Some views of Cammell Lairds:
Oil product tanker, inbound, passing Cammell Laird's "big shed"
Jump to: May(near marina)
Jump to: June(Eastham)
Jump to: June(Pickerings Pasture)
Wednesday 21 May (Liverpool HW 10:50).
High pressure - sunny - slight wind. So ideal for testing boat after period in boat yard.
Enter river from marina at 9:40. Run at full revs (2400) to test engine
and cooling system - all OK. 16 knots.
Some views of Cammell Lairds:
Oil product tanker, inbound, passing Cammell Laird's "big shed"
Lock in to marina at 10:40, only boat, and quickly into marina
itself, since water level was similar to that in the river.
Wednesday 12 June (Liverpool HW 7.7m, 16:10).
A brief period of slight wind - so take the chance to get out of the marina. Cool, some breeze, no rain. Small tide - so not suitable for going far up river.
Enter river from marina at 2:55 with 2 yachts. Cross to Birkenhead side and head up to Eastham.
Some views of Cammell Lairds:
Carmet's yard - now MST.
Dredger barge? - moored in the river near the Carmet yard.
Outbound MV Cembay
Dock at Eastham
View of building at Eastham
Inbound Elisa K
Run briefly at full revs - to check engine. Lock back in at 4:15, with 2 other motor yachts.
Monday 24 June (Liverpool HW 8.9m, 13:35).
Warm and sunny - wind from S force 2-3. Spring tide so suitable for heading up the Mersey.
Enter river from marina at 12:10, only boat. Head up river, with the current, via Garston Channel and then keeping to north shore. [see earlier trips for more navigation details]
View of Cammell Lairds, seen from the Garston Channel:
Houses at Cressington (near Garston):
Garston Dock Entrance, passed at 12.35, near buoy G11.
Liverpool Sailing Club House. [offshore, there was a yacht moored and
what looked like the mast of a sunken vessel - further inquiry revealed that it
was a racing mark].
Airport gantry.
Pass Hale Head at 1:15, Light house (disused):
After passing Hale Head, I took a look at the birds on Pickering Pasture, without getting too close to spook them. Close together were water-fowl: very white (egret); grey (heron); very black (cormorant).
View from Pickerings pasture of the bridges at Runcorn.
Turn around at 1:28 - basically near HW Liverpool, so some adverse current. But there
is a back eddy near Pickerings Pasture which helps. Then pass around Hale head (still quite strong
up-river current) and head around the Dungeon (inlet to north which has less current).
Some herons were visible, in the Dungeon:
Further round the dungeon, pass the "tank traps" abandoned there:
On leaving the Dungeon area, at 2:03, the lattice perch (one of the
last remaining navigation marks) was prominent, with the airport
control tower beyond.
Then head along north shore - as on way up river. Current picked up and reach marina lock at 2:58. Only boat, in marina 3:05.
Whole trip was at low revs - about 6 knots through the water. Depth of water under my keel was always more than 2 metres.
If higher resolution versions of the above images are wanted, please contact me. All information given in good faith, but please do not rely on it.
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