Western Isles Report
Report by Martin Longhurst
Waverley’s re-entry into service on 29 May 2009 was only achieved after enormous amounts of effort on the part of all her crew. The re-tubing of her boilers was completed by Cochran’s by 13 May while the ship was lying at Glasgow Science Centre. At this stage all the boiler connections – steam, water and electronic – had nor been reconnected making it impossible to steam her down river to the Garvel Dry-dock at Greenock. Fortunately an offer of free towage was forthcoming and the ship was repositioned to the Garvel on 18 May
An enormous amount of work went on at the dry-dock in the few days available. She was due to emerge on Monday 25 May but this date was not achieved and she was finally undocked at lunchtime on the Tuesday. At this stage, the boilers were not fully commissioned and tug assistance was needed. Finally, steam was raised successfully on Wednesday morning allowing a test trip down firth passing Dunoon before heading back to the Science Centre berth.
Frantic efforts followed as the crew were put through their paces by the MCA surveyor and gradually the ship was cleaned and stores taken on board. The last space to be released by the Engineers was the Dining Saloon and cleaning could not commence until 05.-00 on Friday morning – only two hours before sailing time. In the event, boarding commenced at 07.15, after Purser Jim McFadzean changed from his boilersuit to white shirt! Passengers were quickly boarded and the steamer moved off in service at 07.25 for Greenock, Campbeltown , Port Ellen and Oban. The Dining Saloon opened for business at 09.15
The first part of the trip was in misty and grey conditions. About 80 joined the ship at Campbeltown bringing the total to about 400. Rounding the Mull of Kintyre conditions improved with the sun coming out over a blue sea. Unfortunately the wind was in the wrong quarter to allow the call at Port Ellen to take place, so the steamer headed on northwards. Landfall was made at Oban’s North Pier at 20.10 with six coaches ready to take round trip passengers back to Campbeltown, Glasgow and Greenock.
Unfortunately the weekend passengers found that the excellent Oban Inn had been boarded up, leaving them searching elsewhere for real ale.
Saturday continued the trend of blue skies and unbroken sunshine, with a notable number of people turning bright red. Waverley sailed shortly after 10.00 having embarked about 600 souls for her direct sail to Inverie. Chaos reigned elsewhere in Oban Bay as Cal-Mac’s Clansman had broken down on Thursday on her way to Coll anhd Tiree with a faulty turbo-charger (a man was said to be coming from Norway to look at it!) and rosters were reorganised to cover life-line sailings. Lord of the Isles was swinging at anchor having sailed overnight to Coll and Tiree and had run out of hours. At 13.00 she was due to swap with Isle of Mull so the bigger ship could give another sailing to Coll and Tiree.
Meanwhile, Waverley headed west through the Sound of Mull to Tobermory where another 80 joined the ship before she set course for Skye, leaving Ardnamurchan Lighthouse to starboard. Approaching Armadale, the paddler slowed as the Coruisk was still on her berth. Soon she departed for Mallaig and Waverley was able to come alongside the old berth to exchange passengers. With 710 on board, she then headed east for Loch Nevis and her ultimate destination of Inverie, on the Knoydart Peninsular. The effect of Coruisk’s late running and the large number of passengers going on and off, meant the steamer was now about 25 minutes late. On arrival at Inverie, a revised departure time was announced, which just as well as she would otherwise have had to leave straightaway! Inverie is the location of The Old Forge, the remotest public house in mainland Britain. The place can only be reached by sea (or on foot) and there is a regular ferry service from Mallaig. There are cars and roads but these are not linked to the rest of Scotland’s road network. A pint of ... Glenfinnan was downed before the brief visit was over and the paddler headed back to Armadale on Skye. The retimed departure meant that the paddler again conflicted with the Coruisk at the Skye pier, necessitating a wide, sweeping course and a short pause before the steamer could berth. Further delay was caused by the large numbers going off and coming on the steamer, leaving her about an hour late for the rest of the day.
Having retraced our steps to Tobermory, we picked up 10 golfers who had been stranded by the cancellation of their ferry home from Craignure, resulting from the re-arrangement of duties following Clansman’s failure. We soon found out this was due to Lord of the Isles heading for Lochboisdale, which must have meant the cancellation of the last Craignure – Oban service.
The splendid weather continued on the Sunday. About 70 joined the ship for her 07.00 departure for Fort William. By now Clansman had been shifted to the South (Northern Lights) Pier to clear both link spans at Oban. Isle of Arran had steamed north from the Islay run to give a service to Barra. Anchored in Oban Bay was the small cruise ship Quest. She was due to all at North Pier as soon as we left, necessitating the erection of a temporary security fence as she was on an international voyage.
The Waverley steamed out of Oban promptly and shortly passed a larger cruise ship Astor also bound for an Oban call. Captain O’Brian took the paddler up the western shore of Lismore for a change. Landfall was made at Fort William at 09.30 where a crowd of about 250 were to join her for the day cruise or time ashore in Oban. Back down Loch Linnhe following a 10.00 departure the steamer made good time back to Oban. Approaching Oban we could see the repaired Clansman zooming about on trials. Quest cleared the North Pier to allow us to call, while Astor was tendering her passengers ashore to a slipway divided in two by a security fence, domestic passenger to the north and international passengers to the south! Isle of Arran departed on a relief sailing to Colonsay.
On leaving Oban again, there were 688 on board for the “Four Lochs and a Whirlpool” cruise. Owing to the tidal pattern today, Captain O’Brian opted to give the cruise in the opposite direction to normal, starting with the Gulf of Corryvreckan and then moving on to the Four Lochs. With continuing blue skies, a smooth sea and glorious scenery, the steamer sped between the multitude of enchanting islands before heading back for the Sound of Kerrera and Oban. We saw Isle of Arran returning from Colonsay.
The return leg to Fort William was billed as a Ceidlah cruise and a group of Highland singers and musicians joined the ship and set up their instruments between the funnels. They provided some excellent entertainment for the whole trip. Gradually the sun went down behind the hills to the west and the trip finally ended back at Oban at about 22.30.
Unfortunately, I had to leave before the end of the short Western Isles season but initial figures suggested a record year. Let’s hope this sets the pattern for the season.