No ferries today from Oban

We made it across to Mull this morning at 8:00 but due to the storm surge and it coinciding with high water we couldn't use our forward ramp to discharge the vehicles due to the height of the tide. This meant turning the ship around and putting the stern in, it is configured differently from the forward ramp, so it was usable.  It meant some of the bigger vehicles having to back all the way ashore, but they did get there.  The wind was coming round to the West all the time and increasing in strength, as forecast.  The first photo shows the view from the bridge on the way back, about a Force 10, wind at about 50 knots.  Now we are pinned alongside in Oban with 50 to 60 knots of wind on the beam and the ship banging away against the pier, see the second photo.  No more sailings from Oban, or nearly anywhere else on the West coast for the rest of today.  This has got to be one of the windiest months for a long time, this storm is due to peter out tonight before, hopefully dying down and we can have a gentle step into the New Year.