This year more boats took part in Brightlingsea’s Blessing and Reclaiming of the Waters than before & looked fantastic in glorious sunshine, with bunting & pennants flying! Over 450 people took part in the Service on the Hard and joined in making “the Din” when the boats set off. With others on the boats and watching from buildings and shore the total involved was over 750 people.

It started at 11.30am when the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports’ Droit-gatherer outside St James Church called on all to witness, the Blessing & Reclaiming of the Waters. He noted the service at the Hard had taken place for “hundreds of years, from time to which memory runneth not”. Flanked by two Clacton Sea Cadets, he called on the Cinque Port Deputy’s Procession to Assemble.

The Piper struck up his music, and the Ecclesiastical group with the Bishop of Colchester followed. The Deputy and Lady Deputy of the Cinque Port Liberty of Brightlingsea Rob and Susie White were accompanied by Town Mayor and Mayoress of Brightlingsea Cllr Ric and Gilly Morgan.  Also present were Chairman of TDC Cllr Garry Scott and Vice-Chair of ECC Cllr Ray Gooding.

The Mayor of the Brightlingsea’s Head Cinque Port of Sandwich followed with Cinque Port Mayors of Winchelsea, Margate, and Faversham and coastal Essex Mayors including the City of Colchester, Maldon, Wivenhoe and West Mersea. The Procession was met by the Chairman of Brightlingsea Harbour Commissioners Andrew Scott at the Cinque Port Wreckhouse.

The Deputy Rob White welcomed all present, including his special guest John Osborn MBE, who gained an Olympic sailing Gold medal along with the Deputy’s father Reg, in 1976. John has lived in Canada since, so the crowd gave a hero’s welcome to this famous son of Brightlingsea. Charles Anderson, Deputy Lieutenant of Essex responded, followed by the Chairman of the Harbour Commissioners

The service at the Hard was led by Rev Caroline Beckett. The Bishop of Colchester Rt. Rev. Roger Morris Blessed the Waters and boats with sprinkled water at the Hard and on the Creek.

The dignitaries went aboard bunting-festooned boats. Skillinger Smack Pioneer led the flotilla of heritage boats, followed by Smacks ‘Maria’, ‘William’ and Bawley ‘Blackbird’, and working boats ‘Trinity’, ‘Moonlighter II’, ‘Cathy Anne’, ‘Lulubell’ and Triton’. The “Motley Crew” were in good voice aboard Dutch barge ‘Sietske’.  Other boats included yachts, cruisers, RHIBS, Gigs and dinghies.

The Harbour Ferry transferred those to boats not moored at the jetty, then the Harbour Master with the Mayor of West Mersea aboard took part in the  flotilla. The Essex Police Marine Unit’s RHIB ‘Sentinel’ was blessed by the Bishop when it went alongside ‘Pioneer’.

The voyage along the Creek ‘beat the bounds’. Centuries ago, Colchester tried to take Brightlingsea Creek, but the Cinque Port had a powerful ally in the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports (later James II), who had personal oyster layings in the Creek and stopped the attempt. When the boats set off from the Hard, and after the Bishop had laid the willow cross at the creek mouth, and the “Gang-ho” toast made, all made the ”Din” with horns, bugles and bells claiming again this is Brightlingsea’s Creek! The Bishop and High Sheriff were particularly adept at blowing horn & bugle. The Deputy wielded a massive bell!