Dinghy Adventure

A close shave for four lads

By Richard Hall

I remember in about 1960 leaving the shore by the old gas works in Southend and sailing east through the submarine trap (just) and up Havengore Creek.

There were four us in the dinghy, John, Paul, myself and one other boy. But who?

Eventually, we moored up and camped near the joining of the Roach with the Crouch. The following morning we broke camp, got in the boat, pushed off into the water AND then found the engine would not start!

We drifted quite rapidly out towards the sea. Our salvation was that we managed to steer the craft towards a buoy in mid river where we frantically grasped hold.

Eventually we were rescued by a larger craft whose owner gave us a tow all the way upstream to South Fambridge. There we dragged it out and left it in the Anchor car park where sometime later, one of our parents, transported it on a trailer back to the owner.

What an adventure! But who was the fourth boy?