Waverley whoops!

[Malabar]

I enjoyed my day on the Waverley last Sunday, and watched the berthing at Yarmouth with interest. The approach was made from the East, stemming the flood tide in accordance with the textbooks. The fundamental problem was a yacht (largish Oyster?) anchored outside the yacht trots and directly on the pier approach track. Waverley was forced to make a much broader approach than usual, slaaloming around said Oyster. The Master did well to berth at all. So, blame it on the yacht skipper who anchored in a position that gave absolutely no thought for any vessel such as Waverley using the pier.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Some slightly twisted logic there. Why would a yacht skipper have any reason to expect a difficult-to-manouever paddle steamer was going to want to park on a pier that almost nothing ever parks on, on that particular day. If you want to blame someone apart from the Waverley's driver, why not blame the HM for allowing the Oyster to anchor there, knowing - as the HM presumably did – that an old bucket of a paddle steamer with previous in the demolition derby stakes, was due?

 

[DJE]

Strange that. I didn't see the actual impact but when I arrived on the pier Waverley's bow was pointing North East and her stern was slowly being swung against the West face of the pier by the East-going tide. She ended up alongside the West face of the pier and was sprung off by vigorous paddling and with an impressive cloud of steam from the capstan winch on the stern. Talking to people on the pier they all said that she came straight in through Hurst Narrows and attempted to berth while heading East.

 

[Malabar]

Mea Culpa! 'Twas Saturday evening when Waverley "arrived positively on the pier. (Top of a lamp standard toppled off). Troubled with keeping the shops open on Sunday is that ancient mariners get awful confused which day of the week it is. Anyway, good to see Waverley, on Saturday, looking quite immaculate well into the season, with gleaming brightwork and brass polished to the nines.