Not all boaty business.

Sorry there was no post yesterday. I was away from the boat and didn't get back until late to the boat. I will therefore keep you min suspense about our trip to Hull for another time.

I left the boat on Friday at about 0930. It was good to have the car to save an earlier start to get the train. I had a full day of things to do in Hull.

The first visit on the agenda was to BBC Radio Humberside. I had been asked to go and have a chat on the James Piekos Show about 1100. I was quite surprised as there had been quite a big  event to talk about the previous day! I got there about 1045 and eventually was told that they couldn't fit me for a live interview because of b----y politics, but they would record something for later. Could I come back at another time. I agreed to about 1200 after the show. I dashed home to get changed as I was volunteering for Hull, City of Culture in the afternoon. Straight back to town and after 5 or 10 minutes chat on the radio I was finished. With another hat on I guide historical walks around Hedon so was promoting that really.

I now had about 3/4 hr to my museum spell so I decided to walk down to the marina to see what it looked like at low water, which handily about the same time. On the old pier was the City crest of the 3 ducal crown. (Some like to call them coronets).

 

The is the west bullnose of the entrance to the marina basin. This was originally the entrance to the Humber Dock. You can see the mud build up. In the distance is the bullnose that leads into the Albert Dock Lock.

This is the view looking to the east. Again there is a build up of mud, but it does not seem it encroach on the entrance at all. The pier in the distance is the truncated railway for the Humber ferries that plied across the Humber to New Holland Pier on the Lincolnshire side. That was until the Humber bridge was built and opened in 1981. Just behind the flag pole is the world's only submarium, and the most successful Millennium Project in the country, the Deep.

This is the marina entrance basin. The sill is just dry and there doesn't seem to be much water there either! There is no pontoon to lay over a tide on either.

As I passed the memorial to lost Merchant Navy personnel I did ponder that if things didn't go right tomorrow would I be added to this list! This is a better picture of the old pier. At one time it was two tiered. It is also a better picture of The Deep. We will be travelling between the pier and the Deep as that is where the River Hull emerges into the Humber.

I was volunteering in the Hull Maritime Museum then so wandered over to check in. This is the third Hull Dock Company Offices. The first was knocked down and the second one built in its place at the entrance to the first enclosed dock in Hull, called 'The Dock', that was from the River Hull. As the port enlarged and more docks were dug they needed a large office. The building was on an awkward triangular site so was a triangular building. It is a lovely one too. The Dock was renamed Queens Dock after a visit by Queen Victoria. The next dock was Humber Dock, where the Marina is to day. To join the two another was built called Junction, or Princes Dock. The passage between Princes' Dock and Queens Dock was between the fountain and the Museum. Just to the left was a bridge for traffic. It is still called monument bridge despite there been no bridge now.

Detail of  the Hull Maritime Museum.

This photo shows quite well the triangular nature of the building. To the left will be Queen Victoria Square and the City Hall, and behind me is the Ferens Art Gallery.

I finished there at 1700 and dashed home for a bite to eat and change into black for my choir's first concert of the year. It went quite well, but I am well aware the I have missed a fair few practices. that didn't finish until well past 2100, and on the way back to the boat the M180 was closed over night so had to divert through Scunthorpe. When I got back to Helen she was in bed and that is where I wanted to be knowing we were for an early start in the morning.