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View Full Version : Archived: Hulks of the Torridge Estuary, Devon, 26/07/09



Tankman
04-08-2009, 06:34 PM
Any Tidal Estuary is always good for an easy explore, and a lot can be found if you have the time:thumb

I always search local bookshops for books that are on the local scene, written & printed by non main stream publishers, they seem to stay within the local area.
One such book,I found was ideal for what I wanted to do:thumb
A Field Guide to the Archeology of the Taw & Torridge Estuaries, Chris Preece.

A nice map on the centre pages showed where all the main hulks were located:thumb Armed with this I set off along the Tarka Tail that meanders along the estuary From Instow to Bideford.

The area is known for its ship building especially on the Appledore side, but over the years, like all British Ship building this has more or less dried up:(

A lot of the Hulks are wooden, Clinker, built, and date from the 1880's to early 1900's. From Ketch's to Schooner's they all lay at rest in the mud flats of the Torridge & Taw Estuarys, along with a few steel hulled vessels.

On with the pics:

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/HULKS%20OF%20THE%20TORRIDGE%20ESTUARY/044.jpg

Remains of a once pround Ketch that use to be a regular site on these water's. Most were used as Barrage Balloon tenders in WW2 around the Estuary, after the war they were in such a bad condition that they were just beached and left to rot where they layed.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/HULKS%20OF%20THE%20TORRIDGE%20ESTUARY/042.jpg

A collection of various Hulks slowly sinking into the mud flats.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/HULKS%20OF%20THE%20TORRIDGE%20ESTUARY/059.jpg

A lost art in ship building, you cannot but admire the craftmanship in this hull:thumb

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/HULKS%20OF%20THE%20TORRIDGE%20ESTUARY/165.jpg

Some redundant trawlers abandoned on the Appldore side of the Estuary.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/HULKS%20OF%20THE%20TORRIDGE%20ESTUARY/166.jpg

Some finds on the mud flats, where some old piers use to be. The remains of an old shoe, note the studs! And some old petrified rope!
Really exciting stuff I know:lol:

More pics here:
http://s260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/HULKS%20OF%20THE%20TORRIDGE%20ESTUARY/?start=all