Blue Barnacle
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 Pirates Cove section of the park.
| Blue Barnacle | |
|---|---|
![]() | |
| Chessington World of Adventures | |
| Area | Pirates Cove |
| Status | Operating |
| Soft opening date | 14 April 2021 |
| Opening date | 16 April 2021 |
| Replaced | Black Buccaneer |
| General statistics | |
| Manufacturer | Metallbau Emmeln |
| Model | Pirate Ship |
| Theme | Pirates |
| Height | 11 m (36 ft) |
| Capacity | 650 riders per hour |
| Rows | 10 |
| Height restriction | 110 cm (3 ft 7 in) |
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.[1]
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.[2] 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.[3]
Gallery
Blue Barnacle's new pirate theming.
Blue Barnacle's swing.
Blue Barnacle's valley.
Blue Barnacle's dyed water.
Under the boat, mid swing.
The previous ride, Black Buccaneer.
References
- A'hoy mateys..., retrieved 19 February 2021
- "Metallbau Emmeln Pirate Ship Specs" (PDF).
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - "Chessington 2020 Map" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 October 2020.

