Thursday 15th November 2001 8.50am
The last ship launch today, and the bridge is busy with drivers and pedestrians on the way to the yard or over to Walney, ready for 10.15 and the view of this, the last of the three, sliding into the Channel at its height. The tide is building strongly now, hurrying to keep to time, and is pushing up strongly into the Channel. A fishing boat moving down the Channel is struggling to make any headway as she moves onto her mooring. Meanwhile the Walney slip is busy with police R-I-Bs, large rigid inflatable launches going in to police and scour the area before launch.