‘Back On Track’

‘Back on track.’ It certainly did not appear that way on Tuesday morning. There was no change in the weather. The ferry was delayed by about 30 minutes apparently because of poor visibility. The morning flight from Glasgow was cancelled due to poor visibility and broadband on the island was still down unless you had […]

Complications

Complications is a word that can be associated with operations – think surgery. This is an operation and although it requires precision it is not a medical matter. Perhaps an explanation is required. This morning around 9:30 we looked out of our south facing window and through the mist we made out the form of […]

An Exact Fit

When we first moved to the Isle of TireeTiree we had two very distinct reference points for establishing our way about. At the west end of the island was the radar station on the top of Ben Hynish, often referred to as the ‘Golf Ball’ and at the other end was a large wind turbine […]

ALL AT SEA

The expression ‘Annus horribilis’ was brought to prominence by Queen Elizabeth II. In a speech at the Guildhall on 24 November 1992. It is a Latin phrase, meaning ‘horrible year’. For many reasons CMAL/CalMac must feel that 2021 is their ‘Annus horribilis’. In a press release. March 2017 CMAL stated, ‘The new vessels are […]

A Blue Sky Day

Tiree has a reputation to maintain as one of the sunniest places in the United Kingdom and it will be interesting to see the official data for today. Yesterday, even with the mist coming and going, Tiree was the sunniest place in the UK. (For a video of the MV Clansman in the mist here […]

Penultimate

It was our son’s last day on Tiree before returning to his home well south of the Scottish border. He wanted to make the most of the time remaining and chose to go for a walk along the sand at Gott Bay. It was late afternoon, around 4:45pm, just in time to see the MV […]

Anticipation

One definition of ‘anticipation’ is ‘the act of looking forward – especially pleasurable expectation’ and gives the illustration of looking forward with anticipation to their arrival. How apt this definition is to the arrival of family members on Tuesday’s ferry and the subsequent events of the coming few weeks. One of the joys of life on Tiree […]

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’

A Weather Window

The arrival of the ‘MV Hebrides’ was an opportunity in more than one way. The vessel is a rare visitor to the twin islands of Coll and Tiree. Her normal area of service is the Uig Triangle, sailing between Uig on Skye and Tarbert on Harris – and Uig and Lochmaddy on North Uist. A return visit of the ferry to Tiree was an opportunity not to be miissed.

Today, Monday, was a weather window, in what has been a been a season of storms. As stated in a previous post in the past weeks the island has only had had about one crossing to the Mainland a week. With strong winds forecast an alert has been issued that the ferry will be operating to a revised timetable and importantly stating that berthing in Coll or Tiree is not guaranteed but will be attempted.‘

The forecast is for winds gusting to over 60mph overnight and altough they are expected to drop throughout the morning swell conditions last longer. If the MV Hebrides remains on the route for one more day there is a stronger chance of a berthing. No doubt there will be pressure on CalMac to return the vessel to her normal area of service.

**MV Hebrides against a hazy view of Ben More**

On Saturday when the ‘MV Hebrides’ berthed the conditions were wintry – wet and windy. Today the contrst could not have beeen more marked. The sky was a welcome shade of blue.

With it being a late afternoon arrival in Tiree (about 4:15) it was not long before the sun began to drop. When the vessel returned to the Passge of Tiree heading for Coll and Oban the eastern sky wass overcast.

Having watched the ‘MV Hebrides’ berth we headed for Ruaig to observe the ferry head out to sea. We were able to watch her pass the tidal island of Soa as she headed out into the Pssage of Tiree bound for Coll and Oban.

What follows are photographs of the berthing and then the ferry heading out to sea.

A Welcome Appearance

**MV Hebrides ready to lower stern ramp**

**MV Hebrides back out in the Passage of Tiree**

This is ‘Life on Tiree’.

Through The Rainbow

The Calmac status SMS announced, ‘OBA-CLL-TIR Due to the weekend forecast there will be an additional sailing to the timetable http://www.calm.ac/19 22/10/2020 @ 11:56. This additional sailing left Oban Ferry Terminal on Friday at approximately 1:15pm and sailed directly to Tiree with a time tabled arrival of 4:35pm.

Should I take the camera or not? If I don’t take it I will perhaps regret it. I am so glad to have made the correct decision. Out in the Passage of Tiree the MV Clansman was ploughing through the water and creating an impressive bow wave as she rose and fell. It was rather murky out at sea but on Tiree the sun was making an appearance – until . . .

A Double Rainbow as the MV Clasman enters Gott Bay

Shelter had to be sought for all of a sudden a heavy shower broke and visibility was greatly reduced. The MV Clansman literally came out of the murk and through the rainbow.

The shower was a short, sharp shock! However, the rainbow(s) persisted until the MV Clansman berthed alongside the pier. The timing could not have been much better.

As the MV Clansman passed through the end of the Rainbow, at one point, it appeared as if she was burning a new special kind of fuel.

CalMac had given the folllowing piece of advise, OBA-CLL-TIR 23Oct Passengers intending to travel on Saturday and Sunday should consider sailing today due to forecast adverse weekend weather. It was evident that many had followed the advice for both inbound to Tiree and outbound to Coll and Oban the ferry was well loaded.

Due to the weather forecast the decision had made to postpone Saturday’s Cattle sale on the island. In normal cirumstances the cattle sale would mean the ferry making two crossings. Not this Saturday. Calmac stated, ‘The cattle sales for Tiree have been cancelled and the previously amended timetable will no longer apply.’

On Friday evening Saturday and Sundays ferry have not been cancelled. However the wind is steadly rising and the forecast makes a crossing extremely doubleful. Thus the following alert, ‘OBA-CLL-TIR 24/25 Oct Due to adverse weather forecasted, this service is liable to disruption or cancellation at short notice.’

What a pleasure to observe the MV Clansman sail through the raibow as she approached Tiree’s pier. Briefly she sat there under the rainbow until the bow gradually faded away. Time alone will tell if the ‘Mighty One’ will return to Tiree on either Saturday or Sunday. The wind is certainly rising!

Life on Tiree

Tiree – the most beautiful of all

Gott Bay

‘Back On Track’

Complications

An Exact Fit

ALL AT SEA

A Blue Sky Day

Penultimate

Anticipation

Amended Timetable

A Weather Window

Through The Rainbow

This is Life on Tiree

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