A boatful day

Two cruiseliners, two fishingboats, one tanker and two ferries. That is today's harvest in terms of boats at Stornoway. Just before 8 am, the cruiseliner Spirit of Adventure came into port, passing the much smaller Quest which was at anchor in Glumag Harbour.



In the meantime, the ferry (MV Isle of Lewis) was not going anywhere for most of the day. Its problems with the bowdoor continued to plague it. After staying shut all week last week, the visor was now open since at least yesterday afternoon. By 4pm, it finally sailed for Ullapool for the first time today. With some mighty fed up passengers on board, judging by what was hanging around the ferry terminal two hours previously. The second ferry, incidentally, is MV Muirneag, our cargo ferry.



A restored fishing boat, the Reaper, arrived in Stornoway yesterday evening at 6pm, after a rough voyage up from Grimsay (in the Uists). Today, the museumship had an open day, and all who were interested could come aboard and have a look. Knowing my luck, I came at low tide, so the gangway was quite a steep step down. The boat, 107 years old, was in great condition and a pride to those who maintain and crew her.



The other fishingboat, the Jean Claude Coulomb, was in such a blazing hurry to get in and out for a crew change that I could not get a picture of her.

As I type, the tanker Border Heather is approaching the port, which completes our boatful day.