South Coast
& Thames Part 6
Report and pictures by Martin Longhurst
Monday 20 September 2010 was
an off service day which Waverley spent at Southampton. Unfortunately early morning fog prevented
her leaving early enough to take up her service at Swanage or Bournemouth but
it did clear later allowing the paddler to make Yarmouth in time to take her
Round the Island sail.
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Richard Joliffe took this picture of Waverley arriving
Yarmouth 21st September at 12:00 in glorious sunshine after arriving direct
from Southampton berth 49 after cancelling both Swanage and Bournemouth calls
due to thick fog. She waited for the incoming Wightlink ferry which had
some passengers from the cancelled locations. With the exception of some thick cloud off Cowes the
passage clockwise round the Island was in perfect sunshine. The new HMS
Diamond was passed off the Forts. 211 passengers boarded at Yarmouth. |
Then she was off to Weymouth
for the night ready for Wednesday’s timetable.
This took her to Swanage, Bournemouth and Ryde for a Portsmouth Dockyard
cruise. This was the paddler’s first
call at Ryde at the new berth following the re-arrangement to allow the
introduction of the Wight Ryder catamarans.
There were presentations to retiring Purser Jim McFadzean at both
Swanage and Bournemouth.
The steamer spent the night
alongside Swanage Pier before heading for Portsmouth for Thursday’s sail along
the coast to Dover. There were
generator problems which caused a late arrival to load her passengers. At 10.25 she steamed off with about 80 on
board. After about 30 minutes we saw a
Coastguard helicopter swoop by and Purser Jim announced “Taxi for
O’Brian.”
Captain Andy O’Brian had
commanded the ship out of the Portsmouth pilotage area and now Captain Ian
Clark had taken over, so as to use his Thames pilotage certificates for the
next part of the season. Following the
previous weekend’s exercise, Captain O’Brian had enquired whether the
Coastguard who need further practice today in order to take him ashore.
Approaching Worthing there
was speculation among the passengers as to whether conditions would allow the
paddler to berth, the Sussex pier being notoriously affected by swells. Captain Clark carefully navigated the
steamer towards the only available western berth and gently brought Waverley
alongside allowing about 250 people to join us for the eastward sail to
Kent.
Passing the Royal Sovereign Light off Eastbourne
The weather from now on was
very pleasant with a warm stern wind.
We arrived at Dover about dusk, entering via the Eastern Entrance so as
to approach the Cruise Terminal 2 berth from the correct angle. The tide was pretty well at its lowest and
we were confronted with a vertical concrete quay towering over the
paddler. This had been foreseen and
Chief Engineer Ian McMillan and Bosun Janusz Lunski had spent the afternoon
building a small scaffolding tower on the upper deck so one of the Cruise
Terminal’s gangways could be run out to allow disembarkation. Passengers were coached home to Worthing and
Portsmouth.
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Friday saw the steamer
complete her passage to the capital.
She sailed promptly at 11.00 with just over 400 on board. There was a freshening northerly wind but
the rain held off. Having rounded the
North Foreland, Captain Clark took the steamer through the Princes Channel,
thereby giving us good views of the shipping and the Shivering Sands
Towers. Speed was reduced as we
proceeded upstream so as to arrive at the appointed Tower Bridge lift time of
19.00, the earliest slot after the evening rush hour. As the day trip passengers got off and
headed for their coaches home, so the passengers for the PSPS Evening Charter
waited patiently to join the ship.
Waverley whistles to announce her turn as she starts off the PSPS
charter
The shipping forecast on the
Saturday indicated very strong northerly winds, especially to the east. Captain Clark felt it was inadvisable to
attempt to reach Clacton as scheduled, but the only practical alternative was
to cut the cruise short at Southend for extended time ashore. Passengers joining the steamer at Tower Pier
and Tilbury were warned of the revised arrangements. Waverley went off to anchor in Leigh Roads
for the afternoon.
Tug Revenge assists the paddler’s departure on Sunday morning
We passed Amsterdam off the Mucking Flats
The forecast was more optimistic
on Sunday, as the paddler sailed from Tower Pier for Southend direct. But as the steamer headed from Southend to
Whitstable the wind strengthened and a 1.5 metre swell was reported by the
Harbourmaster. Reluctantly, Captain
Clark changed his plans and turned near the Kentish Flats Wind Farm. We enjoyed a slow cruise back to Southend as
the rain gradually increased. There was
a tight schedule back up river against the tide, Waverley taking just over
three hours for the run from Southend to London direct. Fortunately the rain stopped in time for
passengers to observe the floodlit opening of Tower Bridge. Having discharged her complement, the
steamer returned to Tilbury for a day off service.