KC’s first trip with full Passenger Certificates in 1985 after a gap of twenty years was to the late Stafford Ellerman who chartered her on behalf of the Coastal Cruising Association on Saturday 18th May 11am to 5pm for a cruise down the river from Thunderbolt Pier in the Historic Dockyard Chatham to Sheerness. Stafford became a key player in the operation of KC in subsequent years looking after our accounts for more than thirty years.
The second trip was billed as the “Inaugural Cruise” for invited guests who had helped in one way or another and took place the following day 12 noon to 4pm on Sunday 19th May 1985.
We knocked up a nice buffet for the guests.
It was a great day for the volunteers who had put so much into making KC go once again after so many years out of service.
A shot taken from Thunderbolt Pier looking down shortly before departure on the inaugural cruise.
The late Dorothy Megoran aboard with the other guests for the inaugural cruise.
Our new office in the Assistant Queen’s Harbourmaster’s House in the Historic Dockyard Chatham.
Harry Quirk, KC’s Chief Engineer in 1985 with his daughter. I learnt so much from him.
There were so many highlights in that memorable and stressful summer of 1985 including visiting Southend, Gravesend, Tower Pier, the West India Docks London and sailing through the Swale to Whitstable plus all the bread and butter afternoon cruises down river to Darnet Ness, the Jazz Jamborees and all the occasional specials and charters. It was a steep learning curve for me as it was for all of us. But we did it. And I am so grateful for all the help we received from so many quarters along the way in the doing of it.
It never occurred to my youthful self back then in 1985 that I might get so bitten by the bug that I would stay for so long and still be involved forty years on. Gosh! However did that happen?
Kingswear Castle returned to service in 2023 after the first part of a major rebuild which is designed to set her up for the next 25 years running on the River Dart. The Paddle Steamer Kingswear Castle Trust is now fund raising for the second phase of the rebuild. You can read more about the rebuilds and how you can help if you can here.
John Megoran
