Waverley
Goes South 2014
Words
and pictures by Martin Longhurst
Waverley finished her
Clyde season under sunny skies carrying capacity crowds. However, the
weather promptly broke as soon as the paddler was due to sail to Liverpool. The
residue of Hurricane Bertha put paid to the first day's cruise with the steamer
unable to leave the Clyde. It had been a sell-out trip but nothing could be
done to provide an alternative.
Fortunately the wind abated sufficiently to allow Waverley to steam
through night to undertake the second Mersey cruise on Wednesday 27 August
2014. The steamer left Liverpool a few minutes late on course to
Llandudno and Anglesey. David Haddleton
was on board and he reported “Well we got to Llandudno with 564 from
Liverpool. However we have not opened the Pier! We got close but the decision was made that
the swell was too great to berth and transfer passengers safely. So we left a
crowd disappointed on the pier. Two
points of interest though, following a talk I gave to my local Probus Club a couple of years ago, they organised a
trip for the sailing, but could not fill a coach. The coach company
marketed the spare seats and ended up filling a total of four
coaches! A passenger approached us at
one point with a question and it transpired she was fulfilling a long desire to
sail on Waverley as her cousin was lost when her predecessor sank
at Dunkerque. She has some papers relating to the
incident copies of which she has promised to send to me for the archives.”
After dropping her
passengers at Liverpool's Cruise Terminal, the paddler headed for the Bristol
Channel where she was due to leave Minehead at 0900 on the Thursday. Again the
weather intervened and Waverley became storm bound in Colwyn
Bay, missing the first two day's sailings on the Channel. The crew spent their
time at anchor wisely, with all areas of the ship being washed down, despite a
shortage of water. Once again she
steamed through the night, arriving off Clevedon in time for the third sail.
This was the annual
Lundy church service cruise from Clevedon and Penarth to Ilfracombe and Lundy.
This was fully booked from the up Channel piers and by the time we got under
way, the sea was perfectly calm. Some time was spent alongside Penarth Pier
replenishing the water tanks for the first time in four days. This factor and
the high numbers meant that time was lost on the outward leg and time ashore
had to be cut down by 30 minutes to meet the daylight requirements of the
Passenger Certificate.
Monday was an off
service day in Avonmouth Docks. The weather now entered a settled period and
all the remaining Bristol Channel sailings were given without alteration.
However, visibility was limited on some days, with the Severn Bridges looming
out of the mist on the Wednesday. Things
improved for the weekend with the Clevedon and Penarth to Minehead and Porlock Bay cruise going ahead with good numbers. Sunday's
sail included an option for a ride on the West Somerset Railway for Penarth
passengers, who disembarked at Clevedon and re-joined the ship at Minehead. The
remaining passengers enjoyed the sail to Ilfracombe and had the option of time
ashore or a short Atlantic Coast cruise to Bull Point.
After locking into
Avonmouth for bunkers overnight, Waverley headed for Land's End and Weymouth.
She enjoyed a smooth passage on this leg, arriving in very good time for her
first South Coast cruise.
Waverley's inaugural
South Coast trip left Weymouth at 17.30 on Wednesday 10 September 2014 for an
evening circle cruise. The Thursday saw the first full day which took the
paddler from Weymouth to Swanage, Bournemouth and Yarmouth for a cruise Round
the Island. The Weymouth passengers were coached home from Swanage while the
steamer headed for Southampton ready for the next day's trip. This was
the regular Friday sail to Portsmouth, Yarmouth and a Needles cruise.
Saturday saw the
paddler repeat this course but this time sailing round the Isle of Wight while
Sunday took her from Southampton to Yarmouth, Bournemouth, Swanage and Weymouth.
A special hydrographic survey had been carried around Bournemouth Pier and this
showed that the planned second call there, which would have been on a falling
tide, could not go ahead. Consequently, only booked passengers could be picked
up (as only three coaches could be booked) and nobody could go ashore if they
wanted to return by steamer. At Weymouth, the Pleasure Pier is no longer usable
so the paddler now has to berth in the Security Area used by Condor Ferries.
On this occasion the catamaran was not due to depart until 15.00, so,
unusually, an inshore course was taken on the outward leg to Weymouth. After an
hour ashore while passengers found their through a triathlon course, the steamer
headed straight for St Albans Head. After the Swanage call, course was set for
The Needles direct using The Needles Channel to enter the Solent.
Monday was an
off-service day except the steamer positioned to Poole during the afternoon.
This was in preparation for Tuesday's special cruise from Poole, Swanage and
Bournemouth for Yarmouth and a Round the Island cruise. The berth at Poole Quay
is awkward as the approach channel is at right angles to the quay wall and
consequently some skillful ship handling is
needed. However, with sufficient space available, the manoeuvre was
successfully accomplished on both Monday and Tuesday. Leaving the berth
was achieved by the Harbour Commissioners' work boat, Rough Ryder, pushing the
bow round over 90 degrees. Good numbers were carried throughout the day and
hopefully the port will be served again in future years.
After dropping her
final passengers at Swanage, the steamer proceeded light ship to Weymouth. Her
Wednesday cruise was due to take Waverley from Weymouth to Swanage, Bournemouth
and Ryde for a Portsmouth Harbour cruise. Unfortunately a stiff easterly breeze
blew up overnight and this precluded the calls at Swanage, Bournemouth and
Ryde. However, as the steamer was due to start from Portsmouth on the
Thursday, it was decided to offer the Swanage passengers a trip to Southampton
with a coach return. About 70 took advantage of this offer.
The weather was
generally kinder on the Thursday, apart from a violent thunderstorm on
departure from Portsmouth. Once this cleared away we enjoyed a good sail to
Yarmouth, Bournemouth and Swanage for a cruise to Lulworth
Cove. Firing was taking place during the westward leg of the voyage, meaning we
had to stay three and a half miles from the coast, but it was suspended after
we turned so we could enjoy a close in voyage back along the spectacular
Jurassic Coast. The pattern of sailings
then repeated itself on Friday, Saturday and Sunday with each cruise carried
out to schedule with good loads.
Again Monday was
spent off service before Waverley steamed to Swanage to start her Tuesday
cruise which took her to Bournemouth, Yarmouth and then Round the Island. Fog
in the Western Solent delayed the steamer leading to late running all day and
the omission of the second Bournemouth call. She then positioned to Weymouth
for her Wednesday cruise. Unfortunately this did not go according to plan as
technical problems reduced the vessel's speed and the Bournemouth call had
again to be omitted on the return voyage, with passengers coached home once
more. At this time of the year, sunset is too early to allow the full timetable
to be completed if late running occurs.
Unfortunately the
repairs needed to restore the burners to health meant that Thursday's cruise
had to be cancelled entirely with the steamer remaining alongside Swanage Pier
all day. With rectification complete, she departed for Whitstable, sailing
through the night, to drop anchor off the North Kent coast prior to berthing at
Whitstable to start her Thames season.
After taking bunkers
at Whitstable on Friday 26 September 2014, Waverley sailed off for Southend and
Tower Pier with coach return. On arrival at Tower, there was a quick turn-round
before the PSPS Evening Cruise charter. This was successful and proceeded
downriver as far as Barking Creek flood barrier.
An early start the
next day saw the paddler heading from Tower to Gravesend, Southend and Clacton.
The ship was pretty full all day and the weather and sea conditions were very
favourable. An evening cruise was offered from Clacton with coach return.
The waters of the Thames were so still that the reflections of the
riverside lights were straight lines!
Sunday took the
steamer from Tower to Gravesend and Southend for a Forts cruise. Again
this was an extremely popular sailing with various group bookings on several
legs of the voyage. Outward from Southend the steamer passed about a mile away
from Red Sands Fort but rounded the Shivering Sands Towers quite closely. On
the return to Southend, Waverley diverted off the main channel to give a close
view of the Red Sands Fort.
Monday was
off-service at Gravesend before the steamer headed off to Southend and Clacton
for a River Blackwater cruise, during which she passed by the Radio Caroline
ship, the Ross Revenge. Having dropped off her
passengers at Clacton Pier for their coach returns, Waverley then spent the
night at anchor off the Tendring coast.
Wednesday saw the
paddler sail from Clacton upriver to Tower Pier, calling at Southend, with both
ports' passengers being coached home from the City as planned. The paddler was
now positioned for her Thursday sail to Gravesend and Southend for a Medway
cruise. This sail was well supported for a mid-week trip from each pier.
His Worship the Mayor of Southend-on-Sea joined the steamer for an
afternoon cruise, hosted by George Taylor, the WEL Operations Director.
The Medway cruise
proceeded some way east before turning south to pass close by the wreck of the
Richard Montgomery before we picked up our Medway Pilot just off Sheerness. The
paddler steamed slowly upstream passing Sheerness Docks, the mouth of the Swale
and the gas terminal. She turned at No 12 buoy just west of the Thamesport container terminal. Good views were had of the Red Sands Towers and, more distantly, of the
Shivering Sands Towers on the return passage to Southend Pier. The upriver leg
was completed on time before Waverley returned to Gravesend with just a handful
of evening circle cruise passengers remaining on board.
Friday was spent at
Gravesend off-service although Waverley sailed light to Tower Pier during the
evening to position for her 0900 departure on Saturday. With no passengers on
board, there was no need for a Purser so Tony Gamblin
went on ahead to open Tower Bridge for the paddler (as you do)!
The weather gods, who
had been smiling benignly for so long, decided that it was time to produce some
rain coupled with a southerly wind. Saturday's trip depended on a
successful berthing at Southend during the time the bad weather was forecast,
so prudence dictated that an alternative plan was adopted. So 11 buses
were put on stand-by at Southend. The
paddler left Tower Pier with a load of one-way passengers and proceeded
downstream as far as Leigh-on-Sea before turning back for Gravesend. The
weather had been dull up to now but persistent rain set in for the afternoon.
Fortunately the sun broke through while the steamer was waiting in the Pool of
London for her second bridge lift and it remained shining for the sail back to
Gravesend. Waverley then sailed light ship to Harwich, arriving after
midnight.
Sunday started off
bright and sunny with very little wind. Over 500 joined the ship at
Harwich, including six coach loads from Ipswich. The steamer was turned off Ha'penny Pier by the harbour launch Harwich Hobby. She then
steamed on to Clacton to pick up some passengers before steaming for Tower Pier
"Direct."
Monday was spent off
service at Gravesend. The scheduled
sailing for Tuesday was from Margate, Whitstable and Southend to Gravesend for
a round trip through Tower Bridge.
Unfortunately adverse winds ruled out the first three calls and the
passengers were bussed to Gravesend. The
Margate passengers were given a short cruise downstream before an hour ashore
while the passengers from the other two ports were on their way. The upriver section went ahead as planned
and then there was a major logistical exercise to get all the passengers on
board the correct coach (out of the 14 there) for their journey home. The bad weather continued leading to the
complete cancellation of Thursday’s programme, no sailings having been planned
for Wednesday.
However, Friday’s
sailings did go ahead with a day time round trip from Southend and Gravesend to
The Tower plus a single Show Boat back from Southend to London, departing at
19.30. Saturday took the steamer from
Tower Pier to Southend and Whitstable for time ashore. Rain had been forecast but it only caught up
with Waverley during the spell at Whitstable.
The final Thames
sailing was on Sunday 12 October and featured a repeat of the trip on 2
October. A special feature of this
second Medway visit was an informal rendezvous with the preserved diesel tug
Touchstone, which is based in the River Medway. She was built in 1962 at
Wivenhoe in Essex. During the day it was
noticeable that the wind was picking up from the east and Captain O’Brian
announced that the Medway cruise was being curtailed so that the steamer could
berth at Southend Pier before the tide changed, to avoid the confused seas
created by wind over tide. The call went well and what turned out to be
Waverley’s final passenger sailing of 2014 departed for Gravesend and Tower
Pier. The timetable had included a
return leg to Gravesend from Tower but, due to the now very strong easterly
winds, the steamer remained in the Pool of London overnight.
She managed to return
to Gravesend on the Monday but could go no further. Weymouth was reached on Wednesday evening but
the next gale was already sweeping in, making further progress inadvisable. The final Clyde weekend sailings on 18 and 19
October were consequently cancelled completely.
Waverley remained at
Weymouth until 25 October, when she steamed to Southampton as this port was
more suitable for a lengthy wait. At
the PSPS AGM the same day in Chatham, David Kells
(WEL Chairman) stated that there was no intention for the paddler to remain in
the South and she would return to Glasgow as soon as circumstances permitted.
The steamer finally
departed from Southampton at 13.00 hours on Thursday 20 November under the
command of Captain Steve Colledge, Captain O’Brian being
on leave when the weather window occurred. She rounded Land’s End in the early morning of
Friday but then hugged the North Cornwall and Devon coast to berth at
Ilfracombe at 14.20, leaving again a couple of hours later to anchor in
sheltered Woolacombe Bay. There were then Gale Warnings in force for
Sea Areas Lundy & Irish Sea. The
weather abated later as forecast and Waverley started heading north again in
the early hours of Saturday. By 15.00
she was nearly level with Anglesey.
There were no further delays and Waverley finally arrived back at her
home berth of Pacific Quay, Glasgow, at 08.00 on Sunday 23 November 2014.
You will find
pictures taken on these trips at my
Flickr site.