Votes wanted for advert of the year

Not for the squeamish.

Doritos

New ships and the same old enemy

Not taken today!

9 days into my trip on the Caledonian Isles, ferrying folk and their cars, bread, post and pretty much everything else between the mainland at Ardrossan and Brodick, the main town on Arran.  A similar service in many ways to my last ship though the crossing time is 55 minutes, 15 minutes longer and we have half an hour to load and discharge rather than 14 minutes as on the Isle of Mull.

Similar service and ships but in a lot of respects very different as the layout of the passenger and crew accommodation is nothing like the Mull and the vehicle deck is quite dissimilar.  For my comfort my cabin is considerably bigger, though that isn't saying much given the cupboard that I lived in on the Isle of Mull.  The cabin here hasn't got the galley dumb waiter, hot press and pantry sink right next to my bed, nor is the galley directly underneath to warm the carpet up, all bonuses.

The vehicle deck on here however appears to have been designed by a naval architect with a sense of humour.  To be fair the design of the ship seems to have been changed while it was being constructed as casings added later run down both sides of the ship and protrude in by about a metre making life much more complicated and confined.  There are also two mezzanine decks that can drop down to take 48 cars half way up the space and a central casing dividing the deck which has an overhang that can take cars and Ford Transits but not if they have anything protruding up like a roof rack, and the height tapers as you go forward.  When the mezzanine deck is in place the height is halved as well and the locals suddenly need to park near the lift, avoiding the dreaded mezz deck as it will be the last to discharge whereas lift cars are on the main deck.

I also need to get my head round the local terminology, "Wullie NAC" is the driver of the North Ayrshire Council garbage disposal wagon at 19m and 40 odd tons and "Sticks" are timber wagons about 11m and 44 tons.  The information from my colleagues sometimes comes in drip form, oh aye you always load them first, you have to leave space up to the O in No Smoking on the bulkhead if you want to get him in, that's the escape hatch and you cannae put anything there and so on.  I'm sure in a year or two it will all be clear, others have been here before me and survived. 

Some things are the same, the weather is just as windy.  My first full day on here we didn't go anywhere due to a screaming North West gale and last night we spent in Brodick sheltering from the viscous storm passing through this weekend.  We did one sailing across to Ardrossan late afternoon today and some say they have never seen the ship moving about quite so much even when alongside.  Well the waves were going over the top of the lighthouse which is about 30 feet high.  Here's a video someone posted on Youtube.

Home on Wednesday for Christmas and then back on the 1^st before the ship heads North to Greenock for the annual dry dock in Garvel.  

First full day, didn't go anywhere

I'm here on the Caledonian Isles the ferry that has for the past twenty odd years taken folk back and forwards to Arran.  We stayed overnight in Ardrossan on the Ayr shore and the wind got up during the night to over 80 knots with an impressive swell coming through the harbour entrance.  We clearly couldn't sail first thing, actually we couldn't even stand upright when I was on the quay trying to sort the gangway out.  The situation was reviewed at 14:00 and as it was still gusting up to Force 10 we called the rest of the day off.  The good folk of Arran will have to wait for their fresh bread, newspapers and milk until tomorrow.  

Gave me a chance to look around and do some maintenance work on board which was useful.  On my last boat, the Isle of Mull, I mentioned how much I missed not having an opening porthole in the cabin.  I have on here but I'd just as soon not today anyway, as it leaks, over my bed unfortunately.  

Going nowhere

It's been an unsettled few days peaking today with a NW F 8 or 9 blowing into the Bay. No sailing to Mull for a while today, fortunately it is blowing us onto the pier, feels like we are being shaken about. 

Change afoot.

I'm on my last trip on the Isle of Mull this fortnight, off South to the Clyde to join the Caledonian Isles for the next year or so from December the 4th.  Really looking forward to the change and on one of the busiest runs in the Company.

Weekend Activities

We covered a lot of miles over the weekend. John, Julie's youngest son who lives with his girlfriend Tracy in Newcastle, had a baby last Monday, Ethan James weighing in at 9 lbs.  We set off on Thursday evening and stayed overnight in a hotel near Carlisle, the Wallfoot so named I guess as the last part of Hadrian's Wall runs through the back garden.  Four poster bed and a great breakfast to set us up for the day for £50.

Then on to Newcastle and here is the proud granny, son and grandson.

Then it was four hours to Birmingham to stay with Julie's parents before driving into London on the Saturday to meet her brother on the completion of his 16 day, 1,400 mile cycle around the UK for charity and to prove that at a certain age he could still do it.  That's David spraying the contents of a bottle of Cava around.  Sam, his son is on the left with Jason and John the team coach and mechanic.  Well done guys.  We met them at the newly refurbished Kings Cross district of London, very trendy.  

Back to Birmingham that evening before returning to Glasgow on the Sunday.  I am always surprised by the amount of traffic down South, back here in Scotland on the M8 seems very ho hum.  Saying that, bowling along the inside lane of the M40 keeping up with the traffic doing 85 and watching all the fine items of German engineering flying past in the other lanes is no way as scary as driving a Fiat Panda in Italy.

And finally some more news that I had an interview for a 2nd Mates position last week on our return from Sardinia, yesterday I had a phone call from HR to say that I was successful and in due course will be promoted.  Triples all round please.

Home to grandsons and blocked drains

We've been home for a few days and there are always things to catch up on. I have the man flu but not making a fuss, Julie is back at work.  The kitchen sink is blocked and we are off to see Julie's younger son's little boy Ethan James who was born on Monday afternoon.  Here's a link to some holiday photos  Then we are going to London to meet Julie's brother David who has been cycling around the country to raise cash, his journey ends on Saturday at Kings Cross so we are going to be there to celebrate. Red Cycle

And I bought a new car

All things must come to pass

Home again and a nice surprise to land at Glasgow with the sun shining
and 20 C in the shade. We had a wonderful two weeks in Sardinia and
would recommend it. I will organise my photos and put a link on line
in due course. Look forward to meeting up with everyone again and
boring them with my stories.

Local Tesco

Half way point

One of the main attractions here in Alghero is to make the trip out to
Grotta di Nettuno a local cave complex about 10 miles to the west of
the town. We opted for the full day tour and headed off on a wooden
launch along the coast to view the beaches and cliffs close up. The
last couple of days there has been a strong west wind which has died
away but unfortunately there was still a high swell running when we
got to the point and entering the caves would have been too dangerous.
Cal Mac style the skipper took us out there for a chance to see how
big the seas and swell were before turning back to anchor in a
sheltered bay for a few hours. While the cook knocked us up a mussels
and pasta dish we all went snorkelling in what turned out to be
jellyfish infested waters, luckily enough they seemed to prefer one of
our party a young man from the UK and left us alone. There was as
much of local vino to drink as we wished, and water, but being British
we opted for the alcohol and the evening was spent recovering.

Healthy eating

We are consciously trying to eat healthily. Pasta features quite a lot and there are loads of ugly looking vegetables that wouldn't get shelf space in Tesco. The two glasses contain the local recommended liqueur, Mirito. It tastes similar to Benolyin Expectorant, foul. 

Dull weather

This is the forecast for next week here in Sardinia. No variation from one day to the next, just sunshine with no cloud and gentle winds. 

It's all right for some.

Waking to the sun shining through the open doors onto the balcony and looking out onto a blue sky and a warm breeze does have its charms.  We are now here in Alghero in the North West corner of Sardinia for our two weeks of sunshine and pasta. 

We flew in on a busy Easyjet flight to Olbia on the other side of the island and then after a fraught hour or so waiting for the ladies to carry out their bureaucratic manoeuvres on my credit card, licence and passport we headed off west in our Fiat Panda.  I think I have declined to take out the many extra insurances, along with pet and breakdown cover but who knows, it was all in Italian? I did however have to sign a form 7 times to show my willing resistance to her offers, and we complain about paperwork in the UK.

Italian driving has a reputation but once you get the hang of the minimum speed required on the roads then you'll be fine.  Generally the other drivers help by getting close enough to signal with hand and eye gestures that 30 km/h over the speed indicated on the roadside signs is not sufficient for safe passage. The locals are quite loyal as Fiat and Alpha Romeo are the cars of choice everywhere, little evidence of German engineering and not a sign of a Skoda. 

Our flat is a little out of the town centre about 10 minutes walk from the old port buildings and the main thoroughfares.  On our first night we just went round the corner to a neighbourhood bar (café) and sat outside having a beer with chicken, chips and mozzarella balls watching the local ladies fuss and bother about their little dogs in between cigarette breaks.  They do keep thin here, I can only imagine that the meals we see the girls eating on an evening is the single food for that day.

I couldn't finish without mentioning that it is too warm to be out during the afternoon, fortunately we can have a little snooze in the shade of the flat before it cools again later in the day.  Thank goodness.

Amadea off Oban

Home tomorrow then off to Sardinia for two weeks on Saturday. 

Calm day on Mull

The weather has taken a turn to being cooler this morning, but
pleasant. Approaching Craignure I thought there was oil on the water
but then noticed it was actually a rainbow reflected on the surface.
Apologies for the windscreen wiper to the left of photo.

A quiet time

Apologies to my readers that I haven't been blogging for a while. No
excuse possible, other than idleness which is not an excuse but a
failing on my part. When I was home on leave we kept busy with a
visit to Edinburgh and a four day trip on the boat with my cousin
Judith, three visits to Helensburgh to visit my Mum, a day on
administration and it's time to re-join the ship.

Today we had an exotic visitor outside the Bay with its wavy hair, eye
and red lips logo on the bow, the Aidacara was visiting Scotland.
Pity that we didn't have the good weather being enjoyed elsewhere in
the country, but as they say it keeps the dust down. Should Calmac
adopt this kind of ship side painting? What would be an appropriate
logo?

Where am I today?

Famous for its pie eating cowboy and marmalade amongst other things. 

Our glamorous assistant.

Nearly a week now into our busy schedule delivering the good folk back
and forward to Mull. We have two newcomers here on deck, the Mate
Simon and Mariana the third mate. Seems to be a shortage of regular
people this fortnight, as we have 5 agency people on board and a few
like myself being temporarily promoted. We all seem to be getting on
though and the ship is running well IMHO.

A rare combination

Despite what they say we do get lots of warm sunshine here in
Scotland, and it doesn't get much warmer than it was over the weekend.
Generally with a high pressure area plonked over the UK it also means
little wind but this was the exception on Saturday and Sunday.
I got together a scratch crew of Julie, Lynne and Sheena and we
undertook an epic voyage to Millport from Largs, some 3 miles, and
anchored off the pier in the sure knowledge of a timetable that no
paddle steamers would be interrupting our evening. When we took the
photographs there wasn't a breath which is the norm on an evening but
then a brisk Easterly picked up and stayed with us all weekend,
tremendous sailing weather and being on the water it was just a
comfortable temperature on board. Ah if only it could be like this
every summer.

Thanks to Lynne for being photographer and for her sommelier duties
pouring the wine.

Dinner

Just as I was leaving the ship one of my shipmates gave me a fresh lobster to take home for tea. I was a bit circumspect that the crustacean would survive the three hour bus trip back in my suitcase to Glasgow, but it did. 10 minutes marinating in boiling water changed Eric from spotty black to red. Very tasty with a little bit of garlic butter.

The week progresses

As ever at this time of year we have been busy here on the Isle of Mull. A lot of folk going across to the Island for their holidays along with day trippers on coaches and either due to a water leak or shortage, tankers full of Oban water. Today we had 6 coach loads on our first trip out of Oban with 550 passengers.

At the start of my fortnight we had glorious weather but then on the Monday morning we woke to fog across the Bay, as the week progressed it took longer and longer each day to burn away so we were manoeuvring at slow speed when we were in it. On Friday this resulted in us running two hours late but we did do all of our trips, the lifeline
service continues.


This is a picture of the radar and each of these yellow dots is the return from a target, most likely a yacht or fishing boat moving about the Sound of Mull just near Craignure. A busy bit of water and
probably quite scary for the yacht skippers caught out in the fog as they will not necessarily have the radar we do to detect other vessels, but they will be able to hear our fog signal and know we are
out there somewhere.

By the way, I find it strange how some of my colleagues dislike all yachtsmen, considering them to be an impediment to the stately progress of the ferry, conveniently forgetting that CalMac doesn't own Oban Bay and the £121 million subsidy we received last year was paid no doubt in part by these bloody Wafis's taxes. Ho hum.


Today we had a rather elegant passenger ship anchored off the North Entrance to Oban, the Costa Voyager. Presently of Italian register and quite a handsome vessel in comparison to a lot of other modern passenger boats. A very impressive flair on the bow which you can see better on this photo.

Unusual visitor

The Club Med 2 visited Oban today, anchored just outside the North

entrance its little landing craft have been ferrying their passengers
back and forward to the landing stage in the bay.

I had a walk up Pulpit Hill last night and took a couple of photos of the Bay. Looking good in the sunshine.

This is the Oban Distillery with our local Tower in the background.

Round Mull Race

Spent quite a lot of time dodging yachts today, some like these were
racing others were pottering and on occassions sitting with their eyes
closed. The sun tried to break through but never really managed it,
unlike the rest of you. Well done to Andy Murray and a very worthy
talented opponent in today's semi's.

Not so warm here

Looks like a heat wave for most of the UK except for our bit here out west, still it's quite pleasant. I went for a walk along the Oban prom last night and didn't need a hat! Sailing as 3rd Mate this time, off to meet up again with my old fire extinguisher chums today. 

Fife Regatta

The sharp eyed amongst you will spot that this is not a picture of a classic Fife yacht but rather the Puffer VIC 32 chasing them across to Rothesay. We went out today to look at the yachts racing from Largs across to Bute and others have taken much better photos than I could, see here
On Saturday there wasn't enough wind for their race around Great Cumbrae, today there was more than enough, indeed we chickened out half way over to Bute and made a run back to Largs and the safety of the marina.  Here's a link to the Official Site
It was quite a sight to see these fabulous craft under full, maybe too much but they were racing, sail heading off up the river.

Too much food

Where were we last night? A place where you can purchase fresh prawns and where there is a narrow strip or isthmus of land. 

Lochranza for the night.

Yachting day

Fabulous day here on the Costa Clyde. The full crew of Julie, David, Lorna & Lynne were available for an anti-clockwise navigation of Great Cumbrae. Yesterday the heater was on in the car, today it was the AC. Funny old place Scotland. 

Weekend sailing

Home on leave and the weather good too, well it was up until today, but never mind it was good over the weekend.  The two Margarets and Julie were free so we headed off in a flat calm on Saturday morning passing the pipe layer Audacia which was anchored off and being serviced by a little fleet of vessels.  

Fortunately a zephyr like South Easterly breeze picked up and we got a nice little sail up the East Kyle of Bute, turned right at the top into Loch Riddon where the wind died away again and we anchored off for the night.

Nary a breath.

Then we noticed that we weren't alone, all about us in what must have been millions were purple jellyfish, as they bobbed to the surface it looked like it was raindrops all over the surface of the loch.  

The next day and there was an excellent breeze that blew from all points but wafted us along at a grand pace down the west side of Bute and back to Largs.  On our way up the Largs Channel this big lump came past us and then stopped off Largs.  Have we struck oil off Great Cumbrae?

Relative good news

For those who know her my mum went into hospital yesterday to have her third, yes third, hip replacement. This evening post op the news is all good. 

View from the office window.

What an amazingly good weather week this is turning out to be,
particulary given that it is the Whitsun holiday and we are regularly
carrying over 600 passengers per trip. Good weather and holidays in
my experience seldom seem to coincide but we seem to have cracked it
this time.
A view from my cabin window when in Oban, showing the Calmac Terminal.
The interior of the ship is now reaching sub tropical temperatures
but as 2nd Officer this trip I am treated to the luxury of an opening
port (window) and with the judicious placing of a fan it keeps my
cabin to a temperate temperature. Junior officers, e.g. 3rd Mates, of
course do not need an opening port and it is clearly not warm enough
in the Chief Engineers cabin to justify the air conditioning being put
on yet.
And yet another sunset, but even this photo doesn't really do justice
to last night's natural show looking out west over Mull.