Seen on my afternoon walk

[David WooleyParticipant @davidwooley82563]

Another one of the almost endless number but impressive off shore supply and service craft the 4801  ton  Toisa Warrior on a recent deployment to Liverpool bay wind farm projects . Now operating in warmer climes in the South Atlantic off the coast of Brazil.

 

 

 

Dave Wooley

Edited By David Wooley on 08/12/2014 18:00:57

[Peter FitnessParticipant @peterfitness34857]

A very dramatic photo Dave, so I'm guessing you didn't go for a swim?

Peter.

[David WooleyParticipant @davidwooley82563]

Hi Peter The picture was taken from the safe vantage point of fort Perch Rock , a place that has seen many a storm over it's 160 year history and survived as did I .As a local I know what these waves can do and avoid getting to close even when your protected behind large sea defences.

Thanks for taking interest

Dave Wooley

[David WooleyParticipant @davidwooley82563]

Well it was more of the same but less of the perfect storm . I must admit the engineers that do the daily run from Brunswick dock out to the Liverpool Bay wind farms must be a hardy lot and have good sea legs .

Dave Wooley

[Kimosubby ShipyardsParticipant @kimosubbyshipyards]

Hi there Dave,

keep a look out for us coming in tomorrow from the Island on the Ben My Chree, we've had no sailings in or out since Tuesday dinner time, so she's making a run for Birkenhead leaving here at 8am scheduled at the berth for 12.15. Expect we'll be running out of toilet paper again (like last time).

I expect to see some good shots!

You'll be able to tell when we get closer – there might be a slight odour etc from some quarters. Wind is still showing F 8 and 9 for the run, with high seas too, so we can expect a bit of a corkscrew ride with the following wind!

That's Island life for you.

Aye, Kim

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Happy memories Kim…………… splashing across in the King Orrie with the scuppers awash in unmentionable matter, no room in the toilets but strangely enough a good discount on fry up breakfasts.

And the Ben is worse…………think skip in a whirlpool.

Edited By Paul T on 10/12/2014 16:05:51

[David WooleyParticipant @davidwooley82563]

Hi Kim I'll keep a sharp eye out, and wave as you pass the lighthouse .I'm sure it will be an uneventful trip and please keep that camera handy there will be some good picture in the offering .Just as a reminder for those that really don't know what the Ben -My- Chree looks like on a good day.

Hi Paul You really can't beat the steamers of the 1950s , the lounge was empty on a bad trip as most of the passengers where clinging to the rails and doing more than taking the sea air . Models are all we have left of that golden age , but they where really magnificent to see and that's just the models .

Thanks to you both for taking interest

The Mona's Isle all be it in model form at 1:48th scale.

Dave Wooley

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Remember going to Glasson Dock in the 1970's to see the King Orry at Glasson Dock after she broke her moorings whilst being towed for scrap. No camera with me then, but now able to see the photograph, thanks to modern technology

**LINK**

Tony

[David WooleyParticipant @davidwooley82563]

Hi Tony Sad to see such a fine ship beached in such a way . The old IOM steamers where akin to small liners and I have many happy memories of travelling on those ship . This of course reminds me of the period when there was a concerted effort to preserve the old Manxman sadly all of that came to naught . I notice that there is some press reports circulating about bringing back the Royal Iris to the Mersey . Pity as it may be 20 years to late for that to happen . Some years ago Barry Freeman built a superb working model of the Royal Iris which he still sails quite frequently in the summer and generates a considerable amount of nostalgia amongst visitors to New Brighton. It's amazing how many there are with fond memories of that famous fish & chip boat as it became known as .

Thanks for taking interest

Dave Wooley .

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Dave, came across this series of photographs re: Wallasey History. One of the later photographs in the series shows a model of the Royal Iris, on the New Brighton club's lake, is this Barrie Freemans model? Out of interest earlier in the series is an interesting photograph of a model of the New Brighton Tower, which we discussed earlier in the thread.

**LINK**

Seeing the King Orry also brought back memories of going to see the Riverdance when she was overturned on the beach at Thornton Cleveleys, near Blackpool, after she was hit by a freak wave in the Irish Sea. This time I had my camera.

Tony

[David WooleyParticipant @davidwooley82563]

Hi Tony thanks for the link .I must confess I haven't seen many of the really dated pictures. What is perhaps not so well know is that the red noses rock formation shown in the link is riddled with tunnels that where used by those enterprising folk who thought paying tax to the revenue men on imported goods was not for them and of course the ill gotten gains from the wreckers . I have been down one of the tunnels and it goes some considerable way to larger caves which are now not accessible .

I remember the Riverdance being wrecked off Blackpool , having your camera handy to record the event is a real stroke of luck , great picture .

Dave Wooley

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Hi Dave,

I've been reading further about bringing the Royal Iris back to Merseyside. It would appear your comments of 20 years ago would be ok, but now the vessel has fallen into a really poor state of repair. An estimated six figure sum to bring her back and a hole has appeared on one side of her hull. What did your grandparents used to say – "a stitch in time saves nine".

What is interesting about the Riverdance is how close together her propellers and rudders are.

Tony

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Hi Dave,

Since the last posting, I managed to find this site which shows a couple of static models of Riverdance. One built for the demolition contractor at 1:50 scale and the original ship builders model at 1:100.

**LINK**

Tony

[David WooleyParticipant @davidwooley82563]

Hi Tony looking at your picture of the beached Riverdance as you say the props and rudders a very close , unusual indeed. It's also very unusual for the breakers to commission a model I can only guess that this was done to assist in the dismantling of the ship? Talking of builders models some time ago I took these pictures of the Royal Iris builders model which is housed along with other Wallasey Ferry models in the Central Library in Wallasey . The bulk of the Ferry builders models are on display in the Williamson art gallery . in Birkenhead . The yellow livery on the Royal Iris was also used on the then Wallasey buses , long gone but in those days Wirral was just the name of an area which was part of Cheshire . Sadly no pictures of the full size ship , even though I had a camera in those days.

Dave Wooley

[David WooleyParticipant @davidwooley82563]

Todays walk was ,well how can I say wonderfully bright and sharp but some what cool especially on the beach .

Just managed to catch the Seatruck out bound for Dublin following the 66563ton tanker Amunsden Spirit out bound to Stavanger . Normally at this distance the image really does start to fade but the sharp conditions made up for the long distances of the shots.

Also arriving into the buoy channel was the 58358 ton container ship Atlantic Cartier in bound from Antwerp . Built in 1985 and flagged in Sweden .

To assist the Atlantic Cartier was the tug St Annastrand

Dave Wooley

[David WooleyParticipant @davidwooley82563]

Today the weather and tides where not on my side. it was very dull as we approach the shortest day . So here is a series of pictures taken recently of the Stena Natalita a 63051 ton 246.3 m in length oil products tanker . entering the Mersey bound for Tranmere oil terminal . Presently the vessel is berthed in the huge oil terminal at Nigg Bay on the north east coast of Scotland .

And one I just could not resist , from my walk on Saturday , This crew didn't have a care in the world but they needn't have anyway .

 

Dave Wooley

Edited By David Wooley on 15/12/2014 18:56:51

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Are you still walking about, Wooley?

Those little legs of yours, will be getting worn out!

We sailed on the Ben my Cree to Douglas ……and back on the Lady of Man on a day trip, just after the war in 1946

The Mersey was full of sunken ships at the time……..A most disturbing sight

Keep up the good work, Dave

Bob

[David WooleyParticipant @davidwooley82563]

Hi Bob good to hear from you. Yep me sea legs are getting shorter by the day , What a wonderful period when you could catch the midnight boat from the pier head and head off for Douglas IOM to arrive at first light fresh as a daisy . At least that's the way it should have been .

Any way Bob talking of wrecks is this the one you remember .The Henderson Line vessel SS Pegu , foundered on sand banks on 24th December 1939 . The New Brighton Life boat was called out and rescued many of the passengers and crew . Of coursel in the period you recall there where a number of wrecks dotted around the approaches to the Mersey .

Dave Wooley

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Thank you, Dave

Is the wreck still visible as shown on your picture?

Can it be seen on Google Maps

Bob

[David WooleyParticipant @davidwooley82563]

Hi Bob Yes the wreck you see in the picture is visible at low tide. I really don't know if it is visible using Google maps but it's located on the bend in the buoy channel .

Thanks for taking interest

Dave Wooley

[David WooleyParticipant @davidwooley82563]

The tides are still out of sink , with high tides being before first light and the next high tide also in the dark . Yet low tide does have its advantages .

Our subject was the small 7702 ton container ship Flintercape in bound from Dublin with its home port in Rotterdam , built in 2008 and part of the Mac Andrews line . A vessel that is typical of the smaller container ship that requires no assistance in coming around to approach Gladstone lock.

Look no tugs

Dave Wooley

[David WooleyParticipant @davidwooley82563]

Wow it was a wild one this afternoon and I really do mean wild . A true south westerly and a real high tide equals big waves .

Out bound was the 40972 ton container ship OOCL Belgium heading for La Havre getting wet . In bound the 4783ton general cargo vessel CSL Clyde heading for Eastham lock feeling the full force of the south Westerly .

Dave Wooley

[The Long BuildParticipant @thelongbuild]

Wow

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

What fearsome waves!…….Frightening to say the least

When the BBC first came interested in the Great Easter project……..Their first proposal was to sail across the Mersey!………..Boy!…..Did they want realism!

Could you imagine that?

Bob

[David WooleyParticipant @davidwooley82563]

Hi Bob The Mersey has been sailed on a number of occasions with mixed results . I remember being part of a band of modellers sailing hard chine model power boats from New Brighton to Garston in slack water , I think it was about 5 miles and we hoped to have done it in 20mintes . the difficulties became real problems when any of the motors cut out , Trying to restart a glow motor in a chase boat whilst at the whim of the current to say nothing of the chop , even a benevolent one . I guess trying to sail your GE across the river would have been , as they say rather fool hardy . In resent times a large model Life boat has made the trip but only one way .

Thanks for taking interest and all the very best for Christmas

Dave Wooley

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