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This year is an important landmark for the West Highland Steamer Club. 2007 marks the 40^th Anniversary of the Club, which was officially founded on December 4^th 1967.

The first and most important event is a 40^th Anniversary double cruise from Oban to Craignure on board ISLE OF MULL on 6^th October on the 11.45 sailing. The ticket will include lunch and one drink served in the forward coffee bar on the ship.

Tickets will be issued at Oban on the day. The cruise is non-landing and returns to Oban at 15.45.

It is hoped that there will be a guest speaker on the day, one who is identified with the West Highlands and who is known to the Club. As numbers will be limited applications should be received in good time and before September 8^th.

The Committee hope that this lunch and cruise will mirror the successful 25^th Anniversary celebrations, which took place on board CLAYMORE on Sunday 4^th October 1992 when the Club Members, families and friends sailed from Kennacraig to Gourock where she was going for her annual overhaul.

The second event is an organised visit to the Clyde Port Control Tower at Greenock on Friday 23^rd November at 14.00. This visit will show how the passage of ships on the Clyde is controlled. The number of people attending is limited to thirty but should the number wishing to attend exceed this number then an additional visit may be arranged at a later date.

This visit follows on from the successful Club Meeting with Captain Ron Bailey, Clyde Harbourmaster, which took place on January 28^th 2005 in the Kirk Lounge, Renfield St Stephens Church Hall, Bath Street, Glasgow.

The President hopes that many of the Club’s Members will be able to attend either one or both of these events to celebrate this milestone in the Club’s history.

HEBRIDEAN PRINCESS Oban 3^rd 08.00-19.00, Loch Torridon 4^th, Gairloch 5^th, Loch a’ Chairn 6^th.

LOCH ALAINN is now firmly ensconced on the Sound of Barra route between Ardmhor and Eriskay.

She departed from Gourock on Monday 2^nd and berthed overnight at Craighouse, Jura. On Tuesday she carried on through the Sound of Iona and was making for the Gunna Sound when she had to turn back due to a problem with her radar. She spent the night at Craignure where engineers sorted out the problem.

LOCH ALAINN set out for Ardmhor on Wednesday 4^th and took over from LOCH BHRUSDA on the 15.45 run from Ardmhor.

LOCH BHRUSDA departed for Lochaline where she stayed overnight before sailing down to the Clyde where she will assume the role of spare vessel.

Ferry operator CalMac has confirmed that with immediate effect, car parking in the vicinity of terminal buildings is to be restricted to people with mobility issues displaying appropriate documentation, and key personnel.

LOCH BHRUSDA arrived at Roseneath on Friday 6^th after an overnight stay at Lochranza. She sailed to Largs to unload crew’s cars before sailing to the Gareloch pier.

Ferry operator CalMac is launching a new tour from Fort William, in association with Gordon Grant Marine and Shiel Buses. From 16 July 2007, visitors will be able to enjoy a trip through the Morvern Peninsula and across to the Isle of Mull, before taking a boat trip to the remarkable islands of Staffa and Iona.

Ferry operator CalMac has, in response to a number of enquiries from media outlets, reaffirmed its position with regard to the possibility of Sunday sailings to and from Harris and from Lewis to the mainland.

LOCH BHRUSDA entered service on the Clyde today (14/07) at 15.15 when she partnered LOCH RIDDON on the Largs – Cumbrae route. The new Cumbrae vessel, LOCH SHIRA, remained tied up at her Fairlie berth. She was taken out of service due to solenoid problems.

Following the retirement of David Hutcheson in 1876 and his partner, Alexander Hutcheson in 1878, David MacBrayne carried on the business in his own name from 1879.

The first ship built for the fleet within this period was CLAYMORE. Built by J & G Thomson, she was launched on Thursday 14^th July 1881 and entered service on the Glasgow – Stornoway route.

Her lines in general followed those of CLANSMAN (1870) but many agree that she was the more attractive ship of the two. CLAYMORE had a well-proportioned clipper bow, bowsprite and hull surmounted with a pair of tall stately masts.

Both ships were worked hard, sailing all year round in fair weather and in foul carrying passengers, cargo and livestock. They negotiated open sea, sound, loch and bay all as part of the routine with calls both by day and by night.

In those days the inhabitants of the towns and hamlets of the Western Isles depended on ships like CLAYMORE. The ships of David MacBrayne provided a lifeline service in the same way as the ships of Caledonian MacBrayne do today.

The only serious mishap occurred in January 1910 when she went ashore on the rocks at the north end of Pabbay near Broadford, Skye. Although things looked bad she was towed to Broadford by her fleetmate, SHEILA, and beached. After a month she was patched up and towed to Greenock where she faced extensive repairs and a refit. CLAYMORE returned to service in July.

Her engines and boilers remained unchanged throughout her whole life, which was a remarkable achievement.

Shortly afterwards she sailed on her last voyage up the west coast, which had become so familiar to her, round the north of Scotland to Bo’ness on the Firth of Forth. Sadly the demolition of the ship had still to be accomplished by February 1933.

HEBRIDEAN ISLES was out of service on Saturday 14^th due to problems with her bow ramp. ISLE OF ARRAN carried out an additional sailing from Port Ellen around 12.40-13.00. She took the delayed 13.00 sailing from Kennacraig three hours late. She then returned to Kennacraig in the evening and took the 18.00 sailing to Port Ellen at 21.15. ISLE OF ARRAN returned to Kennacraig at midnight.

HEBRIDEAN ISLES returned to service on Sunday 15^th in time to take the 18.00 sailing to Port Ellen.

On Wednesday 18^th LOCH BHRUSDA ran ten minutes late on the Cumbrae service. Her partner, LOCH RIDDON, had to wait for her to clear the Largs and Cumbrae slipways.

Following on from the success of the last successful two years of "Gaelic on Board", Comunn na Gàidhlig are once again running this innovative project again. This project, which is being run in partnership with Caledonian Macbrayne, will provide information on the Gaelic language and culture to passengers on Calmac ferries. This innovative project is taking place on the MVs ‘Isle of Lewis’, ‘Clansman’, 'Lord of the Isles' and ‘ Hebrides’.

The Caledonian MacBrayne ship, ISLE OF MULL, has received an accolade for its food and catering services.

ISLE OF MULL is the first ship to be recognised in the Eat Safe Award scheme, which involves establishments being assessed by food hygiene inspectors from environmental health services.

Caledonian Maritime Assets (CMAL), which owns the vessels, piers and ports of the former ferry company Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd, has a new Managing Director.

Former director of maritime operations at the Northern Lighthouse Board, guy Patten will be joining CMAL in August.

The publicly owned CalMac was split into a ferry operating company, CalMac Ferries Ltd and the asset owning company CMAL as part of the tendering process for the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services.

ISLE OF ARRAN took the 18.00 sailing on Sunday 15^th, which was delayed until 19.00. The bow ramp on HEBRIDEAN ISLES was locked out of use until repairs can be effected.

LOCH SHIRA re-entered service on Friday 20^th. LOCH BHRUSDA tied up at Fairlie in case she was needed again.

ISLE OF LEWIS was running twenty minutes late at 13.55 due to the volume of traffic on the Ullapool – Stornoway route on Friday 27^th.

LORD OF THE ISLES was forty minutes late on her return from Colonsay to Oban on Sunday 29^th.

The Sound of Harris route (LOCH PORTAIN) will face disruptions on Wednesday 1^st August due to tidal conditions. The 13.30 ex Berneray and 14.45 ex Leverburgh are cancelled.