Radio Caroline

I have rafted up to the Ross Revenge, in Queenborough. She was deserted and homeless back then.
If you were doing trips, charters or tours etc, I imagine that the volunteer custodians would welcome the interest and publicity from your passengers.
It's wonderful that she now has a buoy to call home. I don't know how long that arrangement will last, hopefully a long time. There is a niggling suspicion or rumour that some OCD-infected gauleiter from the local council finds her to be an untidy eyesore, or some such typical little hitler nonsense.
She is a historic treasure, a unique cultural museum and people should take advantage of the tours being offered while they have the chance.
She is a side trawler (an unusually large one!) and the fishing part of the story is equally interesting. Buy a themed dishcloth or something from the gift shop, it's a volunteer set-up and ships are astronomical to keep afloat and painted. Oddly, despite us having thousands a generation ago, we have hardly any side trawlers from our once-huge fishing fleet still in existence.

Radio Caroline still broadcasts, online and sometimes on the actual airwaves from the Revenge.
 
I have rafted up to the Ross Revenge, in Queenborough. She was deserted and homeless back then.
If you were doing trips, charters or tours etc, I imagine that the volunteer custodians would welcome the interest and publicity from your passengers.
It's wonderful that she now has a buoy to call home. I don't know how long that arrangement will last, hopefully a long time. There is a niggling suspicion or rumour that some OCD-infected gauleiter from the local council finds her to be an untidy eyesore, or some such typical little hitler nonsense.
She is a historic treasure, a unique cultural museum and people should take advantage of the tours being offered while they have the chance.
She is a side trawler (an unusually large one!) and the fishing part of the story is equally interesting. Buy a themed dishcloth or something from the gift shop, it's a volunteer set-up and ships are astronomical to keep afloat and painted. Oddly, despite us having thousands a generation ago, we have hardly any side trawlers from our once-huge fishing fleet still in existence.

Radio Caroline still broadcasts, online and sometimes on the actual airwaves from the Revenge.
Went aboard when she was in Queenborough and handed over some press coverage and photos of the last DJs to come ashore when the pirates finally packed it in .
John Peel is in the photo.


648 MW. 24/7 . Transmits from a mast at Orfordness.
Think the site was once involved in LF OTH missile detection experiments later abandoned.
Surprisingly good reception well into Kent.
Type "Radio Caroline" on Google Earth she is miles away from any "OCD-infected gauleiter" . :)
Got pix of me and a mate on the Maunsall tower used by Radio 390.

Orfordness transmitting station - Wikipedia
 
Last edited:
She sits in Harwich not far from Half Penny Pier. The things that secure her would not be good to raft to :)
 
As far as I'm aware, the legal position with regards to mooring in the Blackwater estuary is still as it always was historically

And that is that it is not subject to any restrictions or controls (barring, in very modern times, possible intervention by the MMO). There is no harbour authority as such etc

Thus in times past the Blackwater was a favourite anchorage of the East Coast colliers and in more recent times was much used for laying up ships at anchor.

It is (was) just about the only reasonably sheltered anchorage between the London river and the North East coal ports where harbour dues weren't payable
 
As said Caroline broadcasts from the Cobra mist aerial mast on Orfordness with a 1kw transmitter, its kind of ironic that the site was of such military significance back in the 60's & 70's with the over the horizon radar project and more. The frequency is the old BBC world service one.
I heard a while back that they are trying to get permission to boost transmitter power further to 2Kw.
They also broadcast on DAB in Norwich & Southampton plus online steams worldwide.
Incidentally the signal from Orfordness carries to north of Derby before it runs out of steam, Here in south essex reception is excellent.
 
As far as I'm aware, the legal position with regards to mooring in the Blackwater estuary is still as it always was historically

And that is that it is not subject to any restrictions or controls (barring, in very modern times, possible intervention by the MMO). There is no harbour authority as such etc

Thus in times past the Blackwater was a favourite anchorage of the East Coast colliers and in more recent times was much used for laying up ships at anchor.

It is (was) just about the only reasonably sheltered anchorage between the London river and the North East coal ports where harbour dues weren't payable
Good to hear
 
I think he meant the Lightship museum which includes a display about pirate radio

Yup. Correct.

Just to complicate matters, there is a picture of Barge Centaur rafted up to the Ross Revenge on the website.

It would make a fun club cruise to the Blackwater taking in a tour of Caroline which I believe is conducted by one of the DJ's . Trying to organise something with the British weather probably makes this unrealistic. Looks like the trips are run from Mersea Island .
 
As said Caroline broadcasts from the Cobra mist aerial mast on Orfordness with a 1kw transmitter, its kind of ironic that the site was of such military significance back in the 60's & 70's with the over the horizon radar project and more. The frequency is the old BBC world service one.
I heard a while back that they are trying to get permission to boost transmitter power further to 2Kw.
They also broadcast on DAB in Norwich & Southampton plus online steams worldwide.
Incidentally the signal from Orfordness carries to north of Derby before it runs out of steam, Here in south essex reception is excellent.

Signal can be heard well into central Kent and the outskirts of London . It does deteriorate after dark somewhat.
Have photo of the ship when it was moored in Chatham town centre before it was moved the short distance to Strood.
Think it was then towed up to Queenborough and subsequently around to the Thames ?
 
Reminds me of a film I enjoyed - "The Boat that Rocked"
I have been aboard radio Caroline and it is nothing like "The boat that rocked". For starters there are no girls aboard, only a lot of bored men, and there is nothing to see except a DJ playing CD's
 
Last edited:

Other threads that may be of interest

Top