news

LOCH LINNHE broke down yesterday (03/01) while relieving on the Tayinloan – Ardminish service. Sailings were suspended for the remainder of the day.

LOCH RANZA arrived at Ardmaleish today for overhaul. ISLE OF CUMBRAE is at Rothesay awaiting overhaul. ISLE OF ARRAN remains at Fairlie awaiting further duties while Oban spare vessel, LORD OF THE ISLES, is berthing at Craignure while not required for duty. CALEDONIAN ISLES leaves the Clyde for overhaul on Monday 9^th. CLANSMAN will sail down from Oban to relieve her. BRUERNISH remains tied up at North Pier, Oban while LOCH TARBERT is laid up at Roseneath.

Due to weather conditions the 1330 ex Berneray and 1440 ex Leverburgh were cancelled today (05/06). The Sound of Barra service was suspended also due to the weather. Normal sailings should resume tomorrow weather permitting.

The island community of Colonsay is in mourning after the sudden death of Mr Charlie McKinnon, a much-loved resident, who will be greatly missed.

Mr McKinnon, a pier worker with Caledonian MacBrayne, died on Wednesday, December 21^st, as ISLE OF MULL docked at Colonsay Pier. He was aged sixty-nine.

After exchanging ropes with the ship’s crew he collapsed and died as he prepared to help with the gangway.

A one-minute silence was held in his memory on Friday 30^th on the pier, the ship’s horn sounding the beginning and the end of the minute.

A stalwart of the community, he will be remembered not only as an elder of the church, but also as a crofter, fireman, refuse collector and bus driver. Many visitors to Colonsay will remember his summer bus tours around the island.

Mr McKinnon’s funeral was held on Wednesday 4^th and the ferry was tied up for an hour to allow his CalMac colleagues and friends from the mainland time to attend.

Councillor Bill Fulton has asked the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) to examine if a tanker, which ran aground, had foreign crewmembers on board.

As reported on this website on 24^th December the 1,570gross tonnage UK registered oil tanker BLACKFRIARS was heading south, in ballast, from Lochinver to Pembroke Dock in Wales with eight people on board when it ran aground on the Eileanan Dubha rocks off Kyle of Lochalsh on Tuesday December 20^th.

Councillor Fulton, who lives in Kyle, has been fighting for twenty years for restrictions on dangerous shipping in the Minch. He pointed out that local people mentioned that some crewmembers appeared to be of foreign origin. While he admits that this may have nothing to do with the accident, he would like the MAIB to include these claims in their investigations. He added that it was important to find out how many crew were on duty as the ship passed through the Kyle narrows.

In recent years two other ships have grounded in dubious circumstances off the west coast. In June 2003 the JAMBO struck rocks and sank off the Summer Isles. That ship was found to have drifted miles off course. The LYSFOSS, which grounded in the Sound of Mull, did not appear to have anyone on watch. She passed through the Kyle narrows on a regular basis.

Councillor Fulton wants to ensure that BLACKFRIARS did not run aground in similar circumstances. He also argues for more British crewmembers on British ships in particular those ships, which sail among Scottish coastal waters.

CLANSMAN sailed from Oban to the Clyde today (07/01) to take over from CALEDONIAN ISLES, which will sail to Aberdeen for her annual overhaul. ISLE OF MULL is heading for the Garvel for repairs. ISLE OF ARRAN will sail north to Oban to relieve CLANSMAN while LORD OF THE ISLES will relieve ISLE OF MULL.

Strong winds caused disruptions and cancellations to ferry services throughout the Western Isles today (09/01).

ISLE OF LEWIS was stormbound at Stornoway. A decision was made at mid-day about the possibilities of any sailings going ahead.

HEBRIDES was stormbound at Lochmaddy until 1600 when she sailed to Uig. From there she sailed to Tarbert then from Tarbert to Lochmaddy. Weather permitting she will sail at 0730 as per schedule tomorrow.

The 1530 sailing from Oban to Barra and Lochboisdale was cancelled. The next sailing should depart Oban at 0900 tomorrow arriving at Barra at 1400, Lochboisdale 1530 and back at Oban for 2230.

The 1330 Tarbert – Uig service was cancelled as was the 1530 return. Services between Sconser and Raasay and between Ardmhor and Eriskay were suspended.

By the morning of Wednesday 11^th most services were back to normal. However strong winds returned over the following night resulting in a number of disruptions including the 0715 Stornoway – Ullapool and the 1030 return.

The 0645 departed from Oban en route for Coll and Tiree as per schedule but turned back due to the weather conditions. The next sailing to Coll and Tiree will be tomorrow (14/01) at 0645.

The 1345 sailing ex Lochaline and 1410 ex Fishnish are cancelled tomorrow. This is due to essential maintenance.

Despite the news that no bids have been received for the running of the Campbeltown – Ballycastle ferry service, local campaigners have vowed to fight on to have the service reinstated.

None of the four short listed companies were prepared to tender for the Irish ferry link. Those companies were Harrisons (Clyde) Limited, Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, Serco Denholm and Western Ferries. They were the Scottish Executive’s preferred bidders for the route.

Worries that the £1 million annual subsidy and problems with obtaining a suitable vessel were believed to be the main reasons for the failure to tender.

A local man, Mr James Robertson, is prepared to run the ferry route if he is offered the contract. Mr Robertson, a former employee of Caledonian MacBrayne, has formed Dalriada Shipping especially to operate the route to Ballycastle. He has twenty-five years of experience with CalMac both at sea and in the office and claims he can have the service running by Easter.

Mr Robertson expressed an interest in the route but he feels he was rejected because his company did not have the necessary experience.

Dalriada Business Action Group, which has played a significant part in trying to attract bidders for the route, is not prepared to give up the fight for the ferry link. They are seeking urgent talks with Transport Minister, Tavish Scott.

The Caledonian MacBrayne vessel, EIGG, has been involved in the rescue of four divers after their speedboat, the SUNBIRD, broke down on the way to a dive site in Ardmucknish Bay off Ledaig north of Oban.

The coastguard was notified of the engine failure but the EIGG was already in direct contact with the divers. The crew put out a tow to bring the speedboat back to shore.

This week’s edition of The Oban Times carries a report about the nameplate of the LOCH SEAFORTH, which is now in the possession of An Lanntair arts centre in Stornoway.

As the report correctly states she was the second of two vessels built in return for the renewal of the 1938 mail contract. She was not built for Caledonian MacBrayne, as the report states, but for David MacBrayne, Ltd and entered service on 6^th December 1947.

Her career ended in the employment of Caledonian MacBrayne early in 1973 after she struck rocks in the Sound of Gunna resulting in her scrapping at Troon.

Steamers and ferries were the subject of a talk given by Caledonian MacBrayne historian, Ian McCrorie, to the Kirkintilloch Rotary Club to round up their end of year meetings.

He had no problem keeping the attention of the audience especially as he opened his talk with a song delivered in a fine tenor voice.

LORD OF THE ISLES sailed to Tiree with an artic left behind by ISLE OF ARRAN on Friday 13^th after her sail to Colonsay was cancelled. ISLE OF MULL is back at Oban having departed from the Clyde on Saturday morning, calling at Colonsay on the way.

ISLE OF ARRAN is presently berthing overnight at Tobermory. She carried out a sailing to Tiree today (16/01). ISLE OF ARRAN is now fitted with a Fast Rescue Craft (FRC).

A former policeman, Mr Michael Taylor, has submitted a tender to operate a passenger only ferry service between Campbeltown and Ballycastle.

Mr Taylor believes that a fast ferry could offer a more frequent and sustainable service, which would complete the crossing in little over an hour. The service is aimed, initially, at the golfing community.

In 2004 he formed Mull of Kintyre Seatours, which offers high-speed wild life tours from Campbeltown to the Mull of Kintyre, Ailsa Craig, the Ayrshire coast and Northern Ireland in rigid inflatable boats.

Mr Taylor has reached the conclusion that a vehicular ferry service across the North Channel is unsustainable in the long term. He has been overwhelmed with enquiries from golfers, mostly from America, who want to play a triangle of courses at Royal Portrush, Machrihanish and Troon.

The Dalriada Business Action Group wish him well but are still campaigning for the reinstatement of a car ferry service.

LOCH LINNHE will depart from Oban on Tuesday 24^th bound for Ardmhor, Barra where she will change over with LOCH BHRUSDA the next day allowing her away for overhaul.

ISLE OF MULL failed to reach Colonsay today (20/01) due to the weather. An extra sailing to the island will depart; weather permitting, on Sunday at 0900. LOCH NEVIS missed her call at Muck and only made one call at Eigg.

LOCH RANZA carried out sea trials today. All being well she will sail for Tayinloan tomorrow to relieve LOCH LINNHE.

ISLE OF CUMBRAE has moved from Rothesay Pier to Ardmaleish. LOCH TARBERT moved from Roseneath to Ardmaleish today for overhaul.

It would appear that management of MUIRNEAG has passed from Harrisons (Clyde) to ASP Ship Management although this is not certain at the present time.

The Irish coaster NORD STAR occupied Oban’s North Pier for several days last week creating much interest among the locals.

After discharging 577 tons of road salt, during which time the ship’s crane broke down, stormy weather detained her at the pier.

ISLE OF MULL carried out an extra service from Craignure at 0900 this morning having spent the night at the Mull terminal.

ISLE OF MULL departed from Oban at 1150 to spend the afternoon at Craignure. LORD OF THE ISLES arrived back from Colonsay at 1350 with four cars and a van on board.

HEBRIDEAN ISLES will depart from Kennacraig on Thursday at 1200/1230 bound for Stromness after a crew changeover.

ISLE OF ARRAN left Tobermory today (24/01) and will berth overnight at Port Askaig departing for Kennacraig tomorrow morning. She will take up the scheduled 1800 sailing to Port Ellen tomorrow night.

Caledonian MacBrayne advise their customers that the Fishnish – Lochaline and Sound of Harris services face cancellations next week.

Due to ongoing construction work and tidal restrictions the following services between Fishnish and Lochaline are cancelled: ex Lochaline Monday 30^th 1245, Tuesday 31^st 1245 and 1345, Wednesday 1^st 1345, ex Fishnish Mon 1310, Tue 1310 and 1410, Wed 1410.

Monday 30^th 1110 ex Berneray and 1220 ex Leverburgh, Tuesday 31^st 1430 ex Berneray and 1540 ex Leverburgh, Wednesday 1^st 1430 ex Berneray and 1540 ex Leverburgh, Thursday 2^nd 1430 ex Berneray and 1540 ex Leverburgh.

The January Club Meeting took place on Friday 27^th with a talk given by Iain Quinn entitled “Cruising out of Oban”.

As usual Iain was in excellent form. He portrayed slides of ships, which he believed to be most suited to a role in cruising. Consequently we saw slides of ships from the earliest days of David MacBrayne to WAVERLEY and BALMORAL.

The Members were treated to slides of FUSILIER, PIONEER (1844), MOUNTAINEER and one of MacBrayne’s best known paddle steamers, GRENADIER sadly destroyed by fire at the North Pier, Oban in September, 1927.

Also featured was HEBRIDES (1898) after she was transferred to the MacBrayne fleet from McCallum, Orme & Co Ltd in 1929.

Iain then took us on to the 1950s and 60s portraying slides of LOCHFYNE, LOCHNEVIS, LOCHNELL, LOCH MOR, LOCH EARN, LOCHINVAR and LOCH SEAFORTH finishing that era with CLAYMORE of 1955.

Without interruption Iain showed a splendid selection of slides portraying COLUMBA, KING GEORGE V, WAVERLEY and BALMORAL. As Iain rightly said the only way to travel to Iona after the withdrawal of KING GEORGE V at the end of the 1974 season was by ferry to Craignure and then by bus to Fionnphort.

The advent of WAVERLEY changed that but even she only sailed to the Sacred Isle once a week. In the days of old one could sail to Iona every day during the summer.

Many locations were portrayed, during the evening, from Crinan in the south to Corpach in the north.

Slides were drawn from the collections of David Webster, Laird Parker, Robin Boyd and Iain’s father, Edward.

As usual Iain was very honest in his assessment on the present day cruising scene. The points he made are always relevant and forthright. His research was meticulous as always and his enthusiasm for his subject remains undiminished.

Ian McCrorie remarked upon the amount of freight traffic now going to Islay requiring the need for extra runs to the island.

He added that the results of the tendering for the Northlink services should be known next month.

The next Meeting takes place on February 24^th when the Speaker will be Mr James McMillan. His talk is entitled “Ferries, that paddler, and me”. Please note that Mr McMillan no longer works for Visit Scotland as stated on the Syllabus Page. He now works for Argyll and Bute Council.

Controversy over Sunday ferry services are set to arise again following the presentation of a policy paper to the Western Isles Council.

Donald Manford, the chairman of the council’s transport committee, will propose a consultation on the running of the Sound of Harris ferry on Sundays.

This will cause fury among islanders who insist upon keeping the Sabbath as a day of rest. The service links Berneray, in the south, with Harris, one of the most staunchly Presbyterian areas of the Outer Hebrides.

No ferries sail from Lewis or Harris to the mainland on Sunday although Sunday flights to Edinburgh have operated from Stornoway since 2002.

Barra and North and South Uist, which are dominated by the Catholic Church, have ferry services on Sundays. A causeway links Berneray with North Uist.

CLANSMAN is now operating between Ullapool and Stornoway having relieved ISLE OF LEWIS. She is now at Birkenhead for her overhaul.

LOCH BHRUSDA is moored at Fairlie waiting her turn for the slip at Ardmaleish where LOCH TARBERT is presently under overhaul. She spent the night of Friday 27^th at Port Askaig.

ISLE OF CUMBRAE has relieved LOCH RIDDON on the Tarbert – Portavadie – Lochranza winter service to allow her to travel round to Tayinloan where LOCH RANZA has been experiencing engine trouble. She is sailing to the Clyde for maintenance on her Voith units.

The Fishnish – Lochaline service was suspended on Sunday 29^th due to mechanical problems. Normal service was resumed at 1600.