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Thorpe Bay

Submitted by lobsterboy

Just along from the flashing lights and amusements of Southend sea front, sit the rather more genteel area of Thorpe Bay. Further along the coast is Shoeburyness which is covered in another location report.

For the photographer the area is rich in possibilities with plenty of fishing boats moored in the Bay and lots of colourful beach huts. The morning I visited was a beautiful crisp cold winter morning. In the winter the low sun rises across the beach nicely side-lighting the scene across to Kent and with the sunrise colours reflecting in the wet sands.

On the day I visited sunrise coincided with a tide that was out but coming in. The estuary is so flat that it is always worth keeping an eye out in these conditions. The tide comes in very fast and you can find yourself wading back to the shore if you are not careful.

Lots of small fishing boats are anchored in the bay as well as some of the yachts from the Thorpe bay yachting club. The mud here is pretty solid, though wellies are recommended as you sometimes come across softer areas generously provided by the local bait diggers to catch out the unwary.