'SB Gladys of Harwich' reaches the Bristol Channel

I phoned the dock early this morning and was told that Gladys would leave the canal by passing through the high level swing bridge (the former dockland railway bridge) at 0945 to enter the middle dock at Sharpness. There it would wait for the high tide so it could enter the tidal basin dock, before the final drop down and pass through the sea lock and out into the Bristol Channel, which I was told would be at about 1145am.

I got there at 0930, about fifteen minutes early, just as the rain began. That probably sounds familiar. I photographed it leaving the canal from the high level of the swing bridge which gave good landscape panorama views of the River Sever’s estuary and the entrance to the docks. Four quite large sea going coasters were moored at the middle docks loading and unloading their cargoes, from Spain, Lithuania and Ireland apparently.

Once Gladys had entered the dock I had a bit of time to kill so I drove around the whole area as I rather like the run down atmosphere of this rather small inland port. Eventually I reached the main sea dock and waited for the next transition by the sea walls. I started to chat ]to a woman with a dog who had seen Gladys pass her narrowboat and decided to come and watch too., so we had each had some company.

Eventually the rain began again, which had been threatening all morning under the scudding black clouds. I again rang the number of the ‘Pierhead’ which control the port dock entrance  and was told the boat was likely to leave between 1120 and 1145. I was hungry and decided to quickly drive to the nearest town about two miles away as I had plenty of time. I arrived back at the same spot at 1110, with a sandwich, to see Gladys already passing the end of the entrance pier and heading out to sea. Oh dear.

I quickly changed lenses and rushed towards the sea wall and managed to get some pictures of her heading downstream along the deep water channel towards the Severn Bridges, which carry the M4 motorway between England and Wales. I was annoyed that I hadn’t actually filmed the exit, but in fact I’m happy with this as a final view of this wonderful sailsprit sailing barge back on the sea after three years of massive restoration. She will be in Portishead tonight and according to the ship’s details on the online tracking app her next destination will be London. I’ll follow from a distance and imagine life on the ocean waves for her crew.

Thank you for all the kind comments, stars and faves over the last few days. It has kept my quest going. I feel a bit mad but am glad to have made a significant visual record of her return to a hopefully busy sailing life once again. It was just a shame that no sails were to be used today.

Here is a reminder of Gladys in the dry dock just a month ago

..... and this is a video of her leaving the dry dock in Gloucester yesterday. Many thanks to HClaireB for pointing it out to me :-)


‘A sailor’s life’ by Fairport Convention 1969
Apparently this wonderful recording by Fairport Convention was the first take they ever played. The stand out for me is the guitar playing by Richard Thompson and Sandy Denny’s voice.