September once again heralded our national Heritage Open Days. This year we were in demand with Lincolnshire Heritage and Waters Edge Visitor Centre both requesting our participation. After some deliberation it was decided to open both AMY HOWSON and COMRADE on Friday 07 September at South Ferriby so the public could board the vessels and get a taste of what life was like on a Keel or Sloop. The day went very much better than expected with lots of visitors and some much needed donations and sales to help our cause.

 

 

 

On Friday afternoon artifacts and sales materials were ferried over to Waters Edge Visitor Centre at Barton-upon-Humber by crew members of AMY and COMRADE and Ian Murray of ONESIMUS. The remainder being delivered on Saturday morning to the members who were to set up the exhibition and man the stalls for the weekend. By lunchtime on Saturday we were fully set up with Society DVD's running on one large screen monitor while Brian Peeps photo archive ran on a second monitor.

 

 

 

Saturday was rather a slow day for visitors but Sunday proved much busier with many interested in finding out more about our Humber heritage and some enquiries for sailing trips next year. The sales table had some brief periods of brisk sales and some generous dontations were made, all helping to add vital funds to keep our Society going.

 

 

 

The Humber Sloop SPIDER T was also open to the public on Saturday and Sunday. She has taken part in Heritage Open Days for several years and always looks forward to a good turn-out. However, with her involvement in the Queens Diamond Jubilee River Pageant on the Thames earlier this year, the number of people wanting to take a look at the vessel for themselves even took owner/skipper Mal Nicholson by surprise. He reported the open weekend the best yet, not just for visitor numbers but for the distance they had travelled and their genuine interest in the vessel, its history and adventures.

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Photos by Dave Everatt

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