South Coast & Thames 2007

    Fifth Report 9 October

Words and pictures by Martin Longhurst

Again Waverley spent Monday (1 October 2007) tied up at Tilbury.  She headed east on Tuesday morning to Southend, Clacton and Harwich for a River Orwell cruise.  The passage was a little rocky as there was an easterly wind blowing.   Unfortunately this ruled out the Southwold pick up the following morning and instead nine coaches took the passengers to join the paddler at Halfpenny Pier, Harwich.   The rest of the sail went ahead as planned with one intermediate call at Tilbury before arrival at Tower Pier.

Thursday was the main day that the Diamond Jubilee was celebrated on the Thames.   There was a small reception for invited guests in the forward observation lounge and later a celebratory was cut and shared with all the passengers.  The timetabled sailing took the steamer to Tilbury and Southend for a River Medway cruise. 

The small tug Barking built as a motor tug for Faversham Gas Works in 1928 but recently converted to steam

Christine about to get us in a spin

The Thames Diamond Jubilee Cake

I was persuaded by Kathleen O'Neill to cut the cake - I suspect so she didn't get her photograph on the web site (Picture by Sharon McNeil)

But she didn't succeed!

Also caught in Sharon's picture

The cake was then cut up for all passengers to enjoy

A view of the company assembled on the port paddle box (Heather Rooke)

Tug Christine of Plymouth appeared to turn Waverley off Chatham Marina, just within sight of PS Kingswear Castle, lying at Thunderbolt Pier.   Her master, John Megoran, was aboard the larger paddler for this trip to renew his pilotage exemption.  The day was rounded off with an evening cruise from Tilbury to London and back.

Sunset over the Thames Barrier

Friday saw the paddler head for Harwich once more, ready for a further upriver sailing on Saturday.  This included pick ups at Clacton and Southend, where about 500 joined the ship (half of which were participating in a railtour) on the way to Tower Pier.  Overall the ship was nearly loaded up to her certificated limit.  

Sunday was also very successful with the passenger transfer at Southend seeing hundreds getting off and hundreds getting on the steamer.   The cruise started at Tower Pier and called at Tilbury, where a party of Veteran-Cycle Club members disembarked for an afternoon exercising their historic machines around the Essex lanes, and Southend.  

Coming alongside Tilbury Landing Stage

Going astern to counteract the tide

Then the steamer turned south for the River Medway for a prolonged rendezvous with Kingswear Castle.  The first pass was while we were waited for the tug Christine to push us round.  Heading downriver, the Waverley overtook her smaller consort before KC went around Waverley's stern and overtook her in turn.  By now the pair were approaching Kingsnorth Power Station as KC got a clear lead allowing Waverley to get back on her port side and overtake again and finally head back for Southend.   Each pass was accompanied by whistle blowing and cheering, the later led by the rival commentators, Jeremy Gold on Waverley and Roddy McKee on KC.

Tug Christine comes up to swing the paddler with KC in the background

Round we go!

KC overtakes

Waverley whistles

KC pulls ahead

Waverley moves ahead again

The final pass

An upriver evening cruise was offered from Southend and Tilbury to the Upper Pool.   After dropping off her day cruise passengers in London, the paddler completed her day's sail at Tilbury with the Southend contingent completing their journey by coach.  

Alongside Tilbury at the conclusion of the highly successful Thames season

After taking bunkers at Tilbury, Captain Luke Davis took command of the ship for her passage north for the final weekend of the season on the Clyde.   She was due to take more fuel at Weymouth and by Tuesday evening she was rounding St David's Head in Pembrokeshire.

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