General Enquiries: 07590 637 233

Enquire & Book!

Meeting Locations:

*Leigh Marina: High Street, Old Leigh, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 2ES. Please wait outside the large white gates; a member of our team will meet you there. Do not enter the marina without our team.

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*Cockle Wharf: Southend-on-Sea, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 2ER. You will see my blue “MEETING POINT” sign outside the No 1 Cockleshed Restaurant on the Cockle Beach. Please meet us there. *Do NOT go to Leigh Marina if your itinerary specifies Cockle Wharf.

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We will confirm your specific meeting point on your boat itinerary.

Explore the Thames Estuary with Unforgettable Southend Boat Trips!

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

Private/Shared Boat Trips

Our premier Southend boat trips showcase the very best of the Thames Estuary. We offer a huge range of destinations, including cruises to Southend Pier, the historic Mulberry Harbour, the SS Richard Montgomery shipwreck, Queenborough in Kent, scenic Benfleet Creek, Two Tree Island, and the incredible Red Sands, Shivering Sands, and Knock John Maunsell Forts. There truly is plenty to see and do.

All our southend boat trips depart from our pontoon at Leigh Marina, High Street, Old Leigh, Essex, SS9 2ES, or from the nearby Cockle Beach. For an exclusive experience, you can also privately hire the boat for a full day, enjoying a bespoke journey up the Thames to Tower Bridge, an epic forts tour, or a trip to Whitstable. For all private hire bookings, please email: info@brownesthamesestuaryboattrips.co.uk

Scattering Ashes Southend Pier (Human & Animal)

Passengers

Up to 10

Duration

2 hours

Mulberry Harbour Southend (& Southend Pier)

Passengers

Up to 10

Duration

2 hours

Maunsell Forts Boat Trip

Passengers

Up to 10

Duration

8 hours
View all trips

Other services we offer:

If our scheduled Southend boat trips aren’t exactly what you’re looking for, we also offer a wide range of other professional marine services.

Southend Fireworks Boat Trip

Private Boat Hire Essex

Corporate Events Thames Boat Hire

Paddleboarding Support Boat

Kayak Support Boat Hire

Open Water Swimming Support Boat
All other services
Get in Touch

See how we have helped recently

We were delighted to provide a bespoke trip for local artist, Andy Downes, who wanted to paint hard-to-reach iconic landmarks off the Southend coastline. Time and tide was on our side, even if it was an early start!

We’ve also had the pleasure of giving a unique tour to the photographer and explorer, Malenis Explores, showcasing the estuary’s best photography spots. You can read more about it below.

Read more

Call us today to see how we can help you!

07590 637 233

Fully licenced, safe & fun

We provide a first-class service on all our boat trips southend, with a professional, qualified skipper and crew onboard at all times to ensure your safety and enjoyment.

About the director/skipper, Angus Browne

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

About Brownes Thames Estuary Boat Trips

We are a unique business dedicated to making your experience on the Thames Estuary an unforgettable memory. When you join one of our Southend boat trips, you will be looked after and made to feel comfortable for the whole duration. We are constantly investing in our business to make it the best charter boat service out there, and will continue to grow as Southend-on-Sea itself grows as a city. We want to play a big part in the community by offering first-class boat trips southend locals and tourists deserve, because there is so much to see. The views are breathtaking and can only be truly appreciated by boat. You will not be disappointed. We look forward to having you onboard.

Enquire & book

About Starfish

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

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

She is exceptionally well-built for commercial use to keep everyone safe onboard. We service our engines every 100 hours and perform weekly maintenance checks to ensure the boat is ready at all times.

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.

southend boat trips brownes ship hotel logo

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! 

Meeting Point

Leigh Marina: High Street, Old Leigh, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 2ES. Please wait outside the large white gates; a member of our team will meet you there. Do not enter the marina without our team.

Cockle Wharf: Southend-on-Sea, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 2ER. You will see my blue “MEETING POINT” sign outside the No 1 Cockleshed Restaurant on the Cockle Beach. Please meet us there. *Do NOT go to Leigh Marina if your itinerary specifies Cockle Wharf.

We will confirm your specific meeting point on your boat itinerary.