Wow, I recognised this boat straight away and was so surprised to see her in this state. The last time I saw her was on 'salvage squad' in the early 2000s where she had been refurbished and looked beautiful. I can't believe it...
At 2:20 you can see the old steel lighter drydock 2nd from left at the bottom , you can see the burst open remains of the 38ft Harwich Bawley Maud built in 1898 by HW Cann of Harwich, with a small motor boat sat atop her remains.
NOOOOOOOO! Ena was moored in Ipswich docks for most of my life, before I left Ipswich. It makes me feel sick to think a beautiful boat with so much history, and something beautiful I've seen and walked past thousands of times, be left to rot.
So much history as a working barge, during two world wars, and as a racing sailing barge. She has just been dumped, forgotten, and has rotted away. I first saw Ena at the barge graveyard at Hoo back in 2017 and believe she has been there since 2016. 😥
How desperately sad. I’ve been doing some filming for Boortmalt in Bury St Edmunds and there’s a model of ENA in their boardroom. One of the staff members talked about the races they did in her with Paul’s Malt. I had no idea she was now rotting away. There’s a documentary film in this - if anyone has any archive footage or photos I’d be fascinated to see them
Yes, it is very sad. I first saw Ena at the Hoo graveyard in 2016. From what I have managed to find out, she was moored at Stargate Marina a year earlier. My main interest in her was her participation in Operation Dynamo during WW2, however, while doing my research before my recent visit I found myself captivated by her incredible life. Such a terrible way to treat such a beautiful badge, and to add to the insult, the owner has put a sign on her saying "Danger keep off, private property"
It certainly resembles a Motor Torpedo Boat; however, I have not read about it in any literature about the Hoo Graveyard. That craft was not there when I last visited in 2017, and most of the articles I have read are from years ago.
My Dad got hold of an MTB after WW2, he served 4 years in India, and when he came home he was in charge of The Sea Scouts in Norwich. He was looking for a boat for them to use for training and was gifted the MTB. They used it on the Norfolk Broads. It’s still there somewhere, but it’s now underwater… 🙄
Another part of our history rotting away! Unfortunately, these wooden boats cost a fortune to maintain and restore and once they get to this stage then even if she was saved there would probably be less than 5% of her which is original! Hopefully they have the lines of her? I’m from the other side of the England in Pill, Somerset which was the home of the legendary Bristol Pilot cutter (known locally as a skiff) and so many of these fine vessels were either sold on as yachts and then left to rot or either broken up after steam took over in 1922. I’m good friends with a brave man who restored an original Pill build skiff and the end result is a truly beautiful boat but the cost was unbelievable and there’s only a few parts left which came out of Pill. So is she original? I like to say she is but then I’m a Pill Shark! 🦈⚓️🦈⚓️ Nice channel so I’ll be watching more.. thanks
Having done a bit of digging, it seems Ena is still privately owned. It is sad and sends a chill down my spine every time I have visited the Hoo Graveyard over the past 6 years. 😥
@@DavidWilsonOutandAbout My father was invited several times during the eighties as crew on the Ena, the Thames Barge races. Sadly he's passed now so I can't ask him, but I think I have some 8mm cine film of the races, though I can't go directly to find it.
I agree, it is very sad to see a bit of British history abandoned and decaying like this. Ena had such an interesting history before, during two world wars, and afterwards.
Wow, I recognised this boat straight away and was so surprised to see her in this state. The last time I saw her was on 'salvage squad' in the early 2000s where she had been refurbished and looked beautiful. I can't believe it...
Yes, it is deplorable. I am unsure how long she has been on the flats at Hoo. However, she was there in 2017 when I last walked the Saxon Shore Way. 😥
At 2:20 you can see the old steel lighter drydock 2nd from left at the bottom , you can see the burst open remains of the 38ft Harwich Bawley Maud built in 1898 by HW Cann of Harwich, with a small motor boat sat atop her remains.
Very sad to see. Seeing ena operational in the nineties doesn’t seem that long ago. I find it hard to believe that she’s been left to rot in 2016.
NOOOOOOOO! Ena was moored in Ipswich docks for most of my life, before I left Ipswich. It makes me feel sick to think a beautiful boat with so much history, and something beautiful I've seen and walked past thousands of times, be left to rot.
So much history as a working barge, during two world wars, and as a racing sailing barge. She has just been dumped, forgotten, and has rotted away. I first saw Ena at the barge graveyard at Hoo back in 2017 and believe she has been there since 2016. 😥
Nice work. That light grey hull is hands down a WW2 MTB, its all such a shame.
Thank you. Yes, it does look like an MTB. Since making this video, I have found out that some other famous sailing barges have met the same fate. 😥
Stunning images 👌
Thank you, Edam 👍
How desperately sad. I’ve been doing some filming for Boortmalt in Bury St Edmunds and there’s a model of ENA in their boardroom. One of the staff members talked about the races they did in her with Paul’s Malt. I had no idea she was now rotting away. There’s a documentary film in this - if anyone has any archive footage or photos I’d be fascinated to see them
Yes, it is very sad. I first saw Ena at the Hoo graveyard in 2016. From what I have managed to find out, she was moored at Stargate Marina a year earlier. My main interest in her was her participation in Operation Dynamo during WW2, however, while doing my research before my recent visit I found myself captivated by her incredible life. Such a terrible way to treat such a beautiful badge, and to add to the insult, the owner has put a sign on her saying "Danger keep off, private property"
Was that the hull of an MTB boat I saw, the light grey one with the large flat top? 🏴
It certainly resembles a Motor Torpedo Boat; however, I have not read about it in any literature about the Hoo Graveyard. That craft was not there when I last visited in 2017, and most of the articles I have read are from years ago.
My Dad got hold of an MTB after WW2, he served 4 years in India, and when he came home he was in charge of The Sea Scouts in Norwich. He was looking for a boat for them to use for training and was gifted the MTB. They used it on the Norfolk Broads. It’s still there somewhere, but it’s now underwater… 🙄
Another part of our history rotting away! Unfortunately, these wooden boats cost a fortune to maintain and restore and once they get to this stage then even if she was saved there would probably be less than 5% of her which is original! Hopefully they have the lines of her?
I’m from the other side of the England in Pill, Somerset which was the home of the legendary Bristol Pilot cutter (known locally as a skiff) and so many of these fine vessels were either sold on as yachts and then left to rot or either broken up after steam took over in 1922.
I’m good friends with a brave man who restored an original Pill build skiff and the end result is a truly beautiful boat but the cost was unbelievable and there’s only a few parts left which came out of Pill. So is she original? I like to say she is but then I’m a Pill Shark! 🦈⚓️🦈⚓️
Nice channel so I’ll be watching more.. thanks
@@PillSharks I totally agree, it is sad to see a beautiful craft with an amazing history in such a state. I too doubt she could be renovated.
The white hull has the look of a ww2 MTB about it
I thought that as soon as I saw it. Vosper?
Evocative and informative. Was it of no interets to the Maritime Trust?
Seems a shame doesn't? It does look pretty far gone tho.
Having done a bit of digging, it seems Ena is still privately owned. It is sad and sends a chill down my spine every time I have visited the Hoo Graveyard over the past 6 years. 😥
@@DavidWilsonOutandAbout Thank you.
There's a book, A Cross in the Topsail, by Roger Finch which tells the story of The Ena.
Thank you, I have just ordered a copy 👍
@@DavidWilsonOutandAbout My father was invited several times during the eighties as crew on the Ena, the Thames Barge races. Sadly he's passed now so I can't ask him, but I think I have some 8mm cine film of the races, though I can't go directly to find it.
hard to make out which one was Ena.
@@grahamthebaronhesketh. It's the one I repeatedly flew over!
Such a shame govemet should step up
I agree, it is very sad to see a bit of British history abandoned and decaying like this. Ena had such an interesting history before, during two world wars, and afterwards.
If the government had it they would likely use it to smuggle in more unwanted visitors.
There's a lot the government should do but unfortunately, those of us paying ever increasing taxes are already overburdened.
How sad to see such waste.
If the vessels themselves are beyond saving then at least some of the timber & metal could be recycled.