Gosport Ferry's longest serving captain retires after 17,322 days of service
Captain retires after 47 years of service
The Gosport Ferry has had a member of the Clark family at the bridge for over a half a century.
Having followed in his father’s footsteps, Richard Clark, of Gosport, started working alongside him in 1978 and it is the only life he has known until today. From a child joining his dad William on his shifts, to turning 16 and donning the uniform himself it is all he has ever wanted to do.
47 years on, his wife Sheila and an array of family members joined him for his last sailing on Tuesday, June 2 as he begins retirement. It was a bittersweet day for Richard who was hoping to continue for three more years before health issues forced his hand.
He said: said: “It is a bit sad really, I would have liked to carry on as I had another three years to go until retirement but my health has taken a downward turn. My mind is willing but the body isn't, so I have to give in.
“My father was here for 42 years and I started in 1978 alongside him doing the doing the cruises then progressed from there to become captain when my dad retired.”
The Clark name will carry on with his brother Kevin having also worked alongside him for 33 years.
Richard said: “I'm here with my brother today, and he has been here 33 years, so with my dad as well we have got a few years between us on the service. I’ll leave it in my brothers capable hands to carry on the family name for a while and who knows maybe my little grandson will work on here as well.”
It was an emotional day for Richard and his family as a crowd gathered on the ferry to give him the send off he deserved. Despite wanting it to be a “quiet affair” his family, friends and colleagues were there to ensure his incredible service was marked. A tug boat followed behind the Gosport Ferry giving Richard a water cannon salute.
From his view on the bridge he has seen some incredible moments of history.
He said: “During the Falklands I watched all the ships coming back home, lots of round the world yacht races, I have seen all the cruise ships coming which have got bigger and bigger over the years. I saw the Mary Rose being raised up with a big crane lifting her off the seabed. There has been loads of things over the years, too many to mention.”
While he is not going to miss some of the “punters” late on a Friday or Saturday night, he is going to miss his colleagues.
Richard said: “I’m going to miss working with the lads, they are a good crew. All of them, we do eight crossings an hour from 5.30am until midnight and we just get the job done. The reliability rate is over 90 per cent I think and we have great maintenance staff that keeps the boat well oiled and ready to go, you cant work without your crew. The company on a whole do a great job, providing a good service to the local people and safely as well.”
For Kevin, it is a surreal thought that he will no longer be working alongside his brother.
He said: “I started in 1993 so I’m a comparative newcomer compared to my brother. In all seriousness he has been a bit of a mentor for me, following firstly in my father’s footsteps and then my brother. Now he is retired it is a strange feeling, I am now on my own where I have always had a family member with me.
“I’m very proud of him, most of the time we joke around and are not serious but I am very proud of him. I’m going to miss him and I hope he enjoys his retirement and I wont be too far behind him.”
Richard is still planning a life on the water with plenty of fishing in retirement as well as taking up golf.