Keep Calm & Sail On

Keep Calm and Sail On.

 

Planning to take a cruise up river from Dartmouth to Totnes, my wife and I were pleasantly surprised that the trip cost us only a mere £2 each after having paid £2.50 for the short trip across the river from Kingswear to Dartmouth.

 

So why could Greenway Ferry Pleasure Cruises do it so cheap when DSR&RB (Dartmouth  Steam Railway and Riverboat Company) charge £12 for the same trip?

 

It even says on the ferry boat 'Dartmouth to Totnes only £2.00' and cheekily ties up just behind the bigger DSR&RB vessel to poach the custom.

 

But of course this is all part of the ferry war that is going on between  the bigger company, owned by the McAlpine  group which has allegedly been doing the dirty on the smaller Greenway Ferry Pleasure Cruises company, and has put many other smaller concerns out of business. Seemingly when  a guy named Andrew Pooley came into the picture the Gentleman's agreement between the two companies regarding  poaching each other's schedules was dropped and so the price war started.

 

Will ford, the managing Director  of the GFPC family run company alleges that DSR&RB are ruthlessly attempting to put them out of business which will be no good to anyone except the larger company who aim to cut out all competition and then be able to charge what they like.

 

It is always a shame to see just what is happening these days to smaller business' who struggle to survive against the bully boys of the multimillion conglomerates and in my mind it is all part of the not so nice capitalism that has now begun to burst at the seams big time, when the misdeeds of the bankers are causing havoc in the world.

 

Somehow cruising down the river is the perfect refresher soothing the soul  after suffering the gloom and glumness of what is happening in our world today.  But even that is not sacrosanct it seems from the trials and tribulations of the power merchants who never cease to take advantage in the purchase of multiple shares in order to take control of smaller companies and then simply drop them.

 

Will Ford it seems is just another guy who aims to prevent that happening and perhaps with more support, with more people using his ferries rather than those of the big boys, he may just succeed.

 

As the motto on the back of  their shirts display ; Keep Calm and Sail On.

 

But thanks to the brothers who did the trip - the day was sunny and warm and the River Dart never fails to pleasure us. It is easy to understand why Agatha Christie lived near the banks commanding a perfect view of the meandering river and Dartmouth itself.