The Mail must get through...

Saturday 4th May 2013

I had the opportunity to take a Hover Travel hovercraft from Portsmouth/Southsea over to Ryde in the Isle of Wight. The trip took about 20 minutes at 25-30 knots, over slightly choppy sea and sand but was fascinating, sailing amongst ferries, yachts and other craft.


We travelled out on ISLAND EXPRESS to Ryde


At Ryde we had to cross the old railway lines by footbridge, so had a good view of the next incoming hovercraft: FREEDOM 90


ISLAND EXPRESS back again at Ryde


Offloading the Royal Mail


Mailbags going into the Royal Mail van


Then we took FREEDOM 90 back to the mainland from Ryde

What fun to be back on a Mailship run.

M.V. DISCOVERY 27th April 2013

Friday 26th April 2013

I arranged to travel on the good ship DISCOVERY on 27th April 2013, sailing from Avonmouth Cruise Terminal, Bristol, on a weekend Mini Cruise. In fact it was very Mini, as we sailed from there to Liverpool, with about twenty-two hours sailing time. Fortunately we boarded early, so had time to enjoy the facilities on board. The ship was built in 1971 in Germany, at 20,216 tons, with four main diesel engines, and named Island Venture. She became Island Princess in 1999, then Hyundai Pungtak in 2001, then Platinum in December 2002. She is capable of carrying 800 passengers but Cruise & Maritime Voyages say they usually carry 698 maximum. She is owned now by All Leisure Holidays (Voyages of Discovery). She was occasionally used as 'The Love Boat' in the television series.

I took the train to Bristol because I wanted to visit the Clifton Suspension Bridge, over the River Avon Gorge. I stayed in Clifton Village, and my little hotel room in the Rodney Hotel was named after one of Admiral Lord Rodney's fleet: HMS RESOLUTION. I liked that maritime start to my weekend; then it was time to visit the Bridge in the bright Spring sunshine.


HMS RESOLUTION


Isambard Kingdom Brunel


First view into the Avon Gorge


Looking down


Old and new jetties, on the city side of the bridge


By George, that's an attractive sight


Clifton Suspension Bridge


From Clifton Camp

Saturday 27th April 2013
I took a local bus back into the city centre, to meet some of my fellow travellers at the Temple Meads station, and in the distance could see two locomotives under steam, preparing to pull an old set of corridor railway carriages. They were cream and brown, which reminded me of pictures of the Cornish Riviera Express.


2 steam locomotives at Temple Meads Station

Then we set off by train for Avonmouth Cruise Terminal, which is located in the huge dock area, and where we would meet up with others in the group.


Avonmouth Cruise Terminal S


The only picture I could get


Deck Plan


Awaiting arrivals


The Chart, without Avonmouth


My (original) single cabin 7225


Cabin key


Welcome Aboard

There are eight passenger decks; on Sun Deck forward is the Yacht Club forward, then


Sun Deck Lido Bar


Sun Deck Pool and Buffet area under the magrodome roof


Riviera Deck Carousel Lounge


Riviera Deck Discovery Theatre


Hideaway Bar


Palm Court leading to the Explorer Bar


The Library


1971 styling in the Discovery Lounge


Lovely to look at


Riviera Deck, looking forward to the Discovery Lounge with Card Room above


Bali Deck, mid-ships Reception area with its little Grand Descent staircase


Wonderful glass artwork


Coral Deck, Seven Continents Restaurant


Restaurant lighting


Aft deck and the lock we have to go through. We knew we would arrive in Liverpool at the new Pierhead Terminal, rather than going into the lock there, but we seem to have exchanged it for a lock at Avonmouth. There was a strong wind blowing and it took the tugs and ship over an hour to get us into the lock and through it; the sun was shining down on us and it was lovely to be out on the teak decks.


Teak deck


Discovery's funnel


Metal heap to rival the one at Newhaven


Not sure how to describe this, but it looked useful

Sunday 28th April 2013

Forward view


Bridge wing


'It's towable', said a marine engineer friend

I was keen to see and travel on DISCOVERY but was rather disappointed, especially with the food. This was a taster cruise, and I expected the food to be of a standard which would make first-time cruisers want to come back on board for a longer trip. The evening show was ABBA music with singing and dancing, which is always enjoyable. The plumbing on the ship was unreliable according to many people, and I don't choose to go into details here! At one point I was glad I was a female, when the toilet flushing system shot quite a lot of clean water out in the small gap between toilet seat and lid, which went over the bathroom floor and my feet. At least the toilet seat and lid were down! It wasn't life-threatening, but it was a surprise at the time.

I enjoyed the trip, and the ship, and I was very glad to have sailed on her, but I think I have discovered enough about her for the moment.


Liverpool Pierhead


Discovery Life Ring

Flying High

Click on pictures to enlarge

19th February 2013

I recently attended a lecture by Engineer David Cooper, who told us about the London cable car project he had been working on. The brief was to create something that would be higher than any ship using the River Thames on a very high tide, but lower than aircraft taking off or landing at London City Airport!

It is now up and running and known as The Emirates Air Line. It is available to the public to board at Royal Victoria Docks on the north side of the River Thames or at the south side at Greenwich Peninsula; both points are near the London Underground or Docklands Light Railway systems. On a sunny but freezing cold English winter's day I went up to London to see this new attraction. I took my River Thames chart with me, and also memories of Union-Castle Line ships using the Royal Victoria docks in days gone by, as shared by some of my Monday Mariners friends recently.


Some of the Docks, shown on my River Thames chart


Emirates Royal Docks, on the north west corner of the Royal Victoria Dock.


First view of the Air Line and the three pylons


Part of the workings


One of the cable cars, each holding ten people maximum


Taking off


Royal Victoria Dock, looking east, with the barge and The Shack below


Ready for landing


But still high up


Emirates Greenwich Peninsula


View 1


View 2


The O2


Ravensbourne - Innovation in Digital Media and Design
I was intrigued by the construction and pattern of the tiles of this unusual building, and then met two of the people attending Ravensbourne - one from Portugal and one from Afghanistan. They enjoyed seeing my River Thames chart and the location of the River Ravensbourne, and I enjoyed being given a tour of the building inside. It is open plan styling, with porthole-like windows.


Deptford Creek and the River Ravensbourne, west of Greenwich


John Flamsteed


Greenwich Meridian


View


Red carpet for the Brit Awards 2013, to be held the next day


Antony Gormley sculpture 'Quantum Cloud'


People climbing to the top of the roof on the O2


The Air Line from the south to the north and the three pylons


An aircraft taking off from London City Airport over the Emirates Air Line


Airliner and Air Line


The Thames Barrier


London City Airport, between Albert Dock (N) and King George V Dock (S)


Looking west, towards O2 Arena, Blackwall, Poplar and Canary Wharf


River Thames chart looking west to Canary Wharf


Looking west, towards Bow Creek and East India Dock Basin


One of the original 1952 cranes


View towards the Excel Centre, footbridge, SS Robin, Trinity House Lightship 83, original Flour Mills. The SS Robin was built at Blackwall, East London, in 1890, and had a long career as a steam coaster. She is the last of the 'dirty British coasters', described in John Masefield's poem 'Cargoes', and is due to be opened to the public this year by the Robin Trust.


Old Flour Mills, SS Robin and Trinity House Lightship number 83 in the winter sunshine


'Silver Queen' of Silver Queen Cruises Ltd., gliding through the water. She does half-hour cruises around the docks, and is a 1940 Dunkirk Veteran.



Royal Victoria Dock, looking towards the Flour Mills on the south side


Emirates Royal Dock on a nearby poster


Emirates Royal Dock from the south side of the Dock


Nearby barge being renovated, using planks of wood from an old railway engineering works. The various colours of the planks signify which department of the works they came from.


Royal Victoria Dock Watersports Centre, run from The Shack with the assistance of a happy labrador/retriever dog. He frequently went in the water and enjoyed it; each time he came out he shook himself energetically and a cloud of water droplets sparkled in the sunshine.


The Shack, at the Watersports Centre, which is also constructed of coloured planks from the old railway engineering works. There are also photos of Queen Victoria, and black and white photographs of ships loading and unloading their cargo in the Docks.


The little beach nearby

I had enjoyed a fascinating day out in this part of London, the capital city of a maritime nation.