One of the largest paddle steamers afloat in Britain is the H.M.S. Royal Eagle, former peacetime excursion boat which carried passengers on pleasure jaunts from Tower Bridge to Southend, Ramscate and Margate. Commissioned two years ago as a warship of the Royal Navy, the craft has been in action 52 times against enemy aircraft. The Eagle took part in the evacuation from Dunkirk where she was dive-bombed 48 times and brought home nearly 3,000 British troops. Members of the crew cleaning the paddle boxes of H.M.S. Royal Eagle in London on January 18, 1943. (Photo by AP Photo)

A man dives into a canal during a hot day in Larkana district of Sind province on July 20, 2023. (Photo by Ahmed Raza Soomro/AFP Photo)

A general view of atmosphere during 2016 New York Comic Con – Day 1 on October 6, 2016 in New York City. The annual event offers pop culture fans exhibitors and displays of popular video games, movies and comic books and many people attending dress as their favorite character. (Photo by Daniel Zuchnik/Getty Images)

This photo shows sunset in Eagle, Colo., Sunday, November 3, 2019. Daylight saving time ended, making sunset around 5 p.m. this time of year in Colorado. (Photo by Chris Dillmann/Vail Daily via AP Photo)

St Louis Cardinals’ Nolan Arenado, centre, is doused with water by team-mates Masyn Winn and Lars Nootbaar after he took the team to victory against the Milwaukee Brewers of the last pitch of the game at Busch Stadium on August 21, 2024 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Jeff Curry/USA TODAY Sports via Reuters)

American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift performs onstage during Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour at Levi's Stadium on July 28, 2023 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management)

A woman rides a Vespa during the Annual Columbus day parade in New York on October 11, 2021. (Photo by Kena Betancur/AFP Photo)

A volunteer holds the peak of a flamingo chick after it was fitted with an identity ring at a lagoon in the Fuente de Piedra natural reserve near Malaga, southern Spain, July 30, 2022. (Photo by Jon Nazca/Reuters)