Maunsell Forts Cruise from Queenborough: Red Sand, Shivering Sand & Knock John Towers

There are few relics of Britain’s Second World War coastline as bizarre and cinematic as the Maunsell Forts that stand offshore in the Thames Estuary. This five‑hour cruise departs from Queenborough All tide Landing /// and pushes 9–13 miles seaward to ring the Red Sand, Shivering Sand and Knock John Towers while passing over the site of the Nore Sand Towers. The ride gives you close-up views from a safe distance, time to photograph unusual concrete towers rising from mud and tidal channels, and a guide who outlines wartime uses, shipwrecks and the curious postwar history of Guy Maunsell’s structures.

The journey takes roughly an hour to reach the first set of towers; the vessel spends about 15–20 minutes circling each fort so passengers can frame shots and absorb the scale. You’ll cross the main shipping channel and pass known wrecks including the SS R Montgomery and the historic Kent Boom; the flat, low-lying estuary stretches to the horizon and shifts color with tide and sky. Birdlife is prominent—Peregrine Falcons and marsh terns are often sighted—and the human stories are layered: anti-aircraft platforms, engineers’ bold concrete work and later eccentric occupations and protests that left the towers iconic.

Practical comforts onboard include a bar with light snacks and soft drinks and a toilet; the spacious top deck is the best seat for pictures. The operator emphasises safety: the crew circles at a safe distance and does not permit boarding the forts. The trip is not suitable for wheelchair users and all passengers must manage a flight of stairs unaided. Prams are allowed but must be collapsed and stored under seats; dogs are permitted but bring water—there are no trees or shade offshore.

Why book it? Few coastal excursions combine wartime engineering, maritime archaeology and open-water birding in a single outing. For photographers, the Rust-red concrete against the estuary’s silver flats is arresting; for history lovers, guides deliver vivid accounts of wartime navigation and coastal defence. Weather and sea state determine whether the tour sails—high winds can force cancellation—but rebooking or vouchers are offered.

If you’re based nearby, Whitstable and Sheerness provide sensible overnight bases; passengers should arrive 15 minutes early with QR codes ready. Bring layered clothing, a long lens if you have one, and a readiness for raw, wide-water light—the Maunsell Forts are best seen by sea, where their scale and solitude finally make sense. Onboard commentary links the forts to wider coastal defence networks and explains how tides, shipping lanes and local industries shaped the Essex‑Kent shoreline; guides also flag conservation challenges and the fragile intertidal habitat visitors view from the decks, encouraging respectful observation and minimal disturbance to birds, wreck sites and shoreline communities and local livelihoods.