Packing Shed Update – March 2011

Last year 2010 was, financially, one of the most successful years yet for the Packing Shed Trust. We were able to put more money aside for the future (in case we need a new boat, engine or generator) and carry out repairs as they were needed.

We had four great Open Days which brought in about £1800. Thanks must go to our two newest committee members – Jean Freeman and Ginny Jarvis – who enticed the visitors with the lure of wonderful cream teas, as well as to the launch drivers who brought them out, the people who took the money, and those helpers who cleared tables and washed up.

The Packing Shed received a facelift at the start of the season. It was repainted inside and out by a team of Community Payback people – organised and supervised by the Probation Service. These young people not only did a great job but also enjoyed working in such a unique location.

David Green had spent the previous winter making new window frames to replace those that had rotted and these were installed in early spring. Willing helpers ripped out the old windows under his guidance and assisted the master craftsman in clearing up the resultant mess. Later last spring, repairs were necessary to the south-facing studwork by the main entrance, where the dreaded dry rot had set in.

We received two grants for around £500 each from the Mersea Island Lions Club and the Rotary Club of Mersea Island, for which we are most grateful. The Lions grant paid for a new stainless steel winch for the Pioneer Launch (Packing Shed 2), whilst that from the Rotary Club paid for all the paint and timber used during the repairs. We also received a gift of £20 from one of our hirers to put a winch on the moveable jetty which will make it easier to move up and down the beach. This kind lady had spotted the effort involved and sought to remedy it. Our thanks go to Pat Mills for the winch and to Peter Clark who researched and sourced it. David Green will be fitting it shortly.

December 2010

September 2010

After a sterling effort by the Trust Chairman, Alan Mogridge, and Trustees David Green and Paddy Ryan, the rotting decking of the landing jetty has been replaced.  Time and tide waits for no man and some of the repairs had to be carried out while knee-deep in water!

Packing Shed Update – May 2009

New Chairman

After 8 successful years at the helm, William (Kim) Kimberley has handed over the chairmanship of the Packing Shed Trust Committee to Alan Mogridge. In 2001, Dougie Powell had resigned at fairly short notice due to other commitments at the Mersea Youth Camp (now known as Mersea Outdoors). Kim stepped up to the mark and, under his stewardship, the Trust has progressed steadily. Bookings have increased year on year, bringing in an improved income, to the point where we are now more or less self-sufficient in covering our routine overheads. However, more funding will be needed in future, to continue the fight against erosion. 

Erosion

The 470 tons of granite stone, delivered to Packing Marsh Island in autumn 2007, enabled us to build a low breakwater bund wall at the top of the foreshore, running north-south along the line of old stakes which formed the western-facing edge of the Island, when it was originally worked as an oyster fishery. One benefit is already apparent. Previously, as the tides ebbed and seawater flowed out of the old oyster pits, it created ever-deepening gullies at the northern end of the Packing Shed, which were gradually taking soil away. Further erosion from this source has now been prevented by the bund wall. The ebbing tides now seep more slowly through the stones, depositing silt behind them.

At high tide, it is evident that the power of the waves breaking onto the south-western foreshore is being substantially dissipated by the new bund wall. Unfortunately, the bund only stretches as far as the wreck of the old fishing smack Rosa, which was completely buried until a few years ago – now Rosa’s bones have been exposed to the elements by the constant erosion. If we had more funding, it would clearly be beneficial to extend this bund wall around the southern end of the Island, where it faces the prevailing south-westerly storms.

Maintenance

It is a harsh environment on the Island, and the window-frames, made originally by Denis Smy at the time of the original restoration, had rotted badly in recent years. And the timber box supporting the weathervane on the roof had collapsed in strong winds. However, David Green has been extremely busy over the winter months – new window-frames have been made in his workshop, together with a new box for the weathervane, all of which will be fitted shortly. David has also fitted a new rubber fender to our main launch.

New timber has been delivered to replace the existing decking on the platform and jetty, as this is beginning to rot away. A working party will be arranged over the coming months to tackle this task. 

Text and Photographs courtesy of Paddy Ryan

Packing Shed Update July 2008

The 470 tons of granite stone, delivered to Packing Marsh Island last autumn, has now been moved into position by local contractor, Ramplings. A low breakwater bund wall has been formed at the top of the foreshore, running north-south along the line of old stakes which formed the western-facing edge of the Island, when it was originally worked as an oyster fishery. 

One benefit is already apparent. Previously, as the tides ebbed and seawater flowed out of the old oyster pits, it created ever-deepening gullies at the northern end of the Packing Shed, which were gradually taking soil away. Further erosion from this source has now been prevented by the bund wall. The ebbing tides now seep more slowly through the stones, depositing silt behind them. 

Cory Environmental has generously promised a grant to cover the contractor’s cost. But first, retrospective planning permission must be obtained from Colchester Borough Council, before the money can be released.

A new four-stroke outboard engine for our main launch has been supplied and fitted by Richard Parkinson and this has proved a significant improvement on the previous engine which, after 15 years, had come to the end of its working life. We are very pleased to have obtained a grant for this cost from the Acorn Fund, which is administered by the Essex Community Foundation.

Various committee members have attended working parties for spring-cleaning, and special thanks to David Green, who has made 6 new window frames with sashes - to replace existing windows which had rotted.

Paddy Ryan

Packing Shed Update - 2007

2007 was another successful year for the Packing Shed Trust. Although bookings were down slightly on the previous year, due to the poor weather at the start of the season, fundraising reached a new high. The “Tenner a Ton” fund, which is dedicated towards the Reclamation Project - aimed at slowing the erosion to Packing Marsh Island - raised over £13,000. A big thank you is due to all the local people who contributed so generously.

Unfortunately, the cost of the material proved to be somewhat more than a tenner a ton, due mainly to the additional costs of delivery by barge from the Thames.  The whole of the Blackwater estuary is of course designated as an SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) and consequently there are understandable restrictions on the dumping of used materials deemed to be contaminated. This also added to the total cost. Nevertheless, approximately 470 tons of clean granite stones (about the size of a fist) were successfully delivered last year, and this now lies in two large mounds on the foreshore, at either end of the Packing Shed. The intention is to create a low breakwater bund wall, at the top of the foreshore, and running north-south along the line of old stakes which formed the western-facing edge of the Island, when it was originally worked as an oyster fishery.

Local contractor Ramplings have been commissioned to move the granite into position, as they have considerable experience in this area, and intend to start work as soon as the new hammerhead is finished. This will probably be late February or early March and needs to be undertaken during neap tides, to avoid their equipment being inundated at High Water. A grant has been sought to cover this additional cost, but there is no guarantee that we will be successful and the Trust very much welcomes donations for this ongoing project. (Contact the Treasurer, Bill Norman, on 01206 384025 – cheques payable to “The Packing Shed Trust”)

Apart from tidal erosion around the piling supporting the Shed, another problem has been the movement of the slipper limpet shell banks. These had provided some protection against the prevailing southwest wind and tides, and had been stable until a few years ago, when a series of winter storms started rolling them back across the Island. This has the adverse effect of suffocating the existing plant life, including shrubby seablite, sea lavender and golden samphire, all of which help retain the soil and limit erosion. Apart from damaging the saltmarsh, the shell builds up underneath the Shed, causing the floor to become permanently damp with the risk of rot setting in. Committee members do periodically rake out the shell but this year it was a particularly time-consuming and back-breaking task. Earlier in the year, Ramplings generously donated men and equipment to shift large quantities of this shell, from where it had accumulated outside, preventing the launches from docking safely. And late last year, the Environment Agency repaired the polder revetments at the southern edge of the Island facing Bradwell, which will hopefully improve things. 

After over 15 years sterling service, the Mariner outboard engine on the main passenger launch has finally expired, and needs replacing. Here again a grant has been applied for, but most charitable funds are apparently overstretched, and so we must keep our fingers crossed.

The Trust recently granted permission to the Dabchicks Sailing Club to erect an antenna on the northern end of the Shed in order to relay signals from an anemometer on a pole at the southern end of Cobmarsh Island. Current wind speeds can be viewed on  the Club’s website at http://www.dabchicks.org/weatherstation.htm

Despite all the ongoing battles with erosion, much has been achieved in the last 12 months and we now look forward to a successful season this summer, with many happy visitors to this tranquil and beautiful corner of Mersea. 

Paddy Ryan

Thank You