WESTERN ISLES 2017
Words and pictures by Martin
Longhurst
Waverley looked splendid alongside Pacific Quay dressed overall to mark
her 70th anniversary season when we boarded on Friday 26 May 2017.
The sailing was due to take us to Greenock, Largs, Dunoon and Loch Long. Unfortunately, things did not go to
plan. At our first call at Greenock we
were surprised to see the engineers run out the water hose. After about 40 minutes we sailed on to Largs
but there was still a need to take more water.
In view of the mounting delays, Captain Cochrane decided to curtail the
cruise at Largs which was a great pity as there were good numbers on board in
the beautifully sunny and warm weather. During the 2 hours sitting alongside
waiting our scheduled departure time, the technical issue was resolved and the
paddler could return to Greenock and Glasgow at full speed. If the issue had not been sorted out, it had
been anticipated that we would return at reduced speed using only one boiler.
Saturday’s cruise was the regular Tighnabruaich run and was again well
supported by a large number of people keen to enjoy themselves as much as
possible. These included a ladies’ choir who provided impromptu performances in
various locations. Apart from about an
hour’s rain between Rothesay and Tignabruaich, it was another fine warm
day. The sheer numbers getting on and
off delayed the steamer, however.
Sunday saw Waverley set out for Lochranza, calling at Greenock,
Rothesay, Largs and Keppel (Isle of Cumbrae).
There was a good crowd of people on board as we departure at low
water. Punching the incoming tide held
the steamer back and this, combined with a delay waiting for the rope men at
Rothesay, meant that we arrived at Lochranza simultaneously with the Claonaig
ferry Catriona. This new ferry is longer than her predecessor and it is now
impossible to berth at the pier while she is on the slipway. So, we had to
patiently await her departure to complete our voyage. In order to maintain the
return time, we only came alongside the pier long enough to take on board
supplies of cake for the crew, supplied by a local supporter.
On Monday morning the new workboat used to turn Waverley failed to
start on time and so Captain Cochrane decided to turn the paddler using a cant
rope. It was quite a long process to run out the line and get it secured on the
quayside.
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The cant commences as the workboat arrives |
Half way through the maneouvre |
As passengers are no longer permitted to be on board for this kind of
manoeuvre, we all had a grandstand view of the proceedings from the
quayside. Naturally, the workboat came
into sight just as the crew started hauling in the cant rope! After the exercise was completed, boarding
commenced and the steamer finally set sail about 45 minutes behind schedule for
Kilcreggan, Dunoon and time ashore in Rothesay.
The latter was slightly reduced to help make up time but adverse tidal
conditions held her back on the return leg.
The forecast for Tuesday’s positioning voyage from Glasgow to Oban had
indicated a strong westerly wind but fortunately the wind did not in fact rise
and the trip went ahead as planned, departing Pacific Quay at 0700 and arriving
in Oban at 2030. Calls were made at
Campbeltown to pick up more passengers and at Colonsay for a 30 minute
break. The weather was cold but the only
significant rain fell at Colonsay.
The weather was warm and sunny the following day as the steamer
departed Oban at 0900 for Armadale direct.
On a calm sea, excellent progress was made and reduced speed was all
that was required to reach the Skye port on time.
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Departing
Oban |
Arriving
at Armadale |
Only about 50 souls had been on the vessel on her positioning voyage
but a further 150 or so joined for the afternoon cruise to Inverie and
back. This gave 1 hour 45 minutes ashore
on the Knoydart shore, longer than planned to fit in with revised ferry times
at Armadale. Inverie is a small
settlement on the mainland which is not connected to the national road
network. All supplies are brought in by
ferry from Mallaig, as indeed were ice creams during our stay. After dropping off the afternoon cruise
passengers at Armadale, the paddler completed her move to Kyle of Lochalsh
where she moored for the night.
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Departing
Armadale |
Alongside
at Kyle of Lochalsh |
Thursday saw the paddler head further north to Portree on the Isle of
Skye and Gairloch on the mainland coast. The sky was grey and gloomy but
fortunately there was not too much rain.
There were good numbers through the day, reaching a peak of over 600 on
the cruise out of Gairloch to Loch Torridon.
We encountered Hebridean Princess anchored off Gairloch and proceedings
were enlivened when one of our regular passenger got left behind as we started
our voyage south. I am pleased to say
she safely made her back by taxi and train via Achnasheen.
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Hebridean
Princess anchored off Gairloch |
Crowds
stream on board at Gairloch |
Waverley was again berthed for the night at Kyle ready for her trip the
next day to circumnavigate the Isle of Raasay.
On our arrival at Raasay Pier there were no rope handlers, so we steamed
slowly in a circle while an urgent phone call was made. The second pass was successful, our ropes
were taken and we exchanged passengers.
We steamed on to Portree where a good number came aboard. Then disaster struck! While going astern to clear the harbour, a
wire cable became snagged in the port paddle wheel and wound itself around the
paddle shaft. The ship lost power and
the anchor was dropped while a preliminary assessment was made. A low speed movement was deemed possible and
the steamer slowly moved to a safer anchorage where the cable could be
removed.
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The
anchored being hauled up |
This process took some time and an inspection showed that a reduced
speed passage could be made. It was now
too late to do anything but retrace our course to Raasay and Kyle. Captain Cochrane decided not to attempt a return
to Portree in case of a repetition.
Further checks were made while passengers were exchanged at Raasay and
then the steamer continued south at around 10 knots. Arrival at Kyle was earlier than planned but
nevertheless the Lochalsh Junior Pipe Band was again in attendance, welcoming
us with ‘Scotland the Brave.’ The
Portree passengers were coached back from here. The positioning voyage was made at reduced
speed without passengers, arriving after midnight. The 50 or so Western Isles Pass holders made
a variety of arrangements to get to Oban.
Saturday was spent undertaking repairs alongside Oban’s North Pier with
assistance from staff from the Dales Marine from the Garvel dry dock. 7 men worked 13 hours to repair the wheel,
the floats of which looked like they had been cut with a cheese wire. Neither
the day nor the evening cruise took place.
There was a good crowd on board on the Sunday for our trip to land on
Iona, including three coach loads from Glasgow.
However, shortly after departure time Captain Cochrane announced that
the operator of the Iona landing boats had been in contact to say there was too
much swell for a safe transfer to take place.
There was then a pause while options for a cruise in sheltered waters
were investigated. The initial thought
had been to visit Tobermory but the pier was not available, so the Captain
decided to offer the Four Lochs cruise that could not be given the previous
day. A number of passengers opted to
leave the steamer at this stage and those remaining were offered suitable
refunds and half price vouchers. The
revised cruise went ahead under gloomy skies but there was not too much rain
although there was a stiff southerly breeze from time to time, as the paddler
twisted and turned to visit Lochs Shuna, Melfort, Craignish and Crinan. Then west to pass through the Gulf of
Corryvreckan where, I am glad to relate, the whirlpool was not running. We were now in the open sea and experienced a
period of rolling in the westerly swell, the very conditions that prevented the
visit to Iona. We returned to Oban just
after six o’clock, once North Pier had been cleared by the veteran tall ship
The Flying Dutchman of Amsterdam.
The final day of the Western Isles season, Monday 5 June 2017, took
Waverley from Oban to Tobermory and Tiree with a short cruise to the Gunna
Sound, which lies between the Isles of Coll and Tiree. The steamer was quieter than on the Sunday
but the weather was much more pleasant with quite a bit of sun with the
briefest of brief rain showers. More
passengers joined at Tobermory for sail past the Ardnamurchan light to the Isle
of Tiree. There were distant views of
Rhum, Eigg and Skye. Soon we were
passing both the Isle of Coll and CalMac’s Clansman, inbound for Oban. The majority of the passengers disembarked to
enjoy a brief spell on the Atlantic island while we were joined by a throng of
islanders, including the children from the primary school. As we turned in Gunna Sound we could see the
island of Barra in the far distance and our thoughts turned to the funeral of
Eilidh MacLeod which had taken place there earlier in the day. Eilidh was a 14 year old victim of the
Manchester bombing.
Just before we docked back at Oban, Captain Cochrane made an
announcement to mark the end of the short season, thanking both crew and
passengers for their support and looking forward to Waverley’s 70th
anniversary cruise on 16 June. The
steamer had been chartered privately for the next three days, so there was no
public voyage back to The Clyde this year.
The 1903 built tall ship Flying
Dutchman
prepares
to moor at Oban