Historic paddle steamer sails from East Sussex port

The world's last seagoing paddle steamer has visited Newhaven for her first sailing from the port since the 1980s.

The Waverley will left Newhaven Harbour earlier Tuesday with a full complement of passengers to sail along the Sussex coast and across the Solent to the Isle of Wight.

The journey is part of a sold-out 2026 South Coast and Isle of Wight programme, where passengers are enjoying views of the Sussex coast and the Solent forts.

Ashley Gill, who provides a commentary for passengers on the ship, said: "Every time the Waverley comes along here, there's always something to see, something's changed."

Gill, who has travelled on the steamboat for forty years, said the ship was a "fantastic way" to see the British coastline.

The paddle steamer was launched on 2 October 1946, and entered passenger service the following year.

Operated on a not-for-profit basis, it underwent a major £7m rebuild in two phases, completed in 2000 and 2003.

The ship's visit comes after the 148-guest National Geographic Explorer became the first cruise ship to call at Newhaven in over a decade.

Newhaven harbour master, captain Stephen Tindale, said: "Welcoming PS Waverley back to Newhaven after an absence of more than four decades will be a proud moment for the port and the town.

"With the South Downs, Seven Sisters and the historic and cultural attractions of East Sussex close at hand, Newhaven is exceptionally well placed to serve as a gateway to the county."

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