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DATE |
NEWS |
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29/12/08 |
Loch Ranza left Gigha this morning and proceeded via the Kilbrannan
Sound and Kyles of Bute to Gourock wires for a berth until she can be
accepted at Ardmaleish. |
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28/12/08 |
After spending Christmas at Tobermory, Loch Linnhe arrived at Gigha
today and relieved regular vessel and younger sister Loch Ranza at
1600. |
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26/12/08 |
It's Boxing Day and the fleet are back in action today, albeit on a reduced
timetable. All three major vessels are operating from Oban, with Isle of
Mull taking sailings to Craignure, Clansman sailing to Barra and
Lord of the Isles heading for Colonsay. Normal winter service, with
just two vessels will resume tomorrow. For full details of special
timetables for the bank holiday, check the pdf timetables for each route on
the Company's website. |
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25/12/08 |
Merry Christmas from all at Ships of CalMac!
It's the fleet's day off today - and ours too so no news to
report (hic) |
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24/12/08 |
Lord of the Isles returned from Lewis to Oban today, in readiness for
her next duty on Boxing Day, when she will be carrying out the Colonsay
sailing.
Following her refit on the Tyne, Muirneag is tonight making her way
up the east coast as she heads back to Lewis to resume the freight run after
Christmas.
Down on the Clyde, Loch Alainn enjoyed a morning in service following
her own overhaul, as she was called in to relieve Loch Dunvegan on
the Colintraive - Rhubodach run. The regular vessel lay at her berth with
one ramp folded while the smaller ferry carried out the service runs until
lunchtime. She then returned to Rothesay when Loch Dunvegan resumed
service this afternoon. |
Loch Alainn and Loch Dunvegan at Colintraive |
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22/12/08 |
Loch Striven completed her journey back to Raasay today, arriving
there at approx 1330. She then swapped with Loch Linnhe and took the
1340 sailing to Sconser, while Loch Linnhe returned to Tobermory to
lie over the Christmas period (info and photo obtained from 'Life
At The End of the Road')
Pentalina B left Stornoway at 1130 this morning as her charter to
CalMac came to an end. She was due to head back to St Margarets Hope to
spend Christmas in the company of her new fleetmate, catamaran Pentalina
which finally arrived recently. |
Loch Striven and Loch Linnhe changing over |
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21/12/08 |
Both Loch Bhrusda and Loch Portain were disrupted by the
weather today. The former might have managed a sailing at 1530 ex Ardmhor (tbc)
but the latter was off all day.
Lord of the Isles left Lochboisdale at 0820 and arrived in Stornoway
at 1415. She will take over the overnight freight run to Ullapool tonight
for three nights. |
Lord of the Isles in Stornoway with Pentalina B
leaving behind |
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20/12/08 |
Lord of the Isles was out and about making good the cancellations
yesterday to Colonsay and the Outer Isles. She is spending tonight at
Lochboisdale and will sail for Stornoway tomorrow to allow her to adopt the
role of freight vessel on the Ullapool route.
Isle of Lewis is sailing on an amended timetable today, allowing an
extra sailing from Ullapool. Departures from there are 0600/1245/1915 while
departures from Stornoway are at 0930 and 1600.
Hebridean Isles returned to service on the Islay roster today.
Loch Striven sailed from Campbeltown this morning and is making for
Tobermory where she is expected to lie until Monday, awaiting another clear
spell in the weather. |
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19/12/08 |
Major disruptions across the network today as a storm blew across the
country. Details we have are as follows:
CLYDE:
Argyle and Bute were both running to and from Gourock this
afternoon, performing simultaneous departures from each port. The last
sailing from Gourock was the 1900 sailing, carried out by Bute.
Jupiter was off duty during the afternoon and early evening, though she
was able to sail at 1830 for Dunoon.
Caledonian Isles saw her Arran sailings diverting to Gourock too. She
was spotted off Wemyss Bay from Argyle at around 1520, making her way
back south to Brodick. She was then due to leave again at 1640 for Gourock,
however conditions meant berthing was not guaranteed. As it turned out,
conditions worsened and she spent the rest of the night at Brodick, meaning
there will be an extra 0530 sailing to Ardrossan tomorrow morning to resume
her timetable from 0700.
Loch Shira was off service from 1645 until shortly after 1900.
WESTERN ISLES:
Clansman didn't attempt her 0830 round trip to Barra and South Uist this
morning and instead remained tied up alongside Oban's berth 2. Isle of
Mull joined her from 0945 at berth 1 when her Colonsay sailing was
cancelled.
Isle of Lewis didn't venture out of Stornoway today, with reports of
winds up to 85mph at times.
Services to and from Islay were, understandably, diverted to Port Askaig
instead of Port Ellen - the first affected sailing being the 0700 ex
Kennacraig (Isle of Arran).
Eigg was forced to abandon her sailings from 1250 due to high winds
in the Firth of Lorn.
Even the mighty Hebrides had to seek shelter during today and came
off service at 1125 in Lochmaddy where she remained for the rest of the day.
Loch Bhrusda didn't venture out from Ardmhor at all today, neither
did Loch Portain leave her berth at Otternish. Other Loch Class
vessels affected included Loch Riddon (Iona service off), Loch
Linnhe (busy trying to keep herself alongside the pier on Raasay and
avoid snapping cables) and Loch Ranza (on the Gigha service).
Lochnevis remained in Mallaig all day and as a result her Skye and
Small Isles sailings were cancelled.
Isle of Mull was able to provide the 1600 sailing to Craignure where
she then became stormbound. Loch Fyne was also seeking shelter at her
berth in Lochaline from 1600 and so it appears that little Raasay was
providing the only link with the island on her 1545 ex Tobermory to Kilchoan!
In other news (non-weather related) Loch Alainn was out and about
this morning, making a call at Rhubodach before returning to her berth at
Rothesay.
With Hebridean Isles due to arrive back on the scene at Islay,
Lord of the Isles left this evening to return to Oban. With the
cancellations of today, she will carry out an extra 0815 sailing to Colonsay
tomorrow morning, before sailing with stranded traffic to Castlebay and
Lochboisdale at 1345. |
Caledonian Isles seen from Argyle at 1520
Bute in the poor evening light off Dunoon
Loch Alainn and Bute at Rothesay |
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18/12/08 |
Loch Portain was noted running almost two hours late due to weather
conditions this morning, her 0815 sailing leaving Bernerary at 1000 for
Leverburgh and immediate return.
Lord of the Isles saw her 0700 sailing from Kennacraig diverting to
Port Askaig; something which Isle of Arran copied with her 0945 ex
Kennacraig. Lord of the Isles then left Port Askaig some 45 minutes
late for the return sailing, however she made up all that time with a
following wind and tide and was in Kennacraig for 1205. |
Isle of Arran leaving West Loch Tarbert... |
...and Lord of the Isles appearing not long after |
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17/12/08 |
Coruisk left Gourock and proceeded up to Glasgow and a lay up berth
in the KGV dock |
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16/12/08 |
Coruisk came off the Rothesay service at lunchtime and handed over to
Argyle in time for the 1300 sailing from Wemyss Bay. The relief
vessel then proceeded up to Gourock and the wires. |
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15/12/08 |
Argyle was noted out and about this lunchtime as she underwent trials
following her overhaul. She is expected back in service, relieving
Coruisk sometime tomorrow. |
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13/12/08 |
Loch Bhrusda was forced to cancel her 1710 sailing from Ardmhor due
to poor conditions in the Sound of Barra. On the Clyde meanwhile, Argyle
moved out of Garvel dry dock and back into JWD to have her overhaul finished
off. |
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12/12/08 |
Loch Striven returned from Ardmaleish to Rothesay today to complete
here annual overhaul. Loch Alainn remains up on the slipway at the
yard as her work continues.
Lochnevis was forced to miss her Small Isles sailing today due to poor
weather. She will carry out a sailing calling at all four isles tomorrow to
make up for today's cancellation.
The 1030 ex Ullapool and 1345 ex Stornoway were also cancelled, as was the
afternoon sailing across the Sound of Harris.
Isle of Mull was affected as well and the 1000 sailing to Colonsay
and back was cancelled. Clansman was also forced to turn back to Oban
on her sailing to the Outer Isles and back. |
Loch Striven returning to Rothesay |
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Loch Ranza was forced off service following the 1400 sailing from
Tayinloan, while on the Clyde, Caledonian Isles had to divert her
1640 sailing from Brodick to Gourock - not because of the weather but
instead a power failure to the Ardrossan harbour navigation lights.
Jupiter was forced of service from 1910, but this was due to the
weather. Bute and Coruisk were both subject to diversions to
Gourock this evening.
Interestingly though, as it was pointed out on our Forum today, Lord of
the Isles was able to continue on her normal roster without having to
divert Port Ellen sailings to Port Askaig. |
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08/12/08 |
Loch Shira was disrupted this evening when construction teams at
Largs discovered an unexploded bomb while working on construction of the new
pier. The ferry was forced to lie at Cumbrae Slip from 1655 to 2000 when she
was able to resume service |
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06/12/08 |
Loch Riddon continues to run to a restricted timetable as the repair
works continue at Iona. This was initially meant to be for up to two weeks
but is now 'until further notice'. |
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05/12/08 |
Loch Buie finally left Rothesay this lunchtime and made her way out
past Toward Point and off up to Gourock where she is apparently to remain
until the end of the year, while Loch Riddon maintains the Fionnphort
- Iona service around the repair work being carried out on the 'scared
Isle's' slipway. |
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03/12/08 |
Caledonian Isles is once again spending tonight in Brodick due to the
weather forecast. The 0700 sailing tomorrow morning is therefore off.
Isle of Arran was able to resume her own supplementary sailings to
and from Islay today, as Lord of the Isles took up the roster
normally assigned to Hebridean Isles. She commenced her stint as an
Islay ferry with the 0700 inward sailing to Kennacraig. |
Lord of the Isles at Port Askaig |
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02/12/08 |
Isle of Mull spent the morning at the north pier while Lord of the
Isles carried out the Oban - Craignure sailings on her behalf. She
resumed the Mull and Colonsay roster late this afternoon to allow the
smaller vessel to head south to Islay and her next relief role.
Loch Buie was observed out and about in Rothesay bay today. She went
out on trials shortly after Coruisk sailed with the 1145 ex Rothesay
and returned to the inner harbour about 15 minutes later and remained there
for the rest of the day. |
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01/12/08 |
Bute suffered further technical problems today and was caused to miss her
1430 sailing from Rothesay and the return leg at 1515 from Wemyss Bay.
Isle of Mull left JWD at 1115 this morning and proceeded to Gourock
where she collected crew vehicles and set off back to Oban, where she is
expected to arrive late tonight. She was also out on trials in between
leaving JWD and arriving at Gourock. |
Isle of Mull leaving JWD |
Heading downriver |
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Loch Dunvegan was observed working single-ended for a while today -
presumably due to technical problems affecting one of her ramps. |
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News Logs: |
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HERE to see the other months' fleet news logs |
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