Historical whereisit question?

According to A Short History of the Thames Estuary: "the Gunfleet was separated in 1810 by the old Spitway into the West Knock and East Knock."

And in Chart 10 (shown opposite page 41) and 1811 chart by W. Heather the West Knock is shown at the Spitway or SW end of the Gunfleet while the East Knock is/was on the Wallet side of the Gunfleet at the NE end.

Presume if MG was aground thereabouts he would have seen the shore lights of Clacton...

Page 10 of this very interesting book talks about the surprising number of Thames Estuary sand names that can be traced to the words Knoll or Knob... not to mention Spit, Spell, Spile and Shivering, Last and Shoo
 
That's it, although the pilot book of 1847, the Spitway is to the west of the West Knock

- About 3 miles from the Gunfleet buoy, is a large part of the Gunfleet which dries, being covered about 2 hours of flood, called the East Knock. Farther on are two other patches, which dry at low spring-tides. And at the farther end of the Gunfleet, near the Spitway, is the West Knock, which is covered at half-flood. Between these are swashways, of 2 and 3 feet water.

MG did indeed see the lights of Clacton as he ran about on the sand to keep warm.
 
"A Short History of the Thames Estuary" is a book I've always sought after after a mention in one of MG's books. Just Googled it, found it on E Bay, and bought it!
 
Jan Harber said:
Page 10 of this very interesting book talks about the surprising number of Thames Estuary sand names that can be traced to the words Knoll or Knob... not to mention Spit, Spell, Spile and Shivering, Last and Shoo
Click to expand...

Off topic I know. But I'm fascinated by the number of rivers that have a sandbar called 'The Horse' or use the word horse to describe them. I've found most of them by running aground on them. Although the one in the Crouch try as I might was just a little bit below my keel always.
 
Glayva said:
Off topic I know. But I'm fascinated by the number of rivers that have a sandbar called 'The Horse' or use the word horse to describe them. I've found most of them by running aground on them. Although the one in the Crouch try as I might was just a little bit below my keel always.
Click to expand...
I can vouch that it is definitely there!
We used to ignore it with our Stella, but our UFO keel finds it.
 
I always understood that 'horse' is actually the generic name for such a sandbar that runs parallel to the stream in a river or estuary, with deep water either side.
 
Glayva said:
Off topic I know. But I'm fascinated by the number of rivers that have a sandbar called 'The Horse' or use the word horse to describe them. I've found most of them by running aground on them. Although the one in the Crouch try as I might was just a little bit below my keel always.
Click to expand...

Thousands of years ago while doing A level geography, I recall being taught how 'horses' were created. Whilst I can recall being taught that, I can recall what was taught! If you have read my '100 year ago cruise across the estuary' article in ECS12 this month (http://www.eastcoastsailing.co.uk) it is amazing how the small horse in the Duke of Edinburgh Channel has grown to the extent that we know now of two Edinburgh channels with the Shingles Patch between!

There is perhaps a worrying aspect to this East/West Knock thing and that is the moving position of the Spitway. It was once in the middle of where the Windfarm now is. What happens if the existing Spitway shuts up again - again you will see from that article that what we know as the Spitway didn't exist on 1903.
 
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