Casualty in Oban Bay

Apologies again for the quality but this is another of the three or so
boats being towed back to safety after breaking free from its mooring.

No sailings today folks

Anyone living in the West coast will know about the storms here today.  We managed a couple of sailings and got a bit scared coming back in on the last one from Craignure where the wind was up to a force 9.  It has just been decided that all sailings for the day are cancelled and we will resume in the morning.  We took over three coach loads of tourists this morning who were scheduled to return on the 17:00, not sure where they will stay as the Lochaline service to Mull is also off so there is no other way to leave the island tonight.

There are 23 of the Cal Mac services disrupted today, which is probably not that unusual for January and February, but May!

We have been looking across the bay to Kerrera Island Marina and the yacht Drum, owned by Arnold Clark has broken free of her moorings and ended up on the beach.  One of the workboats here in the bay has gone across to drag her off but I think they are doing more damage than good as she is now high and dry, lying at about 45 degrees over on her starboard side and this tug is trying to pull her away.  Even if they do get her off there may be damage to the hull that will cause her to flood and possibly sink.  Daft.

New vessel and the old enemy

The forecast for the day was spot on, the afternoon was brought in with stronger winds up to a gale by the end of the afternoon and then back to normal this evening.  Tomorrow is another depression, how well named, that is promising up to a Force 10 in the inshore forecast so we, along with most of the fleet are on amber alert.  This means that there is a good chance that sailings will be disrupted or cancelled.

The latest edition to the fleet M/V Finlaggan, arrived in the UK today and berthed at the North Pier here in Oban.  I didn't go on board but I gather it is quite luxurious inside.  Apologies for the rather poor photos, my iPhone does lots of good things but taking pictures isn't one of them.  Can't say the new ship has much in the way of character but then what do we expect?  I'm sure that it will be very pragmatic and carry lots of vehicles easily with good facilities for the passengers.  

We had a few complaining yesterday about the lack of room when they are parked on the vehicle deck.  I agree with them there is very little room between cars when we have a full load on board, to the extent we have to get all the passengers out first before parking the car with only the driver still in.  When the ship was built 24 years ago the lane widths were more than adequate for the size of car, nowadays, as anyone who has parked in a older car park will know, cars are far bigger.  It brings it home to you when you see something like a Morris Minor that was on yesterday, just how small cars used to be.

Only 2 and a bit days to go and I'll be heading off home. The time flies by, well sometimes it does.

Snow on the Mull hills

At 8 this morning, on our first run, I can see the white hills. Skiing season not over yet.

Day to day

Dear Readers.  Apologies for the lack of blogs since I joined a week or so ago.  It is a common complaint from my fellow officers on here that when they call home there is little to discuss about the day to day goings on aboard "Daisy".

I could tell you about the hundreds of bus passengers that we had today, some of which had been kitted out with orange baseball caps so that their guide could keep them in tow.  I was amused by the man who had perched his on top of his flat cap.  

The old friend, the weather is always a useful standby, and today was the best day since I joined.  Sunshine and showers but mainly sunshine so that was great, it certainly cheers you up.

The days pass quickly enough for sure, with so little time between ports there is no time to hang about to have our meals and get the planned maintenance done.  Well, we are getting a lot of people from one place to another on time and safely.  Craignure's gangway is now up and running so that has made life a lot easier.  Back home on Wednesday and then back on the water on Tarawa.

Statistics

Yesterday, Saturday the ship crossed the waters between Mull and Oban 13 times, covering 113 miles.  We carried 588 vehicles and 2907 passengers, running up to 37 minutes late at one point.  Pretty busy old day, still no gangway at the Mull end so all the foot passengers had to disembark through the vehicle deck.  This means we can't load any cars until the last passenger is clear which can take quite a while, hence the delays.  Still lots of heavy showers during the day, it would be good to have a day without rain, but I think that may be wishful thinking!  

Continued career

I joined the ship at lunchtime and we resumed the stately progression between Oban & Craignure, 100's of coach passengers doing day trips to Mull.

I have been asked to stay on here as the "permanent" third officer until October or November, hence the inverted commas.  I guess that nowadays 11 months work is pretty secure, anyway I have accepted the offer so I will be getting to know the waters around here quite well.