h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Isle of Wight Shipwrecks: Floating Bridge No. 6 - A87911166
Author: Bluebottle - U43530

The moral of the story? If your floating bridge isn't broke, don't replace it!

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If you want this as a Guide Entry you should explain:

- that this isn't a floating bridge in the normal non-Isle-of-Wight sense - for example the Seattle Redmond floating bridge or the older Galata bridges in Istanbul.

- that this isn't a shipwreck of the Isle of Wight.

- why Floating Bridge #6 is the 9th of its kind (perhaps in a footnote)

Thanks for the read through – I've not got my memory stick with me today so I'll make changes when I can save them to my master copy.

It is a floating bridge in the normal non-Isle of Wight sense, exactly the sort of thing as the former Floating Bridge, Southampton A246296, the Portsmouth to Gosport floating bridge (see: http://historyinportsmouth.co.uk/events/floating-bridge.htm ) or the Sandbanks Floating Bridge, but you're right that it makes sense to add an explanation that this class of vessel is often classed as a chain ferry and add a footnote about why the 9th bridge is called number 6. (Although everyone now actually calls it 'Floaty McFloatfarce'…)

As to whether or not it is a shipwreck, if a vessel to all intents and purposes spends more time run aground than actually floating, when would it count it as a shipwreck? Also a definition of 'shipwreck' is 'destruction, ruin, disaster; to wreck; to cause ruin or destruction'. It has collided with numerous yachts, broken car bumpers and exhausts, been blamed for the collapse of local businesses – it is definitely a shipwreck in that regards. But yes, I can make it clearer that it is a metaphorical shipwreck rather than a physical sunken wreck. At least at the moment. I mean, who knows what the floating bridge will have done by the time I've finished typing this sentence?

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Oh, and I'll add a description of the noise. I've said it breaks WHO guidelines, but haven't said that a crossing sounds like a blue whale in labour with the only available midwifes the ghosts of Jacob Marley and an unrepentant, heavily-chained Ebenezer Scrooge. Only much, much worse.

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Yes, I picked up on the desperate tone of this Entry when I read it yesterday - 'trainwreck' is the word by the sound of it...

What happened to #5? It would be good if it had been mothballed so they could take it out and use it until #6 had been made fit for purpose, but I suspect it is one of those things where #6 has metaphorically gone off course and they are redoubling their efforts to forge ahead...

Thank you for sharing this sorry saga...

Number 5, the one my Dad built that worked perfectly 1975-January 2017, was put up for sale:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-38011179
The Isle of Wight Council then refused to announce whether or not the bridge had been sold:
http://onthewight.com/floating-bridge-has-gone-but-has-she-been-sold/
Last year at least she was moored off Gosport, I've not been to Gosport for a while so I don't know if she's still there.

..Ah, hang on – according to Pompey's paper they're turning her into razor blades, but the fact they think that Ed Sheeran is the perfect picture to accompany this story amused me. If we don't turn the floating bridge into razor blades urgently, look what people's faces will look like!
http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/opinion/old-chain-ferry-is-destined-to-become-razor-blades-1-7867525

Note to self: add
1st August 2018 – Councillor Ian Ward announces he wants to provide Cowes Week's visitors 'a good floating bridge service during the period of Cowes Week'. This is considered a snub to Islanders, who want a good floating bridge service all year round.

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I've made some changes to reflect all the comments and suggestions you've raised and checked the IWCP and BBC website in case of further updates, but the floating bridge isn't mentioned again so far today...

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Old Floating Bridge song (extract):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0y-WyCWrqhY

The Floating Bridge song was by Lauri Say, who is famous for his folk songs on the Island in the late 1960s and was instrumental in organising the Isle of Wight Festivals. The mention of 'BHC' (British Hovercraft Corporation) dates it 1966-1984 so in all probability is referring to Bridge 4

The original version went:
So heave 'er up and come with me
Hi ho the floating bridge
We'll journey across the raging sea
All together on the floating bridge.

There's tears in our eyes 'cos I don't know when
Hi ho the floating bridge
We'll see our homeland once again
All together on the floating bridge.

Though raging seas and strong winds
Hi ho the floating bridge
We've left East Cowes far behind
All together on the floating bridge.

The captain doth his vigil keep
Hi ho the floating bridge
As we bravely cross the raging deep
All together on the floating bridge.

He stands with spyglass in his hand
Hi ho the floating bridge
'Cos now we're thirty yards from land
All together on the floating bridge.

The seas do rage and the wind does roar
Hi ho the floating bridge
And the seasick lubbers are longing for shore
All together on the floating bridge.

The crowds that are waiting shout hooray
Hi ho the floating bridge
And they all go back the other way
All together on the floating bridge.

The workers waiting by the sea
Hi ho the floating bridge
To cross the river to BHC
All together on the floating bridge.

Around Cape Horn in the wind and snow
Hi ho the floating bridge
Thank God that's a place we never go
All together on the floating bridge.

The council ought to bridge that gap
Hi ho the floating bridge
And sell this bloody thing for scrap
All together on the floating bridge.

But here's the worst of all our fears
Hi ho the floating bridge
We'll still be travelling in a hundred years
All together on the floating bridge.

A new version about Bridge 6 has been regularly performed, but can I find a link at the moment, eh?

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