Finlaggan

Caledonian MacBraynes Finlaggan shares a dry dock with fishing boat Ocean Star.

Aarti Prem

Bulker at Inch Green for repairs.

Ocean Star

Fishing Boat in Garvel dry dock.

Island Princess

Island Princess the new Gourock to Kilcreggan ferry.

Clyde Marine lost the contract to operate the service,instead SPT downgraded the service with no sailings to Helensburgh.
The new boat is is obviously inferior to Clyde Marines Seabus which was designed for the service,but I don't supose the folk from SPT or the councillor involved in the cuts will ever use the ferry.

From the Lochside Press

MP Alan Reid is the latest politician to question the reliability of the new ferry link between Gourock and Kilcreggan.

The Liberal Democrat representative for Argyll and Bute was on the inaugural sailing on Sunday, and today (Thursday) he said: “My experience then and the cancelled sailings on Tuesday have caused me to be concerned about the ability of this service to operate in the weather conditions that frequently arise here.

“This service shows worrying signs of repeating the problems of the Dunoon-Gourock route. On that route, vessels which were too small came into service last summer. The Scottish Government, like SPT, wanted to save money by using smaller cheaper vessels.

“After hundreds of cancelled sailings, the Scottish Government finally admitted that the smaller of the two vessels on the route is not up to the job and are searching for a suitable replacement.”

Mr Reid has written to SPT asking them to monitor the number of cancelled and late sailings very closely and be ready to step very quickly in and replace the ‘Island Princess’ should it prove unable to cope with rough weather.

“There are clearly not enough seats inside the ‘Island Princess’ to cope with peak demand,” he added.

He has also asked SPT to publish the number of completed on time, late and cancelled (with reason) sailings for each month of the previous contract and the same figures each month for the current contract.

RMAS Menai

A post card from 1993 of RMAS Menai in Brodick Bay Arran

Loch Bhrusda

Loch Bhrusda at Largs pier.

Toward

Clyde Ports pilot boat Toward in James Watt Dock.

Ronja Viking

Ronja Viking emerging from the Cumbries before passing in front of Arran,she is a live fish carrier.

Ben Crom

Work boat seen at Ardossan Harbour.

Fraoch

Work boat passing Largs.