00:00So this is the first day of the 2025 season and it marks the 50th anniversary since Waverley's
00:25first sailing in preservation back in 1975 when I think many people wondered how long
00:30could she last but yet 50 years on, thanks to popularity and the support of so many people,
00:35we are starting another summer season with Waverley. She is looking good. We have spent 1.1
00:41million on the ship over the last six months investing in her, trying to make sure that she
00:46is as good as we can possibly get her because I want Waverley to have a future. I want her to go
00:50way beyond her 50th anniversary in preservation to make sure that she continues to delight tens
00:55of thousands of people every year. For some people once they've been on her once they just come back
01:00time and time again because they enjoy the experience. She is totally unique, there is no
01:04other seagoing paddle steamer in the world and the experience sailing down the river that she was
01:10built to serve in the Firth and of course in Waverley's preservation career this river has
01:15completely changed and transformed yet Waverley has remained. Once you've been aboard you will end up
01:21enjoying yourself, you will realise that it's a very special experience whether that's the steamship
01:26experience, the coastal scenery that you can get access to, the routes that we operate that nothing
01:31else operates. So this year we are going to 74 ports and piers around the UK. It's one of our most
01:37ambitious sailing seasons and that is to give as many people as possible access to Waverley. I think
01:43people have affection for Waverley. People see Waverley sail past, there's a sort of smile. She brings
01:48out joy to people and that is one of our attractions is the fact that she's so unique. People recognise
01:54she's something special. So as Waverley sails down the river Clyde now, she's going to be sailing
01:58through the two new Clyde bridges. There's the one at Govan Partick and then the Renfrew Bridge. So
02:03Pastures on Waverley will have that chance to sail through the two bridges. Hopefully people ashore
02:07watching from the bridge will give us a wave as we go through. It's another feature of just how the river
02:12is continuing to change yet Waverley remains. We are very grateful for all the donations that come in
02:18that people can donate to help maintain Waverley because the cost of maintaining her is expensive.
02:24As I said over one million this winter alone and we will need to do that again next winter to maintain
02:29her in the best possible condition to keep her sailing. So you can book tickets online on our website
02:34waverleyexcursions.co.uk or phone our office. On the Clyde you can also buy tickets on board subject
02:41availability which is usually the case on most sailings on the Clyde. I think the crew are excited.
02:45We've been working hard to get the ship ready to try and make her look the best possible and I
02:49think the crew have done a tremendous job in the last two weeks to prepare the ship for passengers.
02:53Today's fantastic to see so many people, lots of familiar faces, the sun is shining, clear blue skies,
02:59it's the perfect conditions for a sail down the water.
03:02Those are pretty cool.
03:05It's not just the only one of the usual rivers shepherds, the beautiful stuff that I'm going to
03:06do.
03:08This is the main thing of our rivers, but it looks like my team.
03:11It's using a given training for a sail down the river while I'm looking for the ship,
03:12it's using a hand to be on the shore.
03:13It feels like the ship it is under the south as well.
03:15For the ship, it's doing a lot of the ship that I've got to bend myself.
03:17It's doing a lot of the ship and it's running around.
03:19There is a triumetary of the ship and the ship is creating it.
03:21I'll go back to the ship with the ship.
03:23I can see a little bit of the ship.
03:25I want to go on a ship and it's doing a lot of the ship that I came to her,
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