We Merseysiders congratulate ourselves in giving visitors a warm welcome – but what about a good send off? It appears that the beautiful historic paddle steamer Waverley which graces the Mersey next week with cruises to North Wales on Tuesday and Wednesday may find herself unable to leave our fair riverside. Apparently there is nowhere for Waverley to refuel to get back to her Glasgow home port. Due to the Cruise Terminal being occupied by a liner, Waverley is having to operate off the Seacombe Ferry Terminal landing stage and the fuel barge is too long to get alongside there. Mersey Ferries won’t let Waverley use its fuel tank at Seacombe as she’ll drain it dry, I’m told. So why not top up the paddle steamer and the fuel tank up by lorry on a daily basis?  I remember a similar problem when I organised a visit to Liverpool by Waverley in the 1990s and a few phone calls from that ubiquitous maritime spirit Pamela Brown sorted out the problem in a day or so. Perhaps we should call Mrs Brown again?  Otherwise how will the venerable paddler get home? Towed by the New Brighton Lifeboat? Come on Mersey Ferries – it’s not rocket science (or even rocket fuel).