Wells Next-The-Sea
September 12, 2021
12 Sep '21 HM 156. Wells-next-to-Sea. A gem of a harbour and a playwright HM.
Robert Smith MBE is very passionate about his job of Harbour Master - and it shows in every corner of this beautiful place. The initial friendly contact with his office, the safe escort he gives all yachts from the bar down the snaking channel into the safe harbour and the many stories about life in this North Norfolk town in his book "Crossing the bar" - give the impression that Robert IS Wells harbour! It is no surprise I chose to take a week's holiday in this beautiful place.
Robert's father and grandfather had been "longshoremen" - fishing the mussels and cockles close to the sandy beaches, marshes and creeks where Robert was brought up. He had wanted to join the Royal Navy, but there was a 6 month waiting list, so instead he joined a local shipping company based in Wells and Kings Lynn and before long he was Assistant HM, promoted to HM in 2000.
Robert is a natural story teller, and following the success of his book he is now planning to produce a play about life in Wells harbour, called "Through These Doors" which refers to the doors of the old harbour mortuary which hang on wall outside his office. Sadly many lives have been lost at sea off Wells over the centuries and Robert plans to dramatise some of the stories about the tragedies and rescues.
Robert often gets told by visitors to Wells, of a strange sighting of a lady dressed in Victorian clothes walking past the harbour and turning towards the water. When Robert says "By any chance, did you see her at about 6.30 this morning?..... the answer is always "Yes!". A more alarming incident he told me about involved a child picking up a UXB and taking it home. Who gets called to deal with it - the Harbour Master of course!
Wells is not just for us lucky yachties, there is a thriving shell fishing fleet including skipper Ashley Mullenger, @thefemalefisherman , who reckons she is one of only 6 female "fishermen" in the UK!
Thank you to all the lovely people we met in Wells.
Robert Smith MBE is very passionate about his job of Harbour Master - and it shows in every corner of this beautiful place. The initial friendly contact with his office, the safe escort he gives all yachts from the bar down the snaking channel into the safe harbour and the many stories about life in this North Norfolk town in his book "Crossing the bar" - give the impression that Robert IS Wells harbour! It is no surprise I chose to take a week's holiday in this beautiful place.
Robert's father and grandfather had been "longshoremen" - fishing the mussels and cockles close to the sandy beaches, marshes and creeks where Robert was brought up. He had wanted to join the Royal Navy, but there was a 6 month waiting list, so instead he joined a local shipping company based in Wells and Kings Lynn and before long he was Assistant HM, promoted to HM in 2000.
Robert is a natural story teller, and following the success of his book he is now planning to produce a play about life in Wells harbour, called "Through These Doors" which refers to the doors of the old harbour mortuary which hang on wall outside his office. Sadly many lives have been lost at sea off Wells over the centuries and Robert plans to dramatise some of the stories about the tragedies and rescues.
Robert often gets told by visitors to Wells, of a strange sighting of a lady dressed in Victorian clothes walking past the harbour and turning towards the water. When Robert says "By any chance, did you see her at about 6.30 this morning?..... the answer is always "Yes!". A more alarming incident he told me about involved a child picking up a UXB and taking it home. Who gets called to deal with it - the Harbour Master of course!
Wells is not just for us lucky yachties, there is a thriving shell fishing fleet including skipper Ashley Mullenger, @thefemalefisherman , who reckons she is one of only 6 female "fishermen" in the UK!
Thank you to all the lovely people we met in Wells.