Waverley’s final South Coast sailing today (Tuesday 22nd September) took her from Eastbourne Pier to Newhaven Harbour where she boarded passengers at the East Sussex port for the first time since the 1980s. With almost 600 passengers aboard she proudly steamed out of Newhaven Harbour and set course for the Solent.
After a brief stop off Ryde some passengers disembarked via tender vessel Solent Cat provided by Solent Cruises Ltd while others joined for the cruise through the Solent to the famous Needles Rocks and Lighthouse which looked stunning in the glorious afternoon sunshine.
With the sun setting Waverley entered Portsmouth Harbour and berthed at the International Port where a fleet of coaches were provided to transport passengers back to Eastbourne, Newhaven, Brighton and Worthing.
We would like to sincerely thank everyone that has sailed on Waverley over the past three weeks. Overall passenger numbers are up on last year which is fantastic. It takes a huge effort to arrange the berths, book the tenders, arrange the rope handlers, organise the coaches, book the fuel, book and board the pilots, and sell the tickets but seeing so many passengers step up the gangway and enjoy Waverley makes it worth that effort.
Waverley has this evening refuelled and now set course for Ipswich where she will steam throughout the night arriving around early afternoon on Wednesday to be in position to kick off her London & Thames sailings from Thursday 24th September. The nights are darkening but that helps make the evening cruises up the Twinkling Thames all the more enjoyable, especially when a floodlit Tower Bridge lifts just for Waverley.
THANK YOU SOUTH COAST
