100 yrs of Paddlesteamers

[michael]

Celebrating Paddlesteamer Oscar W's Centenary. PS Marion accompanied by Oscar W Monday 22nd Sept- Friday 26th Sept, Mannum to Swan Reach and return. Cost $800 per person twin share. Inclusive of all meals and secure car park.
Book online at www.psmarion.com or phone 08 85692733

[Roderick Smith]

As at Wed.20.8, there were only two cabins left for the PS Marion cruise.
Contact: museum@psmarion.com

Mon.22-Fri.26.9, Mannum to Swan Reach and return, accompanied by PS Oscar W (celebrating its centenary).

I am planning to follow in Jessie II; there are a couple of other boats planning to follow.
Further celebrations are being held in Goolwa over Sat.4-Mon.6.10, which is a long weekend in SA.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

I now have more details from the organiser of the Goolwa events.
PS Oscar W will be escorted by privately-owned PS William Randell throughout.  PV Matilda will join the fleet from its lower-river base (Tailem Bend or Wellington).  There will be a sprinkling of non paddlers and perhaps some steam launches for part of the week.

The weekend the Sat.27 & Sun.28.9 will be active on the water. The Lions club in ass. with the Progress ass. are putting on an evening meal in the rowing club - this includes an hour on the Marion for nibbles - then back to shore for the 3 course meal. Cost is $30 per person and tickets must be booked at the Mannum Information Centre - there are 100 places available. The Sunday will see a lot of activity with a steamer challenge and sail/steam past as OscrW leaves for her home port in the afternoon.

The 100th anniversary will be celebrated at Goolwa on Sat.4, Sun.5th & Mon.6.10, with the official day being Sunday. The official party will arrive at Goolwa station by steam train, and walk across to the steam boat to officially recommission her under survey at 12.30. As she steams out from the wharf at 13.00, she will be accompanied by a very large variety of vessels.

I have suggest that he tries contacting the owners of the replica PS Cato (Murray Bridge) as a possible participant in at least the steam weekend at Mannum, also the owner of PV Canally (at Mannum) and PV Mayflower (at Wellington).

My own moves will be to follow from Mon.20 to Fri.24.9, then stay on the water to Sunday.
The midweek is unclear, and I am not sure which day will be lake-crossing day.  Marion usually does its transfer to/from Goolwa for wooden-boat festivals in 2 or 3 days.  The vital point is to make a first-light departure for the lake section, to be across before wind builds up.
I could be brave and cross the lake (with an escort), but would be solo returning.
I could come home, then return to relaunch at Goolwa for the long weekend.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

I have more details of the program.
Oscar W (in tandem with PS William Randell)
SAT.20.9: DEPART GOOLWA AND TRAVEL ACROSS THE LAKES. TO REACH MURRAY BRIDGE TO PICK UP TIMBER .
SUN.21: ARRIVE AT MANNUM.
MON.22: DEPART IN THE AFTERNOON IN ACCOMPANY OF MARION AND WILLIAM RANDELL.
WED.24: EARLY ARRIVAL IN SWAN REACH. INVITE THE LOCAL SCHOOL STUDENTS AND PEOPLE TO VISIT THE VESSELS.
THURS.25: DEPART
FRI.26: ARRIVE IN MANNUM.
SATURDAY dinner at the boat club, preceded by nibbles on a short Marion cruise.
SUNDAY: parade, with lots of extra boats.  DEPART ~15.30 TO MURRAY BRIDGE.
MON.29. COLLECT WOOD AND HEADDOWN STREAM. ARRIVING IN GOOLWA EITHER LATE MONDAY NIGHT OR TUES.30.

PS Marion
Boats are due to leave Mannum at 3pm on Monday to travel to Piggy Flat.
Tues o/n at Big Bend before going into Swan Reach early am Wednesday.   Leave Thursday am, stop at Ngaut Ngaut before going on to Caurnamont.  Friday travel back to Mannum .    I think Oscar is due to

My Jessie II: I leave Victoria on Sunday, to launch at Mannum on Monday afternooon, and join the fleet as it comes past, or catch up that night (or at worst, next morning).  I'll come out of the water on Sunday afternoon, and not cruise to Goolwa.

I will also have no chance to report progress: my only possible internet access will be at Mannum on Friday afternoon and the weekend; I may be out of mobile range to send a phone message to Michael to relay.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

17.23 Sat. Victorian time, 16.53 SA time: a message from an organiser:
William Randell and Oscar W have made it to Murray Bridge. Because of the wind blowing the water away, Oscar touched the bottom six times near Rat Island and went aground in the channel entering the Murray from the lake.
A new vessel, built and owned by Collin of Bow Hill, will be on the trip for its first voyage.

This is getting exciting, and I am running late being ready for an on-time departure.
While the models are in the water at Darlington, I will be somewhere between northern Victoria and Mannum, overnighting.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[michael]

Recieved a phone call from Roderick tonight, the 'party' had reached Swan Reach. First day had been windy but today (Wednesday) was great weather.
The fleet consists of PS OscarW, Marion, William Randell, PV Matilda, New paddleboat & MV Jesse II.

[Roderick Smith]

Hi all, I am at an internet cafe after a great week.
We have forgotten the windy start, and have had four days of excellent sun, glorious scenery and great friendship.
I got just about every combination of boats at moorings or while crusing.

Oscar W's formal paperwork for survey has come through.  We had all passengers and crew aboard last night, first singing Happy Birthday, then cheering the news of the survey certification.  Around the campfire, I was chatting to the father of 'LNER' of this forum; he was a passenger on PS Marion.

I did a bit of jigsawing today, and got the boats passing moored PV Kingfisher (wooden hull), and moored PV Flender Himmel, rafted of former PS Tarella.

I think that I will stay in SA for a week, but I am bringing Jessie II out of the water on Sunday afternoon, and taking it for maintenance and mods.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[lner]

So I hear!! 

Certainly sounds like a good time was had by all.  Pity I am not able to pop up to the river this week end as we are entered in the Bay to Birdwood run with the vintage car, otherwise I would have attempted to catch up with you Roderick!

Oh well......  All day tomorrow cleaning and polishing.  Knowing my mother there should be a few photos of the Oscar going.  I will throw some into the gallery.

[Roderick Smith]

Saturday in Mannum was a rest and maintenance day; I even got some RNV work done.
At 18.00 the dinner guests departed for a 1 h cruise on PS Marion for drinks, nibbles and mingling.  We then adjourned to the yacht club for the main dinner and brief speeches.

On Sunday a couple of extra paddleboats arrived: PV Kingfisher and PV Flender Himmel.  Lots of 1930s wooden cruising launches arrived.  The locally-based PV Canally didn't budge; PS Cato didn't come from Murray Bridge.
I spent the wakeboarding display protecting Jessie II from being dashed ashore.
I then watched the paddleboat challenge.  Local boat PS Marion, on the upriver leg of a public cruise held off PS Oscar W for most of the passing of the public park (Marion is not allowed to race), but Oscar accelerated and overook just before the ferry.  The other paddleboats were left well behind.

The birthday cake was cut, followed by an ingenious tale of Oscar W, with a didgeridoo providing paddlesteamer sound effects.

I set out at 13.15 for the downriver assembly point for the 14.00 grand parade: Oscar, Marion, William Randell, the diesel paddleboats, then about 15 vintage launches and my modern but wooden one, with vintage lines.  I kept going for the 70 min run to my marina, and was helped out of the water by two houseboaters.

It was a wonderful week, celebrated in true river style.
Next week will be more formalities and parading at Goolwa. I will be there, but not with Jessie II.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[paddlesteamerman1]

it certainly was a wonderful week
it has been a while since i last posted on PD's .. year 12 is stressful
we were houseboating from Mannum that week so I have some great photos that I will upload sooner rather than later, but it was a great week. I canoed over  from the houseboat to Ngaut Ngaut Conservation park and met up with the crews from Marion, Oscar and William Randell.. and of course the Jessie II skipper
It was fantastic!
Marion next cruising dates are the 11th and 12th of October.. both private charters. I will be firing both cruises so I will get some great photos.

[Roderick Smith]

Goolwa, Sat.4.10
I am back with the fleet, but not with my boat.  I didn't cross the lake with Oscar; Jessie II is at Mt Barker for work which could not squeeze into 5 days.
The weather here is magic today.  I could have launched and moored with ease; I could even have crossed the lake solo.
I spent the week at Mt Barker library, working on RNV, with two forays into Adelaide to chase art-deco cinemas, and to ride one of the three Popeye ferries on Torrens River.

The fleet left Murray Bridge around 9.00 last Monday (29.9), and entered Lake Alexandrina late, to make a dark crossing.  William Randell had its drive shaft fracture, and was then towed by Oscar W.  1930s wooden launch Pompoota took a wrong channel, then was stuck cutting across to the right one, and had to be towed off by Oscar W's tender boat.  All three vessels arrived at Goolwa that night.

Today is the start of a long weekend in SA, and is blessed with good weather.  I have just been on Oscar's first public cruise under survey: 10.00 off the wharf, for 35 min.  The captain signed my ticket, and there was great applause from the dock as we cast off, and applause from the passengers as we docked.  There will be more cruises through the day.

There are also several exposed wrecks to explore.  Renmark at the wharf is underwater again; two near Captain Sturt Marina are very visible.  There is another at the northern end of the marina strip.

The big events are tomorrow, with a whole town festival occupying the wharf and main street.  SteamRanger is bringing its Southern Encounter train from Mt Barker.  The official guests will arrive on this train, or on Cockle Train from Victor Harbor, around 12.15, and will walk to the wharf.  A local school choir will have been entertaining the crowd from 12.00.  The speeches and ceremonies will run from 12.30 to 13.00, then Oscar casts off with the guests, followed by a fleet of small launches and some medium ones.  I have been promised a ride.

The festivities will continue, but I will be heading for home, aiming for a midnight arrival.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

Following my Saturday post, Oscar continued to cruise hourly, with a special cruise at 18.00 for Friends of Oscar W.

Sunday went well.  I could have brought my boat over the lake with ease, and moored with ease.  Oscar made the first cruise of the day at 9.00, pitched at the people who would be too busy running street stalls for the rest of the day.  The bookable capacity is 45 or 47.  It made a couple of other cruises in the morning.  I had a mini cruise in a friend's cruising launch (dating from the 1920s or older).

The official guests arrived in SteamRanger's lounge car Bowmans, attached to Southern Encounter from Mt Barker, hauled by light Pacific 621 Duke of Edinburgh.  It arrived at 12.15.  The crowd was entertained by a troupe of youth singers, then came the speeches.  There were representatives of Shire of Alexandrina, the state government, Shire of Campaspe (Echuca), the Swedish government and Friends of Oscar W.  A special guest was Frank Tuckwell, whose new book on the history of Oscar W was launched as part of the procedings.  Just after 13.00, Oscar cast off for a short cruise with official guests, followed by a small fleet of vintage wooden launches.  At the end, I waited to buy a signed copy of the book, then headed for home.  The remaining hourly cruises were booked out, and the public-holiday Monday was added to the cruising program.

A local quilting group had made special quilts for each of Oscar's cabins.  An extra one was made, and was raffled.  Tickets had been available over the 2 weeks of the celebrations, with the winning one being drawn today (Monday).  I haven't been phoned, so I guess that my ticket didn't win.

Now to start on a selection from the 400 photos which I took over 2 weeks.  These openers cover the boats in the Swan Reach fleet (including modern houseboat Odyssey, running a commercial cruise for onlookers), and give some of the feel of a river-fleet event.  We met the commercial boats SWPV Murray Princess and MV Expedition at many places.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

Here are five photos of the return journey, from Swan Reach to Mannum.
The sunset photo was the only time I was able to get Oscar W in line abreast with Marion.
I was tempted to convert the Bowhill photo to sepia: a scene from perhaps 80 years ago, with the cargo boat calling at a waterside shop while the passenger boat overtakes.  This could be Mark Twain's Mississippi 100 years ago, or Myanmar's Irrawaddy today.
By powering ahead, I was able to take photos as the boats passed PV Kingfisher and a vintage launch at Purnong, and PV Flender Himmel moored alongside former PS Tarella (common ownership) just before reaching Mannum.  Generally, the larger boats were cruising at 10-11 km/h.  I could just get 12 with a damaged prop.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[paddlesteamerman1]

Here are some of the photos that I managed to take whilst on the houseboat 

[paddlesteamerman1]

Oooops I almost forgot. I just found these photos of Jessie II 
And a PV I dont know the name of?