news

Due to operational difficulties, today’s (02/10) 1510 sailing ex Oban to Castlebay and Lochboisdale was delayed until approx 1740.

Since the lights on the slipway at Iona are not working at the present time, tomorrow’s 0610 sailing to Fionnphort has been cancelled for safety reasons. The first sailing will depart, weather permitting, at 0900. Caledonian MacBrayne apologise for any inconvenience.

As LOCH LINNHE is not operating on the Tobermory-Kilchoan route at present, Caledonian MacBrayne are warning that caravans and mobile homes cannot be carried until further notice.

ferries to the islands. Local MSP Maureen Macmillan has stated that tankers should receive a reduction similar to trucks, which carry animal feed. She has since written to Transport Minister, Tavish Scott, asking if there is any hope for this initiative.

Douglas Wright, bar manager at the Mishnish Hotel, took his photo of the world’s last sea-going paddle steamer from the door of the hotel.

The National Galleries of Scotland received hundreds of entries for the competition. The photo of WAVERLEY will be one of only twenty depicting A Day in the Life of Scotland to be shown at the Dean Gallery in Edinburgh.

£400,000 will be spent on the Ardrishaig Swing Bridge, refurbishing the equipment and repainting it. The remainder will be spent on dredging problem areas.

The 1510 sailing ex Oban to Castlebay and Lochboisdale is suspended until 0530 on Monday 10^th. The service will operate Oban – Lochboisdale – Castlebay – Oban.

The 1730 sailing ex Oban to Colonsay is suspended until 1030 on Monday. The ship will then carry on to Kennacraig without returning to Oban.

Today’s (10/10) 1700 sailing ex Oban to Colonsay will depart at 0915 tomorrow returning at 1145. This is due to the inclement weather conditions, which continue to disrupt ferry services.

Caledonian MacBrayne is to feature modern representations of the ancient bardic tradition of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland in a unique collaboration with a west coast artist.

As a pilot project, the first five portraits of bards, painted by Ullapool based Andrew Ward, will be installed on ISLE OF LEWIS, the Ullapool – Stornoway ferry, to coincide with The National Mod in Stornoway.

The exhibition, which will be based in the ship’s forward lounge, will be opened by the artist himself who will be accompanied by writer, film maker and historian Timothy Neat.

The official opening of the display of Andrew’ s work will be held on Wednesday October 19^th, on the Stornoway ferry leaving Ullapool at 1030 and returning at 1630. The work will remain on display on ISLE OF LEWIS for a number of weeks. The Wednesday morning sailing will be accompanied by music and bardachd, sponsored by Tomatin Distillery and Art Intervention, with the support of Caledonian MacBrayne.

LOCH NEVIS arrived in the James Watt Dock this morning at 0755 (15/10) for her annual overhaul. Between 0945 and 1045 her fast rescue craft and escape shoots were launched.

After sliding down, the crew were picked up by the FRC and taken to the stern where they were lifted out by the ship’s crane. The shoots were promptly repacked.

Today sees the start of the Tiree Wave Classic, one of the most legendary events on the UK’s annual windsurfing calendar.

Over the following week windsurfers from around the world come together to brave the fury of the Atlantic waves and winds that pound the exposed coast of Tiree.

Every day sailors will tour the beautiful beaches on the island in order to find the best conditions in which to compete in freestyle, wave jumping and super cross disciplines.

The Tiree Wave Classic Event village is located at the Tiree Lodge Hotel, Gott Bay. A host of adventure sports will be running throughout the Event, the majority being free to all.

On Thursday 20^th, spectators will be able to spend a day on the island watching the Events. Caledonian MacBrayne will depart from Oban at 0900 arriving at Tiree at 1220. The ferry will return at 1825 and depart at 1840 allowing six hours on the island. Arrival time back at Oban is 2200.

Due to tidal conditions, today’s (17/10) 1100 sailing from Berneray to Leverburgh and the 1215 return were cancelled. Also cancelled will be tomorrow’s 1205 from Berneray and the 1330 from Leverburgh

Tonight (19/10) Caledonian MacBrayne presented Trustees of Stornoway’s new arts facility, An Lanntair, with a memento of LOCH SEAFORTH to commemorate her faithful service to the Island of Lewis between 1947 and 1972.

Caledonian MacBrayne launched the 2006 Explorer brochure at the Royal National Mod in Stornoway today (21/10). The brochure, as usual, contains leisure and accommodation information.

Caledonian MacBrayne is to carry out an internal enquiry following complaints from Colonsay Community Council. The enquiry is being called after services to the island were disrupted due to stormy weather conditions for almost a full week.

The disruptions started on Sunday October 9^th when the wind reached galeforce in the afternoon. On that day the 1730 sailing was cancelled. The 10^th, 11^th and 12^th saw cancellations and delays leaving people stranded in both Oban and on the island.

Services ran to timetable on Thursday 13^th but on Friday the 1730 was brought forward 30 minutes leaving three people stranded in Oban.

Caledonian MacBrayne is now able to carry fuel safely to the Island of Lismore. Guidelines have been issued to ensure complete compliance of the Oban – Achnacloich ferry with the regulations governing the carriage of fuel.

These include use of European Union certified cans with vehicles displaying placards, which are available from Lismore Stores.

CalMac foot passengers, with a certified can and completed dangerous goods form, will be able to leave the can in a cage on board ship. The Company will not charge for carrying the fuel but requires 24 hours notice of intention.

The Oban lifeboat, MORA EDITH MACDONALD, was launched on Monday 17^th to help a fishing boat which suffered engine failure.

The NATALIE ROSE got into difficulties off Lismore where it had been fishing in the Lynn of Morven. CalMac’s CLANSMAN stood by until another boat, the OCEAN BOUNTY, arrived. The lifeboat then towed the NATALIE ROSE to Oban.

Yesterday (22/10) the fishing boat, KALBARRI, caught fire off Eigg. After abandoning the boat two men were picked up from their inflatable dingy by the UILLIN OF STAFFA.

The Mallaig lifeboat and the Fisheries Protection Ship, MINNA, fought the blaze on board the fishing boat. She was later towed to Mallaig.

A Meeting has taken place between the Dalriada Business Action Group and Argyll and Bute Council, Argyll and the Islands Enterprise and VisitScotland to decide what steps should be taken in preparation for the return of the Campbeltown – Ballycastle ferry service.

Four Companies: Harrisons (Clyde), Western Ferries, Isle of Man Steam Packet Company and Serco Denholm have all completed a pre-qualification stage and are now developing their own proposals for operating the service in accordance with the tender contract.

The Caledonian Canal will close to all traffic from November 1^st until March 26^th 2006. The Canal will then be emptied for maintenance work to be carried out.

Work will take place at Banavie between January 9^th and March 6^th and at Corpach between March 6^th and March 26^th.

LORD OF THE ISLES left Oban this afternoon for Greenock where she will enter the Garvel dry-dock for her overhaul. LOCH NEVIS is presently in dry-dock but is due back in service on Friday 28^th.

Also due for overhaul is the Highland Council ferry CORRAN, which plies across the Corran Narrows halfway up Loch Linnhe. She finished her shift at 2120 last night and should arrive on the Clyde tomorrow.

The former Kessock ferry, MAID OF GLENCOUL, will take her place. CORRAN may be sharing the Garvel with LOTI.

LOCH NEVIS and LORD OF THE ISLES swapped places today (25/10), the Small Isles vessel vacating the Garvel. Like the Nevis, LOTI deployed her escape chute on arrival in the James Watt Dock.

Various services among the Highlands and Islands have been affected by adverse weather conditions today (27/10).

The 1400 sailing ex Berneray to Leverburgh and the 1510 return sailing were cancelled, as were all sailings for the rest of the day.

The 1530 sailing ex Oban to Castlebay and Lochboisdale was cancelled. The next sailing should be at 0930 on Friday 28^th. As a result the return sailing from Lochboisdale has also been cancelled. The next sailing should be at 1505 on Friday sailing via Castlebay arriving back in Oban at 2230.

Only one return sailing ran between Ardmor and Eriskay tonight. The ferry departed from Ardmor at 1710 arriving at Eriskay 1750. The 1815 return departure was brought forward to 1755 arriving at Ardmor at 1835.

The new Season of Club Meetings commenced last night (28/10) with a lecture and slide show entitled “Tales from the Pioneers” presented by Ian McCrorie and Gordon Law.

Club President Duncan Wilson opened the Meeting by extending a warm welcome to Derek Crawford who has been seriously ill over the previous year. Derek writes the Club Newsletter. Club Member, Ian Colquhoun, who has been writing Newsletter Number 72, has taken his place. Duncan emphasised the importance of the Newsletter to the Club saying that without a Newsletter there is no Club. The Club is, therefore, very grateful to Ian for his good work. Derek confirmed that he is happy to start work on the Newsletters once again.

Ian McCrorie started the presentation by discussing the careers of the Pioneers of 1844 and 1905. Despite the lack of slides of PIONEER (1844) he gave a detailed description of the ship and her service between Crinan and Fort William. She also served on the Oban – Gairloch summer service.

An excellent selection of slides portrayed PIONEER (1905) as an attractive ship, which gave sterling service to the David MacBrayne fleet. Ian was able to take the Club through her career from her construction at the yard of J & J Ingles to the end of her life renamed HMS HARBINGER.

Ian was followed by Gordon Law who gave a detailed history of PIONEER (1974). Gordon’s research into his subject was quite meticulous, as one would expect.

He opened his presentation by giving a history of the MacBrayne fleet, which led to her construction for service on the Islay route. PIONEER, however, served the Company on every route apart from Ullapool – Stornoway. She also sailed to Douglas, Isle of Man, to help out with the TT Races.

Gordon’s selection of slides showed the ship in her three phases to good advantage. There is no doubt that passengers, crews and enthusiasts alike will miss the PIONEER between the Clyde and Western Isles.

The presentation by two experienced shipping enthusiasts and historians was reflected by the excellent turnout by the Membership.

Members are invited to send photographs for possible inclusion in the 2007 Calendar to mark the 40^th anniversary of the founding of the Club. Only twelve plus the front cover can be considered however all entries will be acknowledged in the Calendar. A prize will be given to the best entry. All contributions should be sent to Calendar Editor, Gordon Law, who has produced his tenth Calendar for the Club.

Other ideas for the 40^th anniversary include a special publication on the founding and history of the Club, a special edition of the Newsletter and a separate article to be included in the usual distribution of the Newsletter in April 2007.

The joint Meeting with the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society will be held on December 16^th. This year it is the turn of the PSPS to host the night. They have chosen the theme “Members Night” as the subject matter. Duncan emphasised the importance of a big turnout from the West Highland Steamer Club, as the PSPS is very much the larger Club. The Committee is looking for Members to represent the Club. Please contact the Secretary, George Fairbairn, for details.

This year the Club is offering the Calendar in two formats. The Calendar is available in the usual format at a price of £4.50 if purchased at Club Meetings or £5.00 if ordered by post. The Calendar is also available in a twelve-page format in limited numbers at a price of £7.50 including postage.

The next Meeting, which takes place on November 25^th, is entitled “From Burma to Barra”. The Speaker is Captain Sandy Ferguson who will give an insiders view of the introduction and twenty – five years of ro – ro on the West Coast.

Snippets of information arising at the Meeting. The former Western Ferries ship, SOUND OF JURA, renamed QUINTANA ROO, ran aground in Mexico during Hurricane Wilma and has been declared a total loss.

The Caledonian MacBrayne office at Lochmaddy will be moving to a new site on the Pier. The Company has been granted planning permission for a new building by the Western Isles Council.

Friday’s 1345 sailing from Stornoway to Ullapool and the 1715 return from Ullapool were cancelled due to adverse weather conditions.

There are a number of changes in the Winter Timetable. A full summer service is running on all Uig routes on Mondays only.

On Fridays a round trip is available from Oban to Barra and Lochboisdale after a two – year absence up to Christmas only.

Many thanks to Iain Quinn, Hamish Stewart, Ian McCrorie, Ian McPherson and John Newth for the above information.

CORUISK arrived back on the Clyde yesterday (30/10) having changed places with LOCH NEVIS. She was at Rothesay today testing the new gangway.

In 1972 Lamont’s of Port Glasgow were completing two “landing craft” type of vessels named KILBRANNAN and MORVERN. In 1973 six similar but larger craft were ordered from the same yard.

Three were completed in 1973. They were named BRUERNISH, RHUM and COLL and became known as the “Island” Class.

Three more were ordered in 1974: EIGG, CANNA and RAASEY. The sixth to enter service, CANNA, was launched thirty years ago on 31^st October 1975.

These small but handy vessels have given sterling service to many islands both on the Clyde and among the Western Isles.

Arran, Bute, Great Cumbrae, Wee Cumbrae, Inchmarnock and Ailsa Craig have been served by many of the Class while Gigha, Iona, Lismore, Mull, Eigg, Raasey and Scalpay have also welcomed the Class to their shores.

Contractors building oil platforms at Loch Kishorn and more recently, the Skye Bridge, have chartered the vessels.

CANNA has had a varied career serving on the Raasey – Sconser, Lochaline – Fishnish and Scalpay – Kyles Scalpay routes. She was spare vessel between 1987 and 1990 during which time she relieved throughout the network even making an appearance in the Orkney Islands under charter. Since 1997 CANNA has been the Rathlin – Ballycastle ferry. She was re-engined in 2000.

KILBRANNAN and MORVERN were sold to Irish interests in 1992 and ’96 respectively. RHUM and COLL followed in 1998 being sold to the same operator.

CANNA is pictured on the March page of the Club Calendar, approaching Port na Geiltean, Scalpay on 7^th August 1996. Lawrence MacDuff took the photograph.