Disney Magic

All the Disney magic couldn't make Greenock warm and sunny for the cruise liner's first visit to the Clyde.

The Esplanade however, was packed to a capacity usually reserved for the Cunarders when she was due to depart.

As she left around 6pm there was a row of people along the full length of the Esplanade, with many children among them, waiting for the expected musical departure.

Slowly backing away from the berth she played the familiar opening notes of the Disney anthem "When You Wish Upon A Star" as she backs up to No 1 buoy to start canting.

The cold and dampness were forgotten for a short time as Disney Magic sailed away from the Clyde to a second and third blast of her musical horns.

MSC Splendida

Took a trip down to the Esplanade for the first of this year's big cruise liners.

MSC Splendida had arrived earlier this morning from Kirkwall on her trip round the British Isles.

She departed just after 7:30pm bound for Dublin on the next part of her journey.

Celebrity Silhouette

Celebrity Silhouette on her first visit to Greenock.

The 122,400 tonne ship is currently on a 12 night cruise around the British Isles, and will be making a return visit to the Clyde in August.

Greenock Esplanade

Offering unhindered views of the River Clyde and beyond, Greenock's Esplanade is an ideal location to view the comings and goings on the river.

At this time of year Greenock welcomes thousands of visitors on board the many cruise ships that berth at Greenock Ocean Terminal. Today was the first time I had seen MSC Splendida in Greenock.

Dredger Deo Gloria has been busy clearing the river bed around BAE shipyard in Govan and bringing the waste downriver to dump it in deeper open water.

Among the most frequent visitors to Greenock are the many container ships which have been loading and unloading at the Ocean Terminal for many decades.

As the evenings grow longer approaching the summer months others enjoy such activities as swimming and wind surfing.

Queen Mary 2

Cunard ships have a special status on the Clyde: some of the greatest ever liners were born on this river.

When Queen Mary 2 came for a visit, thousands came to see her off.

We were treated to a fireworks display as she slipped from the quay with a couple of loud blasts of her foghorn.

While in theory this sounded spectacular, it proved to be a nightmare for taking photographs with the ship being blurred in the long exposures I used to capture the fireworks.

The results are not my best photographs, but here are sharpest ones taken from the shoreline at the Esplanade.

Queen Mary 2 berthed at Greenock

Fireworks display

Fireworks display

Hanseatic

This year's cruise programme is drawing to an end with only a few visits remaining.

Hapag Lloyd expedition ship Hanseatic is one of our smallest visitors this year but her lines have a beauty that is missing from some of the larger ships.

She sailed out as the sun set on a beautiful autumn day, her next destination Staffa.

Royal Princess

Big isn't always beautiful, and I wouldn't call Royal Princess a good looking cruise ship.

She is the biggest liner to call at Greenock this year and the second largest of all time, only beaten by Queen Mary 2 which is a much nicer ship.