Photos

This week I returned to Pin Mill a hamlet on the south bank of the tidal River Orwell, located on the Shotley peninsula in South Suffolk. Pin Mill is now generally known for the historic Butt & Oyster public house and for sailing. It was once a busy landing point for ship-borne cargo and a centre for the repair of Thames sailing barges The shore down river from the Butt and Oyster is occupied by a number of houseboats, many of them permanent all year round homes. Up river from the Butt and Oyster is the working area for the family boatyard Webbs Maritime Limited. The boats moored on the foreshore are often being worked on by the firm. Webb Maritime are specialists in restoring older river craft of which perhaps the most famous is the Melissa. The Melissa is an 80 foot Thames Barge.
After her Thames barge trading days were over, the Melissa became a house boat and carried ballast before the Webb family bought her for restoration in 1994. The Melissa is now based a few miles further up river at Ipswich and is used for charter work and events hire. In contrast to my previous weeks visit the tide was low and the everyday working nature of this stretch of river was revealed. In this shot the boats currently in front of the boatyard can be seen.