There was a great turnout of some thirty five, all very excited as we boarded our boat and took our seats in anticipation for a wonderful tour
For many this would be their first time on the river, and our guide gave us all a very full and informative commentary as we proceeded out of the mooring and along the shore.
There were many interesting things to see, as he told us about the regeneration of the harbour area, there were new hotels, quay side apartments, a marina with fantastic boats and yachts and the SSE Arena.
The Titanic Exhibition Center came into view and then we heard about Harland and Wolff shipyard and the many famous ships that were built so many years ago. We passed the slipways of the White Star Line ships that were launched at the start of the last century, the most well known was of course Titanic, along with the Olympic and Britannic. We marvelled at the size of Samson and Goliath on the Belfast skyline and felt so small as we passed by.
Further into the Lough now and we were greeted by many seals as they basked in the evening sunshine and behind them we could see another iconic ship the HMS Caroline. This ship survived the battle of Jutland and was used in the Second World War. Stationed in Belfast, it is now a museum ship open to the public.
As our tour boat returned, tea,coffee and light refreshments were served and we realised what a pleasant maritime experience we’d just had.
A special thanks to Terry and Denise for all their organisation and hospitality
