Springers spring up everywhere

[John V]

Yesterday I visited a field of long forgotten dreams, sometimes also called a boatyard.

I haven't been to this yard for quite a few years and although there does seem to be slightly fewer mouldering hulks and heaps of rusting engines than of yore, sufficient remain to retain the strange fascination these places hold for me.

Large numbers of boats in various states of decrepitude, either awaiting the attempts of modification by dreamers with much enthusiasm and little skill. Others having already suffered these indignities now lie mouldering, trying to hide their embarrassment behind flapping drapes of tattered tarpaulins.

Wandering around among these tightly packed hulks, from 18 foot beautifully crafted moss covered sailing dinghies, 50 foot concrete yachts (with cabins built of Wayney lap that have never had the chance to feel salt water on their keels). up to 100 foot motor vessels with half their planking stripped. suddenly an odd sight appeared, a perky little bow and familiar brightly coloured, although faded paintwork.

There amongst all these salty water relatives sat a Springer.

You can't help wondering what a tale of adventures it must have to tell to have ended up here !!!

 

If you wish to visit this yard you have to be prepared to travel off the beaten track. By road your sat nav warns you that you are going off grid, and visiting by water involves entering one of those strange mazes of muddy creeks wending there way through the boggy land.

 

Legends tell of strange folk who appear at dusk and seem to have no visible dwelling and of muddy hand and footprints with 6 toes and fingers.

 

If I tell you that the yard is near the junction of Potton Creek, The Middleway and the Havengore creek near Mill Head, you might start to get the idea and when I tell you that taking two of these routes will end up at Devils Reach.......well, that tells all !!!

[Athy]

Somewhere down Essex way, then.

 

How things end up where they do is a source of fascination and speculation. I think this, for example, about records - they should have been electronically tagged in some way when pressed, so that one can see the history of their wanderings. I thought this when I found a Nigerian-pressed copy of a Jamaican reggae record in a shop in Hailsham.

 

The furthest-flung Springers which I know of are on the Canal du Berry in central France. There are three of them, in neat, smart nick, and you can hire one.

[Victor Vectis]

Hey!! Somebody wake up Ange (of this 'ere parish)

 

This blokes talking about her backyard.

[matty40s]

...and you forgot your camera??

[Laurie Booth]

Uphill boat yard near Weston Super Mare has a Springer there. Why?

[W+T]

That should be my place, sounds like a dream garden John to me shame all the good bits are down south, i am sure i will come a few place up north soon enough. maybe around Goole and Beverley.

 

( i need to keep my mind off THAT boat )

[John V]

...and you forgot your camera??

 

I suppose I really ought to go to some of these yards and take some photos of some of the weird craft, while they still exist.

It's a shame but "progress" has tidied away and sanitized a lot of places that used to be like this.

It's only in odd forgotten corners they survive

[Athy]

 

I suppose I really ought to go to some of these yards and take some photos of some of the weird craft, while they still exist.

It's a shame but "progress" has tidied away and sanitized a lot of places that used to be like this.

It's only in odd forgotten corners they survive

If you haven't already been there, you'd have great fun at Charity Dock.

[John V]

I've not done the Coventry.....that's still on my "to do" list......doesn't quite make the "bucket list" but not far behind

[beardshave]

Did this Springer have a name. I'd still love to know what happened to CopperRose.

Last time I asked on here Bizzard recalled her being on the Lea I think but nothing more......

[John V]

I'm sorry I didn't look, as I said earlier I think I ought to do a few afternoons out with the camera locally. If I do I will check

[Athy]

I've not done the Coventry.....that's still on my "to do" list......doesn't quite make the "bucket list" but not far behind

Well, "tidied and sanitised" would NOT describe Charity Dock. I assume you can get there by car, as there's a garage (or at least a scrapyard) attached to the boatyard.

[bizzard]

Did this Springer have a name. I'd still love to know what happened to CopperRose.

Last time I asked on here Bizzard recalled her being on the Lea I think but nothing more......

Copper Rose was bought from someone at Cowroast by the yard owner here in Stortfort. My cousin brought it back and broke down in the Islington tunnel, managed to limp it along to Springfield on the Lea where I on a Saturday afternoon, after work went out to it, got it going, and we brought it back here non stop all through the night and arrived here a about 2pm on the Sunday, I had to bleed the fuel system almost continually there was a hairline crack in the filter housing. After that a bloke called Barry bought it and rebuilt the cabin ect and sold it on again to a chap called Danny who fiddled around with it, he then decided he wanted a Waterbug and took Copper Rose from here back to Cowroast marina to go on brokerage, that's the last I heard about it.

Well, "tidied and sanitised" would NOT describe Charity Dock. I assume you can get there by car, as there's a garage (or at least a scrapyard) attached to the boatyard.

Can you still get through Havengore creek to the Roach and river Crouch at high water John?

[Athy]

Can you still get through Havengore creek to the Roach and river Crouch at high water John?

I'm not sure this is aimed at me - I don't usually answer to "John".

[bizzard]

I'm not sure this is aimed at me - I don't usually answer to "John".

No, yes, for John. sorry, my mistake. I don't how it got there.

[John V]

Can you still get through Havengore creek to the Roach and river Crouch at high water John?

 

Yes Bizz, A fine new system there now ! They even have a radio so you can call them up as you are coming across the mudflats !!!