Turning Point

Tilley – Tiree’s Wind Turbine is tantalising close to turning once again after a year of inactivity. The lack of action was not down to Tiree somehow being becalmed. It was the fact that the turbine required repair and refurbishment. The consequence of the year’s gap has been a loss of income to community projects. […]

The Crusher

It was Wednesday evening and on a Wednesday in the summer timetable the ferry arrives at 17:00 having sailed out to Barra and returned. Nothing unusual in that as it happens week after week. It was a beautiful sunny evening. {Let it be known that on Monday and Tuesday the Isle of Tiree was the […]

Amended Timetable

It’s Thursday 27th May 2021 and due to the technical fault affecting MV Loch Seaforth, an amended timetable is in operation. Instead of the normal timetable of a Oban – Coll – Tiree – Coll – Oban sailing an additional leg has been factored in. From Tiree the MV Clansman continued on to Barra.

With an appointment for coffee to be kept in the morning it was impossible to observe the progress of the MV Clansman through the Gunna Sound on her way via the Little Minch to Barra. So this afternoon around 4:30 there was the opportunity to watch the return of the ‘Mighty One’. Parking at one of the higher spots on the road between Ruaig and Caolas the ferry could be seen out in the Little Minch.

**The MV Clansman about to enter the Gunna Sound**

The weather was favourable with only a slight breeze, blue skies and a a calm sea. It is always a pleasure to observe the stately approach of the ‘Mighty One’ through the Gunna Sound. The ‘Sound separates Tiree and Coll and takes its name from an island there.

**The MV Clansman with the Isle of Rum as a backdrop.**

As the ferry enters the Sound, the Isle of Rum is a great backdrop and on this occasion the outline of Rum was clearly visible.

Right on schedule the ferry entered the Sound. There was no fanfare to herald her arrival. There was only the steady thob of her engines.

**The MV Clansman approaches the navigation buoy.**

**The MV Clansman ploughs her way through the waters off the Sound**

Before the ferry leaves the Sound, Ben Hiant on the Ardnamurchan Peninsular can be seen in the distance.

**The MV Clansman leaves the Gunna Sound**

As the vessel leaves the Sound and enters the Passage of Tiree, the mountain peaks on Mull including the munro ‘Ben More’ provide the backdrop.

The backdrop is the west coast of the Isle of Mull

Instead of returning directly the pier at Scarinish, the next point of observation was from the sandy shore of Gott Bay.

The shoreline of Gott Bay gave a completely different view of the ferry, in particular her berthing alongside the pier. For normal the view would be across the pier.

**The MV Clansman swings to come alongside the pier stern first.**

**A yacht with an amazing view of the MV Clansman**

**A surfer’s kite provides even more colour**

Under the favourable conditions the ferry berthed on time alongside Tiree’s pier, Gott Bay, Scarinish. For the past two weeks the MV Clansman has sailed out to Barra on a Wednesday and Thursday. Thankfully, other than have three ferries with a late arrival in Oban, Tiree has been unaffected by the woes of the MV Loch Seaforth.

This is ‘Life on Tiree’

Tantalisingly Close

There seems to be something about Thursdays at present. Once again on a Thursday the ferry failed to berth at Tiree. The vessel came alongside the pier, the bow ropes were thrown and caught. However, before the stern ropes were even thrown the bow ropes were released and the ferry headed back out to sea.

For those on board they were tantalisingly close. They were not just within sight of Tiree and the pier, the ferry was actually alongside the pier before the decision was made by the skipper to cancel the attempt to berth and head back to the Mainland port of Oban.

The status update issued by CalMac at 05:30am warned that due to adverse weather, there would only be one stop at Coll with the vessel operating to an amended timetable. In the event the vessel failed to berth at Coll.

Before leaving home to observe the ferry a further update had been issued stating that the vessel was unable to berth at Coll at 09:55 due to heavy swell.

With the MV Clansman replacing the MV Hebrides, which is down in Birkenhead for her annual overhaul and certification, the ferry relieving on the Oban, Coll and Tiree route is the MV Lord of the Isles {LOTI}. Whether or not the MV Clansman would have successfully berthed is an unknown.

It was through breaking swell that the MV Lord of the Isles could be observed entering Gott Bay from the Passage of Tiree. She progressed towards the pier and prepared to berth with her stern to the linkspan.

For a brief moment the atmosphere was tense as it appeared that LOTI was not even going to attempt to berth. However, she then slowly proceeded to come in stern first.

Although successfully coming alongside and the bow ropes being caught, the stern was never secured. The whole operation took around 10 tense minutes. For those on board there was nothing else but a return to Oban.

There is no sailing to Coll or Tiree under the Winter Timetable. The next crossing is 6:15am on Saturday. The big question is will there be room on either sailing on Saturday?

The MV Lord of Isles makes two crossings to Tiree due to limits placed on her. This was made even worse today. Those planning to travel to Tiree by ferry had been advised – Due to shipment of lifeline supplies, passenger space will be very limited so any passengers looking to travel are highly advised to book in advance. No doubt heavy goods vehicles are already booked on Saturday’ sailing(s) so it may prove difficult for those unable to land today to be accommodated on Saturday.

Whether your destination was Coll or Tiree those making the journey today will have spent almost 8 hours on board by the time the vessel berths in Oban. There is the prospect of spending another 2 nights in Oban, that is providing they can be accommodated on either of Saturday’s sailings.

Those unable to board at either or Coll or Tiree today have faced similar prospects, but al least they did not have to spend almost 8 hours on the ferry. It looks like the CO-OP will be busy on Saturday afternoon.

Life is uncertain whether you live on the Mainland or an island. Here on the Isle of Tiree we are simply reminded of this fact in dramatic fashion.

The is ’Life on Tiree’.

RESPECT

Out of respect for fellow islanders and in accordance with government guidelines our travels around Tiree have been limited. Most of the time we have hardy travelled very far from Scarinish and understandably that includes Scarinish Old Harbour and the Pier at Gott Bay. Naturally the ferry is a major feature of our ‘Life on […]

Marine Traffic – Ferry Interesting

It’s Tuesday the 30th of June and there is a slight easing of lockdown in Scotland. Today’s ferry had an amazing amount of traffic taking into account that it is only supposed to be sailing at 18% of capacity due to social distancing measures. What was encouraging was to see some of the school teachers […]

Essential Lifeline Services

On Tuesday the 23 June in support of essential lifeline services there were two sailings from the Mainland port of Oban to Tiree. The first was provided by the MV Clansman which operated according to the the normal lifeline timetable. The lifeline tameable has operated throughout the restrictions placed on transport by the Scottish Government […]

Pier Works To Recommence

On the 10th of June CMAL (Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd) issued a press release announcing that the Tiree Pier Head Reconstruction Work is to restart. The plan is for preparations to resume the repair work to begin sometime during the week commencing Monday 15 June 2020. Today, Monday the 15th of June, was sunny, warm and calm. It was […]

Changed Days

‘Changed Days’ or perhaps it should be ‘Contrasting Days for gone are the long dark winter evenings and instead we are enjoying the hours of daylight. Some evenings there appears to have been light in the sky almost to midnight and it starts getting light before 4:00am Friday, Saturday and Sunday, in terms of weather, […]

Lifeline Services

CALMAC – Ferry Service CalMac introduces Essential Lifeline Timetable in light of Covid-19 outbreak A new reduced timetable, which runs for an initial three-week period, comes amidst a lockdown on all but essential travel across the UK. It will be subject to continual review in a rapidly changing environment. Please check the service status of […]

Life on Tiree

Tiree – the most beautiful of all

Transport