In 1914 it was decided to erect a massive floating boom across the mouth of the River Medway. The intention was to keep enemy ships out of the river and all that it held (including the important Chatham dockyard). This boom ran from the Isle of Grain to the Isle of Sheppey, and Grain Tower formed the anchoring point on the Grain side. The boom itself is long gone, but the massive chains which anchored it to Grain Tower are still wrapped round tower’s base.
The links of these enormous chains, each of which is a good foot or so long, are weathered by time and tide.
The orange of the weeping rust fights with the green of the algae as the links slowly waste away.
We left them to fight it out; it was time to get back to shore.
Points on this walk (copy and paste the co-ordinates into Google Earth):
- Grain Beach Car Park: N 51° 27.582 E 000° 43.046
- Grain Tower: N 51° 27.089 E 000° 43.869
Walk Statistics:
- Date of Walk: 17 May 2014
The Coastal Path 
Great textures in those chains!
Yes, those chains were fantastic. A good photographer could really make something of them I think. As for me, I was rushing around, racing the incoming tide, pointing and clicking. And in the second picture, where the colours really came out, I was photographing into the sun which didn’t help. In retrospect I should have taken my time…
Wait! What about the cache?
Yes, we got the cache!!!
🙂