Exploring the abandoned World War II Sea Forts

Decommissioned in 1956, the Red Sands Sea Forts remain abandoned to this day and tower above the mouth of the River Thames, just seven miles off the coast of Whitstable, in Kent.

Polish photographer, Marzena Grabczynska Lorenc, intimately captured the battered, timeworn gun towers in January 2015.

She said: “It’s hard to imagine how it felt to be stationed there during WWII and spend months inside of the forts surrounded by water.

“When I saw them, those huge towers were standing alone in the ocean all abandoned and forgotten.

“I have always been drawn to these kind of places, where mystery and history goes hand in hand. These forts have been left to rot since their decommission.”

Constructed to help gunners shoot down opposition aircrafts, the forts have withstood harsh waves, wind and rain for 73 years and Marzena believes they are a fascinating part of British history.

“They were built to defend London against German planes – they are an important part of history and their incredible design should be preserved,” she said.

“Where else can you see massive bunkers standing on long legs in the middle of the ocean looking like invaders from a work of science-fiction?

“Now, they are just empty, rusty, and there’s a really eerie feeling.”

A few years ago, Project Redsands was created to help stabilise and renovate the forts with the hope of using them in the future.

But Marzena still faced great difficulty when exploring the inside of the towers, with some of the less stable ones rocking due to high winds.

The 51-year-old said: “Standing inside the fort, you can feel it slightly moving with stronger winds.

“My husband and I met with a captain and we boarded the X-Pilot boat as we were greeted with a sunrise and the abandoned sea giants.

“We were only able to go inside the safest one. Inside, the forts are almost empty and the rusty walls are stripped bare - I would not want to be there during a big storm.”