Major Catastrophe
Well-Known Member
It was already raining when I got the call, “We’re going.”
I grabbed a coat and hat and made my way down to the lock, where my ride was waiting.
Brilliant, I was going to spend Monday afternoon helping to deliver Discovery to Liverpool to have a diving lift fitted and a few other creature comforts for the paying diving, fishing and wildlife watching public.
We were just waiting on the tide and were determined to get going the moment there was enough water beyond the lock gates.
The skipper was Gary and the chief navigation office his son, Daz who are known locally as The Scousers, even though they claim to be from the Wirral. Whatever!
Gary the skipper.
The water drops as the rain filled dock tries to keep it filled up.
Final systems check.
And off we go, with the launch party seeing us of before they get into the car and race to Liverpool to become the welcoming party.
Out into the Strait at 13.55
And once out of the 5 knot speed limit, Gary floors the pedal.
Through the Swellies with kayaks playing in the tide.
Starboard engine running well.
So is the port engine.
Out of the Swellies and leaving the suspension bridge behind.
Puffin Island already.
Open sea with Liverpool somewhere ahead.
Daz, has a drive.
When he had finished, I took over and we immediately hit 3 metre seas. Our speed never dropped below 15 knots and we just kept going.
The rain continued.
But the bulbous noses cut the water nicely.
The first of three wind farms pass to our starboard.
And the sun shines over our departure point.
Suddenly, there was a commotion on the water ahead of us.........
Read part two here.
and part three here.
I grabbed a coat and hat and made my way down to the lock, where my ride was waiting.
Brilliant, I was going to spend Monday afternoon helping to deliver Discovery to Liverpool to have a diving lift fitted and a few other creature comforts for the paying diving, fishing and wildlife watching public.
We were just waiting on the tide and were determined to get going the moment there was enough water beyond the lock gates.
The skipper was Gary and the chief navigation office his son, Daz who are known locally as The Scousers, even though they claim to be from the Wirral. Whatever!
Gary the skipper.
The water drops as the rain filled dock tries to keep it filled up.
Final systems check.
And off we go, with the launch party seeing us of before they get into the car and race to Liverpool to become the welcoming party.
Out into the Strait at 13.55
And once out of the 5 knot speed limit, Gary floors the pedal.
Through the Swellies with kayaks playing in the tide.
Starboard engine running well.
So is the port engine.
Out of the Swellies and leaving the suspension bridge behind.
Puffin Island already.
Open sea with Liverpool somewhere ahead.
Daz, has a drive.
When he had finished, I took over and we immediately hit 3 metre seas. Our speed never dropped below 15 knots and we just kept going.
The rain continued.
But the bulbous noses cut the water nicely.
The first of three wind farms pass to our starboard.
And the sun shines over our departure point.
Suddenly, there was a commotion on the water ahead of us.........
Read part two here.
and part three here.
Last edited:
