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| Spring 2004 news The year opened with the January meeting, which took place on the30th. Iain Quinn gave us the history of three anniversary ships, the ARRAN and BUTE, two of the three ABC ships, which entered service in 1954, and the ISLE OF ARRAN, which entered service in 1984. All three ships have seen extensive service in the Western Isles. The ARRAN was sold in 1974 while the BUTE remained in service until 1978. The ISLE OF ARRAN still provides sterling service to Caledonian Macbrayne. Mr. John Whittle gave an insight into the problems he faced upon becoming the first Executive Director and then Deputy Chairman of Caledonian Macbrayne on the 27th of February. Following a successful visit to the HEBRIDEAN PRINCESS, Lawrence Macduff and Robin Boyd told us the story of the COLUMBA and her sister ships the CLANSMAN and HEBRIDES. Sadly HEBRIDES sailed to the scrap yard in the sky earlier this year. The 36th AGM took place on the 23rd of April. The minutes of the 35th AGM were read and accepted. As the Presidency runs on a two-year cycle Robin Love stood down and Duncan Wilson became the President for the next two years. Under AOCB Hamish Stewart brought up the subject of the website. Duncan replied by saying that he had brought up the subject at a previous committee meeting and was going to try and get the site going again. Gordon Law stated that a new position to look after the site should be established at some point in the future. The meeting closed after Robin, now Immediate Past President, gave a slide show in which he portrayed a number of ships past and present. Members saw two LOCH NEVIS’ and two LOCH FYNES’. This writer was hoping to see two CLAYMORES’ but it was not to be. PS WAVERLEY was back among the Highlands and Islands this year. On April 30th she set sail from Glasgow for Oban before embarking on a number of cruises which took her to Tobermory, Kyle of Lochalsh, Mallaig, Portree, Broadford, Fort William and Armadale. The highlight of her tour, however, was her first visit to the island of Tiree on May 9th. On a lovely day WAVERLEY set sail from Oban arriving at Scarinish at 13.30 giving islanders time for an afternoon cruise around Tiree. A local Community Worker had organised a bus trip round the island. Much to the consternation of enthusiasts who took advantage of the bus trip they did not return in time to take a photo of Waverley arriving at the pier. It turned out that the individual who organised the bus trip planed to return to Oban on the WAVERLEY.
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