Several coastal sail trading vessels lie alongside the quays on either side of the harbour at Poole, with what may be a chain ferry crossing the harbour under steam in the distance. The vessel whose bluff, rounded stern is nearest to the camera on the left is the Pacific of Goole (1857), a trading ketch whose lines recall those of Humber keels. Moored ahead of the Pacific is a schooner of similar lines whose name according to the negative envelope's author is Mary Watkinson (1872) of Barrow.