The yellow boat cruise

The Skylark was my mode of transport for 40 minutes today and what a great little informative tour. Thank to Johnny Blue for putting me onto it.

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And so we're off, starting at the Albert Dock - then into Salthouse then Wapping Dock.

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The Baltic Fleet from a level not normally viewed with its funnel painted chimneys. It was from here where people were press ganged into serving on ships, often not coming round until miles at sea then made to sign up for 10 years with no choice and no passage back to Liverpool. It's regarded as one of Liverpool's oldest pubs and has its own 'Wapping brewery' in the cellar.

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The 'Seven pillars memorial'. Pillars adorn the whole length of this largest cluster of grade one listed fireproof warehouse buildings - holding up the structures above - but the very last warehouse was bombed during the May blitz so the pillars act as a monument on behalf of all the dockers killed during that strike and many others that didn't see the docks close for a single day during the war, them in fact being integral to it.

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Jesse Hartley's Brunswick Dock tunnels: The dock level no longer rises and falls with the Mersey tide but it once did. When timber was landed onto the quayside at high tide, all was well, but when the tide went out, the water level fell 20 feet and gangways would have been too steep to land the heavy timbers. Jesse Hartley had tunnels cut into the dock wall so that the timbers could be loaded at low tide too onto waiting wagons and carts that then came up a slope.


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These plush apartments went for up to £650K because of their pseudo French Riviera views.

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It is reputed that Tom Jones and Steven Gerrard have vessels moored here. This one, Emmy B is Spice Girl Emma Bunton's.

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I have to go the H.M. Customs & Excise building through work, but have never seen it at this level before.

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The rear of H.M.S. Eaglet - that's the building, Liverpool's very own Naval base.

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Liverpool watersports centre.

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We are now at the Mersey wall and this man made slope was once an outlet to the River. There is a gate to the right of this so theoretically, this vessel could go out onto the Mersey but as explained, the port authorities charge £160 each way - which would dramatically increase the fiver ticket cost :)

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And so we head back and overtake the Duck Marine WWII landing craft in the process. By law all these boats have to sound their horn when going under bridges so as we negotiated 5 of them - our ears were deafened 10 times.

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Thanks for the photos Ged,that will save me going on the trip :$ik::$ik:

Went on that tour years ago. It was well worth the money for the trip through the docks alone.

Do they still ask if you want the big splashdown before going into the dock?

Nice one Ged, love the way you got those little historical bits into it. 10/10

Brilliant pics Ged, I done that yellow boat tour only last month, I thought it was great, best £6 I ever spent,great historical commentary from the young guide on board. deffo going to do it again very soon.

Would love to go on it but I was sick on the row boats in Newsham Park lake.
Do you have to book ?I could always take a few bags.

Excellent photos Ged, nice and clear and a good selection.

Great Pics Ged. loved them all! TA!

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Originally Posted by Rhoobarb

Went on that tour years ago. It was well worth the money for the trip through the docks alone.

Do they still ask if you want the big splashdown before going into the dock?

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Are you getting mixed up with the duck marine tour that goes on land - this boat never left the dock as it has no wheels. ;)

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Originally Posted by johnny blue

Brilliant pics Ged, I done that yellow boat tour only last month, I thought it was great, best £6 I ever spent,great historical commentary from the young guide on board. deffo going to do it again very soon.

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You were ripped off Johnny, I only paid a fiver - I told you wearing that suit, shirt and tie makes you look loaded. ;)

Thanks everyone. Gnasher - sorry no dogs allowed.

I queued up to book at the ticket office then took the 5 min walk to the embarkation platform only to see people paying at the gate which is better as you can just do it spare of the moment then instead of a none refundable ticket if you book for a certain time then can't make it.

Thanks Ged.

Liked those pics Ged.. thanks for sharing..

Ged - pictures are superb. Must do the trip next time I'm up.

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Originally Posted by Ged

Are you getting mixed up with the duck marine tour that goes on land - this boat never left the dock as it has no wheels. ;)

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Hahaha, yeah I am. Just assumed it was the duck boat.

I like the thought of splashing into the dock at the end but i'm not paying 12 quid to do the land bit that I can do myself ;) That's more a touristy thing like the open air red bus I think.

I must say I was surprised you'd gone on the duck boat and I was surprised at the price.

Now I know why :D

Great pics Ged. I never knew there were 2 types of tour, with and without wheels :)

Cheers all.

All 35 pics from this tour now uploaded onto this page: http://inacityliving.piczo.com/?g=51019619&cr=7 of my site.

Ta.

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Took this on thursday were you on it then,if you were why didn`t you wave

Wednesday Joe. You'd love it. Lots of people photographing and waving from bridges and other boats on the dock.

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Originally Posted by Ged

You were ripped off Johnny, I only paid a fiver - I told you wearing that suit, shirt and tie makes you look loaded. ;)

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Ha ha, I certainly wasn't wearing any collar and tie on that boat trip,

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Originally Posted by Ged

Wednesday Joe. You'd love it. Lots of people photographing and waving from bridges and other boats on the dock.

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I`d rather be in my kayak Ged, "I want to be alone"

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Originally Posted by gregs dad

I`d rather be in my kayak Ged, "I want to be alone"

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I'm not getting another one of those Kayaks Joe. I bought a gas heater for mine in case it got cold and it went on fire.

I suppose it just goes to show you can't have your kayak and heat it.

Here's one for you.

Apart from the MTV Europe Music Awards and the BBC Sports personality of the year awards being hosted at the Echo arena, these are some of the artists to have appeared there since it was opened by the Queen.


Arctic Monkeys
Australian Pink Floyd Show
Andrea Bocelli
Backstreet Boys
Beyoncé Knowles
David Jordan
Def Leppard
Duffy
Elton John
Eric Clapton
Estelle
Evermore
Girls Aloud
Kaiser Chiefs
Kanye West
Kasabian
Katy Perry
Kelly Clarkson
Kid Rock
Kings of Leon
The Killers
KISS
Lady Gaga
Leona Lewis
Leo Sayer
McFly
Michael Bublé
Morrissey
Muse
N-Dubz
Nickelback
Oasis
P!nk
Pixie Lott
Queen + Paul Rodgers
Raygun
Richard Fleeshman
Rihanna
Roger Waters
Stereophonics
Take That
Tiesto
Tinchy Stryder
Tinie Tempah
The Ting Tings
UB40
Westlife
Whitesnake


According to the boat tour guide - what do you think was the fastest selling concert to date.

I'll be surprised if you get it.



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Thanks for the tour, Ged. :handclap:
I really enjoyed it, and seeing different views of familiar sites made it even better.

I don't suppose they'd accept my bus pass? :PDT_Piratz_26:
Must start saving up!

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Originally Posted by Ged

According to the boat tour guide - what do you think was the fastest selling concert to date.

I'll be surprised if you get it.



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The Oasis gig?

Leo Sayer ?

Have the nolans played there too ?

Andrea Bocelli

Like Kev, my son reckons Oasis.

I copied and pasted that list, a bit of a cheat as they're not on there - but it does say 'some' of the artists that appeared there. Anyway, according to the tour guide it was the Tellytubbies. Yeah, I know.

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Originally Posted by Ged

I copied and pasted that list, a bit of a cheat as they're not on there - but it does say 'some' of the artists that appeared there. Anyway, according to the tour guide it was the Tellytubbies. Yeah, I know.

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Tellytubbies ! :PDT_Xtremez_42: :rolleyes: