Waverley to
the Western Isles 2012
Words
by Martin Longhurst
Waverley’s season started at 0700 on Friday 1 June as she departed
Glasgow Pacific Quay at the start of her Western Isles season. This year the visit was spread over two
weekends with the first four days based at Oban, visiting Inverie, the Four
Lochs, Fort William, Iona and Tiree.
After the Jubilee Bank Holidays she headed north to Kyle of Lochalsh to
repeat her popular trip to Raasay and Gairloch (her northernmost calling point
for 2012) on Thursday 7 June, returning south to Oban the following day. I am pleased to report that all sailings
took place as planned in excellent weather conditions.
We joined the steamer at Oban on Saturday morning for her sail to
Staffa direct. There was a moderate
load on board as we headed west along the Sound of Mull. Then the ship followed the coast of the Isle
of Mull to anchor a quarter of a mile east of Staffa. Landing here has to be by tender and Udin of
Staffa and Ossian of Staffa were on hand to deliver passengers to the rocky
shore. We went up to the top of the
island, rather than visit Fingall’s Cave, on this visit and were rewarded with
the sight of nesting puffins bringing in food for their chicks.
After a visit of about 90 minutes we were ferried back to Waverley at
her anchorage. After weighing anchor,
Captain Andy O’Brian took the steamer past Iona to return to Oban along the
southern coast of Mull. As there had
only been three boat loads of passengers going ashore, we benefited from an
early return to Oban. The whole trip
had taken place under blue skies with almost unbroken sunshine. However, we had been able to observe some
unusual cloud effects over the Mull coast.
Unfortunately the following day the weather broke with grey skies and
heavy rain at times, though there was little wind. The paddler repeated her westerly course
through the Sound of Mull but this time she called at Tobermory before
proceeding to her destination of Coll.
Only a light load had been attracted from Oban but there was a
significant pick up from Tobermory.
Passing out into the open sea the rain stopped and we enjoyed our call
at Coll in the dry.
The approach to Arinagour Pier involves leaving the Chieftain Rock to
starboard and docking bow in to the island’s linkspan. Departure involves warping round the end of
the jetty to swing the steamer’s bow round to the south so she can safely clear
Eatharna Loch (the bay). Passengers
had the choice of two hours ashore or enjoying a coastal cruise turning at the
Gunnar Sound, which separates Coll from the neighbouring island of Tiree.
Returning east we encountered the rain a mile or two along the Sound of
Mull. Passengers rejoining the ship at Tobermory
reported heavy rain during their stay, one resorting to drying her socks with
the hand drier! The rain stopped as we
cleared the Sound of Mull and we docked at Oban in the dry.
Monday dawned a little brighter and it was dry as the paddler prepared
to return to the Clyde. Promptly at
nine o’clock she sprung off Oban’s North Pier and went astern across the Bay
for the last time in 2012. She
obligingly swung the right way for the exit south down the Sound of
Kerrera. We sailed out into the flat
calm open sea enjoying marvellous views in all directions. Gradually Mull dropped behind us as we
approached Scarba, Jura and Colonsay where we made the statutory break of
journey, boarding one passenger during our four minute call.
Now we headed in a more southerly direction towards the Sound of Islay
which separates the Isles of Jura and Islay.
We had the benefit of tidal assistance throughout the voyage but the
highest speed over the ground of 18 knots was achieved as we passed Port
Askaig. Clearing the Sound of Islay,
the Kintyre peninsula filled our western horizon, with the low lying island of
Gigha intervening.
We rounded the Mull of Kintyre around three o’clock while we looked
south to the Antrim coast of the Northern Irish mainland and south west to
Rathlin Island. The MacBrayne pennant
that had been flying during the Western Isles visit was lowered as we returned
to CSP territory. Soon the Isle of
Sanda came into view as we headed east and then north to reach
Campbeltown. Here our round trip
passengers changed to a West Coast Motors coach to return to Oban and two more
single trip passengers boarded. Before
long we were steaming north up the Kilbrannan Sound to round the northern tip
of Arran before leaving Garroch Head on Bute to port. We followed the Main Channel to continue
north with a distant views of the west coast of Great Cumbrae and Largs beyond
that.
Finally we turned eastward once more, nearly overhauling the Alicat as
she headed from Dunoon to Gourock.
Arrival at Greenock Custom House Quay was right on time after a voyage
of some eleven and a half hours.