Bristol
Channel 2010 – Part 1
Report and pictures by Martin Longhurst
Waverley arrived in Swansea
fairly early on Thursday morning 3 June 2010 after a flat calm voyage from
Scotland. She spent the next two days
tied up in the Docks before re-entering service on Saturday morning.
She sailed at 10.00 for Porthcawl, Ilfracombe and the mystic isle of
Lundy. The weather was lovely and the
sailing popular with nearly 700 on board leaving Porthcawl. Just under 600 chose to spend time ashore in
Ilfracombe but over 100 came aboard to steam to Lundy, making a reasonable
number to land at Lundy. The return
connection to Porthcawl was by coach.
Waverley arriving at Clevedon Pier 6 June
2010
The forecast for Sunday was not so good but nevertheless over 200 joined
the paddler at Clevedon for a down channel trip to Penarth and Ilfracombe for
time ashore. It was cold and grey as we
steamed across to Penarth, where numbers on board increased considerably. A good passage was made across to Ilfracombe
although at the mid-point of the Channel the mist closed in and visibility was
very limited. However, the sun came out
again as we closed on the Foreland Light.
We made our landfall at the Devon port about 30 minutes late having
punched the tide all the way. We visited
the RNLI shop, walked round the Harbour and bought a Devon ice cream during our
60 minutes ashore.
Waverley rests at Ilfracombe in company with
the Lundy ferry Oldenburg
We encountered HMS Gloucester outbound from
Avonmouth as we cleared Barry. She
changed course for a closer look and a naval officer could be seen waving his
cap from her bridge as she sped passed.
The return passage was with the wind which made for quite a warm
sailing in the bright evening sun.
Again the tide was against us and there was some concern over the
remaining depth of water at Penarth.
However, the steamer was made fast promptly and was able to continue her
voyage to Clevedon without incident.
The wind was on our beam alongside the Pier which meant the fore and aft
mooring lines were doubled as a precaution as the ship rolled. Soon we were all off and the paddler was off
back to the west to seek shelter in Penarth Roads for the night.
Waverley turns for Wales in the light of the
setting sun