RIBBLE LINK in Reality - 68ft boat?

[Naughty Cal]

Neither, just absolutely MENTAL I crossed from Eastham to Brunswick Lock last June in convoy - and with a pilot - in conditions suitable for a narrowboat.

 

The pilot, with 50 years of Mersey experience, was at pains to point out that Peel Ports are just looking for reasons to ban all pleasure craft, seaworthy yachts as well, from the river.

 

This trip ticks that box

I'm not actually convinced they would be allowed to do that.

[Timleech]

I'm not actually convinced they would be allowed to do that.

 

I'd be surprised if they could. From the Ship Canal, perhaps, but the river isn't theirs.

 

Tim

[Tony Dunkley]

As far as I 'm aware, no navigation or port authority can refuse 'haven' from tidal waters to any vessel . . . . it's some ancient law or right, or something along those lines, that goes back to when God was a lad.

If I'm right about that, it would mean that anything approaching from sea could not be refused passage into the Ship Canal or the Livepool docks, but it wouldn't help boats from the canals wanting to get into the Mersey via the Bridgewater, Shroppie's Cut, Trent and Mersey or Leeds and Liverpool.

Edited February 10, 2015 by Tony Dunkley

[Timleech]

Neither, just absolutely MENTAL I crossed from Eastham to Brunswick Lock last June in convoy - and with a pilot - in conditions suitable for a narrowboat.

 

The pilot, with 50 years of Mersey experience, was at pains to point out that Peel Ports are just looking for reasons to ban all pleasure craft, seaworthy yachts as well, from the river.

 

This trip ticks that box

 

Sorry, which particular trip?

 

Tim

[frangar]

Neither, just absolutely MENTAL:captain: I crossed from Eastham to Brunswick Lock last June in convoy - and with a pilot - in conditions suitable for a narrowboat.

 

The pilot, with 50 years of Mersey experience, was at pains to point out that Peel Ports are just looking for reasons to ban all pleasure craft, seaworthy yachts as well, from the river.

 

This trip ticks that box:angry2:

That's not a pleasure trip tho.....John Jackson Grundy is/was carrying grain from Liverpool to runcorn....so that's a commercial craft with a living to earn and deadlines to meet.

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

[Timleech]

That's not a pleasure trip tho.....John Jackson Grundy is/was carrying grain from Liverpool to runcorn....so that's a commercial craft with a living to earn and deadlines to meet.

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

 

I wasn't sure it was that trip he was referring to, which is why I asked, Added to the above, it's a craft which was specifically built (like a small ship) for trading on the Mersey.

They set out in reasonable conditions, certainly would not have done so if it had looked like that.

They were only carrying 80 tons, the sweepings out of the silo (full load is around 250 tons), which possibly made it more uncomfortable.

I posted the clip to illustrate that the Mersey is not a place to be taken lightly, and can change quickly.

There are particular combinations of wind and tide which can make it particularly nasty.

 

Tim

Edited February 10, 2015 by Timleech

[Tony Dunkley]

That's not a pleasure trip tho.....John Jackson Grundy is/was carrying grain from Liverpool to runcorn....so that's a commercial craft with a living to earn and deadlines to meet.

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

And that makes the decision to turn back to Liverpool even more odd, particularly as the conditions would have improved as they got closer to Eastham . . . . see # 22.

Edited February 10, 2015 by Tony Dunkley

[Timleech]

And that makes the decision to turn back to Liverpool even more odd, particularly as the conditions would have improved as they got closer to Eastham . . . . see # 22.

 

They had eased back a bit, albeit briefly, before deciding to head back.

Also the Engineer was seasick

 

There wasn't a panic to deliver the cargo, but the crew was available that day.

I went as Engineer a few days later to make the delivery.

 

Tim

[Tony Dunkley]

 

They had eased back a bit, albeit briefly, before deciding to head back.

Also the Engineer was seasick

 

There wasn't a panic to deliver the cargo, but the crew was available that day.

I went as Engineer a few days later to make the delivery.

 

Tim

I still think turning back was the wrong thing to do. Off Cammell Laird's they'd already made nearly half the distance to Eastham and they got themselves knocked about while they were turning, only to have to cover almost the same distance back to Bootle as they would have if carrying on to Eastham, and in worse conditions than if they'd gone on. It's not easy to see all that well on the video clip, but it looks as if the wind had quite a lot more South in it on the day than usual.

Edited February 10, 2015 by Tony Dunkley