Southend-on-Sea and St Katherine Docks

 Southend-on-Sea and St Katherine Docks London

Part One - 23rd August 2024

I've included these two destinations together because they both involve the replica 16th/17th century Spanish Galleon Galeon Adalusia.

When I discovered that this ship was doing a tour around the British coast, stopping off at various ports, I thought it would be pretty good to see it. Finding out it was going to be anchored off the end of Southend Pier was a real enticement for a trip to the seaside.

Have always loved Southend. It's just a typical English seaside resort; nothing fancy, but where we were all went as a family back in the day, usually by coach on the well-remembered Premier Coaches from Watford and once, perhaps twice by train - a very well remembered trip being diesel hauled (always steam previously). We'd lug all our paraphernalia to the beach - well, mud really - and find a pitch for the entire day. If we were lucky and if mum and dad could afford it, we'd visit the Kursaal before heading back to the coach. The Kursaal being the amusement park with a big dipper (roller coaster), a 'wall of death' and the 'laughing policeman' in a glass cabinet. Happy days ....

Even in my teens, Southend was still the go-to place; close enough that you could register at school in the morning, jump on a train from Watford High Street and then from Liverpool Street make it down to Southend in time to run up the pier, grab a sandwich and get home so that mum was none the wiser! Years later I found out my son did the exact same thing!

However, back to 2024.

Me, Sue and Martin travelled from Croxley on the Met Line through to Liverpool Street and got our tickets for Southend. Time for a coffee and croissant before the train and then all aboard for the seaside. It's a nice easy run down and from the station it's a bus hop to town and then a walk down to the seafront and the viewing tower. 

Viewing tower with lift down to the esplanade

Deciding on lunch first, we found a fish and chip restaurant - Alfie's - on the Esplanade and rather splendid the food was too. Then it was across the road onto the pier from where we could see the galleon at the end, checking in with our prepaid tickets and beginning the famous 1.3 mile walk. It was a beautiful sunny day with fluffy clouds and dodgy knee not withstanding it was a fabulous walk, each of us taking loads of photos, watching the pier trains going passed, the sun playing on the water and just enjoying the outing. 

We made it to the end and the knee was holding up (some days it does, some days it doesn't) and as we were a bit early for our timed ticket, we got a tea and then wandered about looking at the ship and taking more photos. Then we spotted a stall selling merchandise and had to buy a T shirt, of course. By which time it was our turn to board so up the gang plank we went and were finally on the ship. What fun it was going from deck to deck. I found it easiest to negotiate the stairs backwards (as I believe the sailors would have done) and explored everywhere. But eventually we had seen pretty much all of it and disembarked (nautical terminology ha ha) took a few more photos and then began making our way back. Fortunately I had included a one way trip on the train with our tickets, so we could take it easy going back and watch the shore getting closer. 

For those who may not know, Southend Pier is the longest in the world at 1.33 miles extending out into the Thames Estuary. Construction began in July 1829 with the railway opening in the 1890s.  It has suffered fires, been taken over by the Royal Navy, suffered decline, been closed, been reopened and renovated and is now Grade II listed. But there is a lot more history so follow this link to read all about it:

https://Wikipedia/wiki/Southend_Pier

Once back ashore, we decided tea/coffee and donuts were in order. Normally we would have had ice cream with Rossi's Ice Cream being extremely well known, especially in Watford, but no, donuts won out.  Then it was a walk back to the viewpoint, lift to the top, stroll up the High Street to the bus stop and return to the station. All in all a jolly good day out. 

End of the pier.  See lots more photos in the gallery

Part Two - 4th October 2024

My friend Vera had seen my photos of the galleon and wished she could have seen it too.  Discovering the ship was being sailed up the Thames to dock near the Tower of London was the perfect opportunity for Vera to do just that and an excuse for another day out. So, we picked a day and then changed it because of the weather and finally decided the end of the week looked best. As Vera doesn't like the Tube, we took the overground to Euston from Watford Junction and then waited for a 205 bus. Can't say I've travelled around London by bus very much, it's always walking, so it was going to be interesting. And so it proved. We were advised to alight at St Botolph Street and the ride getting there took us through parts of London you obviously just don't see when you're underground. We didn't venture on to the upper deck, but could see things fairly well as we travelled, despite the bus being crowded at times. So much diverse architecture. A real treat. 

The onboard screen finally flashed up St Botolph Street and we alighted and got our bearings. I helped that I recognised a lot of the tall buildings poking up on the skyline, so knew which way to head for the river. First point of interest was an obelisk standing on a wide expanse of pavement which I later found out was called 'Spitalfields Column' featuring reliefs of animals and people representing the trades that were common in the area and is at the Aldgate end of Middlesex Street. 

Spitalfields Column

From here we made our way down towards the Tower of London and to St Katherine's Dock where we got our first look at the Galeon Andalusia. It was another glorious day and we worked our way around the marina looking at the various boats, taking time to view the Royal Barge Gloriana. Such a beautiful vessel. It was then that we saw a boat - not sure you could call it a yacht - making it's way alongside the galleon towards the bridge across the lock. Realising it was going to be leaving the marina, we moved closer to the other end of the dock to watch the proceedings. The water had already been raised to the level of the marina, but we found out it was going to take about half an hour to empty the dock back to the level of the river for the vessel to leave, so we went and grabbed a coffee and sat near the girl and dolphin sculpture until things began to happen. 

SKD (St Katherine Docks) has a history dating back to the 12th century. In May it hosted the biggest fleet of Dunkirk Little Ships seen in the UK in recent years, an event that Martin and me attended. The Dunkirk evacuation​, code-named Operation Dynamo, saw the evacuation of Allied soldiers during World War II from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk, in the north of France, between 26 May and 4 June 1940. A collection of approximately 850 private boats and 20 warships participated in Operation Dynamo and more than 200 ships were lost. Known as ‘Little Ships’, many of these courageous vessels live on, privately owned and exquisitely preserved. It was quite a sight to see so many, to hear the stories of heroism, but equally quite sad to hear some of the stories of those who didn't return. 

The Royal Barge Gloriana at SKD

Yet as Vera and me sat drinking our coffees and soaking up the sunshine, it was fascinating to think about the boats going through the locks on the canal near home, while watching this which was on another level really, seeing as the boat was going to be manoeuvring out from the marina into the River Thames. And eventually it did, the bridge opening, as had the one at the other end and the vessel slowly moved out. And as that one left, so a Thames barge came in. Bonus. We hung around until the dock was filled again and the barge edged into the marina and after a few more photos, went across the bridge for Vera to go aboard Andalusia.

As I'd already been on deck and my knee was beginning to whinge, I sat and waited at the side of the dock, people watching. And with Vera clutching her T shirt and photos taken, we decided it really was time for something to eat. So we wandered round the marina again and eventually decided on Cafe Rouge. And what a lovely meal it was too. We opted for the two course menu, but were tempted by the dessert options and so  'pushed the boat out' with three courses in the end. 

And then it was time to make our way back. So it was up the steps from the marina across from the Tower of London and retrace our route up the A1210 towards St Botolph's street where we found the right bus stop and waited for the 205 back to Euston. By the time we had crossed over the street to the station itself, my knee was really hurting. Trying not to make too much of it, we caught a slow train to Watford Junction and then a W20 bus to the estate, stopping at the shops to pick up a few bits and pieces. 

By the time we got home I found from my app that I had walked over 12,700 steps (my average being between 4 and 6). No wonder I was in pain. But a couple of paracetamols soon put it right and afterall, it had been another fantastic day, with sun, boats, sights and very good company. 

Vera aboard Galeon Andalusia