the Offshore Shop

To book your sail aboard the spritsail barge Greta see Boat Trips