Blue Barnacle Explained

Blue Barnacle
Location:Chessington World of Adventures
Section:Shipwreck Coast
Status:Operating
Soft Opened:14 April 2021
Previousattraction:Black Buccaneer
Type:Flat Ride
Manufacturer:Metallbau Emmeln
Model:Pirate Ship
Theme:Pirates
Capacity:650
Rows:10
Restriction Cm:110
Virtual Queue Name:Reserve and Ride
Virtual Queue Image:chessington reserve ride.jpg
Virtual Queue Status:available
Accessible:yes
Transfer Accessible:yes

Blue Barnacle is a Metallbau Emmeln swinging pirate ship which opened in April 2021 at Chessington World of Adventures in southwest London, England as a replacement for the now defunct Black Buccaneer. The ride forms part of the Shipwreck Coast section of the park.

History

Following the closure of Black Buccaneer at the end of 2018, it was quietly removed during the 2019 season. In January 2020, the park held a social media competition to name the attraction's replacement. Blue Barnacle was the winning name. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the new ride's intended opening of 2020 was postponed to 2021.

In 2022 Pirates Cove was transformed into Shipwreck Coast, with the theming of the area being updated to feature more influence from the architecture of coastal villages and towns. In addition, the valley surrounding Blue Barnacle became the home of a flock of Bagot goats.

Description

Blue Barnacle is a type of amusement ride consisting of an open, seated gondola (usually in the style of a pirate ship) which swings back and forth, subjecting the rider to various levels of angular momentum.

The attraction is manufactured by German company 'Metallbau Emmeln' and sports a blue, red and white colour scheme. The ride is 11m tall and can sit 42 riders per cycle, as well as a capacity of 650 riders per hour.[1] Those between 1.1m and 1.3m must be accompanied by an adult over the age of 16, while those a minimum height of 1.3m can ride alone.[2]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Metallbau Emmeln Pirate Ship Specs.
  2. Web site: Chessington 2020 Map. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201015145233/https://www.chessington.com/media/msbjs1wa/2020-park-map-theme-park-zoo-sea-life.pdf . 2020-10-15 .