The June Rose: Monday 10 August 2015

The day for us to go to sea has finally arrived....and it’s raining – typical! We met our pilot, Tony Anderson, alongside the Pump Room at 1.45pm and went through Junction Lock into Cumberland Basin where we were held with two day trip passenger boats, a small dingy with some guys taking their seagoing exams and the Pride of Bristol which is an old tender but I’m pleased to say that it is still very much used by the sea cadets and retired naval staff as well as offering day trips to all sorts of groups and charities. We had to wait for the lock keeper to open the swing bridge to allow the Pride of Bristol into Entrance Lock. We go down 15 feet then we are let out into the River Avon on high tide, this waterway apparently has the second highest tide in the world – you can watch it rise and fall 3 metres in an hour.

Thankfully the rain has stopped but it is still pretty overcast and not particularly warm. What a stunning stretch of waterway – the River Avon meanders along in a valley with a nature reserve in Somerset on one side and the cliff face climbing up to Clifton Down and Durdham Down in Bristol on the other. Brunel’s suspension bridge sits 72 metres above the river.

We were aware of the tide but cruised peacefully along and under the Avonmouth Bridge with the M5 overhead, then we arrived at the junction with the channel. Tony made a quick call to Bristol Channel Vessel Terminal who said there was a force 4 wind blowing across into the bay but he would keep an eye on us!! Portishead is along the coast to the left but we have to head well out into the channel directly into the wind before making our way left – we felt very small in this big expanse of water but I’m pleased to say that the sky is now blue and we can even see the sun shining in Wales.

We kept our bow into the wind as we make our way left then we were suddenly very aware of the waves but Tony reassures us that she “The June Rose” is sitting well in the water and is handling very well. I tried to take a video but had to quickly hold on! Then you could see the calm water behind the breakwater leading into Portishead Dock and Marina and all was calm again. We arrived in the lock at Portishead at 4.30pm.

Our first impression of Portishead was wow what a great place, we moored up and went for a walk around and sat and had a quick bite to eat and a glass of wine in the Marina pub, but both agreed that we would have liked to have seen this place before it was so developed – new apartment blocks have been built on every square metre of ground, most of which appear to be empty – maybe they are mostly owned as holiday apartments and are more occupied at the weekends. That said everywhere seems to be well looked after and the constructors are still here building!

We will explore a bit more tomorrow as the Pilot that will accompany us from here to Sharpness is not available tomorrow so we will be here at least until Wednesday. I hope we do go on Wednesday as the weather is due to be better than Thursday and we will be out in the main channel for longer although once we are out of Portishead we will be travelling with the tide so hopefully it won’t be as bumpy as today!!

Preparing for our voyage - plants off the roof and in the shower!

Glasses on the bed!

Goodbye Bristol - we've enjoyed our stay.

I had to climb up that ladder - not that easy with nothing to hold onto at the top!!

And looking back down - outside the Pump Room waiting for our pilot.

In Entrance Lock - Take note of the water level.

Opening the Swing Bridge.

and in comes The Pride of Bristol.

Look how far we have dropped!

Leaving Entrance Lock

Approaching the Suspension Bridge.

Can you see The Pride of Bristol in front of us going under the bridge - hopefully this gives you some idea how high it is.

There is the City Tour Bus at the top of the cliff at Dundham Down (from where I took a photo on Sunday)

Looking back - Bristol on the left and Somerset on the Right.

A barge - the only boat we passed going the other way.

Telly Tubbies at the helm!

All the way along the River Avon are these shipping lights - you have to keep your bow facing these, even when it sometimes looks as though you are going in completely the wrong the direction! They are illuminated at night.

Approaching Powder House on the right.

It is now a private residence but it was called Powder House as you were not allowed to bring gunpowder into Bristol so ships had to stop here to offload any gunpowder they had on board.

The wall on the left is called Hung Road.

When the ships used to come in they didn't have enough time to get all the way to Bristol on one tide - there are iron rings all along here that they had to tie up to to stop them from falling over whilst waiting for the next tide.