Another walk along the River Hamble today – yesterday we had a flurry of snow although it did not lay this morning’s walk was bitter with a biting wind blowing down the river.
The ferry on the Hamble between Warsash and Hamble-le-Rice today is an ‘on-demand’ passenger ferry service is summoned via mobile phones – when my boys were small you had to jump up and down until the ferryman spotted you. What has also changed is the waiting shelter on the riverbank and the ferry which are all today painted a bright pink were then blue.
Records show there has been a ferry on the site dating back to 1493 when the crossing was part of a pilgrim’s route. The ferry now provides a link for local, and national footpaths such as the Solent Way and the National Cycle Route 2.
A pair of Shelduck on the mud they are large ducks that are about the size of a small goose.
A Little Egret fishing as the tide comes in.
Black-tailed Godwits (+ a couple of Brent Geese) holding onto the last part of the land as the tide comes in.
Edit extra picture from one of my previous blogs. Ferry waiting hut.
Continued Reflections from my World. 
I love that a tradition from 1493 still exists. That was shortly after Columbus believed he had reached East Asia. Amazing.
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Love the pink ferry and shelter. And the story about how, years ago, you had to jump to catch the ferryman’s attention. How many people can one of the ferries safely carry across the river? They aren’t very big!
Great bird photos, as always!
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You can see it coming across the river in its livery – it takes 12 people but I do not know if they have reduced numbers due to COVID but in the week it seems fairly low numbers per trip.
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Great photos!
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thanks
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Well if you can’t see this pink ferry there is something wrong with you. Enjoyed the water fowl photos.
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Yes I think it is clever marketing and you can really see it between al the sail boats.
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Clever marketing for sure Andy.
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Pink and blue is different for sure – I hope those pretty white Egrets and the white parts of the Shelducks don’t get all splattered with mud.
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