THE CHARTER

The Ultimate Southend Offshore Plein Air Experience

APPLICATIONS CLOSED

We have provisionally booked the date of 31st May 2024 for the the first of a series of ultimate Plein Air experiences

Kicking off with

THE CHARTER

In this unique experience you will be able to create your own interpretation of the Red Sands Maunsell forts from the Sea.

So basically you will be challenged in skills of observation and colour as well as painting from a moving platform, (the Boat).

We will also have time to stop at another destination as well as a time moored off the pier before returning to shore.

Upon return to shore we will stop for drinks and food to summarise the day.

The Maunsell Forts

The Maunsell Forts are armed towers built in the Thames and Mersey estuaries during the Second World War to help defend the United Kingdom. They were operated as army and navy forts, and named after their designer, Guy Maunsell. The forts were decommissioned during the late 1950s and later used for other activities including pirate radio broadcasting. One of the forts is managed by the unrecognised Principality of Sealand; boats visit the remaining forts occasionally, and a consortium named Project Redsands is planning to conserve the fort situated at Red Sands. The aesthetic attraction of the Maunsell forts has been considered to be associated with the aesthetics of decay, transience and nostalgia.

During the summers of 2007 and 2008 Red Sands Radio, a station commemorating the pirate radio stations of the 1960s, operated from the Red Sands fort on 28-day Restricted Service Licences. The fort was subsequently declared unsafe, and Red Sands Radio has moved its operations ashore to Whitstable.

Forts had been built in river mouths and similar locations to defend against ships, such as the Grain Tower Battery at the mouth of the Medway dating from 1855, Plymouth Breakwater Fort, completed 1865, the four Spithead Forts: Horse Sand Fort, No Mans Land and St Helens Forts which were built 1865–1880 and Spitbank Fort, built during the 1880s, the Humber Forts on Bull & Haile Sands, completed in late 1919, and the Nab Tower, intended as part of a World War I anti-submarine defense but only set in place in 1920.

The Starfish fishing and day trip boat

Details

The Charter is a one day boat trip on Friday 31st May 2024.

The boat with leave from Leigh Marina at 7:30am and return at 16:30hrs.

The boat will contain, crew and has spaces comfortably for 8 artists and there plein air materials. You will be accompanied by your hosts Andy Downes and Stacie Smith.

We propose the main bulk of time at Red Sands and then moving onto another unique painting opportunity such as moored off Southend Pier.

When we return to the shore the day includes fantastic food and a drink at a local bar in Old Leigh.

All insurances covered with Brownes Thames Estuary Boat and Fishing Trips.

You will need to provide all your own art equipment for the day.

If the trip is cancelled due to weather we will decide on another within the year.

Once the boat is booked if you have to pull out you will lose your deposit, as the deposit goes straight to the boat. Unless you can find someone to take your space.

The cost for this event is £180 per person which includes food and drink at days end.

If you’re interested in booking one of the spaces you must register your interest by end of Feb 2024.

Then we will contact you in March where you will have one week to pay the deposit. If all 8 spaces are not taken up then we will cancel the event and refund you your deposit by Sunday Feburary 4th 2024. If all spaces are booked, we will forward the deposit to the boat. Then the final payment must be made on 26th May 2024.

All correspondence by email until I have confirmed bookings.

THE CHARTER

The Ultimate Offshore Plein Air Experience 31st May 2024 Southend

Register your interest to book a space in the form below.

Remember there are only 8 spaces avaiable so it will be on a first come first serve basis.