Yet More Trials and Tribulations of a Steam Packet Regular

(or Kev. Bennett Strikes Again!)

                        Saturday 3/6/00.

                Seacat Isle of Man Liverpool to Douglas 03.45.

                Seacat Isle of Man Douglas to Liverpool 23.30

 

                I arrived at the Pier Head around midnight and made my way to the check in but due to the large amount of bikers inside I was unable to get in. Most of them seemed to be on stand-by just like last years T.T. Instead I watched Superseacat Three complete loading and depart at 00.45 with a very full load. Once she was out of sight I went back to the booking office and this time got in. I assumed that once I had checked in I would be allowed into the waiting room but surprisingly I was sent back outside to the car park to wait as I was told it was not even 1 am. yet! I had been unwell for a couple of days and only decided to make the trip at the last minute. I have to say I had nothing but bad luck on this trip to the Isle of Man and it is probably the most unfortunate day trip I have ever made to date. I’d have been better staying at home!

                Once out on the car park things began to go rapidly downhill. It started to drizzle and as I looked longingly into the nice dry waiting room it got heavier and heavier. There was no shelter for me to scurry under to keep dry. Around an hour later the waiting room was opened to passengers but by now I was very soggy. As I went through security I was told that my hold-all of 16inches long by 14 wide by 5 deep was too big to go on to Seacat as hand luggage. I argued saying that it was not too big at all but they insisted that it was FAR too big and would have to go on as ordinary luggage. As my bag had my camera equipment in it I was not about to let go and at this point I was on the verge of not sailing but eventually the security people saw sense and let me through with my bag.

                Seacat Isle of Man arrived at the stage at 02.25 but by the time we footies got on board she was already rather full. I went straight to the shop and joined a rather large queue to purchase a drink, a Manx newspaper and some Munchies! I enquired about purchasing a rather nice model of the Ben My Chree that was in the display cabinet but unfortunately was told that they had none for sale but I would get one on the Ben My Chree herself. By then I was unable to get a seat mainly because many people were spreading themselves out and taking up anything from two to four seats each. Passengers were spread out on the floor of the bridge observation deck and in between the rows of seats. Other people were using the seat next to them to put their bags on, which is something the Company tries to discourage, and so I spent an uncomfortable crossing sitting on the stairs that lead up to the bridge observation area. We had departed at 03.55 and arrived at Douglas at 06.20 in a very heavy drizzle. The Lady of Mann and Ben My Chree were in the harbour and the Ben My Chree was still unloading.

                The Lady departed for Heysham at about 06.45 and Seacat Isle of Man departed for Liverpool at 07.25. The drizzle had now turned to rain so I opted to stay in the shelter of the Sea Terminal until the Ben My Chree had departed for Heysham at 08.45. At around 09.30 and feeling a little miserable, I ventured around the shops trying to stay as dry as possible. I was at the top of the Strand on the Promenade when Superseacat Two rounded Douglas Head from Belfast a little late at 10.05. She departed back for Belfast at 11.53 and since it had almost stopped raining by that time I had made my way to Douglas Head to photograph her leaving. However by the time I had got back to the new bridge across the inner harbour the heavens had opened again and I took refuge in the old Market Hall near the bus station which was in the process of renovation. Unbelievably by the time the Seacat Isle of Man had arrived back from Liverpool at 14.33 the sun had come out and so I wandered up Douglas Head again. Sadly my good fortune was not to last!

                I decided to watch Seacat Isle of Man depart for Liverpool at 15.32 and then head down to the breakwater and wait the arrival of the Ben and the Lady from Heysham. As I was negotiating the steep steps from the Head to the breakwater I slipped and fell, taking a chunk out of my knee and ripping my new jeans. Hobbling to the breakwater I was in pain! My knee had doubled in size and was turning a peculiar colour, I had cut my hand and hurt my shoulder and to add insult to injury I was covered with mud. Through pain racked eyes I observed the Ben arrive at 17.22, followed by the Lady, hot on her heals

                I was limping past the lifeboat station on my way back to town when, yes you’ve guessed it, it started to rain again and it continued to rain for the rest of my stay on the Island. I must have looked a bedraggled soggy mess as I squelched into the Sea Terminal where I stayed until I boarded my sailing home. After I sank gratefully into a chair I realised I had managed to find the only one with a lump of chewing gum on it. So now I had “gum on my bum”, ripped blood stained jeans, a painful knee which was still a funny colour and twice the size of anybody else and mud stained clothes. Add to all this I had not slept since the Thursday night I must have looked a right sight. And then to top it all I began to feel the first symptoms of a heavy cold coming on. I was now beginning to feel downright miserable and wondered if my bad luck was now over. I should have known better.

                The Lady and the Ben had departed for Heysham at 19.07 and 19.54 respectively. The Superseacat Three had arrived late from Liverpool and the Seacat Isle of Man also arrived from Liverpool and berthed at the Edward Pier. Superseacat Three, because of very heavy loadings, departed for Liverpool late at 23.58. This meant that my 23.30 sailing on Seacat Isle of Man was also delayed. Unbeknown to me the Superseacat Three had taken many of the Seacat Isle of Man’s passengers from the 23.30 sailing. I must have missed the announcement and so I had to endure more delays until the Seacat Isle of Man moved over to Victoria Pier and we were called for boarding at 01.00. Security at Douglas had no problems with my hold-all, unlike Liverpool and I was able to take it on board with no fuss. Once on board the Captain informed us that there would be a further delay due to the ship having to take on fuel. We eventually departed at 01.30 with only about 100 passengers and very few cars. By now I was feeling very unwell and I was sick which is very unusual for me. The last time I was ill on a boat was back in 1984 in a force 10 on board the previous Ben My Chree. Seacat Isle of Man was rolling quite noticeably, probably due to the light loading rather than the weather. It was only about a force 2 or 3.

                Superseacat Three was along side the landing stage when we arrived at 04.00 which was of course late. This meant that I had missed my last tunnel bus at 03.00 to Wallasey and so I had no way of getting back home. It was Sunday morning and the first train to New Brighton was not till 08.20. I was last off the vessel and last into the terminal. I explained my situation to a staff member and asked if I could sit in the terminal somewhere until around 07.30. I was still feeling unwell and I did not want to have to wander around Liverpool in the early hours. I was told however that I would have to leave the building because of security regulations.

                Things could have been worse I suppose; it could have been raining. I watched Superseacat Three depart for Douglas at 04.15, followed by Seacat Isle of Man at 05.26. At about 07.30 I prised myself from the bench and made my way to the train station. And now came the final disaster. My 08.20 train was late and terminated at Birkenhead North due to work being done on the line. There was a bus service to take us the rest of the journey to New Brighton. Because of this I missed my connecting bus and had to wait an additional 45 minutes. It was about 10.00 when I finally arrived home.