The Harwich Haven pilot, Mr Love boards the the ship from the shore side. Once onboard he radios Harwich VTS to say they were ready for the services and believed there were 2 tugs ordered but firstly the all important question, What was on the tide? Thalassa Avra had to time her departure for a rising tide as the channel is dredged to 14.5 metres to chart datum which meant her draught clearance would have be minimal on a lower tide.
Svitzer Shotley in the capable hands of Captian Good, breaks away from the tug pontoon and heads up Trinity Quay to be the aft tug and makes fast centre lead aft while the Svitzer Deben with Captian Manning at the helm, swings off the pontoon and paddles up to bow and makes fast centre lead forward.
Once fast, the tugs gets in position to pull her off the berth as the lines were slackened to let the mooring gang take them off the bollards. Last lines to be released were the springs.
Both tugs start off with a 25% pull off then Shotley increases to 50%. Deben on the bow increase to 50 but then eases up to get the stern out a bit more before the going back on at 50% then increasing further to 75%. A short while later the Shotley is asked to go all easy as the Deben goes to full power.
Steadily coming into the channel the pilot gets the Shotley to increase power to 50% on the stern as the Thalassa comes ahead on the main engine.
Shotley drops in astern as they come ahead while the Deben eases up and comes straight ahead to slacken down to let go.
As the clearance under the Keel wasn't a great deal, the pilot wanted the Shotley to help them around the 90 degree Beach End turn out of the harbour.
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