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ALONG THE COAST FROM SOUTHEND, ESS
THE WILDLIFE HAVEN OF OSEA ISLAND IS
ONE OF BRITAIN’S SECRET PLACES – AND
THE PERFECT PLACE FOR A DIGITAL DETOX
THE CRUNCH OF SCATTERING
shingle fills our
ears as the hull of our water taxi reaches the shore.
Ahead is a derelict pier and to the left we can see the
turrets of a large Victorian mansion rising from a rich
blanket of verdant greenery. Looking to the east, the
coastline stretches off into the distance, an expanse of
salt marsh, creeks and small channels that ebb and fill
with the rising tide.
From the Heybridge Basin, near Maldon, Essex,
it has taken us just eight minutes to cross the vast
Blackwater Estuary to Osea Island, but we couldn’t
feel further removed from the bustle of London. The
capital might be just 80 minutes’ drive away (while
Southend airport, where easyJet will start flying
TRAVELLER
D E B O R A H K I N G
T I M W H I T E
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