A tale of two boats

I have been slipping slightly with updating my blog recently. That doesn't mean that I have not been taking any photographs recently.

PS Waverley has recently started her summer season on the Clyde. I took some photos of her a couple of weeks ago passing Port Glasgow lighthouse. She is the world's last seagoing passenger carrying paddle steamer and is well loved wherever she goes.

A world apart from the varnished timbers of the paddle steamer is the luxury superyacht Eclipse. Delivered to Roman Abramovich in 2010, she is the worlds second largest private yacht.

She anchored off Greenock on Tuesday morning and remained there overnight before sailing to Rothesay Bay the next day.

I took these pictures from the Esplanade shortly before midnight.

PS Waverley

It is now 40 years since Waverley was sold to The Paddle Steamer Preservation Society for £1.

It is always good to see her sailing up and down the Clyde during the summer.

Waverley

PS Waverley, the world's only sea going paddle steamer, prepares for another busy season.

Here she is, fresh from a visit to the drydock, looking very smart.

She stopped at Greenock's Customhouse Quay before heading down river for her pre-season trials.

Waverley's final sail of the season

PS Waverley came back to the Clyde this weekend. She was due to cruise on Saturday and Sunday but, due to bad weather, she didn't make it back in time for the Saturday sailing.

Today's passengers had the best weather all week for their trip.

Taken from Port Glasgow with Cardross in the background

Berthed at Customhouse Quay

Waverley departing Customhouse Quay on the season's final cruise

Next stop Helensburgh

Return to Greenock as dusk descends

The remaining passengers waiting to head for Glasgow

Waverley heading south

After spending the summer months around the Clyde, it's time for Waverley to head down south for a few weeks.

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

Waverley & Balmoral coming out of the drydock

All spruced up and ready for the new season and looking fabulous in their new coats of paint.

Balmoral

I missed Balmoral and Waverley going into Garvel Drydock a couple of weeks ago. I think they are due out soon so I'm hoping that I'll manage to get to see them both coming out.

In the meantime I've been down a couple of times to see how they are looking.

Balmoral sitting waiting for a shiny new coat

Doesn't she look wonderful?

PS Waverley

The world's last sea going paddle steamer, Waverley, has started her summer schedule on the Clyde. She departed from her base at Pacific Quay in Glasgow this morning for a trip to the Kyles of Bute and Tighnabruaich. Here she is stopping at Customhouse Quay, Greenock on her way back to Glasgow this evening.

The low sun has cast a strange orange glow on her normally bright red twin funnels.

PS Waverley approaching Greenock

Paddle Steamer Waverley

Alongside Customhouse Quay

PS Waverley

2 paddle steamers in the same day. Not bad!

PS Waverley, the last sea going paddle steamer in the world, left Garvel drydock yesterday after an extended visit. she was helped out of the drydock by Clyde Marine tugs Beaver Bay and Boojum Bay. She was taken to Customhouse Quay for some safety checks before heading for the Bristol Channel.

Beaver Bay towing Waverley backwards out of the drydock

Turning Waverley around for the short journey to Customhouse Quay

On the way to Customhouse Quay

Slowly approacing the quayside