Embarr in Kinsale
By Johnny Hamilton
It’s the eve of Embarr’s maiden expedition of summer 2013 and on board we have divers from the Bermondsey and Windsor Dive clubs, UK. The group has enjoyed some quality local dives with the UC-42 site being a favourite thus far.
Tomorrow we will bid farewell to Kinsale as our adventure takes us west along for a few days of diving and exploring on the South Coast of Ireland. Embarr is looking great with her fresh coat of paint and is enjoying her reincarnation as a Dive liveaboard vessel. Prior to this, Embarr served as a family home on the River Thames and prior to that she served her duty as she was originally designed for. Embarr is one of 65 Fleet Tenders built for the British Royal Navy from 1963 through 1982 on the same 79’ hull.
Constructed in 1972 by the famous Cooks yard of Wyvenhoe she served in operations from the Elbe to Brest including the North Sea and the English Channel carrying crew and cargo to larger navy vessels such as aircraft carriers. Embarr’s single main engine is a four cylinder Blackstone running through a 2:1 reduction gear box to a single bronze propeller with a comfortable top cruising speed of 10.5 knots. On a full tank of fuel Embarr has an operating range of 1200 miles. Of the 65 fleet tenders constructed we know of three that are now serving their time as floating hospitals on the Amazon with others having been adapted as dive liveaboards and family homes throughout the world.
And so it goes, at first light we shall set a course West, with our fridges stocked, the cupboards bursting and Annes infamous scones and cookies neverending, Embarr is ready and so are we.
