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Fishermen's Cottages |
VISITORSWest Mersea Town Council would like to welcome visitors to the lovely island of Mersea, nestled in the Blackwater Estuary -Want to read books about Mersea? Click on to LEISURE for a comprehensive list! Want to find out what is happening in Mersea? Click on to our EVENTS PAGE Need to find your way about West Mersea? See our MAP OF MERSEA end of this page |
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| Welcome to our bustling riverside town Despite the ghastly march of development - the rash of houses and bungalows - somehow Mersea still manages to retain some of its former island magic. At full moon and new moon the waters of the Pyefleet slowly creep over the Strood causeway and for a while we are truly cut off from the mainland. Just off the shoreline lay forgotten backwaters - seal haunted creeks where curlew and oyster catcher probe the mud at low tide for food. Mersea marshlands, in summer, can be amazingly beautiful. The island has been a settlement for 2000 years mainly due to an abundant supply of water from underground springs. Our earliest mention occurs in the writings of no less a person than Julius Ceaser himself - who thought the Brits a cruel and savage breed but loved our oysters. For people who like statistics - Mersea Island lies on the east coast of England - nine miles south of Colchester and is - allegedly - the most easterly inhabited island in Britain - bordered on its northern shore by the Pyefleet Channel and to the west by the Strood Channel. It is five miles long by two miles wide and has a land mass of 2,683 acres - facing south to the Blackwater estuary -the largest estuary between the Thames and the Wash - the entrance to the Blackwater river itself being about two miles wide. At East Merseatwo rivers - the Blackwater and Colne merge. The Colne running nine miles north until it reaches the town of Colchester - allegedly - Britains' oldest recorded town - once a Roman garrison. In Roman times Mersea Island became a retirement retreat for veteran officers of the Roman legions If you were a seagull you would know that Mersea is shaped like a bean and that it rises along a central ridge to about seventy feet - which is what passes for a hill in this part of the world! The Island sits on a bed of London Clay producing a heavy loamy soil interspersed with patches of sandy gravel. In conservation terms the Blackwater is one of the top ten estuaries in Western Europe a large section of it being a triple SSSI - a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Mersea saltmarshes form part of the Eastern Atlantic Flyway- a migration route for millions of seabirds stretching from Siberia to South Africa. Mersea has a dry healthy climate with a rainfall of approximately twenty inches per year. Residents are famous for their longevity - we have the highest number of ninety year olds in the Colchester Borough area. Mersea men are also well known for their virility - it's the zinc in the oysters what does it - so I'm told! Mersea is also a seaside resort - of sorts! However - If you are you on of them types what likes to spend your hard earned savings in gambling arcades or enjoys waiting around for hours in a Theme Park queue for a five minute white knuckle ride - then don't come to us. Here, on Mersea, we like it kind of laid back and peaceful. West Mersea has a long sandy/shingly beach and very clean bathing water. If you do decide to take the plunge - and it can be a bit nippy early season - don't wait around too long because the water disappears way into the distance. Low tide is the time to venture out across a long gritty sandbank to search for cockles and winkles and let the tiny tiny crabs crabs run over your toes. Our main industry is fishing and Mersea is the largest longshore fishing port between Lowestoft and Brixham with about 15 boats - the main catch - sole, skate, bass and mullet in summer - herring and cod in winter. Second only to this comes oyster farming - as already mentioned Mersea is famed for it's native oysters - the finest specimens finding their way to the tables of some of the most prestigious eating places in Europe. Oysters were farmed under sail here until the turn of the century and you can still see some of our - lovingly preserved - antique fishing smacks - out on the water in all their glory. Mersea folk love "simply messing about in boats". There are craft of all kinds forever sailing or chugging up and down the river - not to mention Windsurfers and Kitesurfers - out on the water in all seasons - even Christmas Day! A sport popular with the newly retired apparently. We welcome all Visitors to Mersea - just one word of warning - watch out for the killer mozzies and giant jellyfish! (only joking) and the locals of course we're all a bit odd! Please click on any of the tabs in the LEFT hand column for more normal information. You can try this external link too. www.localplaces.com WANT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT MERSEA ISLAND? Or read a book about Mersea! or perhaps find out what Famous People have lived in Mersea! Then - Click on to our LEISURE section CARAVAN SITES |
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state of the art caravanning! |
| CARAVAN SITES Mersea has six caravan sites - all bar one overlook the beach Coopers Beach Holiday Park East Mersea 01206 385479 Restaurant - Shop- Swimming Pool - 2 Bars - Adventure Playground Tennis Courts - Private Beach - 2 Football pitches Slipway - Pets Welcome Cosways Holiday Home Park East Mersea 01206 383252 Fen Farm East Mersea 01206 383275 Statics - Tourers - Tents - Motor Caravans Childrens play area - Dogs welcome In 2003 Fen Farm was awarded the David Bellamy Award for Conservation No club - no pool - just tranquil Firs Chase Caravan Park West Mersea adjoining yacht anchorage - water frontage to Strood Channel Mobile Holiday Homes - no tourer or tents 01206 382855 Seaview Holiday Park West Mersea Statics - Tourers - Tents - Slipway Clubhouse - Shop - Cafe Beach Cabins - Private Beach web: www.westmersea.com 01206 382534 Waldegraves Holiday Park West Mersea Touring Park and Self Catering Accommodation Family entertainment - childrens play area - Boating lake four course fishing lakes - undercover golf driving range heated swimming pool - Pitch and Putt Licensed clubhouse - restaurant and shop south facing beach 01206 382898 www.waldegraves.co.uk |
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entrance to Seaview caravan site |
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part of Waldegraves Caravan Site |
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TAXI SERVICES IJK Taxi Services Local - Train station - hospital etc 01206 385984 All UK Airports and Seaports 24 hour bookings taken 4 and 6 seater available Lady Drivers available Prompt reliable service competitive rates family run business RWS Private Hire long distance - airports and cruise terminal specialist air conditoned 7 seater vehicle 01206 382950 Mersea Island Taxis (Tooleys Taxis) 01206 384666 or 07850 750326 oldest established taxi company on the island offering 6 seater people carriers London black cab knowledge a female driver We travel to airports - seaports - London as well as short local trips around Mersea and surrounding area no journey too long or too short MORE MERSEA PICS |
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Sailing Barge - a familiar sight on the Blackwater River |
The Boadicea - the oldest fishing smack on the Blackwater |
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A Winklebrig another traditional Mersea boat |
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The beach beyond between Seaview Avenue and Waldegraves |
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West Mersea from the air approaching from The Strood and Wellhouse Hill - clearly showing the fishing lakes at Wellhouse Farm on right |
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Carriage rides at Waldegraves |
| Mersea waterfront where everyone "messes about on boats". |
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Beach Cabins on Seaview Beach |
| Tourers at Seaview |
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Willoughby Park and (free) car park good for picnics |
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getting ready for an evening sail |
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sun rising over the Strood channel |
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Windsurfers Race |
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West Mersea from the air |
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Regatta Day |
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Oysters to Go! |
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Mersea Fishing boat at anchor |
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Empress Avenue West Mersea has lots of long avenues leading down to the sea |
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One of Mersea's many pretty gardens |
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Car Boot Sale every Sunday in summer at Waldegraves |
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The Lane |
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flowerboat on the Esplanade |
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Windsurfers |
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Mersea's Cafe Society! |
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Quiet Moorings |
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Jet Ski-ing |
| The Square |
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Kitesurfing on the Estuary |
| don't hit the fishing boat! Dabchicks sailing Cadets set out for an evening sail |
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| THE COMMON SEAL Common seals swim in the Blackwater all the year round They are most obvious between summer and midwinter when they come into the estuary after bass, herring and sprats They do not breed in our river (breeding usually at Foulness or Hamford Water) but they do haul out on quiet mudflats, saltings and inter tidal sandbanks hereabouts. Average body length 175cm including flippers. A female seal can reach 30 years of age but males are unlikely to survive beyond 20 years. Common seals can travel up to 50km to feed and may remain at sea for several days They can stay underwater for up to 10 minutes and can reach depths of 50 metres. Females give birth to a single pup in June or July each year. Pups are well developed at birth and can swim and dive when just a few hours old If you find an injured or diseased seal telephone the RSPCA RSPCA 0990 555999 Do not go too close to the seal - it may bite! Avoid disturbing seal pups as this could result in the mother abandoning them |
| Thames Sailing Barges at rest in the river |
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Start of Fishing Smack Race off Osea Island |
| Punt Racing along the Waterfront |
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West Mersea Colchester Essex, CO5 8JD Telephone and Fax 01206 382128 E-mail: westmerseatc@aol.com |