Thames 2005: 3 October
Report by Martin Longhurst
Monday 26 September 2005 saw the steamer off-service at Tilbury. Back to business on Tuesday with a trip to Southend and Clacton for an excellent cruise to the River Blackwater. The steamer then positioned to Harwich while her passengers were coached home. It was upriver day on Wednesday, the paddler picking up passengers coached to Harwich from her erstwhile calling points of Southwold (3 coaches) and Ipswich (4 coaches). The single trip took Waverley from Harwich to Clacton, Southend, Tilbury and Tower Pier. Thursday saw the steamer head for the River Medway on a round trip from The Tower, while Friday took her back to Harwich, calling at Southend and Clacton with a River Orwell cruise.
Tower Pier was again the destination on Saturday, the paddler leaving Halfpenny Pier, Harwich at 10.00.
Alongside Halfpenny Pier
Warming through before departure from Harwich
Shortly after leaving Harwich Haven, we dropped off the Pilot. The sun was
shining brightly but there was a brisk north-westerly breeze, fortunately
offshore for the day's trip. About 130 joined at Harwich and a similar number at
Clacton. The Essex coast receded into a very thin strip on the starboard horizon
as we threaded our way through the sandbanks. Over to port, the cooling towers
at Richborough Power Station (on the southern coast of Kent) could be spotted on
that horizon. More passengers embarked at Southend and the ship was pretty full
on leaving her final port of call at Tilbury.
A few minutes later, just after passing through the Queen Elizabeth II (M25)
Bridge, the heavens opened for about 10 minutes but the sun returned again to
help dry us out.
Tammy production continues whatever the weather.
Unfortunately there was another brief shower as we approached Tower Bridge but not enough to dampen passengers' spirits as they managed three hearty cheers for those on the bridge.
Rainbow over the bridge as we tie up at Tower Pier
Tug Revenge swings the paddler on Sunday morning
The sun returned on Sunday as hundreds boarded the steamer at Tower Pier.
It was slack water and Revenge swung Waverley between the Pier and the Bridge.
Again there was a brisk northerly breeze which made it quite cold on deck when
out of the sun. Unfortunately the tide was against us for most of the day so we
were slightly late into Tilbury. At Southend there was an almost complete
turnover of passengers before the steamer set course for the Thames Forts.
Aboard was the forts expert, Frank Turner. Approaching the Red Sands Forts he
described his proposals to turn this fort into a leisure attraction. The first
stage, the construction of a new landing stage, was due to start the following
day, with the contractor being Mowlem Marine.
Red Sands Fort
Tama Star sails past the Wind Farm inbound
Shivering Sands Fort - note Red Sands Fort in the distance
Shivering Sands again, looking south towards Kent
Near the two forts there is a new feature, the ... wind farm. We then rounded the Shivering Sands Fort and headed back to Red Sands. The return leg to Southend took us towards Sheerness at the mouth of the River Medway. The run upriver was very popular with evening cruise passengers, including two who got engaged on passage.
Sunset over Northfleet Cement Works
At Tower the day trip passengers left the ship before the evening cruise passengers were taken back to Tilbury, with coaches on to Southend.
Waverley heads downstream past HMS Belfast - Revenge is in the foreground
Tower Bridge's third lift of the day for the Waverley