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Sunday 22 June 2014

Humber happenings.

As I drove with my Mum to an appointment at the hospital for her to have a bit of day  surgery we passed the Humber that was flat calm. It would be a good job too as this weekend has been the P1 Powerboat Superstock Championships. Businesses in Hull have funded their own entry called 'Hull Speed Ahead'!

NEED FOR SPEED:  The Hull Speed Ahead powerboat on the River Humber.      Picture: Jack Harland
'Hull Speed Ahead' on the Humber.
Jack Harland, Hull Daily Mail.

Yesterday Associated British Ports (ABP) were carrying out there PR duties by holding an open day of the eastern docks. It is 100 years since King George Dock was opened as mainly an export facility for coal. It seems a shadow of it's former self but it is good the veil is lifter occasionally and the people of a port city become acquainted with what actually goes on as normally docks are enclosed by high walls and the public are excluded.

Port Open Day to Mark Centenary of Hull's King George Dock
This is King Geoge Dock in the early sixties when the British Merchant Navy was at it's height. I served my apprenticeship with the company that owned the ship on the extreme left, Alfred Holt's Blue Funnel Line, and sailed on ships very similar to the one shown. I also sailed for the company that owned the tugs in the right foreground, United Towing and Salvage. Mind you tug development had moved a long way by the time I worked for them. The grain silo in the middle distance was only knocked down a few years ago.

The NHS came up trumps with a Sunday surgery and all in all we were in and out in three hours so can't complain at all. When we came by the Humber on the way home the sea breeze had picked up a little and there was a bit of a lop on the water to make things interesting for the power boats.

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