Sunday 14 April 2013

Making a break for it! Old Purfleet Deep Water Linkspan goes for a wonder.

Sunday 14th April 2013: Old Purfleet linkspan makes a break for it!
Pictures here as its tamed by Svitzer Mercia (lead tug), with Tilly and Revenge pushing up and Zeehond standing by. The structure was part of the former linkspan at Purfleet, which has recently been replaced All taken from Morrisons Wharf (Erith Deep Water).










Thanks to @liquid_highwayq1 for alerting me to the incident.


 All photographs copyright Krispen Atkinson
@Krispen_ships


Tuesday 2 April 2013

West Coast of Canada - March 2013

Brief visit to Western Canada
Vancouver and Victoria
I was fortunate enough to visit Vancouver, a place which I never thought I would see. The first couple of days were jammed packed with work, though between meetings and staring at my computer monitor  my camera was with me.  These following pictures were taken whilst moving around town, between venues.

 This was parked up the road from the hotel....

Later in the day, after leaving our meal the Olympic flame had been lit... Was this for us??


Around the back of the hotel was the BC stadium. I ventured around it during one evening, and found these guys looking a bit stiff!





 Down to the Quayside Marina.....


...and back through the streets to the hotel - the stadium being a good landmark to guide me back!


Once all the work had been done, the chance was taken to explore the city and nearby area. What better way to see the area, than from the air, so we decided to fly from Vancouver to Victoria on a 12 seater float plane.
The weather was slowly clearing over Vancouver..

Good enough to get some pics of the ground, here the railway sidings on the banks at North Vancouver

Over the Lion's Gate Bridge
Out over English Bay, looking towards Horseshoe Bay






 Point Atkinson Lighthouse


A few of the BC Ferries were seen


Across the Georgia Strait and towards Vancouver Island

Esquimalt Naval Base (which was later visited) passed below, Then approaching Victoria.


Afraid my next set of pictures were lost, due to me pressing the wrong button....
..so it's the return trip which was undertaken by bus and ferry. 
Seen here as leaving Swaltz Bay aboard Coastal Renaissance.

Overhead shitehawks hovered!

 Beautiful scenery all the way through the islands.

..then the approach to Active Pass



Where Spirit of Vancouver Island passed...




The smile off my face was soon wiped off as I watched my camera lens bounce across the deck!

 Approaching the terminal at Tsawwassen, where other BC Ferries are lying alongside.

From here it was back on the coach to Vancouver...

Final morning, before flight plenty still needed to be seen. Down to Stanley Park, across to English Bay and back to the waterfront of Vancouver.

 Starfish in the water


Around into Stanley Park






A bonus for me!




















Around in English Bay, bulk carriers are moored off! A good place to stop for a coffee!
Then up False Creek



A few last minutes spent on the waterfront, before dashing to the airport to fly home...




 All photographs copyright Krispen Atkinson
@Krispen_ships