An unusual job for the Plymouth pilot (6 images)

grebeman

Old Codgers Group
Knowing that a tanker was due in on the tide, and having seen the pilot launch go out, I drove to near Cattedown Wharfs. However when I climbed the hill behind the wharfs I was in for a surprise, this is the sight that greeted me.

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The brig Stavros S Niarchos, a sail training ship

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She came on up the Cattewater

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Then turned off Turnchapel. In the days of sail Turnchapel provided some 50% of the pilots for the port of Plymouth, much much busier then with pilots seeking Plymouth bound ships out in the English Channel

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Having carefully lined her up she was threaded into Turnchapel Marina between the old barges that act as pontoons to moor the tugs alongside and the outer pontoon of the marina

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The pilot disembarks onto the pilot launch. No tricky rope ladders to climb for this assignment. The pilot is the first of the two figures in black centere photograph

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Job done the pilot launch goes astern to clear the Stavros and then goes off to bring in the tanker I had been expecting.


Barrie
 
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