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STEAM DAYS RETURN TO MEDINA

By Martin Neville - Wednesday, November 21, 2007
STEAM DAYS RETURN TO MEDINA
The 100-year-old paddle steamer, Monarch, will next year be plying the Island’s waters on commercial trips, on and around the River Medina.
VISITORS to Cowes, the home of world yachting, will soon be offered a unique new waterborne experience with the arrival of a 100-year old paddle steamer from Kent.
Not since the days of Cowes Pier has the town rung to the sound of a steam whistle on a regular basis but that is soon to change.
At just 42ft, Monarch, with her powerful steam engine, is reputedly the smallest commercially operated paddle steamer in the world.
Leisure Steam, the company operating Monarch, is confident a service in and around the River Medina is sure to be a success where others have struggled in the past.
Ian Rees, from Cowes, who is one of the vessel’s skippers, said: “The Medina is an underused resource on the Island that is massively important to our industrial and social history.
“The river has played host to transport ships anchored off East Medina Tidal Mill — now Island Harbour — flying boats and hovercraft, as well as being a beautiful stretch of water to enjoy.
“I would guess most visitors to Cowes have never gone beyond the Folly Inn to Newport and that even fewer understand the rich history and ecology of one of the Island’s biggest stretches of inland water.”
Monarch will be berthed at Island Harbour and will operate on the Medina and inshore waters around Cowes, weather permitting.
She is powered by a 100-year-old compound steam engine, which is fed by an oil-fired boiler.
Mr Rees said: “PS Monarch is less of a sightseeing boat for the public and more of an experience in itself. There truly is nothing like being aboard a vessel such as this and many passengers forget all about the passing scenery and instead choose to be hypnotised by the fascinating engine.
“With a comfortable saloon and two decks, the vessel is well suited to private charters, and passengers lucky enough to secure a ticket to the famous Cowes Week fireworks will be in for a wonderful treat.”
Service will start next April with tickets for Cowes Week fireworks £250, to include Champagne and luxury hampers.