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The following cruise ships will be calling at Western Isles ports during the month of June.

BLACK PRINCE Stornoway 1^st 08.00-20.00, Portree 2^nd 08.00-23.00, Tobermory 3^rd 08.00-17.00.

HEBRIDEAN PRINCESS Oban 1^st, 8^th, 15^th, 22^nd, 29^th 08.00-19.00, Jura and Colonsay 2^nd, Iona and Tiree 3^rd, Muck and Barra 4^th, Castlebay 5^th, Loch Coruisk 6^th, Rum and Tobermory 7^th, Loch Scavaig 9^th, 23^rd, Gairloch 10^th, 24^th, Ullapool 11^th, 25^th, Stornoway 12^th, 16^th, Barra 13^th, 27^th, Muck 14^th, Tobermory 28^th.

SS LOCHNESS was launched on Thursday 6^th June 1929 from the Govan yard of Harland and Wolff Ltd. She was the first of four new vessels to be built under the terms of the constitution of the new Company, David MacBrayne (1928) Ltd, and was the third vessel to carry the name.

She was built for the Mallaig – Kyle of Lochalsh – Stornoway mail service and ran trials on 9^th July. LOCHNESS entered service on the Stornoway route on 1^st August. However her first public service was to Tarbert, Loch Fyne, at the Glasgow Fair Holiday.

Before the Second World War a new ship was planned for the Stornoway route. This would be her successor, LOCH SEAFORTH. She took over the service on Saturday 6^th December 1947.

David Webster, Strathclyde’s councillor for Lorn and Mull called for an enquiry after CALEDONIA was replaced by ARRAN ON THE Craignure route from Tuesday to Friday. The larger vessel was chartered by the Design Council’s Scottish committee to take them from Kyle of Lochalsh to Kishorn to inspect the oil production yard.

MV LOCHMOR was launched on Monday 11^th June 1979. She was built by Ailsa Shipbuilding Company, Troon, for Caledonian MacBrayne, and was the second ship to bear the name.

LOCHMOR was built for the Small Isles service from Mallaig. She entered service in July replacing LOCH ARKAIG (1941), which had sunk at her berth in Mallaig four months beforehand. She also carried out trips to Kyle of Lochalsh, Portree and cruises round the Crowlin Islands.

LOCHMOR was replaced by LOCHNEVIS on 20^th November 2000 and was sold from the Company.

MV LOCH FYNE was built by Ferguson Shipbuilders Ltd, Port Glasgow and was launched on Wednesday 12^th June 1991.

She was built for Caledonian MacBrayne’s Skye service from Kyle of Lochalsh to Kyleakin. After the Skye Bridge was opened on 16^th October 1995 LOCH FYNE was laid up in the James Watt Dock, Greenock, with her sister, LOCH DUNVEGAN.

LOCH DUNVEGAN was the first of the sisters to leave Greenock. She sailed to Mull where she replaced LOCH ALAINN, which had suffered a serious breakdown, on the Fishnish – Lochaline roster. LOCH DUNVEGAN then broke down and had to be towed back to the Clyde.

LOCH FYNE was quickly reactivated and sailed to Mull where she took over the Fishnish – Lochaline on 27^th September 1997.

Since then she has hardly ever deviated from this route although she has taken special cargoes to Lismore and has appeared at Corran.

SS CYGNET was built by A & J Inglis, Pointhouse, Glasgow, for David McBrayne, and was launched on Tuesday 14^th June 1904. She was the second ship to bear the name, the first being the 1848 paddle steamer operated by G & J Burns.

CYGNET was employed almost solely on cargo duties on the Glasgow – Inveraray route and had no cabins and very limited passenger accommodation. During this period she sank at Bridge Wharf after a seacock was mistakenly left open.

After the First World War she was transferred to Oban where she maintained the Island mail services until the arrival of the new motor ships in 1930.

PS CLANSMAN was built by J & G Thomson, Govan for David Hutcheson & Company and was launched on Saturday 16^th June 1855.

She may have been the first member of the Hutcheson fleet to maintain the long sail from Glasgow to Stornoway.

SS DIRK was built for David MacBrayne Ltd by Scotts of Bowling and was launched on Friday 18^th June 1909.

DIRK was only 181 tons but still had sleeping cabins as well as cargo space. She worked the Oban – Coll – Tiree – Bunessan mail services throughout her career with the Company.

Caledonian MacBrayne are advising their customers that services from Mallaig to the Small Isles and Armadale may be disrupted due to major road works on the A830 road from Fort William to Mallaig. Customers sailing from Mallaig should allow extra time for travelling.

CalMac Ferries Ltd, Scotland’s leading ferry operator, has launched a number of enhancements to its website aimed at making the information and booking capability more accessible and attractive to customers.

There was considerable disruption to traffic in and out of Mallaig on Friday 22^nd after an oxyacetylene cylinder caught fire on the pier. Because of the risk of an explosion the fire service imposed a 200-yard exclusion zone around the cylinder.

A temporary timetable using LORD OF THE ISLES operated between Oban and Colonsay on Wednesday 6^th. HEBRIDEAN ISLES also ran to an altered schedule between Kennacraig and Port Ellen on the same day.

On Friday 8^th HEBRIDEAN ISLES carried out successful berthing trials at Port Askaig. Services to Port Askaig resumed on Monday 11^th but certain services will still be subject to disruption. The pier is not available as an overnight berth as it is being used by the Jura ferry, EILEAN DHUIRA. The next stage of the development includes a new slipway for the Jura ferry. Work is still to be completed on the passenger terminal.

LORD OF THE ISLES berthed overnight on the south face at Craignure Pier on Wednesday 13^th.

The weather played a part in disrupting a couple of Clyde services on Friday 15^th. The Claonaig – Lochranza (LOCH TARBERT) and Colintraive – Rhubodach (LOCH DUNVEGAN) services were both subjected to disruptions and cancellations.

CLANSMAN unusually berthed bow first at Castlebay on Monday 18^th. Also on Monday LOCH ALAINN moved from the wires at Gourock to Ardmaleish where she became the largest CalMac vessel to be slipped.

LOCH BHRUSDA (Sound of Barra) was out of service during the morning of Monday 25^th due to a minor technical problem.

Problems for LOCH RANZA (Tayinloan – Gigha) on Wednesday 27^th. She was out of service all day with technical problems.

LORD OF THE ISLES ran about 40 minutes late on the evening of Saturday 30^th as she returned from Lochboisdale. She ran side by side with ISLE OF MULL between Craignure and Duart Castle, before passing through the Lismore gap and slowing to allow the Mull ferry to arrive at Oban before her. Once ISLE OF MULL had left at 2000, LORD OF THE ISLES then berthed about an hour behind schedule.

RAASAY has moved from Oban to Tobermory where she has been moored at her buoy. She has been shuttling up and down the Sound of Mull covering for both LOCH LINNHE (Tobermory – Kilchoan) and EIGG (Oban – Lismore).

The official launch of Cearcaill na Gàidhlig, a groundbreaking initiative celebrating Gaelic culture throughout the West Highlands and Western Isles, took place Friday, June 22.

MV GLEN SANNOX was built by Ailsa Shipbuilding Company Ltd for the Caledonian Steam Packet Company Ltd (CSP) and was launched on 30^th April 1957. The third vessel to carry the name, she entered service on the Ardrossan/Fairlie – Brodick route on Saturday 29^th June.

GLEN SANNOX maintained this route until May 1970 when she was replaced by CALEDONIA (ex STENA BALTICA). She was rebuilt with a stern ramp and served on the upper Clyde routes from Gourock and Wemyss Bay.

On1st January 1973 the CSP was re-named Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd. and this “new” company took over the shipping services of both CSP and MacBrayne’s.

GLEN SANNOX had her funnel re-painted in the new CalMac livery of dark red with the CSP lion in the middle of a yellow disc.

In the winter of 1976/77 GLEN SANNOX was re-engined and totally refurbished at the Hall, Russell yard in Aberdeen. This was to enable her to maintain a double life as a cruise vessel during the summer and a ferry during the winter. After only four seasons she was withdrawn from Clyde cruising. She then became spare during the summer but operated out of Oban during the winter.

GLEN SANNOX continued to serve Caledonian MacBrayne with distinction and became a popular ship with enthusiasts and the travelling public alike. She called at piers and harbours throughout the west of Scotland from Stranraer to Tobermory. After thirty-two years of service she was withdrawn in 1989 and sold for further trading in Greek waters.