Hamford Water also known as the Walton Backwaters, is the next coastal inlet to the south of Harwich Harbour, and near Walton-on-the-Naze. The first mention of the area in the Swallows and Amazons series is in the map "Chart of approaches to Harwich" in We Didn't Mean to Go to Sea, ch3, where the network of islands is visible next to the named town of Walton and the headland Naze. The network of islands and waterways is accurately depicted in Secret Water.