The next site was the highlight of my day - Princess Half Tide Dock in between the apartment complex of East Waterloo Dock and the office complex of Princess Dock. Along the length of the dock road, runs a spectacular wall. At intervals there are monumental gateways. Peering through the gateway of this section, I spied a Brownfield with sparse vegetation cover, plants beginning to break through the surface sealing of cobbles and concrete, the early stages of natural succession... I also spied a small port-a-cabin at the entrance of Princess Dock. I made my way to the port-a-cabin in the hope that the security guard standing there would allow me access to the site.
Security guard No.1 allowed me to go on the site. I was in my element, scrubbing around, poking at plants, picking up muscle and oyster shells, creeping up on the gulls camera in hand… when security guard No.2 approached - Derek. We spent a long time talking. Derek’s relationship with this dock goes back a long way, he used to work here when it was operational – in charge of security then, as now, but in those days he watched over the ships and cargo.
Things Derek told me about the site:
• It is owned by Peel Holdings who own the dockland stretch from the disused airport through to Bootle
• Peel Holdings purchased this stretch for in excess of £700 million
• In 3 weeks time building work begins at Princess Half Tide Dock – another apartment block. (Derek’s not keen on the new buildings with their glass and mirrored facades, he likes the old warehouse)
• In the 16th century this was a landfill tip. During the recent land survey to check the sub structure, sea wall, contamination levels etc., the piling cores brought up old sugar moulds.
• The Dock was 35ft deep. Currently drained, it is in the process of being filled with land and debris from all over the city to make it 6ft deep. This is part of a major programme by British Waterways to regenerate the canal network, routing the Leeds Liverpool canal from Stanley Dock to Princess Dock (made me wonder why it was necessary to fill in the dock – would deep water hinder a narrow boat? Derek didn’t know either.)
• A cargo rail track ran all along the dock land behind the wall – going through the warehouses en route to off load goods
• The landing port where the ships off-loaded their cargo onto the trains is about to be demolished

Derek and I were joined by security guard No.3. He wanted to know where the kiddies’ cone placed in the centre of the site had come from…. my Independents ‘open’ cone. Introducing No. 3 to the project, the 3 of us then talked about the wildlife around the site. No. 3 particularly likes the ducks – watching them waddle across dry land with a string of ducklings in tow. Before he worked as a security guard here he had never seen a duck in real life. With his newly discovered fondness of ducks, he now considers it his duty to protect the ducks. He has stopped delinquent youths from throwing stones at them and from steeling them. Derek and No.3 now have a reputation as duck guardians and people finding lost ducklings take them to the port-a-cabin where a cardboard box is used to transport the duckling back to duck territory.
Derek also has another job; he’s a physic medium and teaches people how to use their minds. He believes that we can make ourselves aware of our environment. He gave me an example:

"The rat walking along the wall – if you are aware of the presence of rats, you will see him. This is how it is with all things… you just need to open yourself to your environment."

Finding my project of great interest he has offered to talk at the Liverpool Wastelands forum I am planning… he would like to speak about training our senses to become aware of the environment around us. I think his skills and knowledge would bring a dimension to the forum that I had not considered and if I am successful in organizing an event, I will definitely invite Derek to speak.

As l left the site, which was evaluated yellow, Derek recommended that I go and see the old landing dock, so with his security guard permission, I cycled into Princess Dock along the private road – no unauthorized vehicles allowed…