The next morning, the 7am ferry from Kennacraig to Islay sailed past Gigha under the magnificent Paps of Jura. She was the MV Hebridean Isles, built in 1985. As her name suggests, she served the Skye, North Uist and Harris triangle until 2001 when she moved south to the Islay run. The white pillars at the rear is a large lifting car ramp which was used until all her ports were fitted with linkspans for a full RORO, roll on roll off, service.
A little later her sister ship the MV Isle of Arran made the early crossing from Islay to Kennacraig. She was built in 1983 for the Arran route but was moved to the Islay run in 1993. We followed the course of her voyage as she rounded the north end of Gigha. At first she was backed by the distant hills of Islay...
...with Gigha's Eilean Garbh in the foreground.
Then she passed below the mountains of Jura...
...before passing Ardpatrick Point...
...on her way into West Loch Tarbert and her home port of Kennacraig.
'She was built in 1883 for the Arran route but was moved to the Islay run in 1993'
ReplyDeleteI know some of the CalMac vessels are ageing, but.......
Bill
Thanks Bill, I actually sailed on one of the Isle of Arran's first crossings to Brodick. Recently I may have been feeling the toll of time but as you say, it was not that long ago!
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