Paddle Steamer Waverly 30 May 2025

The Paddle Steamer Waverley is a venerable craft! She was built on the Clyde in 1946 for the steamship service down the Clyde and up Loch Long and Loch Goil. Declining passenger numbers led to her withdrawal from service in 1973. Since then, the Waverley has given great pleasure to thousands of passengers as a heritage steamer around the British Isles; after several major refurbishments, she is still in great shape – and is now the only one left in seagoing condition. This year’s programme includes visits to no less than 74 different places.

A party of 15 Sea Urchins embarked at Seacombe on Friday 30 May 2025 for the excursion to Llandudno. It was a rather grey morning, and the wind the previous day had caused that day’s sailing to be curtailed. However, the weather forecast was good, and in fact the afternoon turned out to be glorious: bright sun, great visibility, warm and calm. Some of the more technically minded Sea Urchins enjoyed being able to watch, from the lower deck passageway, the triple expansion marine steam engine in action driving the paddles on either side (with a fixed drive so the paddles cannot turn independently).

Some disembarked over lunchtime in Llandudno, whilst others remained onboard for a further excursion around the Great Orme and Puffin Island on the eastern extremity of Anglesey which afforded great views of Snowdonia, and marine bird life. A bright evening sun accompanied the Waverley back into the Mersey to Seacombe after a wonderful day out.

Fun fact: the Waverley subsequently crossed over to Liverpool, and those remaining onboard were the first fare-paying passengers to have crossed the Mersey in a paddle steamer since 1929!