Wednesday 19th
June 2019
We were up early again at 4:30, ready for locking out of the marina at
6:15 to catch the incoming tide at the correct time, when the sandbanks would be
covered, but we would still have enough water to take us to Bristol.
The consensus amongst boaters we had spoken to who had done the
crossing, and various internet forums, was that a pilot was essential for the
run from Sharpness to Portishead, but not from Portishead to Bristol. On the
run down yesterday, Brendan had shown us the route from Portishead to the Avon
channel and the way markers to watch for. Therefore, today, we elected to do the
run ourselves, without a pilot. Once locked out of the marina, the run to the
Avon channel was about 2 miles but it was on the estuary, crossed the shipping
lanes for both Avonmouth and Portbury Docks and crossed the entrance to
Portbury Dock. Once in to the Avon channel however, it would be plain sailing,
albeit on a strong tidal river but we would be riding the tide upstream.
Yesterday we had relied on Brendan to do all the radio communications
but today, with no pilot, it was up to us. Bristol VTS were contacted to advise
them of our departure, they monitor all traffic within the Severn Estuary. They
informed us that we could expect to meet a car carrier exiting the Royal Portbury
Dock and a ship travelling up the channel to Avonmouth Dock. Bristol Harbour
were also advised of our intentions and given an ETA.
With a fair amount of trepidation, we entered the lock at 0620. The
lock was very quick emptying, much quicker than filling, and by 0625 we were
moving out onto the river. We had been watching the channel across to the Avon
at various states of the tide and had seen the massive sandbanks we were to
pass over.
As instructed by Brendan, we followed the Portishead breakwater until
we were about 25 metres from the end, where tidal eddies would catch an unwary
boat. Whilst moving down the breakwater, the car carrier started to emerge from
Portbury Docks with its attendant tugs, three of them. This was the “Grand
Diamond”, a Panamanian flagged, 59,217 ton vessel, 200 meters long. Colossal
when you see her close up, in the channel in front of a 58½
foot narrowboat that is just 6 foot 2 inches above the water at her maximum
height. We kept well in to the shore out of her way, conscious all the time of
the lurking sandbanks.
59,217 ton Grand Diamond Car Carrier
in the channel in front of us
We followed Brendan’s instructions and headed for the end of Portbury
Dock breakwater. The closer we got, the stronger the current became, forcing us
off the breakwater, out towards the Grand Diamond, which by this time was
making her way out to sea, still with her tugs connected. We rounded the
breakwater travelling sideways with a lot of power on, and then headed for the
small lighthouse on the southern breakwater of Avonmouth Dock, turning
gradually for the Bristol VTS Control Tower and the entrance to the River Avon
channel which we entered at 0645, 20 minutes after leaving the lock at
Portishead.
Gradually, we left the estuary behind us. We had to stay to the left
of the channel for the first two bends in the river because of mudflats but
eventually, as these were passed, we moved into the middle of the river.
While the current could be seen to be flowing inland, in our
direction, very fast and strongly, it had become just a tidal river although
concentration was still key. High mudflats accompanied us up to the M5 viaduct.
We had driven over this so many times, but it is not until you are under it,
that you realise just how high the structure is.
We passed Pill, a quaint looking place with its old pilot cottages left from the days before Trinity House provided a pilotage service and amalgamated all the pilots. Prior to this individual pilots would race each other out to a ship to offer their services and it would have been a cut-throat business.
Beyond Pill we started to enter the Avon Gorge and the banks started
to heighten and become steeper. We passed a rivulet entering the Avon with some
moored yachts, one of them sunk and its mast laying at a crazy angle. Then came
the 180˚
tight Horseshoe Bend and the gorge proper, very narrow and the sheer cliffs
rising above us. Some sight, especially once the Clifton Suspension Bridge came
into sight.
This
iconic bridge, a symbol of the city of Bristol, was opened in 1864 and is based
on an early design of Isambard Kingdom Brunel. We passed under the bridge with
the traffic on the A4 alongside at a standstill. We were actually going faster.
We
contacted Bristol Harbour to confirm our arrival to have the gates open. A few
minutes later we arrived at the mooring piers for the locks, rising high above
us but luckily, the green lights were showing and the lock was open for us. We
entered the lock at 0805, just 1 hour 40 minutes after leaving Portishead. The
currents across this pier and the lock entrance were strong and it would not
have been a nice experience having to hold the boat. The river divides here,
the river itself going off to the right and the lock entrance to the left.
Bristol
Harbour is a private enterprise, separate from CRT, and their staff were
waiting to take our ropes and pass us through the lock, again, another huge
structure. James, the lock keeper, was a very helpful character, who explained the
lay-out of the harbour and suggested that, as the harbour office did not open
until 8:30, we cruised up the length of the harbour and picked out a mooring site.
This
we duly did. The harbour has a wealth of historical vessels as well as its
share of permanently moored houseboats of various designs. We returned to the
Harbour Masters Office at 8:30 and paid our dues, £94.50 for 3 nights. Cheap,
self-catering accommodation in the middle of an exciting city.
We
were both tired after the last two days of early mornings and excitement,
neither of us had slept very well the last few nights in anticipation, so we
largely had a quiet day with just a short walk in the afternoon around the
harbour front surrounding the mooring.
On
the walk we called on the Balmoral, a passenger-carrying pleasure steamer. She used
to offer seasonal cruises and daily excursions around the British Isles until,
we discovered, being laid up last year. I had been offered a few weeks work on
her a couple of years ago, to relieve her regular Chief Engineer who was
holidaying. Launched in 1949, she would have been a delight to have worked on.
However, she was looking very sad and neglected. Her hull is of riveted
construction and she requires new plating. The MCA will no longer allow the cheaper
option of over-plating which makes the repair prohibitively expensive. She is
managed by a charity and has had lottery funding for many years, but this has
now been withdrawn. A shame that such a lovely old vessel will probably never
again take to sea and will, in all probability, just rot where she lays.
Next
to Balmoral, lies an ex-RN tender ship, now called The Pride of Bristol, she is
the ex-HMS Minerva and had been used as a training vessel for Royal Marines
before being decommissioned. She is now owned by a charity and run by
volunteers, all ex-RN or MN, and is used for private charters, fishing trips
etc. We got talking to a guy on board and he asked if I wanted a look around.
Brenda disappeared back to the boat! I spent an interesting hour being shown
around this little ship. Fascinating and a little trip down memory lane for me.
Weather: a pleasant day.
Day Total: 2 locks; 10 miles; 0 Tunnels; 5 Swing Bridge; 0 Lift
Bridges; 0 Boat Lift; engine running hours 3.1
Overall Total: 543 locks; 1022 miles; 46 tunnels; 32 Swing Bridges; 5
Lift Bridges; 2 Boat Lifts; engine running hours 641.3hrs
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