biffandkatie
Member
Harwich Harbour Ferry versus Mother nature!
- Thread starter biffandkatie
- Start date
pvb
Well-known member
Oooo... when did that happen?
biffandkatie
Member
This morn.
Tradewinds
Well-known member
Looking at the H'penny Pier webcam just before dusk yesterday evening it was taking a hell of a pounding on the outside of the pontoon. Not surprised by the outcome.
sailorman
Well-known member
yesterday it was stupidly moored on the outside, getting a battering, i said to Lady Sm thats stupid, why not moor it on the inside with a strong NW blowing
Corribee Boy
Well-known member
They clearly should have listened!
Leighb
Well-known member
It is now on the Pilot boat pier at Harwich, along with the Lifeboat and several fishing boats which are normally at Ha’Penny pier. Not sure when they all moved though?
DavidofMersea
Well-known member
Perhaps he does. One of the guys that works on the ferry posts here, or used to
pvb
Well-known member
From the HHA webcam...
LONG_KEELER
Well-known member
Oh no !
Feel for them. I wonder what happened.
Seems odd. Can log into the Harwich Harbour Webcam at any time and see the ferry.
Could the bow possibly have mounted the pontoon and got stuck ?
Feel for them. I wonder what happened.
Seems odd. Can log into the Harwich Harbour Webcam at any time and see the ferry.
Could the bow possibly have mounted the pontoon and got stuck ?
sailorman
Well-known member
It took a real hammering yesterday on the outside of the pontoon when Lady Sm checked the webcam
The life raft worked as it should
Leighb
Well-known member
Do you think it might have kept it afloat!!It took a real hammering yesterday on the outside of the pontoon when Lady Sm checked the webcam
The life raft worked as it should
pks1702
Well-known member
That is so sad.
Trade seemed to have built up over the last couple of yeats (outside lockdown) with this ferry being able to carry bigger numbers of people.
Hope they can get up and runnimg again in some way.
Trade seemed to have built up over the last couple of yeats (outside lockdown) with this ferry being able to carry bigger numbers of people.
Hope they can get up and runnimg again in some way.
Leighb
Well-known member
They do still have the previous ferry I think, but it can only carry 12 passengers.
pvb
Well-known member
The EADT has some video of the ferry being towed away. They still seem to think it's 108 years old though!
WATCH: Historic ferry sinks and suffers ‘significant’ damage in storm gales
WATCH: Historic ferry sinks and suffers ‘significant’ damage in storm gales
Stork_III
Well-known member
Floats quite well full of water!!!
steved
Member
Big shame for the ferry owner, with the boat being an ex life boat from the 'Canberra' she is pretty much unsinkable.
With any strong westerly or north westerly winds the ferry would normally have moved round to the pilot boat compound, so don't know why she wasn't moved this time. Ha'penny pier is a seriously dangerous place when certain conditions prevail.
The old 12 person capacity vessel was sold some time ago.
I guess the only saving grace is that it's now towards the end of the season, and hopefully the boat can be pumped out and then lifted, repaired and the engine replaced or rebuilt she should be good for next year, assuming there is no major structural damage..
At least 'Gloria' the seal watching boat seems to be OK.
With any strong westerly or north westerly winds the ferry would normally have moved round to the pilot boat compound, so don't know why she wasn't moved this time. Ha'penny pier is a seriously dangerous place when certain conditions prevail.
The old 12 person capacity vessel was sold some time ago.
I guess the only saving grace is that it's now towards the end of the season, and hopefully the boat can be pumped out and then lifted, repaired and the engine replaced or rebuilt she should be good for next year, assuming there is no major structural damage..
At least 'Gloria' the seal watching boat seems to be OK.
Jan Harber
Active member
I think they have confused the current ferry with the historic 'Brightlingsea'. Pinched from Wikapaedia:
"MV Brightlingsea is a passenger vessel which was built for the London and North Eastern Railway in 1925. History. The ship was built by Rowhedge Ironworks and launched in 1925 for the Harwich to Felixstowe ferry service. She was taken over by British Railways in 1948 and in 1964 by the Orwell and Harwich Navigation Company. They sold the vessel to the Felixstowe Dock and Railway Company in 1979 and she was sold again in 1985 to Harry Rodger."
Don't know where the 108 years old comes from though.
Seem to remember a few years ago that someone was trying to rescue/restore the Brightlingsea, but not sure who or where that was.
Leighb
Well-known member
Looking on the Live cameras this morning she does seem to be floating higher out of the water, there were some people and one of he Pilot boats around her earlier on, perhaps they have been pumping her out to some degree? Agreed the 108 years old was obviously a journalists error.
pvb
Well-known member
The foot ferry actually started in 1912, 108 years ago, using the small launch "Pin Mill". It was a big success, so two other launches, "Hainault" and "Epping" were added in 1914. The "Brightlingsea" operated from 1925 until the mid-90s. There's full history and photos here...
About - Harwich Harbour Foot and Bicycle Ferry 01728666329
