Retro on the water
GLOUCESTER dockside businesses and local volunteers have pulled together to produce a highly successful community event.
Theaim was toextend the seven-yearold Gloucester Goes Retro, Saturday festival of around 500 classic vehicles through the centre of the city to the attractively restored195-year-old docks.
In addition to the vehicles there was retro entertainment in the adjacent Mariners Square on the Saturday. Retro cocktails and Captain Birdseye toasties were available for those seeking refreshments and Atlas Gaming offered children’s activities.
Aselection of interesting and historic boats were assembled, including a 99ft Dutch barge, traditional working pair Banstead & Angel, a Norfolk Broads cruiser, a 93- year- old mahogany launch used by the Admiralty in the Second World War and the all-electric narrowboat Ampère that arrived as a result of an earlier item featured in Towpath Talk. Each invited boat received a plaque and other souvenirs.
Stalls from local waterways charities included Sea Cadets, Gloucester and District Model Boat Club, Seven Area Rescue Association and the Canal & River Trust. The Cotswold Canals Trust stand was elsewhere inRetro, but linked by signage. Many people dressed up in vintage costume and the best-dressed pirate dog competition added to the great atmosphere.
The day began by ringing the historic Atlasbell, followed by Flotilla of Flowers, smaller boats doing circuits of the docks in tribute to the late Coun Colin Organ who instigated the Retro Festival and had particularly wanted it to extend to the docks.
TheCityMayor, Sheriff andMP toured the event, admiring the decorated boats and cheering the sailing cutter race.
The two-day active timetable included SARA doing dramatic rescue scenarios, races by Gloucester Sea Cadets and the operating by Gloucester and District Model Boat Club members of some of their intricate scale models on the water. Discover Paddling provided demonstrations and some of its customers then tried paddleboarding from the Barge Arm. The electricpowered self- drive boats from Gloucester Hire Boats also operated from the Barge Arm, adding to the activities on the water. Boat trips were busy, with the Dunkirk little ship Queen Boadicea II, a 100-year-old launch from the RMS Mauritania and a 70-year-old clinker launch fromNorfolk.
There was a special opportunity for escorted tours over the Kathleen& May, the last remainingBritish-built wooden hull, three-masted top sail schooner, currently being restored in Nielson’sdry dock, even into thedramatic original dry dock itself. Tours included the chance to try ship’s biscuits and lime juice!
The sailing race with 3ft-long replicas of Bristol Channel pilot cutters built by dockside businesses and individuals was a very competitive event, cheered on by themakers and crowds. Thewind was so calm the boats were launched from the pontoon, but after a short while most turned and returned! Some were thenmore attractedby the current towards the lock, but eventually a brief breeze and therewasaclear winner. Kits were from My Future My Choice using biodegradable materials and sold via the National WaterwaysMuseum.
The event is to be repeated and enhanced next year on August 26 and 27. If you have an interesting boat and would like to take part, please contact Tony Aldridge (tony@matilda1102. co.uk) byMarch31. Reservedmooring spaces for invited boats in the dock are limited, but for visitors there are moorings south of Llanthony bridge.