THERE HAS BEEN a spate of boats being untied from their moorings in Bristol Harbour.
With the harbour authority advising boaters to secure vessels safely to avoid further ‘mischief’ of letting boats loose, Janet Friend reports.
Untied and drifting
In addition to boats in the harbour arriving from the Kennet & Avon Canal, a 200 tonnes boat was also untied and drifting.
This time a man wearing a wide brimmed hat was caught on CCTV but his face was hidden by the hat, so unrecognisable untying the mooring ropes of the research vessel Lady Kate, which is docked at Hannover Quay.
The boat drifted away from the quayside, but was secured at its other end too, so was stopped floating away altogether.
Boaters have been urged to secure their vessels in the harbour safely to avoid further 'mischievous' people setting boats loose. Some boats are only secured by ropes tied to publicly accessible bollards and so are easily untied.
Not the first time
Pete Seed, harbour master, told:
“This is an uncommon occurrence but it’s certainly not the first time this has happened in Bristol. We have quaysides that are open 24 hours a day. It’s on the way home for many people in the city and people do get up to a bit of mischief occasionally on the way home."