On 31 August 2024 Dartmouth hosted a historic meeting of the UK’s only two operational paddle steamers. To celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Dart’s own PS Kingswear Castle, Waverley was welcomed to the river.
The two paddle steamers met just outside the river mouth, and then cruised in company through the centre of the town, accompanied by a fleet of smaller vessels. Waverley then sailed up river to Maypool, becoming the largest vessel this century to sail so far up river, turned, and then came back alongside in Dartmouth.
Later Waverley ran a circular cruise out to sea and back up river to Maypool, finishing with a grandstand view of the firework display, the culmination of the Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta, which has been under way in the town for the last few days.
The decks of the paddlers were full of excited passengers for all cruises, as were the quaysides in the town. Waverley will run further cruises to Plymouth and the Isle of Wight from Dartmouth over the next few days.
This was a unique occasion for not only was it Waverley’s first call in Dartmouth this century, it was also the first meeting of the two historic paddle steamers since Kingswear Castle returned to the Dart in 2012.
