THV Patricia, Saga Rose & Braemar
Fred Olsen's Braemar returned from her stretch on the 4th July 2008 but wasn't departing on her first cruise until the 13th.  She docked in 104 to wait.  VTS listed her being moved to 38/9 between 10-11am on the 10th where she would now remain until the Sunday.  The 2500grt Trinity House Vessel Patricia was already using the dock, having arrived a couple of days earlier.  She's an infrequent visitor to Southampton's shores and it's always nice to see her when she calls.  I first saw her in 1988 when she escorted the Royal Yacht Britannia.  She was due to sail at 9am.  Saga Rose disembarked her passengers in her usual 101 and prepared for the repositioning trip to Liverpool at 10am where she would do three cruises, returning to Southampton on the 29th August.
The weather was absolutely glorious and we were overdressed in winter woollies.  A container ship crept out and Patricia had to wait until that was past before she could go.  When she did she really went!  At the same time the car carrier Autotransporter slipped out from around the corner to head to the container terminal.  That wasn't supposed to move until after 10.15am but they probably thought things would get busy with Braemar.
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			(C) Copyright Patricia Dempsey 10th July 2008 Not to be reproduced without permission