http://www.shipsmonthly.com • Summer 2018 • 25
to Ryde taking 20 minutes. Wightlink,
owned since 2015 by Balfour Beatty
Infrastructure Partners, also operate
across the Western Solent with
35-minute crossings each way from
Lymington to Yarmouth, Isle of Wight,
served by the 2,546gt sisters Wight
Light and Wight Sky, delivered from
Croatia in 2008, with Wight Sun
following in 2009; the latter has also
spent time on the Fishbourne route
since 2015.- 0871 376100, http://www.wightlink.co.uk
HOVERTRAVEL
A hovercraft service dating back to
1965, now believed to be unique
in Western Europe, continues to
operate from Southsea Beach, close
to Clarence Pier, to Ryde Transport
Interchange on the Isle of Wight.The new 88-seat Griffon craft
Island Flyer and Solent Flyer, both
capable of 40 knots, appeared during
2016 but have suffered with technical
issues. Hovertravel still call on older
craft, especially the 1990-built 98 seat
Freedom 90. Services depart on the
hour from Southsea through most of
the day, with trips from Ryde leaving
at half past the hour and crossings
usually completed in ten minutes.- 01983 717717, hovertravel.com
GOSPORT FERRY
Passenger ferries have been crossing
Portsmouth Harbour to Gosport
since 1875, providing a four-minute
alternative to a 14-mile road journey.
There are departures every seven
and a half minutes in peak periods
and otherwise at 15-minute intervals
and all day on Sundays.
The newest vessel in a three-
strong line up is Spirit of Portsmouth
(2005/377gt,) which carries up to 300
passengers and offers an extensive
range of summer cruises to view
cruise liners at Southampton, day
trips to Lymington, Cowes and Ryde,
together with two rivers trips to the
Hamble and Medina. Ferry regulars Tilbury ferry Jacob Marley. Hovertravel’s Solent Flyer at Ryde. Gosport ferry Spirit of Portsmouth.
Wight Sky in the Solent. NICHOLAS LEACHMaintaining a route tradition of
naming vessels after local people,
they will appear as Dame Vera
Lynn, honouring the singing legend
born in nearby East Ham, and Ben
Woollacott, remembering a 19-year-
old crew member who lost his life
when dragged overboard in a 2011
mooring accident. Operated by
Briggs Marine on behalf of Transport
for London, the new pair have been
designed by LMG Marin to carry 150
passengers and 45 cars, together with
dedicated pedal cycle storage areas.
- 0208 853 9400, http://www.fl gov.
ukwoolwich-ferry
GRAVESEND FERRY
For many years passengers and cars
could cross the Thames between
Gravesend and Tilbury, but the
vehicle service was withdrawn in 1963
following the opening of the Dartford
Tunnel, and in the years since there
have been a succession of operators
and ferries. The long-term future of
the remaining passenger link has been
threatened on several occasions.
Crossings are now provided
on behalf of Kent County Council
by Jetstream Tours using the
50-passenger trimaran Thames
Swift, which was introduced in 2017,
and 98-passenger catamaran Jacob
Marley. Both missed sailings during
April due to mechanical problems.
During the same month, Jetstream
announced the purchase of a
30-passenger vessel to run as Thames
Eagle in support of the larger pair.
- 07961 892627, jetstreamtours.com
SOLENT
WIGHTLINK
A £45 million Wightlink investment
in the Portsmouth Gunwharf-
Fishbourne route will be realised
with the summer introduction of
Victoria of Wight, built in Turkey
at the Cemre Shipyard in Yalova.
Double-deck boarding ramps have
been installed at both ports, with
the programme also including upper
deck extensions to increase capacity
on current Wightlink fl agship St Clare
(2001/5.359gt).
Victoria of Wight will see the
sailing pattern change from half-
hourly to hourly departures in either
direction, taking advantage of the
£30 million new vessel’s ability to
take 70 more cars per crossing than
the route’s long-serving Saint class
ships. Victoria of Wight is a hybrid
vessel, powered by batteries as well
as low sulphur marine gas oil, with
environmentally friendly features,
including the recycling of hot water
to heat passenger areas.
The Portsmouth line-up also
includes St Faith (1989/3,009gt), St
Cecilia (1986/2,968gt) and 20-knot
catamarans Wight Ryder I and II,
which provide a passenger link from
Portsmouth Harbour rail station pier