The spectacular sight of a giant, brightly decorated Snowdog floating along the River Tyne greeted fishermen, port staff and local residents as DFDS’s Great North Snowdog prepared to set sail for the summer.
Onlookers watched in awe as Skipper the Snowdog was carried along the river by Port of Tyne work-boat, the Sir Bobby Robson, and then lifted on board DFDS ferry Princess Seaways. The newly decorated Snowdog, designed and painted by Newcastle-based artist Joanne Wishart, will now spend a month on display to customers travelling on the ferry company’s Newcastle-Amsterdam service before joining 59 other giant sculptures on the Great North Snowdogs trail across Tyne and Wear for ten weeks from 19 September.
The special trip down the Tyne was arranged by DFDS with support from the Port of Tyne.
Max Foster, passenger director for DFDS, said: “Huge thanks to our colleagues at the Port of Tyne for their help in making Skipper’s voyage today smooth-sailing. We’re excited to have him on board the Princess Seaways, ready to greet guests travelling from the UK and throughout Europe to start their holiday with us. We hope that he’ll help entice visitors to discover the Great North Snowdogs trail and explore the region later in the year.”
To find out more about Skipper the Snowdog visit www.dfds.co.uk/snowdogs. More information about Great North Snowdogs is available at www.greatnorthsnowdogs.co.uk.