2 cruises this week

The cruise liner season is in full flow at Greenock Ocean Terminal just now.

We had an overnight visit from the Finnish liner Kristina Katarina, arriving on Saturday and leaving on Sunday afternoon with a new set of passengers.

Today Ocean Countess arrived for the first of two visits this week, as she returns on Saturday.

Kristina Katarina backing away from the berth

Kristina Katarina finishes canting, ready to head for her next destination

Kristina Katarina makes her way down river

Ocean Countess canting

Ocean Countess off Greenock Esplanade

Ocean Countess picks up speed as she departs

East Fortune airshow, part 2

Some more pictures taken on Saturday's trip to East Fortune airshow. Hats off to the crews in the open cockpits for enduring some extreme downpours during their displays.

Jungman Casa 131

Junkers CL1, part of the Great War Display Team

Hawker Sea Fury

Hawker Sea Fury during a brief sunny spell

Boeing OH-6 Cayuse, a veteran of the Vietnam war

Royal Navy flypast, Fairey Swordfish & Westland Sea King

Fairey Swordfish

East Fortune airshow

Yesterday was the first day of my "summer holidays". It was also my first visit to East Fortune airfield in East Lothian.

More than one heavy downpour tried hard to ruin the day but a good show was put on by the aircrews and the commentator.

Avro Anson

P51-D Mustang

Royal Navy SAR Sea King

Bo'ness & Kinneil railway

There's something quite magical about steam trains. I'm sure many people who grew up when every train was powered by steam looked on them as dirty, smelly things.

Then there are those who love steam and help there wonderful machines and keep them running for us all to enjoy.

The volunteers at Bo'ness and Kinneil railway keep the dream alive with their preserved locos and carriages travelling from one beautifully maintained station to the next.

A trip on the Waverley, part 2

The Firth of Clyde has some wondeful scenery, not that I am in any way biased.

The rocky coastlines are littered with lighthouses, most of them no longer functioning, but still standing as a reminder of the dangers in the seas around them.

Here are some more pictures from my day out on the Waverley last week.

The 200 year old Little Cumbrae lighthouse has not been in use since 1997

Sailing away from Arran

The uninhabited island of Pladda off the south of Arran

Another lighthouse, this time on the south of Holy Isle in Lamlash Bay

Calmac ferry, Caledonian Isles, passing Goat Fell on the Island of Arran

Modern wind turbines overlooking Hunterston terminal and nuclear power stations

Largs beach with Nardini's ice cream parlour behind

A trip on the Waverley

I think we got the best weather of the week last Thursday for a five island trip on PS Waverley, the world's last sea going paddle steamer.

There is something special about this beautiful ship, from her varnished wooden seats on the open decks to the two iconic funnels in her midships.

The cruise left from Greenock, stopping at several ports on her way south as far as Arran, before turning around just short of Pladda to start her homeward journey.

Here is the first of my pictures from a very enjoyable day out.

One of two lounge bars on board

Passengers enjoying the sunshine

Red funnel

Engine room crew keep the paddles turning

Toward lighthouse at the southern tip of Cowal peninsula

A passing yacht

MV Argylle approaching Rothesay

Linlithgow Palace - jousting event

We spent a very enjoyable Sunday afternoon yesterday at Linlithgow Palace where a large crowd were entertained by a jousting display.

This is an annual event put on by Historic Scotland and the crowd loved every minute of the entertainment.

Quest for Adventure

I've not been down to catch the cruise liners as often as I would have liked. Saying that, I took a trip down to see Quest for Adventure leaving for a trip to St Kilda and Iceland.

Summerlee miners' cottages

Two rows of little cottages, decorated to reflect different periods of when miming was active in Lanarkshire, sit within Summerlee heritage museum.

It was interesting to see the increase in consumer luxuries throughout the different decades.

Nearby is a reproduced adit mine which uses a sloping track for access rather than the usual shaft.

 

Entrance to the coal mine

Row of cottages