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PHOTO TOUR These photos may take a few moments to load....please be patient, they are worth the wait. My photos are protected by and can be tracked. All content subject to copyright. All rights reserved. Contact me here |
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Waterfront: Maritime Museum, Occupation Tapestry, Marina, Steam Clock and Jersey MuseumThe St. Helier waterfront and harbour area has seen many changes in recent years, with even more dramatic developments to come in the near future. A luxury hotel, retail outlets and residential units will complement the entertainments complex and leisure pool that has already been constructed on this area of reclaimed land. My favourite part of the waterfront, however, is the old harbour and it is here that you will find our wonderful Maritime Museum and Occupation Tapestry, the quirky Steam Clock (subject of much controversy locally) and a popular yacht marina. |
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Edwardian granite warehouses along the harbour's New North Quay have been put to good use, housing our award winning Maritime Museum. |
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The museum was opened in 1997 and quickly became a popular venue with both visitors and islanders. As with many modern museums, the emphasis is on learning though hands-on exhibits. It's colourful, fun and informative with plenty to appeal to both adults and children. (Don't miss sitting inside the 'Orient Star' to get a feel for life below deck on a nineteenth century ship). This is a marvelous place to learn all about our rich maritime history. If you would like to read a little more about this subject, please click here.Adjoining the museum is the Occupation Tapestry Gallery. This houses a series of tapestry panels, stitched by islanders, depicting scenes from the occupation of the island during World War II. |
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The Steam Clock ('Ariadne') 'Ariadne' had bad press right from the start. At a time when islanders were being asked to reach into their pockets to donate money for an MRI scanner for our local hospital, £350,000 of taxpayers' money was being spent on this one clock. |
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To this day locals regard it with some disdain, referring to it as 'The Bubble Clock'. Every hour, on the hour, the great paddles turn, the waters beneath the clock start to bubble and steam emits from the twin funnels. Sadly the negative press at its inception means that many islanders do not realise is that this is really a monument to an important part of our maritime history. The original 'Ariadne' was one of the first steam ships to sail between England and the Channel Islands. (Read more about this here).If you are visiting the Maritime Museum, the Steam Clock is just to the rear of the building and is worth the few minutes detour it will take to get there. |
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Our new marina was recently given a five anchor rating for facilities and is popular with visiting yachtsmen. Also worth visiting in this area is the Jersey Museum (another award winner) - situated across the road junction by our bus station. Again, it's a bright and cheerful place for both adults and children. It's here that you can see the beautiful gold torque, discovered in 1889 and Lillie Langtry's fabulous grooming chest. The fine art gallery houses works by Millais, Ouless, Le Capelain and Blampied and two floors of a Victorian merchant house adjoining the museum have been restored to show life in the 1860s.Both museums are part of the Jersey Heritage Trust and discount tickets are available if you intend visiting several of their sites. |
