 FLEET FEATURES
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Crew Al and Dave's March
Diary
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SOC
CREW OUTINGS - March 2005 - Day 1
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The first day of spring saw two of the SoC team embark on a two day trip
around the west coast. March 21st and Dave set off from Cumbria in the
early hours of the morning to get to the Clyde coast for daybreak. First
port of call (sorry - bad pun!) was just short of Wemyss Bay to pick up
our Chief News Reporter, Alan at the uncivilised hour of 6.30am. After
loading everything needed into the trusty Ka we headed off on the short
journey down to Wemyss Bay ferry terminal to await the first sailing of
the day.
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Shortly after 7.00am the first ferry of our trip, Saturn appeared out of
the mist and swung round to berth stern-in at the pier. After emptying her
car deck of her full load from Rothesay we then boarded and parked
up. Now most normal people would at this point head for the lounges or the
cafeteria/kiosk... Not us - despite the fresh breeze at Wemyss Bay, we
made straight for the outside deck behind the bridge, before going to the
vessel's bow. Saturn's sisters sadly lack this feature so I am kind of
glad that we got the ship that we did.
As we left the mainland the breeze died down and the ferry carried us
over the Clyde in a little over half an hour, not rocking in the
slightest. About half way across we passed the other Bute ferry, Juno, as
she made her way from the island. |
Saturn arriving at Wemyss Bay |
As we entered Rothesay Bay it was near impossible to make out the pier
through the mist, however as we approached and began to turn towards the
berth, the smaller Isle of Cumbrae could be seen at the inner berth, lying
spare prior to returning to service in a few days time.
We came alongside the linkspan in next to no time - the high
manoeuvrability of the Saturn and her sisters being shown to full effect.
The starboard side ramp was lowered and we drove off the ferry and onto
the first island of the trip - Bute. |
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Saturn leaving Rothesay
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Turning for the mainland
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The next part of our route would take us north to the Kyles of Bute,
however as it was still not even 8.00am there was ample time to pull in
and get some photos of the Saturn as she made her next departure, giving
three blasts on her horn as she turned.
The mist was beginning to clear slightly as we returned to the car and
set off for Rhubodach, at the northern tip of the island, for the short
hop over the eastern Kyle to Colintraive on the Cowal peninsula.
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With Chris Moyles and his gang blaring out of the speakers, we pull into
the small layby which passes for a car park at Rhubodach. The enormously
over-sized Loch Dunvegan is waiting at the slipway having just loaded all
of four cars and a wagon for the next sailing. At this point we decided to
wait for the next crossing in about ten minutes, opting instead to take
the opportunity to get pictures of the ship as she sailed. Alan decided it
would be a good idea to go over to the far side of the slipway - just as
the ramp was being raised. The well-meaning master of the ferry stopped in
his tracks and a member of the crew called up to ask if our intrepid News
Reporter required the ferry. Suitably embarrassed, Alan declined the offer
and the vessel scraped her ramp off the slip and proceeded across to
Colintraive - just three minutes away.
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Loch Dunvegan off Rhubodach
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Alan at work!
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When the ferry returned, we were at the front of the queue (of 3 vehicles!)
waiting to board. Within minutes we were on the car deck and heading over
the water back to the mainland, this time onto the Cowal Peninsula. After
surrendering the tickets at Colintraive, we decided against stopping for
more photos (firstly because we stopped here a few weeks ago, and secondly
because we needed the time saved to get to a vantage point at Portavadie).
It was off on the forty minute drive round the head of Loch Riddon and onto
the Ardlamont Peninsula to the west.
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After passing through the village of Tighnabruaich, one time calling point
for steamers galore, the road led us over the hill to Kames and eventually
Portavadie on Loch Fyne. Here the car was parked up and the two of us went
for a walk round the bay, to a clearing opposite the ferry terminal. The
original aim was to go right round onto the headland which stands at the
entrance to Portavadie Bay, however with the Loch Riddon fast approaching
this idea was dropped.
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Loch Riddon approaching
Portavadie on the eastern side of Loch Fyne...
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...and arriving at the slipway on
the far side of the bay
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Having reached the clearing where these pictures (above) were taken, it
turned out we could have made it onto the headland after all. Instead of
sailing nearly straight away as we expected, Loch Riddon sat at the slipway
for about 20 minutes before returning to Tarbert from where she came.
(That'll teach me to check the timetable beforehand...!)
After the ship sailed we returned to the car and made for the slipway to
wait for the next crossing.
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Whilst we waited for the ferry to return, the laptop was fired up and after
initial teething troubles, the contents of Alan's camera memory cards were
copied onto the hard drive to enable him to take more pictures in a little
while. The rest of the wait was spent watching a mink scuttle across the
slipway before making his way systematically over towards the fish farm
which lies at the edge of the bay - it must have been feeding time!
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When Loch Riddon returned, she unloaded five or so cars before we boarded
for the 25 minute crossing to Tarbert on the Kintyre Peninsula. The water
was relatively calm, but the flat-bottomed ferry rolled a bit towards the
end of the journey as we left the shelter of the land and became exposed to
the wind. After disembarking at Tarbert there was still plenty of time for
more photos before heading down the road.
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A quick left turn at the top of the slipway and we headed away from Tarbert
village itself and made for the end of the road - literally. There was a
convenient parking spot which enable a view of the departing ship as it made
its way back out into Loch Fyne and across to Cowal once more.
As the ship disappeared into the mist (which incidentally now more
resembled rain than mist) we headed back past the ferry slip and into
Tarbert itself. A left turn onto the main road and it was then a short drive
down West Loch Tarbert to the 'island' terminal at Kennacraig for the next
leg of the day out.
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Loch Riddon hitting the weather
in Loch Fyne
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In the now pronounced rain we sheltered in Kennacraig's terminal office and
waiting room while the Hebridean Isles made her way slowly but surely up
West Loch Tarbert towards us. Alan turned his attentions to the vending
machine in the waiting room - or rather trying (and eventually succeeding)
to get a cup of soup, while I clung on to the laptop case and tried to
remember where the hell I'd put the ferry tickets! (It is only as I write
this that Alan realises why I was fumbling round in my pockets so much back
at the terminal.) It was my turn to feel embarrassed and as the ferry
arrived we went outside - into the rain, and leaving the 'normal' passengers
in the nice, warm and most importantly, dry waiting room.
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Hebridean Isles approaching
Kennacraig...
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...preparing to lower her bow
ramp and unload her vehicles
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The Hebridean Isles duly docked and disgorged her traffic while the pair of
us stood outside the waiting room, waiting to board and get into the dry.
This eventually happened after about 15 minutes and we headed straight for
the bar lounge towards the bow on the starboard side, the tables in the
cafeteria having been taken by the vehicle passengers that had boarded
previously. More downloading of photographs took place as other passengers
slowly advanced their state of inebriation and this tour diary was started
as we left the shelter of West Loch Tarbert. This took us nicely until the
ferry cut her engines as she prepared to swing round to berth at Port Askaig
on Islay.
Also lying at the pier was the little Eigg, which was on relief duties for
the Council owned Eilean Dhuira on the Feolin crossing. She was gradually
loading for the next sailing and while we stood outside the rain turned from
light drizzle to full on, straight down rain - soaking us in the process.
The Eigg left at 3.15 for her hourly sailing to Jura and we headed inside to
grab a table in the cafeteria (while they were still loading downstairs).
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Eigg on relief at Port Askaig
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Heading into the mist and rain
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The return journey from Port Askaig was largely uneventful and was spent
sitting at a table on the starboard side of the cafeteria. With a flat
battery on the laptop, no more downloading or diary writing could be done -
instead I just fell asleep (albeit with my eyes open...). We got back into
Kennacraig about 15 minute early and while the traffic was unloading, the
last batch of pictures for the day were caught on camera.
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Hebridean Isles back at
Kennacraig for the evening
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With the time at 5.30pm the only return journey open to us was to drive
right round the north end of Loch Fyne to Dunoon - had we gone a week later
we would have been able to take the last sailing of the day from Tarbert to
Portavadie as part of the summer timetable. Instead it was a long drive
stuck behind various lorries and slow vehicles on the A83 to Inverary and
beyond.
We finally got into Dunoon just over a couple of hours later and were in
time to catch the Jupiter over to Gourock on her second to last crossing of
the day. The rain had eased off considerably by this point and as we swung
out of Dunoon and left Cowal behind. After docking at Calmac HQ at 8.15pm we
went off down the Clyde coast to Alan's house once more - 14 hours after
setting out in the morning.
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 All text and images by Alan Neill and Dave Wolstenholme
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Click here to see the next day...
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 SoC Useful Links: |
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To see a more detailed description of the islands and photos, visit
Undiscovered Scotland and click on a place. |
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To view details of the crossings we have been on see the Crossings
section, or for the vessels featured in this diary, see Ships
of the Fleet and click on a vessel name. |
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