General Enquiries: 07590 637 233

Enquire & Book!

Our Meeting Point

Leigh Marina, High Street, Old Leigh, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 2ES, UK or Leigh On Sea Cockle Beach, Old Leigh, Essex (Nearest Postcode: SS9 2ER). Opposite No 1 Cockleshed Restaurant. Behind the Orange Cockle Boat Liberator or on Osborne`s Dock (opposite The Crooked Billet Pub). Keep a look out for a “MEETING POINT SIGN” on the Cockle Beach. We will confirm on your boat itinerary on where to meet us.

Explore the Thames Estuary
with unforgettable boat trips!

“I wanted freedom, open-air, challenges & adventures. I found it on the sea.”

Our Boat Trips

With trips to Southend Pier, Mulberry Harbour, SS Richard Montgomery, Red Sands Maunsell Forts, there really is plenty to see and do.

All launching from our jetty in Leigh-on-sea: Leigh Marina, High Street, Old Leigh, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 2ES

Take the boats for the whole day enjoying the river all the way up to the Tower of London or even Whitstable, the choice is yours.

Epic Fort Tours

Take a cruise from Leigh On Sea to the Eerie World War 2 Maunsell forts, called the Knock John Forts, Shivering Sands Forts & Red Sand Maunsell Forts/Towers. These Historic monuments stand in the Thames Estuary between some 9-15 miles from Southend shoreline and 5-8 Miles from Whitstable. It will take approximately 2 hours to reach Knock John Fort. Transport yourself back to the Second World War by visiting these previously armed towers built in the Thames & Mersey Estuaries to help defend the United Kingdom. They are a pretty surreal sight. You will get the chance to take plenty of photos in and around the towers/forts as our vessel is small enough to pass between and under the structures (you cannot board them).

Passengers

Up to 10

Duration

7-8 hours

To SS Richard Montgomery Ship

Get up close and personal (but not too close!) to the SS Richard Montgomery shipwreck which dates back to 1944. The 1,400-ton time bomb. Loaded with enough explosives to level a town, this is the Second World War ticking time bomb ship that lies on the seabed just off the coast of Kent. View this amazing sight from outside of the exclusion zones, it’s not to be missed! 

Passengers

Up to 10

Duration

3 hours

To Red Sands Maunsell Forts

Take a cruise from Leigh On Sea to the Eerie World War 2 Maunsell forts, called the Red Sand Towers. These Historic monuments stand in the Thames Estuary some 9 miles from Southend shoreline and 5 Miles from Whitstable. It will take approximately an hour & half to reach the Towers. Transport yourself back to the Second World War by visiting these previously armed towers built in the Thames & Mersey Estuaries to help defend the United Kingdom. They are a pretty surreal sight. You will get the chance to take plenty of photos in and around the towers as our vessel is small enough to pass between and under the structures (you cannot board them).

Passengers

Up to 10

Duration

4 hours
View all trips

Other services we offer:

If our boat trips aren’t something that catches your fancy, we also offer the following services.

Private Boat Charter Hire

(Up to 10 passengers)

Business Meetings & Corporate Events

Sightseeing tips around the Thames Estuary

Open Shared Boat Trips

Public boat trips

Paddleboarding, Kayaking & Open water swimming

Sea Boot Camp

Run by Brownes Boot Camp

Get in Touch

Fully licenced, safe & fun

First class service with a professional qualified skipper & crew onboard at all times.

About the skipper, Angus Browne

It all started when Angus was a young cub, sea scout, ventures & leader at 3rd Chalkwell Bay Group down in Old Leigh where he learnt sailing & rules of the road to be able to go out onto the water single handed. Angus never looked back once and has owned a boat since the age of 12 years old when he bought a 14ft Yorkshire Cobble.

About Brownes Thames Estuary Boat Trips

We are a unique business and will make your experience on the Thames Estuary an unforgettable boat trip memory.

You will be looked after & made to feel comfortable for the whole duration of your trip. We are investing money into the business to make it the best charter boat business out there & will continue to grow & expand over time.

We are very proud to work out of Leigh On Sea & to offer the locals & tourists the boat trips they deserve as there is a lot to see in the Thames Estuary. The views are breathtaking & you can only see these by boat. You will not be disappointed. Looking forward to having you onboard one of our vessels.

Enquire & book

About Starfish

Starfish is a 31ft Mitchell (MK1 with a MK2 rudder) motor boat with a SCMS commercial coding license for up to 10 passengers.

She was built in 1980 by Robert Ives Ltd, she has 2 berths in the cabin. Make of Engine: Ford Mermaid 280hp (turbo plus) year: 2011. The hull is made out of fibreglass (GRP), fuel capacity is 250 litres and has an electric toilet onboard. Electrical system: 12/24 volt battery, 240 shore power voltage. Dimensions: LOA: 9.45m, LWL: 8.53m, Beam: 3.35m, Draft Min: 0.79m. She cruises around 10-12 knots and max speed 16-18 knots with a 4 bladed propeller and weighs just over 6 tonnes. We carry a 12 man liferaft, 2 life rings, 2 rescue ladders, stainless steel boarding ladder, flares, lifejackets, first aid kit (category C). defibrillator, safety & navigational equipment including AIS which sends signals to marine traffic so other vessels & boat users can track/see where we are at sea.

She is very well built to be used for commercial use and to keep everyone safe onboard.

Track Starfish

Our partnerships

We are always on the look out for working with new companies to help their clients. We currently work with the below companies. If you would be interested in partnering with us, please contact us today.

FAQs

The tides in Leigh on Sea do not wait for anybody. The time on your booking is very carefully calculated and is the time we must meet to depart for your trip. If you do find yourself running late or stuck in traffic, please notify us immediately. We will then make the judgement if we will still be able to depart, however any time missed cannot be added to the end of your trip and you will lose that time.

The 50% deposit paid to secure your trip is non-refundable. If we cannot find a suitable alternative date to accommodate your trip, we will offer you the 50% balance you paid as a refund. You will not get the non-refundable deposit back, this can only be used towards another trip.

Our passengers safety is our main priority and if for any reason the weather is too dangerous to go out in, your trip will be cancelled. We will give you as much notice as possible and the weather is checked in the days leading up to each trip. The non-refundable deposit and any balance paid will then be used towards re-booking your trip. Once at sea, if we have to turn back due to bad weather we cannot offer a refund for this as this is out of our hands and your safety is key.

There is no minimum age as long as all children are accompanied by a responsible adult and are on their best behaviour!

Our trips are tide dependant but we are able to go out on most days, its just up to you to get in touch with a date and we will try our very best to accommodate you!

Yes! All of our trips are tailor made and the routes we take depend on what you would like to see on your trip (time and tide dependant). If you have any ideas in mind, please let us know when requesting your booking so we can tell you if they are achievable.

Yes of course, as long as all rubbish is taken with you when you depart, feel free to bring your own food and drink on board. We have no cooking facilities. Plenty of water is also recommended.

We are happy for you to bring your furry friends onboard, however dogs must remain on the deck, they are not allowed inside in the wheelhouse. Please also ensure any mess is cleaned up.

Layering is key for our trips! It can be significantly colder at sea so always ensure you have a coat with you. The majority of your trip will be spent outside on deck so waterproofs are a good choice as it is possible the spray will get you wet when onboard. In the summer months, always wear a hat and ensure you have suntan lotion with you. There is no shelter for shade on deck so please ensure you have taken this into consideration when deciding what to wear.

Sensible footwear is a must onboard our boats! Trainers/deck shoes are a good idea – we suggest you leave your high heels at home!

No, unfortunately not. Although we do offer seal spotting trips, this cannot be guaranteed (although we do see them a lot!) and we accept no responsibility if you are not successful in sighting any. 

Alcohol is allowed, but only in moderation. The boat will turn back to shore if there are any overly intoxicated passengers onboard who are causing disruption to the trip, but please do feel free to bring a glass or two to enjoy yourselves! 

Our Meeting Point

Leigh Marina, High Street, Old Leigh, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 2ES, UK or Leigh On Sea Cockle Beach, Old Leigh, Essex (Nearest Postcode: SS9 2ER). Opposite No 1 Cockleshed Restaurant. Behind the Orange Cockle Boat Liberator or on Osborne`s Dock (opposite The Crooked Billet Pub). Keep a look out for a “MEETING POINT SIGN” on the Cockle Beach. We will confirm on your boat itinerary on where to meet us.