After undergoing her annual overhaul during August RAASAY returned to her static role as spare vessel at Oban throughout September and October. She could have been forgiven for feeling unwanted as she was no longer required to relieve CANNA on the Rathlin service as it had passed out of CalMac control and she had been replaced as a Small Isles relief vessel by LOCH BHRUSDA.

 

She eventually stirred on Tuesday 28^th October when she left Oban at 0900 and sailed down the Sound of Mull to arrive at Tobermory at 1230. Once there, she replaced LOCH LINNHE on the Kilchoan service from1545 to allow the larger vessel time off for overhaul and then to undertake relieving duties throughout the network.

 

No sailings were provided on Christmas Day or New Year’s Day while only one return trip operated on Boxing Day and Friday 2^nd January; this left Tobermory at 1100and returned from Kilchoan at 1145.

 

Gales affected her service on both Saturdays10th and 17^th January; on the former she missed the morning crossing while on the latter she missed the afternoon crossing!

 

Her planned service was rudely interrupted on Monday 19^th when she handed the Kilchoan service over to ISLE OF CUMBRAE after the 1145 inward sailing and left Tobermory at 1415 bound for Gigha.On Tuesday 20^th she took up the Gigha service as the duty vessel on the route, LOCH LINHHE, was unable to operate to Tayinloan because of the build up of weed on the slipway. RAASAY, being unencumbered with propellers dangling well below her hull was able to berth in a shallower depth of water than the larger Voith-Schneider vessel.

 

On Tuesday 20^th Tayinloan was still not available and she sailed from Gigha at 0800 and 1145 to Kennacraig, returning at 1000 and 1315. From Wednesday 21^st she was able to access Tayinloan but, as luck would have it, the weather deteriorated, interrupting her sailings. On Wednesday 21^st, she missed the 1705 sailing to the mainland. Next day, she sailed from Gigha at 1130, 1330 and 1530, in each case returning 30 minutes later. On Sunday 25^th the 1330 round trip was put back by one hour to allow for an improvement in conditions.

 

Her spell at Gigha ended on Monday 26^th when LOCH LINNHE returned to replace her; after operating the 1030 sailing from Gigha she sailed light to the South Pier for the night, then departed from there at 1120 on Tuesday 27^th light to Oban.

 

She remained tied up at Oban as spare vessel until Sunday 1^st February when she was reawakened and left at 1030 bound for Tobermory where she arrived at 1330. On the following day she returned to her normal Winter duty of maintaining the Tobermory to Kilchoan service. This was to allow LOCH LINNHE to have the adventure of sailing to the Outer Isles for the first time in several years to relive LOCH BHRUSDA on the Sound of Barra service.