During the 70's I sailed past those forts many times and I often wondered what they were like inside. Now, thanks to you, all these years later I have had a virtual guided tour of one of them. It was a fascinating video - thank you so much for posting .
Robert Cassey, USAF Retired Surprise, AZ What a wonderfully informative and funny video Nicola! I found it hilarious when your friend was pointing out the “eye” bolts in the ceiling and the drawbridge machinery, and yet you were preoccupied with Owl pellets...🤣. Perhaps you missed your calling in excrement forensics? I loved your quote “if you just keep silent, you can almost absorb the history”. I get the same feeling when I smell old military aircraft at aircraft museum’s. And how ironic a WWII vintage B-24 bomber was flying overhead! Thank you so very much for sharing your excursion’s!
I remember barely being able to hear you in your early videos, and now you make the most amazing and engageing vodeos. I'm looking forward to the owl pellet video. I find them really cool.
Thank you again Nicola. Your choice of music made me feel like i was with you both on the island. (Do not forget to visit Tilbury Fort soon. I would love to see your video of that).
I always find it fascinating walking in places where history has been. A place where time has passed, leaving it intact for us to see and experience. Wonderful post! Warm regards Albus
Hi Nicola, a great vid of the fort were my dad and his brothers and sisters lived for a couple of years as youngsters when my grandad was the caretaker of the island. My dad sadly passed away in 2012 but he used to tell us of summer holidays spent playing on the fort and helping people who got stuck in the mud and going to and from school via boat. Keep up the adventures they are very interesting and thought provoking 😁
Hi Nicola, unfortunately no photos ☹️ we were accompanied by the harbour master from Chatham dockyard who we picked up on the way to the island and he said we weren’t allowed to take any photos. As far as I’m aware the middle of the island was filled in from dredging and also from st Mary’s island which is now a housing estate. There used to be a bungalow at the opposite end to the fort where my dad and his family lived and some outbuildings that stored old diving equipment but that has all gone now.
Knew this was an especially educational video upon seeing David. Thank you for inviting us along for the exploration. There was so much to take in during the video:interesting facts, massive archway and beautiful architecture, flora and fauna! It's remarkable such treasure is sitting right in an active waterway. Persoanny, I enjoy dissecting owl pellets! Thank you again.
Thanks for taking the time to film and share Foo island with us Nicola as it gave me the opportunity to view a place I will never be able to visit GL&HH Alex 🏴👍🏻
Great video. Hoo Fort reminds me somewhat of the many mid-19th century American naval fortifications....from Fort Sumpter in South Carolina to my favorite Fort Point nestled under San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. If you find yourself in San Francisco, you can see what such a place looks restored including several guns (including a 10") which they occasionally blank fire.
Amazing! Those were built to last...or to endure, I suppose. It looked like it could take a direct hit and shake it off. I’ve never seen anything like them, so thank you so much for the adventure!
Great video! I found a 20mm Oerlikon case once that had the neck broken off and a child's marble was inside! We have a local fort here, built 1840s, but partially concreted over on one side in 1899 for M1895 breech loading guns. We thought Germany and Spain would attack us in retaliation for the Span-Am war and indeed Germany had plans to do so. Either way, I'm told the brick in the arches in the casemates was laid over packed sand. They laid the walls, packed sand in, sculpted it, laid the arched ceiling over it, then dug the sand out. Our coastal forts were abandoned in 1942 when the Coastal Artillery was disbanded but the 1840s and Civil War era guns were left. Also you are lucky you don't have venomous snakes there! If that fort were here it would be a wildlife refuge alright! Alligators, snapping turtles and you'd have been swatting off water moccasins like mosquitoes! :)
What a great video they certainly know how to build a fort in years gone bye, nice to see the Lancaster as well. I think you have a hidden talent Nicola sounds like you have a good singing voice as well.
Wow the fort looks amazing on the inside,owl pellets hmm interesting what can be discover by breaking them down to see what they had eaten, cheers for sharing , 👍🏻👏👏👏💖🇦🇺
Medieval style architecture. Love the narrow twisting steps. Great for defence if needed. Small windows opps sorry apatures lol. Beautiful place awesome history and hopefully a LONG future. Thank you like always! Sorry got to add keep singing! You got a great voice.
I am so glad that you took us back to Hoo Island and that there was time to explore the fort! The architecture is wonderful! David had so much information! I enjoyed it all very much!
Fascinating look at a nearly impregnable structure . a great Naval and River defence fort . can only imagine the size of the cannon. Lovely Nature close-ups including the delicate frog .
Glad you went back to Hoo island! I had to Google the owl pellets. Fascinating. Seems owls, unlike eagles and hawks, don't have a crop. I always learn something from your videos. Cheers.
Thank you again for a very interesting trip to history. It was fine to see that Lancaster plane is still flying, wau! I have collected owl pellets too 😋 I'm sure that in those tunnels bats are sleeping during daytime. I'm very interesting about bats. Nice to hear you singing, thanks about that 🎶
We're lucky in the Medway Towns, the Lancaster (Thumper, flown as part of the Battle of Britain Memorial flight) flies over a couple of times a year during air show season. She was on her way to Southend airport to refuel that day.
Thank you Nicola another beutiful video, I must also thank you for visiting these places you see due to a relatively recent injury I am no longer able to explore places like this so when you explore I'm there too in spirit, I used to love finding old places to explore or even a walk in the woods or along our local river (which i still can do in parts), So your videos are a little window for me to peer into and wish I could go there too, Happy Larking Nicola.
Wonderful old fort, something fitting about nature taking it back.. The style reminds me of Coalhouse Fort at East Tilbury, Built in the same period to protect the Thames and also never saw action thankfully.
Bravo, bravo, bravo my dear. To explore aa abandoned fort but to find what’s interesting; owl pellets, an active nest, arriving by kayak, a name tag, and to share it with us- you are an exceptional person!
Fantastic masonry on that structure. Every brick and every nut and bolt made and laid by hand. Reminds me of the time a friend and I explored an old tuberculosis hospital in New Jersey in the late 1990`s. By that time it was abandoned.
Bloody marvelous Nicola. Even got a song (you can sing for us anytime Nicola) Yes the bum end of shell casings is the interesting end . Loved the ferns looked like crows nest ferns. Nice nature shots. Just gotta love a woman who is interested in owl pellets LOL.
nic, you remind me of a modern day Beatrix Potter!! what an enchanting place. so much military history! you could make a mosaic with all that lovely anchor pottery. i was half expecting a giant popping out, one who guards the ancient fort. i can only imagine it has a ghostly feeling.
I watched this with great interest. Your comment about what was and what is being reclaimed by nature struck a resounding chord. I have watched abandoned places videos and often noted, with some melancholy, how nature, with the passage of time, will slience past footfalls, voices, and lives that once belonged to a place in history. Great explore. Thank you for taking this south Texan along with you.
As a very much working class city lad, I used to get out into the country perhaps once a year while camping with a youth organisation...the contrast between city and country was pronounced...I knew rabbits, sheep and cattle etc...but I was fifteen before I even saw a squirrel in the wild... About the same time, whilst camping in the West Sussex countryside, I discovered owl pellets, (which I'd heard of but never before seen), and gathered dozens which I subsequently dissected over a period of weeks...sadly I then lost interest somewhat...but now I'm recently retired and actually living in rural West Sussex...well you never know... Thanks for posting this Nicola... Dave
Cool, looks like fun, thanks for sharing. By coincidence we all sailed over to that part of the Island this weekend although we didn't go inside the fort, we just contented ourselves with the adventure. Although now that Izzy has seen you go in she might not be as scared next time :-)
Hi Nicola , Thank you so very much for the visit into the past ! How awesome was that ! To my amazment , Hoo fort is exactly like the same period forts in my area . I guess they found a design that worked , why change it . We have many old forts here . All are at the river leading up to Savannah . I used to visit them as often as possible . I could still hear the cannons , and the screams of desperate men ! Spooky yet ,,, moving somehow . We are not allowed to collect any artifacts any where near there . They are historical artifacts and not to be touched . You are so very lucky to have this near you . I would love to send you photos . They will amaze you !! By for now , I love your videos ! See you soon !
Very fascinating, I enjoy how you point out the bits that most pay no attention to! Thanks I'm still jealous over here in Tennessee in the U.S.A. I could listen to you all day..
Wonderful Disney sing-along in a gorgeous old building - you can just imagine 120 men crammed in there, huddling around the light of an oil lamp on cold, dark, windy days! And I totally agree with you, owl pellets are fascinating! From a barn owl, do we think? Your videos are fantastic Nicola, can't wait for the next one. :)
Quite moving. I think that many "UA-camrs" think of themselves as just that, but I see more in the work of some who I feel are more filmmakers than UA-camrs. This was a very nice short documentary film. Thank you.
What an amazing journey into the past. And what amazing architecture. It is Lovely to see how nature takes over. Even after a huge hurricane it will be little time until things are growing. I wondered too about the name on the brass tag. Perhaps it fell off of a trunk or foot locker. Indeed and adventure and Thank You for sharing. DaveyJO in Pa.
Great explore and video Nicola. That is an amazing place, made more so by the intact original timber & steel work fittings throughout. I am glad to see it hasn't been taken over by vandals & graffiti artists
During the 70's I sailed past those forts many times and I often wondered what they were like inside. Now, thanks to you, all these years later I have had a virtual guided tour of one of them. It was a fascinating video - thank you so much for posting .
Thanks. Glad you enjoyed! It's a fascinating place
Robert Cassey, USAF Retired
Surprise, AZ
What a wonderfully informative and funny video Nicola! I found it hilarious when your friend was pointing out the “eye” bolts in the ceiling and the drawbridge machinery, and yet you were preoccupied with Owl pellets...🤣. Perhaps you missed your calling in excrement forensics? I loved your quote “if you just keep silent, you can almost absorb the history”. I get the same feeling when I smell old military aircraft at aircraft museum’s. And how ironic a WWII vintage B-24 bomber was flying overhead! Thank you so very much for sharing your excursion’s!
I remember barely being able to hear you in your early videos, and now you make the most amazing and engageing vodeos. I'm looking forward to the owl pellet video. I find them really cool.
Thank you again Nicola.
Your choice of music made me feel like i was with you both on the island.
(Do not forget to visit Tilbury Fort soon. I would love to see your video of that).
I always find it fascinating walking in places where history has been. A place where time has passed, leaving it intact for us to see and experience. Wonderful post! Warm regards Albus
Thanks Albus
A very enjoyable wander through Hoo Fort.
Hi Nicola, a great vid of the fort were my dad and his brothers and sisters lived for a couple of years as youngsters when my grandad was the caretaker of the island. My dad sadly passed away in 2012 but he used to tell us of summer holidays spent playing on the fort and helping people who got stuck in the mud and going to and from school via boat. Keep up the adventures they are very interesting and thought provoking 😁
Miles Morgan wow that's amazing! Do you have any photos of when you were there?
Hi Nicola, unfortunately no photos ☹️ we were accompanied by the harbour master from Chatham dockyard who we picked up on the way to the island and he said we weren’t allowed to take any photos. As far as I’m aware the middle of the island was filled in from dredging and also from st Mary’s island which is now a housing estate. There used to be a bungalow at the opposite end to the fort where my dad and his family lived and some outbuildings that stored old diving equipment but that has all gone now.
Knew this was an especially educational video upon seeing David. Thank you for inviting us along for the exploration. There was so much to take in during the video:interesting facts, massive archway and beautiful architecture, flora and fauna! It's remarkable such treasure is sitting right in an active waterway. Persoanny, I enjoy dissecting owl pellets! Thank you again.
Thanks for taking the time to film and share Foo island with us Nicola as it gave me the opportunity to view a place I will never be able to visit
GL&HH
Alex 🏴👍🏻
A wonderful exploration of the old fort. Such a haunting place with such great construction. Thank you for taking us along Nicola and David! Cheers!
Thanks for watching Ken
Thank you for taking us along on yet another of your wonderful adventures.
my pleasure. thank you for watching.
Thank you for that wonderful journey!, it was amazing!. You sounded scared at the beginning! , and you have a nice singing voice!👍. Thanks. A 🍀
Great video. Hoo Fort reminds me somewhat of the many mid-19th century American naval fortifications....from Fort Sumpter in South Carolina to my favorite Fort Point nestled under San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. If you find yourself in San Francisco, you can see what such a place looks restored including several guns (including a 10") which they occasionally blank fire.
What a great spot. Loved the fern stairway and Jungle Book singalong.
Hello again from San Diego Ca. Loved your owl segment. I learned something new today.
Amazing! Those were built to last...or to endure, I suppose. It looked like it could take a direct hit and shake it off. I’ve never seen anything like them, so thank you so much for the adventure!
Thanks Catherine and thanks for watching
MMMM
MM
and...thanks to the pellets, now we know who put the hoo in Hoo Island! (took me all day to think of that)
So glad you went back! One of your most interesting adventures.😊
WOW, the archways, brickwork awesome. Also loved the fern staircase and singalong AND the owl pellet lesson. What a woman! Thx for the adventure!
Great video! I found a 20mm Oerlikon case once that had the neck broken off and a child's marble was inside! We have a local fort here, built 1840s, but partially concreted over on one side in 1899 for M1895 breech loading guns. We thought Germany and Spain would attack us in retaliation for the Span-Am war and indeed Germany had plans to do so. Either way, I'm told the brick in the arches in the casemates was laid over packed sand. They laid the walls, packed sand in, sculpted it, laid the arched ceiling over it, then dug the sand out. Our coastal forts were abandoned in 1942 when the Coastal Artillery was disbanded but the 1840s and Civil War era guns were left. Also you are lucky you don't have venomous snakes there! If that fort were here it would be a wildlife refuge alright! Alligators, snapping turtles and you'd have been swatting off water moccasins like mosquitoes! :)
Beautiful nature. Thanks!
What a great video they certainly know how to build a fort in years gone bye, nice to see the Lancaster as well. I think you have a hidden talent Nicola sounds like you have a good singing voice as well.
Thanks Adrian. :)
Thank you, Nicola for taking us there...
Heather Griffiths thank you for watching! 😊
Excellent video, Nicola! I love those old places....Thank you so much! Cheers from Texas!
It's definitely amazing how fast nature takes over even with help from the Owls nice fines and with a view!!!
So interesting, what an atmospheric place!
Excellent as always..thanks for the tour
Wow the fort looks amazing on the inside,owl pellets hmm interesting what can be discover by breaking them down to see what they had eaten, cheers for sharing , 👍🏻👏👏👏💖🇦🇺
Wonderful explore, Nicola. You are special! Suze Glesky, Pennsylvania, USA.
Medieval style architecture. Love the narrow twisting steps. Great for defence if needed. Small windows opps sorry apatures lol. Beautiful place awesome history and hopefully a LONG future. Thank you like always! Sorry got to add keep singing! You got a great voice.
thank you!
A most enjoyable journey with you. Love old forts.
I am so glad that you took us back to Hoo Island and that there was time to explore the fort! The architecture is wonderful!
David had so much information! I enjoyed it all very much!
Hiya Nicola enjoyed ad love your wonderful fort video !
Thanks Jim. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Excellent video and explore. Lots of forts down here in Plymouth. The Palmerston Forts were the cold war of their time and definitely not follies!
Wonderfull brickwork,i could live there with some tidying up and repair,great video...x john
What a fantastic video, Nicola. Many thanks for sharing it with us.
Fascinating look at a nearly impregnable structure . a great Naval and River defence fort . can only imagine the size of the cannon. Lovely Nature close-ups including the delicate frog .
Yes, isn't the frog adorable!!
Glad you went back to Hoo island! I had to Google the owl pellets. Fascinating. Seems owls, unlike eagles and hawks, don't have a crop. I always learn something from your videos. Cheers.
A fantastic video, Nicola. Thanks from Quebec 🇨🇦 Canada
Hello. I love your videos and the beautiful back grounds. Thank you and keep doing what you do😊.
Thank you again for a very interesting trip to history. It was fine to see that Lancaster plane is still flying, wau! I have collected owl pellets too 😋 I'm sure that in those tunnels bats are sleeping during daytime. I'm very interesting about bats. Nice to hear you singing, thanks about that 🎶
Thank you Peppiino. yes, there must be bats there!
🦇🦇
A wonderful video :) Loved the Lancaster at the end. You are SO lucky to see one flying!! I'm soooo jealous x
Hi Andi, yes that was such a stroke of incredible luck that it flew over when we were there!x
Superb spotting ! I wondered too. Very rare to see in air
We're lucky in the Medway Towns, the Lancaster (Thumper, flown as part of the Battle of Britain Memorial flight) flies over a couple of times a year during air show season. She was on her way to Southend airport to refuel that day.
Oh great. Thanks Claire. we couldn't believe our luck when she flew over!
Thank you Nicola another beutiful video, I must also thank you for visiting these places you see due to a relatively recent injury I am no longer able to explore places like this so when you explore I'm there too in spirit, I used to love finding old places to explore or even a walk in the woods or along our local river (which i still can do in parts), So your videos are a little window for me to peer into and wish I could go there too, Happy Larking Nicola.
lance allison thank you Lance and I'm very sorry to hear you can't explore right now. I'm glad you are accompanying me virtually on my adventures x
Great adventure and thank you so much for sharing this with us Nicola!
Thank you Douglas. I had a great time and it was a pleasure to share it
Hi Nicola, thanks for your time and videos. Diane Southampton U.K.
Lovely timing to get the Lancaster flying over 😍
Wonderful old fort, something fitting about nature taking it back.. The style reminds me of Coalhouse Fort at East Tilbury, Built in the same period to protect the Thames and also never saw action thankfully.
Very interesting. Thanks for sharing.
I appreciate all the work you put into your videos. Thanks for sharing.
Great viewing! Thank you Nicola.
Great video
Liking these exploring videos Nicola keep them coming
David atkinson thanks David
Bravo, bravo, bravo my dear. To explore aa abandoned fort but to find what’s interesting; owl pellets, an active nest, arriving by kayak, a name tag, and to share it with us- you are an exceptional person!
your channel is a delight, so grateful to enjoy these adventures
I love how you touch everything!
Hi Nichole. Love you videos. I’d enjoy seeing how you clean your finds.
will explain, but with those finds, it's citric acid, then a wire brush and brasso.
I loved the Tomb Raider reference!
Brilliant videography Nicola!
How evocative, such great atmosphere. I 've dissected owl pellets too !!! Loved it!! ❤
Fantastic masonry on that structure. Every brick and every nut and bolt made and laid by hand. Reminds me of the time a friend and I explored an old tuberculosis hospital in New Jersey in the late 1990`s. By that time it was abandoned.
Very nice Nicola, thank you.
Thank you Garnet x
Disney tunes covered by the Mudlark Duo, I'd buy it! You've got a very nice voice and thank you for another great adventure!
Thank you for sharing your exciting adventure. I really think you should take out some insurance for yourself, that looked pretty dangerous...😂🤣😂🤣
Thanks Manda. You're probably right I should! I always take great care though. Nicola x
Thank you for a wonderful journey back in time. Nicola you have a terrific singing voice..thank you for the tunes.
Love this ... And your singing....I watch all of your videos,...
Bloody marvelous Nicola. Even got a song (you can sing for us anytime Nicola) Yes the bum end of shell casings is the interesting end . Loved the ferns looked like crows nest ferns. Nice nature shots. Just gotta love a woman who is interested in owl pellets LOL.
Thank you for bringing us along for the adventure! It is nice to see nature and new life taking over what was once potentially an instrument of death.
nic, you remind me of a modern day Beatrix Potter!! what an enchanting place. so much military history! you could make a mosaic with all that lovely anchor pottery. i was half expecting a giant popping out, one who guards the ancient fort. i can only imagine it has a ghostly feeling.
And Thank you Nicola White for sharing your Adventure back too Hoo Fort. Just loved it.👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
Fascinating and also beautiful. Thank you.
Thank you
Wonderful look back in time!
Outstanding video. I sub several WW1 & WW11 exploring channels. This video is very interesting. What a beautiful piece of architecture. Nice editing.
Joe Brown thank you
Wonderful vid, Nicola. Thanks for letting us tag along. What an adventure. - janet
Thanks Janet! x
I watched this with great interest. Your comment about what was and what is being reclaimed by nature struck a resounding chord. I have watched abandoned places videos and often noted, with some melancholy, how nature, with the passage of time, will slience past footfalls, voices, and lives that once belonged to a place in history.
Great explore. Thank you for taking this south Texan along with you.
Thank you, and thank you very much for coming along
Very interesting, thank you!
First class as always Nicola.
Baz.
Nicola, tu es une chanteuse?! Thank you for taking us on your adventures.
Great video. Thank you for sharing. ATB.
Very cool place! Hoo would have thought you would find so many interesting things? I love the music on this video. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you! :)
Nice video nicola. Loads of history around our shores.love it😀
Thanks Shaun. Yes, there is so much history undiscovered
As a very much working class city lad, I used to get out into the country perhaps once a year while camping with a youth organisation...the contrast between city and country was pronounced...I knew rabbits, sheep and cattle etc...but I was fifteen before I even saw a squirrel in the wild...
About the same time, whilst camping in the West Sussex countryside, I discovered owl pellets, (which I'd heard of but never before seen), and gathered dozens which I subsequently dissected over a period of weeks...sadly I then lost interest somewhat...but now I'm recently retired and actually living in rural West Sussex...well you never know...
Thanks for posting this Nicola...
Dave
Cool, looks like fun, thanks for sharing. By coincidence we all sailed over to that part of the Island this weekend although we didn't go inside the fort, we just contented ourselves with the adventure. Although now that Izzy has seen you go in she might not be as scared next time :-)
Sailing with the Foxwell Family hi! Yes it's worth a visit but very challenging terrain to get there... X
Hi Nicola , Thank you so very much for the visit into the past ! How awesome was that ! To my amazment , Hoo fort is exactly like the same period forts in my area . I guess they found a design that worked , why change it . We have many old forts here . All are at the river leading up to Savannah . I used to visit them as often as possible . I could still hear the cannons , and the screams of desperate men ! Spooky yet ,,, moving somehow . We are not allowed to collect any artifacts any where near there . They are historical artifacts and not to be touched . You are so very lucky to have this near you . I would love to send you photos . They will amaze you !! By for now , I love your videos ! See you soon !
oh thanks Mike. Do send pics - to nicola.white@tidelineart.com
Very fascinating, I enjoy how you point out the bits that most pay no attention to! Thanks
I'm still jealous over here in Tennessee in the U.S.A. I could listen to you all day..
Thanks Greg
Nice visit ! Thanks a lot. 😊👍👍👍
Wonderful Disney sing-along in a gorgeous old building - you can just imagine 120 men crammed in there, huddling around the light of an oil lamp on cold, dark, windy days! And I totally agree with you, owl pellets are fascinating! From a barn owl, do we think?
Your videos are fantastic Nicola, can't wait for the next one. :)
Quite moving. I think that many "UA-camrs" think of themselves as just that, but I see more in the work of some who I feel are more filmmakers than UA-camrs. This was a very nice short documentary film. Thank you.
What an amazing journey into the past. And what amazing architecture. It is Lovely to see how nature takes over. Even after a huge hurricane it will be little time until things are growing. I wondered too about the name on the brass tag. Perhaps it fell off of a trunk or foot locker. Indeed and adventure and Thank You for sharing. DaveyJO in Pa.
Great explore Nicola,thanks.
Once again a great video guys - really enjoyed - some fascinating items pointed out ! Thanks :))))
Thank you Nicola another excellent video , I aiso think you would make a great jazz singer !
Great explore and video Nicola. That is an amazing place, made more so by the intact original timber & steel work fittings throughout. I am glad to see it hasn't been taken over by vandals & graffiti artists
Any chance they will preserve it, before it falls down? Nothing is built that well now! Well done! Thanks! Rox
Looks like a brilliant day and adventure; and the Canuck in me could never call that blow-up craft a canoe. Happy Trails.
That fort is awesome! Interesting about the owl pellets! Nice nest eggs there! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you. Yes, it is a wonderful and magical place.
You are majestic in what you do with a touch of instant historical nostalga imagination with a seeking search of life,and I love you for that
Thank you William ❤️
ty for takin us all back to hoo island.....I sent my address to u again hugs cheers
Love Love this one thank you Nicola
Excellent Nichola, thanks for sharing...👍👍👍👍👍🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧...
Thanks Allen!
And I love your appreciation for life!
Fascinating brick work!