Back, better than ever Being out on the water is a real cause for celebration for the couple that operate the historic Harwich Harbour Ferry
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he ferry service that has linked the three communities of Harwich, Shotley and Felixstowe for more than 100 years came to an abrupt end last September when the vessel was wrenched from its mooring at Ha’penny Pier. The boat – previously a lifeboat on the SS Canberra – sustained extensive damage when she was pounded against a pontoon as gale force winds battered the coast. Luckily, however, she did not sink, though large sections of her port side were affected, her engine was flooded and all her electronics systems were lost. The incident was a massive blow for owners Chris and Lucy Zemann, who took over the business in 2015 and had already – like so many other firms – been forced to ride out the financial storms associated with last year’s Covid-19related closures. An estimated 30,000 people use the ferry every year, and local people were quick to respond to the news reports and photographs of the stricken vessel. A crowdfunding campaign raised a reported £12,000 and that, added to an insurance pay-out and the Zemann’s own money, has resulted in the successful repair of
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the vessel and the restoration of its daily crossings of Harwich Harbour. Lucy explains: “We were devastated and shocked initially. We’d worked so hard in the season to protect the business from Covid disruptions, not to mention all the substantial maintenance work that we carry out on the ferry every year to keep her at her best. Very quickly though, we realised we needed to kick into proactive mode. We know how important the service is to the local communities as well as to us personally, so we had to save her. We were overwhelmed by all the messages of support and the call for customers to donate. These generous donations along with profits were added to the insurance pay-out, allowing us to complete repairs.” The work was carried out by the Zemanns and a team of specialists along with the in-house experts at Suffolk Yacht Harbour. “Before SYH could carry out their extensive fibreglass work, the main urgency was to preserve the flooded engine and replace all necessary parts to ensure it would be saved,” explains Lucy. “We then spent days stripping back all the damaged parts
