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Author Topic: Waverly - Tall Ships cruise 2011  (Read 4506 times)

marinemole

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Waverly - Tall Ships cruise 2011
« on: July 13, 2011, 12:02:26 am »

Due the generosity of my good friend Gerry Marchbanks I experienced the Waverly's Tall Ship Cruise today on the Clyde. I've taken 350 photographs. Have resized a random sample for your perusal and hope to  make the full album available once I get it sorted out.

What can I say? I knew it was going to be good but it exceeded all my expectations and then some.

Waverly approaching Custom House Key - Greenock



The Red Arrows strut their stuff



Sorry about the random head but snapshot mode trying to keep up with these guys.





Obligatory visit to the engine room



Not sure if the tugs were spraying in celebration or trying to douse the hordes of small craft breaching the Port Authority 'exclusion zone'. The Captain of the Waverly, being a law abiding citizen, stood well off but still managed to give his customers a grandstand view.



The ship was packed and the cruise has hopefully injected some badly needed cash into the coffers.



The tall ships themselves, creatures of grace and beauty. More to come. LOTS more to come.









Waverly departs Custom House Quay to head upriver to Glasgow.



If I'm still around next time these ladies visit I will be there

Andy
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Spook

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Re: Waverly - Tall Ships cruise 2011
« Reply #1 on: July 13, 2011, 12:10:01 am »

Nice - I daresay I'll be seeing the Waverley in a few weeks. She usually cruises the Bristol Channel later in the summer. I have yet to take a trip on her, but I have been on the Balmoral, which also offers summer cruises on the Channel, including a few 'musical' cruises in my younger days, when I used to play in the local brass band. I took my sweetheart on one of said cruises for her 16th birthday. We've been married for 29 years, must have done summat right :-)
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Liverbudgie2

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Re: Waverly - Tall Ships cruise 2011
« Reply #2 on: July 13, 2011, 12:53:36 am »

I was going to go on this trip but the £99 per head fare put me off more than somewhat.

LB
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victorian

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Re: Waverly - Tall Ships cruise 2011
« Reply #3 on: July 14, 2011, 10:18:13 pm »

One day long years ago I persuaded my wife that it would be a good idea to take our young family on a day trip from Scotland to the Isle of Man on the Waverley.

As we entered the Irish sea a teriffic gale blew up and soon everyone on board was feeling decidedly green! The ship pitched into the seas which continually broke over the foc'sle and cascaded down the decks. As she rolled, you could feel first one paddle and the the other slam back into the water. I started to wonder what she would do if anything went wrong with the paddle floats...

Strangely my family seemed to be the only one not mortified by sea sickness and I started explaining to my wife and elder daughter where the life jackets were - not that we would have stood any chance in that sea. Presumably turning about was not an option because the little ship plodded stubbornly on, eventually reaching Douglas in the late afternoon. By now it was obvious that we would not be going anywhere that day and we were greatly relieved to be met on shore by the IOM tourism minister, who told us that we would be put up without charge in one of the Island's hotels, and return to Scotland in the afternoon. Much to my delight, this unplanned stop included the chance to ride on the Steam Railway, also laid on gratis by the IOM government.

In the morning a bus arrived to take us to the steam railway, driven by ... the tourism minister! However, we learned that the storm was still raging and that Waverley would not be going to Scotland that day. Instead , she would make a 'trial' voyage into the Irish sea that afternoon without us, returning to Douglas. My picture shows her departing Douglas watched by her own passengers, who were rather grateful to be left on terra firma!
 
To this day I have no idea what that 'trial' voyage was for.

Eventually, and after another night of free hospitality from the IOM government, we were duly returned to Scotland. Quite a day out!
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marinemole

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Re: Waverly - Tall Ships cruise 2011
« Reply #4 on: July 15, 2011, 12:08:25 pm »

Quite an adventure! I guess the Waverly lived up to her description as a sea going paddlesteamer.

Fortunately my trip was on a good day and only a slight roll on the vessel heading down the Firth of Clyde.

Andy
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marinemole

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Re: Waverly - Tall Ships cruise 2011
« Reply #5 on: July 18, 2011, 10:45:38 pm »

Have at last managed to upload my pictures to Photobucket. My daughter arrived back from Oman for a visit yesterday and the time from the Waverly trip to her arrival was taken up by gallant attempt to steam clean the house.

Many of the pics were taken on 30x optical zoom with my new camera and some have been cropped. Not ideal but usable.

Full album at

http://s669.photobucket.com/albums/vv59/carmanmole/Waverly%20-%20Tall%20ships%20cruise%202011/

Couple more sample shots







Index pictures

















Again full album at

http://s669.photobucket.com/albums/vv59/carmanmole/Waverly%20-%20Tall%20ships%20cruise%202011/

Andy
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BarryM

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Re: Waverly - Tall Ships cruise 2011
« Reply #6 on: July 18, 2011, 10:56:27 pm »

It seems to be 'use it or lose it' this season for the Waverley. Income is down and funds very low and so this may be her last season in operation unless the passengers turn up.

Barry M
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marinemole

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Re: Waverly - Tall Ships cruise 2011
« Reply #7 on: July 18, 2011, 11:24:42 pm »

It seems to be 'use it or lose it' this season for the Waverley. Income is down and funds very low and so this may be her last season in operation unless the passengers turn up.

Barry M

They have a notice up saying it now costs £8.00 a MINUTE in fuel costs to run her!

Andy
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BarryM

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Re: Waverly - Tall Ships cruise 2011
« Reply #8 on: July 19, 2011, 08:38:59 am »

..and most of that is the cost of bunkers.

Barry M
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Bryan Young

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Re: Waverly - Tall Ships cruise 2011
« Reply #9 on: July 19, 2011, 06:48:11 pm »

Forgive another bit of ignorance. But just what was "Waverley" built for? In the year of her build (1947?) steel was not of the quality we expect nowadays (as with cars etc.), and so many ships built in those post-war years were really quite sub-standard. I'm surprised she's lasted as long as she has. Nostalgia is all well and good, but there comes a time............BY.
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Notes from a simple seaman

BarryM

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Re: Waverly - Tall Ships cruise 2011
« Reply #10 on: July 19, 2011, 08:02:40 pm »

Bryan,

Waverley was built for much the same purpose as she is still used for; trips 'doon the watter' for holidaymakers either on a daytrip or staying away longer. She is the only survivor of what was at one time a largish fleet of screw and paddle steamers.

No surprise about why she is still in such good condition; she has had the benefit of a great amount of Lottery Heritage money spent on her such that a large part of her has been renewed over the years.

Whether or not she deserves to be kept on for reasons of nostalgia is open to debate. If we can spend money preserving other examples of their craft, then why not on the last Clyde Steamer?

As for "...there comes a time...", you and I and many another on this Forum may also have more years behind us than in front but we would still like to hang around for a bit longer while our engines can still turn and our lights still burn.

Regards,

Barry M
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Djcf

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Re: Waverly - Tall Ships cruise 2011
« Reply #11 on: July 19, 2011, 09:42:57 pm »

Waverley was built by the LNER in 1947 for the Craigendoran - Arrochar route, connecting with steamers on Loch Lomond.

The LNER persisted with paddlers at this time, due to their light draught, for the very shallow waters around Craigendoran.
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Bryan Young

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Re: Waverly - Tall Ships cruise 2011
« Reply #12 on: July 19, 2011, 11:48:02 pm »

Thanks. If she was built to rum between Craigandoran and Arrochar then that's mainly fair weather sailing, is it not?
Barry. Erudite as always. But I don't think that ships get feelings of mortality. All just a big puff of steam really. Bryan.
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Notes from a simple seaman

BarryM

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Re: Waverly - Tall Ships cruise 2011
« Reply #13 on: July 20, 2011, 08:57:29 am »

Bryan,

Away you back to your ropes and sails!  ;)   Only we (and big) Enchineers know the true majesty of steam and that unforgettable smell of hot lub. oil which is (almost) as good as a distillery's reek.

Dan Macphail would tell you himself!

Regards

Barry M
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Djcf

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Re: Waverly - Tall Ships cruise 2011
« Reply #14 on: July 20, 2011, 03:38:22 pm »

Thanks. If she was built to rum between Craigandoran and Arrochar then that's mainly fair weather sailing, is it not?

Yes indeed, a very high percentage of the time.
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john strapp

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Re: Waverly - Tall Ships cruise 2011
« Reply #15 on: July 22, 2011, 12:03:02 pm »

Come on - spell it correctly

its WAVERLEY  not WAVERLY
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marinemole

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Re: Waverly - Tall Ships cruise 2011
« Reply #16 on: July 31, 2011, 04:18:28 pm »

Grabbed a few more detail shots of Waverley whilst on Tall Ships cruise and added to existing album of detail shots on Photobucket. Unfortunately some raindrops on a few of them. May be of interest to Waverley builders.

http://s669.photobucket.com/albums/vv59/carmanmole/PS%20Waverly/





Unfortunately can't alter album name to correct spelling as would break links.

Andy
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