Waldringfield
September 24, 2021
HM 162. Tony Lyon - the King of Waldringfield?
Have you ever wondered who visits lighthouses to check they are working? This was Tony's final job at sea when he worked for Trinity House (TH). TH has many Royal connections, its Master for many years being Prince Philip. Tony ended his career as the coxswain on the TH flagship, Patricia, and ferried about many members of the Royal family in his time aboard.
Tony started his seafaring life travelling the world aboard BP oil tankers. He operated a rescue boat on the remote Fortes oil field off Shetland, at sea for two years, but his final 22 years were closer to home at the TH HQ at Harwich.
He told me the whole of his beautiful "river harbour" at Waldringfield is owned by the Queen. The Crown Estate own all the river Deben (and 50% of all other tidal rivers) below high water mark, as well as all the UK seabed out to a 12 mile limit.
There is a long waiting list for one of the 211 river moorings at Waldringfield, and I can only imagine Tony is a shrewd politician keeping all the "yachties" happy. He told me some of them see the HM as a free rescue service, but I don't think he minds that much as he seems the type of person who enjoys the 24/7 job of a Harbour Master.
A recent rescue involved a diabetic skipper whose "low sugar" alarm did not go off. He collapsed into a coma, hitting three boats before coming to rest, pinned onto the bowsprit of a fourth. Tony was quickly on the scene, recognised what had happened and placated everyone involved with no insurance claims needed! A more unusual task was to turn his harbour into a Victorian backdrop for a film shoot, disguising all the brightly coloured navigation marks with sacks.
I think Waldringfield is very lucky to have Tony as their HM and I really enjoyed meeting him on both my upstream and downstream passages. Not many HMs have offered to do my shopping....twice!
Have you ever wondered who visits lighthouses to check they are working? This was Tony's final job at sea when he worked for Trinity House (TH). TH has many Royal connections, its Master for many years being Prince Philip. Tony ended his career as the coxswain on the TH flagship, Patricia, and ferried about many members of the Royal family in his time aboard.
Tony started his seafaring life travelling the world aboard BP oil tankers. He operated a rescue boat on the remote Fortes oil field off Shetland, at sea for two years, but his final 22 years were closer to home at the TH HQ at Harwich.
He told me the whole of his beautiful "river harbour" at Waldringfield is owned by the Queen. The Crown Estate own all the river Deben (and 50% of all other tidal rivers) below high water mark, as well as all the UK seabed out to a 12 mile limit.
There is a long waiting list for one of the 211 river moorings at Waldringfield, and I can only imagine Tony is a shrewd politician keeping all the "yachties" happy. He told me some of them see the HM as a free rescue service, but I don't think he minds that much as he seems the type of person who enjoys the 24/7 job of a Harbour Master.
A recent rescue involved a diabetic skipper whose "low sugar" alarm did not go off. He collapsed into a coma, hitting three boats before coming to rest, pinned onto the bowsprit of a fourth. Tony was quickly on the scene, recognised what had happened and placated everyone involved with no insurance claims needed! A more unusual task was to turn his harbour into a Victorian backdrop for a film shoot, disguising all the brightly coloured navigation marks with sacks.
I think Waldringfield is very lucky to have Tony as their HM and I really enjoyed meeting him on both my upstream and downstream passages. Not many HMs have offered to do my shopping....twice!