VIC 96 at home in Chatham No.1 Basin

At 1500 hrs on Saturday 8th August 2009, VIC 96 arrived home to a most welcoming crowd.  We were escorted by a number of craft on our way up the Medway, including boats from Chatham Maritime, the tug Fearnought and we also had a friendly exchange of whistles with Kinsgwear Castle. 

Taking just 5 weeks, our homecoming voyage of around 1,000 miles has been quite an achievement and we intend making an archive of all the thrills and spills.  So many of our kind followers have sent us excellent pictures and some video footage which we hope to upload over the coming weeks - if you would like to be notified as the updates takes place, please email us here info@vic96.co.uk.

The VIC 96 Trust particularly thank all those who will have helped us to get home, especially Nando Lopez and all the staff at The Waverley Hotel in Maryport for their hospitality over the last 5 years; Paul 'Sheddy' Simpson for all his help, especially bringing coals to Newcastle during the voyage; Mike Hawkins at MP Marine; John Barber, Ship's Rigger; John Dunsmore, Ship's Keeper; John McEvoy, Pilot Star; Robin Cole, Precision Navigation Ltd, Medway City Estate; Roger, Lyn and Dylan Hampshire at Cocketts Beds www.cockettsbeds.co.uk (very comfy mattresses, made as they would have been in 1945);  and Rob and Ray at 'Makeyour-point' for donating this website and their technical help and support - extremely generous and patient fellows!