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Mersea Island Portal

The romantic lure of Island life is alive and well just off the coast of Essex. Mersea Island, nestled between the river Blackwater and Colne estuaries is approximately nine miles south-east of Colchester, and is without doubt one of the county's best kept secrets.

The island is approximately five miles by two miles, and has a perimeter of twelve miles encompassing the town of West Mersea and the village of East Mersea. The name is a derivation of the Anglo Saxon word ‘Meresig’, which dates from the early 10th Century and means 'island of the pool'.

 

  West Mersea Lifeboat Station

 

More of a BARK than a SHOUT

Local jargon for a Lifeboat call-out is a SHOUT. People might ask: 'What was yesterday's Shout about?'

A local waterfront resident of the canine variety found himself in his dinghy drifting down the creek on a strong wind and tide, without any means of getting back to his home mooring. The situation was spotted from the shore and the lifeboat was called out. A tow was arranged and the rescue became a community affair as the West Mersea Yacht Club launch became involved in reuniting the troubled resident with his human.

 

As one of the shore helpers at the RNLI Station commented - it was more of a BARK than a SHOUT!
 

 Faith Hare

 West Mersea RNLI Station Press Officer