Our Team

The Team is made up of Permanent and incremental staff including:

Reception Team

Financial Team

Maintenance Team

Vessel Coxswains

Pilots

Staff are engaged in work throughout the year, the Harbour is attended all year around. The incremental staff support the Harbour during busy maintenance periods, seasonal visitor increases and Pilot work.

Owen Evans

Deputy Harbour Master

Owen has grown up around the harbour, and spent a number of years working as a harbour assistant before leaving to join the Merchant Navy to work as a navigator on ice breaking vessels in both the Arctic and Antarctic. Owen's role is to improve and review the Safety Management Systems so that our users, operators and staff are able to enjoy a safer harbour.

Garry Taylor

Duty Harbour Master

Thirty years in the corporate world of international sales, the health and fitness industry demanded travel around the globe, seeking new adventures and looking to put down roots with a lifestyle change. We invited him to Join us temporarily just a couple of years ago although he did have 10 years of experience in leisure boating, and former ownership of several cruisers. With his wife ‘Sheila’ they embrace the opportunity to explore the East coast. His passion led to his certification as a Commercially endorsed RYA Power yacht skipper. As a Duty Harbour Master Garry will now enjoy indulging his former and professional skills in a life afloat, he relishes and thrives on the challenges whilst out on the water and delights in the opportunity of being able to serve the local community.

Orlando Clarke

Duty Harbour Master

Escape from city life and IT led Orlando to Fingringhoe’ s sand barges. Then a brief spell in Zanzibar to run a dive centre, then back to the city to work in marine civils and towage as a tug engineer on the Thames. In this time, he qualified as MCA Master 200gt adding to his other skills as Dive instructor, Beekeeper and Blacksmith. Traditional boats and their construction is one of his passions, it’s all here at Brightlingsea.

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Jill Herman

Financial Administration Manager

Having uprooted from leafy Surrey, Jill now enjoys the estuary views and all things nautical. With a background in logistics and advertising she has used these skills to improve customer service and was instrumental in launching the popular Brightlingsea to Wivenhoe ferry service with lunch at the Black Buoy. Outside work she has been known to help crew racing yachts and loves to put her feet up at her beach hut.

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Tracey Barton

Front Desk /Admin Assistant

Tracey was born and bred in Brightlingsea, working in a customer facing family business before joining the Harbour staff. She is a keen equestrian and often uses the Hard to exercise her horses, who also enjoy using the water. She is married to a keen fisherman so often goes out to sea with him on his boat. Her local knowledge is such that there isn't much she doesn't know about the local area.

Nicola Cross

Front Desk /Admin Assistant

Nicola dreamed of living by the sea, a move to Brightlingsea in 2015 realised that dream. She loves walking her dog 'Bob' along the sea front and enjoys all things 'Brightlingsea'. Nicola's background in retail, customer service and social media has ensured that the Harbour's social media pages are well managed. In the summer she qualified as an RYA level two powerboater and loves getting out meeting customers.

Glenn Bacon

Maintenance Supervisor

Glenn maintains the assets in the harbour. A natural engineer growing up among engines and sails. He has sailed these Essex waters all his life and has strong affiliations with Brightlingsea Sailing Club and the Colne Yacht Club. A commercially endorsed RYA Yachtsman and power boat, with exceptional boat handling skills. He is no stranger to the race podium at the yacht club in his race challenging Notorious which is kept on a mooring in the harbour.

Joe Adams

Maintenance Assistant

Joe works alongside Glenn as his number two. A former tradesman he felt the call of the sea and quickly learnt different skills including; boat handling (RYA L2), VHF (Radio User), first aid, Oil spill recovery and customer engagement. A lovely guy, with a smile and a welcome hello before you even see him.

Joshua Godfrey

Harbour Operative

Son to a Royal Navy veteran to the Falkland’s War, Josh has always had a keen interest in one day having a job around the sea, inspired by his farther. Originally working as a Lifeguard at Brightlingsea Lido he decided to have a little change in his career after Covid joining the Harbour as an apprentice. He quickly adapted to the new environment and enjoys what he is doing.

Noah Goodwin

Harbour Apprentice

Island life with his family on West Mersea always included boats, as a youngster sailing at Dabchicks, it seemed obvious that a career on the water was inevitable. Initially employed as a waiter, then later trained and qualified at college as a plumber, the call of sea was too strong to ignore. He is now on his way as a harbour apprentice to being fully immersed in the marine industry and is excited about the future.