Speedboat ride, 2018

Never having been on it I thought it was time to give it a go which I did in July; didn’t think I’d be able to record anything and didn’t even try but was a bit more optimistic afterwards. There were a couple of trips down to the seafront when it wasn’t there but on the last day of the open bus service for the year got down there at about 3 o’clock and was able to do it all again.

You hear the engine running as it lay alongside the jetty; there was an even number of people and an odd number of seats to fill so they waited for a few more people to turn up. First time I went on it I was sat in the back and you mainly hear a roaring exhaust there, this time I was in the middle behind the engine compartment and you hear more of the engine, it must be something like a truck motor, they have turbochargers. When it sets off you can just about hear the passengers behind shouting, the recorder was down in the cabin by the seat out of the blast of the wind and it wasn’t swirling about down there either.

It’s 4 quid and well worth it and all the mobile ‘phone videos that are knocking about, at least some of them will have that Southend seafront sound.