IS IT A boat? Is it a bus? No - it's a duck! Any the wiser? Probably not!
What it really is, is one of two WW II DUKW amphibious landing craft that The Yellow Duckmarine company has rebuilt, updated and turned into a 30-seat sightseeing vehicle.
The Yellow Ducks are already a familiar sight around Liverpool and these unusual eye-catching vehicles have become part of the city scene.
Wacker Quacker 1 and Wacker Quacker 2 as they are named, have been operating tours from The Albert Dock since April 2001 and between them they provide up to 11 tour departures most days from 11.00am.
This unique road and water adventure provides knowledge and excitement and interest for all ages. On the road, Ducks travel a circular route along Liverpool's historic waterfront and through the city taking in the major sights including the Pier Head, Royal Liver Building, St Georges Hall, the cathedrals, Chinatown and many other places of interest. This part of the tour lasts 30 minutes.
On returning to the Albert Dock the vehicles dramatically drive straight from the road down the main slipway and into the Salthouse Dock - the famous Duck Splashdown!
On the water the tour continues through the 19th century south docks - via Wapping and Queens Docks to Coburg Dock and then back to circle the Albert Dock itself before returning to the start point. There is a live tour commentary throughout each tour, which is delivered by our very knowledgeable crews.
DUKW's were built in the USA by General Motors and started life in the mid 1940s as military ship-to-shore transports. Many were used in the D-Day landings and in other wartime theatres. They remained in service with the British and other armies into the 1960s.
Of the 21,000 built less than 2000 are thought to remain with far fewer than this in roadworthy condition.
The principal designer Roderic Stephens was very proud of his achievement in turning the standard 21/2 US Army truck into a useful amphibian in a mere 42 days but boasted, "she's not very fast but she'll beat any boat on the highway and any truck on the water"!
