Kingfisher and the White River
Alison Alderton finds out how a couple’s lockdown project has evolved into a visitor attraction providing wildlife and heritage experiences.
DURING the Covid pandemic lockdowns many of us found new ways in which to keep ourselves busy but not many would have considered restoring a boat in such a volatile climate.
However, this did not deter Fiona Bryant and Ian McKnight who set to work restoring Kingfisher. Their aim – to preserve a part of our maritime history and provide bespoke tours aboard the vintage vessel on Northern Ireland’s longest river.
Kingfisher was built by Harland & Wolff of Titanic fame at the Belfast Shipyard in 1947. She is a wooden launch, built of oak and teak with internal finishing in solid mahogany, used by the shipbuilders in and around the harbour ferrying shipyard workers.
Latterly used as a commercial fishing boat, her solid build helped her to withstand the test of time and now, at the grand old age of 75, Kingfisher is beginning a new chapter in her life; providing boat trips, for up to 12 passengers, on the beautiful River Bann.
The Lower Bann runs from Lough Neagh in Mid Ulster to the Atlantic Ocean at the Barmouth, between Portstewart and Castlerock, on the Causeway Coast. The first humans to explore Ireland did so via the Bann and they established a settlement on the banks of the river in Coleraine.
Mountsandel, excavated in the 1970s, is the oldest known settlement on the island of Ireland dating back almost 10,000 years. The River Bann’s name possibly derives from the Irish word ‘ bán’ for the colour white, referencing the white water of low waterfalls that existed at the Salmon Leap, also known as The Cutts on the river at Coleraine, before the current day weir and sluice gates were built – hence Fiona and Ian’s name for their company, White River Charters.
White River Charters was established in 2020 and is based on the River Bann at The Cutts, Coleraine. From here trips are available both upriver, between Cutts
Lock and the Ballymoney area, and downstream into the Bann Estuary, from Cutts Lock to the Barmouth.
Kingfisher is the only boat of its type to offer exclusive visitor experiences, bespoke and fully guided tours in comfort and style at a leisurely, slow and tranquil pace on the River Bann. The vessel provides a wonderfully comfortable platform to view wildlife and to learn more about Northern Ireland’s longest river, its fascinating culture and heritage.
The White River Charters website is a wealth of information and provides an interesting selection of images showing the restoration of Kingfisher as well as further details of the tours offered.
These include Best of the Bann, the company’s two-hour signature experience and Spirit of the Bann, an exceptional Bushmills Irish Whiskey tasting experience on board Kingfisher. Earlier this year White River Charters added a new tourist experience to their itinerary – Meander and Dander.
This includes a pleasant meandering river cruise exploring the story of Ireland’s ancestors, from its first settlers through the Plantation of Ulster and includes an hour long off-water visit to the Mountsandel State Care Heritage Site where you can dander (Irish for wander) around the Mesolithic settlement.
The Bann is home to some wonderful wildlife including otters, herons, ducks and geese; it also plays a vital role in the life cycle of the eel and the Atlantic salmon. To help tourists make the most of their trip, the scheduled tours provide lightweight, easy to use hand-held binoculars, field guides and identification charts of river wildlife.
Sustainability is important to White River Charters, which is a ‘WiSE’ Wildlife Safe Operator and adheres to the ‘Leave No Trace’ policies. Fiona and Ian are actively taking steps to reduce, remove and report sources of litter and pollution along the River Bann and its estuary to help keep it clean and free from pollution. They truly are both dedicated and passionate about celebrating the river and the story of Kingfisher – making them the perfect hosts to meander with along the White River.