Dateline 21 September 2000

Monday 18 September was spent off service at Southampton. During the day the new seating was fitted in the Engine Room Alleyways and the final, missing, table delivered to the Dining Saloon. Tuesday's cruise was given as timetabled, although it was a very wet day.

On Wednesday, Waverley was due to sail from Portsmouth to Worthing, Eastbourne and Folkestone. Jeremy Gold has supplied this account of the day's sailing:

Shortly before Waverley’s scheduled departure at 1030 she was unusually preceded out of Portsmouth Harbour by Brittany Ferries' Barfleur, operating Portsmouth - Caen instead of on her usual Poole - Cherbourg route.

The Purser announced that sea conditions might preclude Waverley from calling at Worthing and Eastbourne and that all passengers might therefore have to continue to Folkestone with consequent very late arrival by coach back in Portsmouth (schedule 2330).

Departure at 1035 with about 100 passengers was accompanied by an 'undocking' shower, and with a southerly breeze and flood tide, workboat Gary James assisted Waverley to turn in the harbour. Whightlink's new Fastcat Shanklin arrived in service from Ryde as Waverley departed, and Fastcat Sandown was seen being prepared for service at a berth in the nearby Gunwharf Road car ferry terminal.

On leaving the shelter of Spithead the swell caused Waverley to roll. In her post rebuild trim this was a much more sea-kindly motion than hitherto. However it became apparent that following high winds overnight the sea conditions were much worse than forecast, that both Worthing and Eastbourne piers were highly unlikely to be tenable and that the long passage to Folkestone in a beam sea would be too uncomfortable to be acceptable. At 1130, when about 1½ miles off the Nab Tower, Waverley was therefore turned to return to the Solent, and arrangements were made to cruise to Yarmouth for time ashore. It was subsequently advised that wind speed at Dover was force 7.

Off Wotton Creek the local coastguard helicopter carried out a training exercise to land and recover a crewman from Waverley's after deck. Waverley steamed to the west end of Totland Bay, just short of Alum Bay, whilst awaiting the berth at Yarmouth Pier where she arrived at 1405. The return to Portsmouth was scheduled to depart at 1600. As local boats use the pier during the afternoon, Waverley went to anchor meantime.

The return passage to Portsmouth was made in 1¼ hours and Waverley left the Harbour at 1815, passing the incoming Fastcat Shanklin as she left.

The paddler spent the night at anchor in Ryde roads. Her departure for Folkestone was delayed by difficulties weighing anchor, and she swept into Folkestone Harbour at 09.50 hrs, just 10 minutes before her scheduled departure.

Waverley slowly comes alongside the Harbour Wall at Folkestone

Looking down on the Upper Deck

Over 350 passengers were boarded in just over half an hour but then Seacat Great Britain arrived from Boulogne, causing a further delay.

Passing Dover, the Norfolk Line ro-ro ferry Northern Merchant was seen entering the Harbour. One of the Hoverspeed hovercraft, in her last weeks of service, sped by headed for Calais. Captain Gellatly pointed out the view of the French coast, some 18 miles to the south-east.

Another 150 joined the ship at Tilbury before she completed the up river passage to Tower Pier. Here Folkestone disembarked to join coaches for their homeward leg. Waverley returned to Tilbury to spend the night alongside the Landing Stage.

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