I didn’t give a lot of thought to this vessel when I photographed it – I just thought it might make for an interesting picture. However, a quick search on the internet turned up some interesting information.

The ship here, the dredger Gypsey Race, was built in 2017 and is currently under the auspices of Bridlington Harbour Commission. The name most likely derives from a chalk stream of the same name which enters the sea in Bridlington harbour. It’s a winterbourne stream, meaning it remains dry during the summer months. One of the villages through which it runs, Boynton, has an annual rubber duck race where hundreds of plastic waterfowl are launched into the water to raise money for the local village hall. The word Gypsey in the name of the stream apparently denotes a watercourse that spends parts of its course beneath ground.

The current Gypsey Race is not the first of it’s name though, and an earlier vessel existed. This one was built in 1940 for Southend-on-Sea County Borough and went under the name Prittlewell and was likely used to keep the channels around the Thames forts clear during World War II. She was later renamed the Essex Queen in 1971 and then acquired by Bridlington Harbour Commision in 1977 where she was renamed as Gypsey Race and modernised. From the mid 80s she was used for dredging Bridlington Harbour and other locations along the east coast. She was broken up in 2010.

Olympus OM-1N, Zuiko Auto-Zoom 75-150mm f/4 & Ilford HP5+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+9 15mins 45secs @ 20°

Taken 17 June 2023.