When we were departing Oban yesterday afternoon the ship was vibrating a lot more than usual, particularly at 60% pitch. It was getting to the point that it was difficult to fill out our forms on the way out of the harbour, so clearly things were getting bad.
On leaving Craignure we used each engine independently and found that there was more vibration from the port engine as compared to the starboard. Clearly something was amiss so the company organised divers to attend last night, to check out the propellers.
They found a plastic fish box off a fishing boat stuck in amongst the propeller gear and a missing bolt from the rope guard on the starboard prop. This morning, things seem to much better so they must have been part of the problem, though the vibration hasn't gone completely.
From a chilly 6C the other morning it was 13C today, accompanied by a Southerly Gale, blowing on the way across, complete with driving rain. Autumn equinox gales maybe?
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