The Exeter Ship Canal was first opened in 1566. It was extended twice, and the last extension ended at Turf Lock in 1829.
The Canal is 5.3 miles long from Exeter Basin to the Pier Head, ie the junction below Turf Lock, where the canal meets the River Exe.
Leaving the Canal Basin you come across the King's Arms flood gates and junction with the Exe. 1.5 miles southwards is Lock No. 1 - "Double Lock", so called because in earlier days more than one vessel could use the lock together, thereby saving water. There were originally three locks here. There is a pub with the same name alongside the lock.
Just under a mile from "Double Lock" you arrive at the two Countess Wear bridges on the inner Exeter Ring Road (A379). The first is a lifting bridge in Dutch style, while the second one is a swing bridge. It is heavily used by local road traffic all year round.
The South West Water Treatment plant is situated on the east side of the Canal, and it was here that the "Countess Wear" arrived and departed. There are a couple of vessels currently alongside, one of which is an old Finnish patrol boat and the other, a wooden fishing boat, is sadly sitting on the bottom of the canal
Just over three and a half miles from Exeter you come to Topsham Junction and Lock (currently derelict) which enters the Exe opposite the village of Topsham, and there is a swing bridge to navigate past as you continue downstream.
Now 5 miles from Exeter you pass lay-by moorings for various craft and then enter Turf Lock (with the pub alongside).
From here it is tidal and the vessel eases out to the Pier Head marker and joins the River Exe coming in from the East side between West Mud and the Greenland Bank to journey downstream to the Exmouth Bar.
The lock sizes are 37.2m (122 feet) length overall, with a maximum beam of 8.0m (26 feet 3 inches). Maximum draught in fresh water is 3m (9 feet 10 inches). Headroom (for low air draught vessels!!) is 10m (32 feet 10 inches)
In the latter years small European vessel, including tankers, brought timber, coal and oil for the local depot. In the 1970s there were the Danish registered "Dapa" and the Dutch registered "Jenjo". Tankers like the British registered "Ben Johnson" and "Esso Jersey" (the largest vessel to navigate the Canal) also come to mind. "Esso Jersey" was the last commercial vessel to leave Exeter wharves in 1972.
In late December 1998 the last vessel to be on a regular "service", the small 237 gt effluent tanker "Countess Wear", finished due to new European edicts and was eventually sold abroad. The vessel was built as the "S.W.2" in May 1963 at the J.Bolson & Son Ltd., Shipyard, Poole, Dorset as yard number 541, for South West Water and became the "Countess Wear" in 1975. 37.5m loa, with a beam of 7.47m and a maximum sea water draught of 3.08m. Twice a week the vessel took treated effluent from the South West Water Treatment plant below Countess Wear Bridge, past Exmouth, to a point about 5 miles out to sea which was the nominated dumping ground. The vessel was registered in the port of Exeter. One other working coaster today still has the same port of registry and she is the 838gt cement carrier "Ronez". "Countess Wear" became the "Countess" in August 1999, and her current wherabouts are unknown.
One of the last vessels also to sail was the "Beatrice Lang" which left Turf Lock at 0845 on the 16th February 1990.
Vessels that were once part of the Exeter Maritime Museum also sailed away along the Canal to Turf Lock and some were put on board the Lapthorn coaster, the "Hoo Beech" which tied up at Topsham Quay in March 1997.
Note also in the lower Exe on the Starcross side the hulk of the 1916 Dutch built vessel "South Coaster" that went aground entering the Exe in 1943 on a voyage from Marsden to Exmouth with a cargo of coal. The vessel was later beached and abandoned in her present position. She was built as the "Ostvoorne".
Exeter City Council are the navigation authority for the Exeter Ship Canal. The River & Canal Manager is via email: river.canal@exeter.gov.uk
Full length canal and river cruises are run at certain times during the year by "Stuart Line Cruises", Exmouth. Contact: www.stuartlinecruises.co.uk. Their vessel "Pride of Exmouth" is the largest vessel using the Canal today.
Passenger cruises from Exeter Quays to Double Locks are run by "Exeter Cruises" Contact: www.exetercruises.com
Their vessel is called "Kingsley" and was originally built in Teignmouth by T. Bull & Co. Ltd., in 1926. Exeter Cruises also run the Butts Pull Ferry across the Exeter Quays. This ferry, which is pulled across the water by the ferryman using a strong steel hawser, possibly originated as early as 1641!
You can also follow on from Double Locks to Turf Lock with the smaller passenger vessel "White Heather".
Notes updated 25-9--2009. |
